Leptis Magna was one of the most prominent cities of Roman Africa. Located near modern Al-Khoms on Libya’s Mediterranean coast, it began as a Punic settlement and later became an important Roman port and trading center.
The city reached its greatest prosperity under Emperor Septimius Severus, who was born there and ruled from 193 to 211 CE. He invested heavily in his hometown, adding monumental forums, basilicas, a triumphal arch, public baths, and improvements to the harbor. Leptis’s wealth also came from fertile farmland and a major olive-oil trade.
Leptis Magna is often confused with nearby Sabratha, another important Roman site in Tripolitania. Unlike Sabratha, Leptis is especially associated with the Severan dynasty and is widely regarded as one of the best-preserved Roman cities in North Africa. Its archaeological remains have been a UNESCO World Heritage Site since 1982.