The hook
One of the most spectacular and complete Roman cities anywhere, a vast marble metropolis on the Libyan coast, lavished with grandeur by an emperor born there, and long preserved by the desert sand that buried it.
01Why it's worth it
Leptis Magna was one of the great cities of Roman Africa, and it reached extraordinary splendour under the emperor Septimius Severus, who was born here and poured imperial resources into his home town, endowing it with monuments on a scale to rival Rome itself. Because it was later abandoned and much of it buried by sand, it survived remarkably intact, and its ruins are breathtaking: a triumphal arch, a huge forum, a basilica, colonnaded streets, elaborate baths, a well-preserved theatre and amphitheatre, and a harbour, all in honey-coloured stone and marble by the Mediterranean, widely regarded as among the finest Roman remains in existence. It is a world-class site that, in normal times, would draw crowds. But Libya has endured civil conflict and instability since 2011, and travel there is widely advised against, with the security situation difficult and changeable, so few outsiders now see it, and its heritage has at times been at risk. This entry records a magnificent site, offered as context and in hope of a stable future, not as a current travel recommendation.
02How to experience it
Not a current travel recommendation: Libya is affected by conflict and instability, and travel is widely advised against; the situation must be checked and is difficult. This records Leptis Magna as one of the world's great Roman cities, in hope of peace and its safe preservation. Supporting the protection of Libya's heritage is the meaningful engagement for now.