The volume “The Imperial Cult Building of Simitthus: Architecture, Finds, and Interpretation of an Early Imperial Podium Temple in the Province of Africa Proconsularis” consolidates four decades of archaeological research on the imperial cult temple in Simitthus, Tunisia. Thanks to the collaboration between the Tunisian Department of Antiquities and the German Archaeological Institute, one of the largest cult complexes in Roman North Africa is comprehensively presented. Volume 7 offers a detailed overview of the temple's architecture and urban development, including its precinct and monumental features.
The volume brings together four decades of archaeological and architectural research on the Imperial Cult Temple in the Roman city of Simitthus, Tunisia. Through a collaboration between the Tunisian Department of Antiquities and the German Archaeological Institute, this book presents one of the largest cult complexes of Roman North Africa in detail.
Built during the early years of the Roman Colonia Iulia Augusta Numidica Simithu, now Chimtou, the Imperial Cult Temple featured remarkable architecture in the 1st century BCE. Its ancient design was particularly important to the Italic settlers in Simitthus. The unique decorations are reminiscent of temples from the 4th and 3rd centuries BC in central Italy, which had not been in use for over 200 years. This revival of ancient traditions is also seen in other areas of life in the new province of Africa Proconsularis. The temple’s importance is further demonstrated by its expansion under the emperor Septimius Severus, over 100 years later, making it one of the largest Roman temple complexes in Africa. The architectural ensemble includes a unique arch monument at the entrance to the sacred precinct, notable for its three equally sized arches. Detailed analysis of the inscriptions confirms the site’s role in the Roman imperial cult.
The seventh volume in this series offers a thorough overview of the temple’s archaeology and architecture, providing the first complete reconstruction of its design, plaza, and arch monument within the context of Simitthus' urban development.
Felix Arnold studied architecture at the University of Karlsruhe and wrote his doctoral thesis on late antique and early medieval housing in Egypt. After extensive excavation work for the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York and the Swiss Institute for Building Research in Cairo, he is currently working in Madrid at the German Archaeological Institute as a consultant for building research. In addition to his involvement in the excavations on the island of Elephantine in Egypt, he is in charge of the building survey of an Islamic villa in Córdoba. His research specialises in comparative architectural history.
Paul Scheding, a German classical archaeologist, published his dissertation on micro-regional developments in North African urban planning in 2019. With over 15 years of involvement in North African research projects, he has conducted significant work in Carthage, Simitthus, and Meninx. Since 2023, he has served as the Director of the Madrid Department of the German Archaeological Institute.
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