Libya

A Greek word meaning “three cities”, Triopli is the capital and largest city in Libya. A sixth of Libya’s entire population resides in the city. The city is known as the Mermaid of the Mediterranean for its turquoise waters and whitewashed buildings. The old town, Medina, still retains much of its old world charm. The Red Castle, an ancient government palace, is located on the outskirts of Old Medina. The palace complex with its numerous courtyards is well preserved and nearly intact.
The Arch of Marcus Aurelius is a Roman arch outside the entrance to the Medina. The monument is dated to 165 A.D and is made entirely of marble. The arch was erected to commemorate the victories Lucius Verus (adoptive brother of Emperor Marcus Aurelius) over the Parthians in the Roman-Parthian War.

The ruins of Leptis Magna are considered the most complete Roman city in the world. Sites to visit include the Triumphal Arch of Septimius Severus, the Hippodrome, the Hadrianic Baths, the Amphitheatre, the Basilica, the Temples of Hercules and Roma, the Severn Forum.
In 2005 archeologists uncovered a 30ft long collection of mosaics created in the 1st or 2nd century representing a warrior in combat with a deer, men wrestling a bull to the ground, a gladiator resting after battle. The gladiator mosaic has nee noted as one of the finest examples of mosaic art ever seen.

One of the old three cities that made up the Tri-polis region, Sabrantha is famed for its spectacular theatre and ancient Roman ruins. A Phoenician trading-post that served as an outlet for the products of the African hinterland, Sabrantha was part of the shirt-lived Numidian Kingdom of Massinissa before being Romanized and re-built in the 2nd and 3rd centuries A.D.

The World Heritage town of Ghadarmes, formerly a key trading centre in the middle of the desert, now stands as an illustration of a Berber town of old Islamic architecture. Situated within a natural oasis, Ghadarmes if known as “The Pearl of the Desert, and is one of the oldest pre-Saharan cities to still stand, making it a rare example of a traditional settlement.