On the north western edge of the Tell, close to the town of Jendouba is the wonderful site of Bulla Regia. This Roman City lies just above the plain and is on a well organized site with a small museum, and plenty of parking right on the road.

This fully planned Roman town has a capitol building, Christian basilica, library, baths and houses as any well organized community would have today,  except this was during the second century AD and it is an amazing testament to the highly organized Roman civilization of that time.  

Begin exploring this incredible site at the Baths of Julia Memnia, just off the highway. Named after the wife of Emperor Septimus Severus, these baths were excavated and restored in the early 20^th century. There was a central frigidarium or cool pool to plunge into after a hot Roman bath. Visitors can see the large vaults and halls and the clay piping. Further along the main street you will come to the library and the Temple of Isis. A small theatre is a little further along with a bear mosaic still intact. 

Further up the hillside are some Christian Basilicas and a nearby mound which gives great overviews of the area. The Forum is easily identified , with the Temple of Apollo who was known to have been the patron god of Bulla Regia.

One unique feature to this site is that the houses are believed to have been built beneath the ground. Why it was done is the subject of debate, but a hole was dug, and a house erected with the roof being level with the ground. These houses can be unlocked and explored but expect to tip the caretaker for opening the three houses. The House of Hunt has reddish columns, latrines and some gorgeous mosaics still in situ. The House of Fish has marine mosaics and a semi-circular fountain. The final house is the House of Amphitrite, again with exceptional mosaics of Amor astride a dolphin, carrying her jewel box and mirror. More mosaics can be seen at the House of the New Hunt, which show hunting horns, servants carrying serpents and a tiger after killing an antelope. Lions were last seen in the region in the 1830s and the last panther in 1932.

All this should certainly have whetted your appetite to see this incredible site, one of many such Roman legacies which can be found all over Tunisia.