The initial “t” of the place name attests to the city’s Libyc origin, although it is not known when it was founded. All we know is that during the Punic wars it sided with Carthage against Rome for which it later paid a heavy tribute. In 27 BC, Octavian Augusts established a colony of Italian veterans next to the native population. It was only in 188 that the two twin cities merged and embarked on an era of great prosperity with the building of sumptuous public monuments and superb villas.

Thuburbo declined in the mid IIIrd century before achieving a brilliant rebirth in the IVth century, going as far as to proclaim itself Respublica Felix Thuburbo Majus. The Vandal invasion in the mid Vth century put its prosperity to an end and reduced it to the ranks of a large village, which after the Arab conquest, was abandoned.

The site is quite extensive and covers about 40 hectares. It has been partially excavated and is dotted with many buildings, mostly monumental, such as the capitol, with its 6 façade columns and two round the side 8,50 m high and 0,85cm in diameter; or the temple of Peace and that of Mercury, the temple of Caelestis, patron of the city, that of Ceres, transformed into a basilica in the IVth century, the summer baths and the winter baths, as well as the market, the residential quarter.