# Jebel Moraba

**Jebel Moraba** (also spelled Djebel Moraba or Jabal Moraba) is a hill in the Menzel Habib area of Borj Amri, Manouba Governorate, Tunisia, rising to 317 metres (1,040 feet), and the site of a Roman-period settlement whose ancient name is not known.<sup>[1](https://mapcarta.com/17283264)</sup> The hill stands at 36.6° N, 9.86667° E, near the localities Ksar Tyr, Oulad Messaoud, and Menzel Habib.<sup>[1](https://mapcarta.com/17283264)</sup>

| Key fact | Detail |
|---|---|
| Type | Hill (landform), elevation 317 meters (1,040 feet)<sup>[1](https://mapcarta.com/17283264)</sup> |
| Location | Menzel Habib, Borj Amri, Manouba Governorate, Tunisia<sup>[1](https://mapcarta.com/17283264)</sup> |
| Coordinates | 36.6° N, 9.86667° E; GeoNames ID 2468793<sup>[1](https://mapcarta.com/17283264)</sup> |
| Ancient site | Roman settlement about 55 km from Carthage; Roman-period name unknown<sup>[2](https://atlantides.org/changelogs/2011/08/)</sup> |
| Finds | Hunting-scene mosaic conserved in the Bardo museum; 3rd-century limestone sarcophagus left in place<sup>[3](https://www.cgdr.nat.tn/upload/files/autresfpdf/EquiMeDev%20Phase-I-Corrig%C3%A9e-Octobre2015.pdf)</sup> |

## Geography

Jebel Moraba lies in a low-density rural part of Manouba Governorate, west of Tunis. The hill is situated near the locality Ksar Tyr, 6 km to the west, with Oulad Messaoud 8 km west and Menzel Habib 8 km north.<sup>[1](https://mapcarta.com/17283264)</sup> Nearby elevations include the hill Jebel el Aouinet, the mountain Jebel Ghaoues, the spring Aïn el Hassi 2.5 km southwest, the hill Jebel ed Derijah 2.5 km northwest, and the mountain Jebel Ramdane 3.5 km south.<sup>[1](https://mapcarta.com/17283264)</sup>

## The Roman settlement

The Pleiades gazetteer of ancient places records it as an ancient settlement cited to the Barrington Atlas (BAtlas 80 B5/inset Isieiou Oros), with R.B. Hitchner as creator.<sup>[2](https://atlantides.org/changelogs/2011/08/)</sup>

In the settlement pattern of Carthaginian and Roman Tunisia, Jebel Moraba belongs to a second series of sites lying about 60 km from the metropolis, together with Zaghouan and Srmingi, behind a closer belt that included Nepheris, Uthina, and Tunes.<sup>[4](https://ancientmines.ispc.cnr.it/tunisia-2/)</sup>

## Archaeological remains

**Discovery from the air.** [Amphitheatre](https://www.edgepedia.org/amphitheatre) listings place it at 36°35′51″ N, 9°51′39″ E and count it among the known Roman amphitheatres of Tunisia, alongside sites such as El Djem, Thugga, and Thuburbo Majus.<sup>[5](https://archaeology-travel.com/thematic-guides/roman-amphitheatres/)</sup>

**Excavation and visible remains.** A Tunisian heritage survey describes the archaeological site of Jebel Moraba as extensive and important but anonymous in the absence of inscriptions. Its large vaulted halls may have belonged to a thermal (bath) complex. Two large cisterns survive, one of considerable size vaulted over 15 pillars and the other over 9 pillars; they were fed by an impluvium formed by a retention dam. A temple of which only the substructures and a few architectural elements remain stood on the hillside.<sup>[3](https://www.cgdr.nat.tn/upload/files/autresfpdf/EquiMeDev%20Phase-I-Corrig%C3%A9e-Octobre2015.pdf)</sup>

**Finds.** A mosaic representing a hunting episode was discovered at the site and is conserved in the Bardo museum in Tunis. A decorated limestone sarcophagus of the 3rd century remains in place at the site.<sup>[3](https://www.cgdr.nat.tn/upload/files/autresfpdf/EquiMeDev%20Phase-I-Corrig%C3%A9e-Octobre2015.pdf)</sup>

## References

1. [Jebel Moraba Map, Mapcarta (based on GeoNames, Wikidata, and Wikimedia Commons)](https://mapcarta.com/17283264)
2. [Pleiades Change Log: 2011-08-01 to 2011-08-31, Jebel Moraba](https://atlantides.org/changelogs/2011/08/)
3. [Récapitulatif du patrimoine archéologique et monumental, EquiMeDev Phase I, Tunisia CGDR (2015)](https://www.cgdr.nat.tn/upload/files/autresfpdf/EquiMeDev%20Phase-I-Corrig%C3%A9e-Octobre2015.pdf)
4. [Tunisia, Ancient Mines of the Mediterranean, CNR ISPC](https://ancientmines.ispc.cnr.it/tunisia-2/)
5. [Amphitheatres of the Roman World, Archaeology Travel](https://archaeology-travel.com/thematic-guides/roman-amphitheatres/)

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*Topic: Encyclopedia › Places and geography › Ancient and historical places › Vanished cities, towns, and settlements › Vanished settlements of Egypt and North Africa*

*Initially written Oct 21, 2026 · Edited: Oct 25, 2026*

*Copyright 2026 EdgeChat AI, a subsidiary of Biostate AI.*

License: Edgepedia Community License 1.0, https://www.edgepedia.org/edgepedia/license