Henchir Ziane is an archaeological site in southern Tunisia, located in the middle of the Zarzis peninsula, approximately 9 km west of the modern town. The site corresponds to an ancient settlement known under several names in classical and medieval sources, and preserves remains from the Neo‑Punic and Roman periods.
Toponymy The ancient city is attested under several names in the sources, with variations in spelling and interpretation depending on authors and periods. It appears as Ponte Zita Municipium in the Itinerarium Antonini, as Ziza Municipium in the Tabula Peutingeriana, and as Zitha. Other forms include Pons Zitha, Zian, Medinet Zian, Medinet ez‑Zian, and the forms S'ian or Enchir Medinet S'ian.
The name Zita means “place of olives”, or more precisely “city of olives”, in the Punic language, part of the Northwest Semitic group. The meaning is particularly appropriate, as shown by the dozens of charred olive pits uncovered during excavations, and by the fact that the surrounding semi‑arid landscape remains today a major olive‑producing area.
A curious tradition recorded among the inhabitants of Zarzis claims that a canal once ran from Zian to the sea, bringing down streams of oil that were collected in jars or barrels near the port for export.
Ancient excavations The first traveller to explore the ruins of Zitha was Pellissier in 1846. During his visit, he discovered a heap of at least ten marble statues, including a headless and partially mutilated figure of Diana. Pellissier obtained from the Bey the concession of the antiquities of Zian, along with permission to remove them whenever he wished.
During his journey through the region in 1849 Heinrich Barth observed that a small quadrangular building contained eight or nine statues—five of them female figures—executed in a good Roman style and piled on top of one another, while others lay half-buried nearby. This assemblage, together with the appearance of the masonry, convinced him that the site was not an isolated outpost but a true city.
In a letter addressed to Charles Tissot, the French vice‑consul in Sfax recalled that in 1851 he had removed twelve statues taken from the ancient city of Zian and shipped them aboard the *Sentinelle*. In a communication presented by Salomon Reinach to the Académie des Inscriptions et Belles-Lettres, he reported the disappearance of these statues.
In 1860, Victor Guérin reached Medinet‑Zian, where he noted ruins scattered across small hills, including the remains of an overturned temple and several mutilated marble statues.
Reinach and Babelon were the first to conduct systematic excavations on the land occupied by the ruins, which had been purchased in 1881 by Tissot, allowing them to work freely. The excavations took place between 25 January and 2 February 1884 . The forum was cleared, and the plan of the surrounding buildings was recorded. Five large headless marble statues, two marble heads, a gold amulet, and numerous inscriptions were uncovered, including one that appears to give the ancient name of Ziân as Cibarea or Ciparea.
Archaeological material
Pellissier’s excavations The twelve sculptures recovered by Pellissier remained for thirty‑six years at the Toulon naval arsenal before being transferred to the Louvre in 1887 They were catalogued by Reinach.
No. Description Inventory no. 1 Woman wearing a chiton and himation, half‑draped as a veil, standing on a plinth (second half of the 1st c. CE). Ma 1756 2 Emperor (or prince?) wearing a tunic, toga and calcei; leaning on a support in the form of a capsa (first quarter of the 1st c. CE). Ma 1757 3 Female figure in the manner of Aphrodite, wearing a chiton with overfold and a half‑draped himation (second half of the 1st c. CE). Ma 1758 4 Emperor (or prince?) half‑nude, draped in a half‑draped himation; lateral support formed by a tree trunk (first half of the 1st c. CE). Ma 1759 5 Emperor draped in a half‑draped himation, seated on a chair of which only fragments survive (first half of the 1st c. CE). Ma 1760 6 Emperor (or prince?) draped in a half‑draped himation (first half of the 1st c. CE). Ma 1761 7 Male figure: remains of the right foot wearing a sandal. Ma 1762 8 Emperor (or prince?) standing, wearing a tunic, toga and calcei; lateral support in the form of a capsa. Life‑size togatus statue. The stepped plinth follows the ground elements. The umbo, formed by the fold of the toga above the balteus, shows a modern perforation (first quarter of the 1st c. CE). Ma 1763 9 Emperor (or prince?) half‑nude, draped in a half‑draped himation; lateral support preserved (second quarter of the 1st c. CE). Ma 1764 10 Emperor (or prince?) cuirassed, wearing a cuirass with lambrequins and a paludamentum fastened with a fibula; standing (first half of the 1st c. CE). Ma 1765 11 Emperor (or prince?) half‑nude, with remains of drapery (first half of the 1st c. CE). Ma 1766 12 Emperor (or prince?) half‑nude, draped in a half‑draped himation, raising his right arm (second quarter of the 1st c. CE). Ma 1767
Excavations by Babelon and Reinach
Statues
Five statues were found by Babelon and Reinach , four of which are documented in a photograph taken on site and in the collection of the Alaoui Museum.
They include: Torso of a draped female statue in white marble Colossal draped female statue, missing shoulders, arms, head and right leg Very mutilated white‑marble statue, missing head, arms and feet Statue of a man in white marble, lower body draped, fine workmanship of the good Roman period; head, arms and feet missing
the statues are now displayed in the Zarzis Museum.
Golden amulet
A very thin sheet‑gold amulet, about 6 cm wide and 5 cm high, covered with characters, most of which are meaningless. Some are Greek letters, but juxtaposed without forming words. A dagger is engraved at the bottom. It is most likely a Gnostic amulet, similar to examples held by the Bibliothèque nationale and the Louvre. The amulet was deposited in the Cabinet des Médailles .
Julio‑Claudian heads Two large marble heads now in the Cabinet des Médailles, were initially identified by Reinach as representing the emperor Claudius veiled as pontiff and Lucilla, daughter of Faustina.
Nero Julius Caesar — Found at the entrance of the central chamber overlooking the forum to the northwest Height: 38 cm; fine‑grained white marble. The head tilts slightly backward and to the left; the hair falls low on the forehead, arranged around a fork‑shaped parting, with loose strands adding movement. The youthful, calm face shows a protruding lower lip and firm chin. The eyebrows slanting toward the nose give the expression a sombre nuance, evoking Roman torvitas (severity of gaze) .
Agrippina the Elder — Found at the southern end of the forum , Height: 30 cm; heavily restored. The highly polished face contrasts with the more worked hairstyle: two bands framing the forehead, a braid at the nape, and parotid locks of which traces remain. The face is cold and dominated by large eyes. The original statue would have been about 210 cm tall
Other marble fragments were also found on site, including a colossal hand holding a globe, arms, a colossal leg, and six hands of various sizes .
Inscriptions The excavations uncovered thirty‑five inscriptions, most of them fragmentary. Among the most legible are the following:
A large inscription, about 6 metres long, of which roughly half the letters are preserved, likely occupied the central part of the architrave on the south‑eastern short side of the forum. It reads: [Ti. Claudio] Caesari [Aug. Germ]anico p[ontifici maximo tri]b. pot. cos. II imp. III. [Q. Marc]ius C. f. Bare[a cos. XV vi]r s(acris) f(aciundis) fetiali[s ...] procos. dedicavit. “To Tiberius Claudius Caesar Augustus Germanicus, pontifex maximus, holder of the tribunician power, consul for the second time, acclaimed imperator for the third time. Quintus Marcius Barea, son of Caius, consul for the fifteenth time, member of the *viri sacris faciundis*, fētial, …, proconsul, dedicated (this monument).” This likely refers to Q. Marcius C. f. Barea, probably suffect consul in AD 18 and proconsul of Africa in AD 42 .
A limestone cippus discovered at the north‑eastern corner of the forum bears the inscription: Q. Plaut[io] Titian[o] mag(istratu) e[t] [c]eteris [ho]n[oribus inte]gre f[u]nctio curia [Fa]ustin[a] ob merit[a]. “To Quintus Plautius Titianus, who exercised his magistracy and other honours with integrity. The Curia Faustina dedicated (this monument) in recognition of his merits.
Another inscription, found at the northern corner of the forum beneath a plain entablature, reads: [M. Pompeius] Silvanus cos. prōc[os.] [xv]ir [sacris faciundis] de sua pecunia fac[i]endum cu[ravit]. “Marcus Pompeius Silvanus, consul, proconsul, member of the *quindecimviri sacris faciundis*, had (this monument) made at his own expense. M. Pompeius Silvanus was consul in AD 45 and proconsul of Africa in AD 57; the inscription identifies him as the patron responsible for one of the forum porticoes.
A limestone cippus now located in Zarzis, in an ancient cistern converted into a marabout near the Bordj and probably originating from Zian, bears the inscription: C. Memmio C. [filio] C. n[epoti] Quir[ina tribu] Afric[ano] [ad]lecto in turmas eq[uestres] [a d]ivo Hadriano . . .. “To Caius Memmius Africanus, son of Caius, grandson of Caius, of the tribe Quirina, admitted into the equestrian squadrons by the divine Hadrian…”
Tophet A group of Punic stelae was discovered accidentally in February 1987. They display a particularly rich iconographic repertoire, including the Sign of Tanit, the “bottle” sign, vegetal motifs dominated by palms and pomegranates, as well as representations of the sun and crescent.
The tophet area also yielded, in addition to the stelae, twenty‑four intact urns, plastered basins, and pits containing burnt bones, unguentaria, and bowls.
Other excavations An inscription was found by Lieutenant du Breil de Pontbriand among the debris of excavations carried out in 1903 by Captain Tribalet, in an isolated monument that appeared to be a temple located 300 metres east of the forum. The inscription has been interpreted as referring either to a “Temple of Dagon” or a “house of grain” (Dagan in Phoenician).
Lieutenant Bouchard cleared a small temple. A Latin inscription dedicated to Caelestis was found on the left corner column shaft of the temple façade .
History Ceramic evidence indicates that Zita was founded at the end of the 5th century BC, in the context of Carthaginian expansion into the African interior. The site was gradually abandoned from AD 200 onward and completely deserted around AD 450.
Neo‑Punic period Several Neo‑Punic inscriptions highlight the Phoenician character of the site: one mentions the goddess Tanit under her Latinised form Juno Caelestis, while another refers to a “house of Dagon”, attesting to the introduction of this Mesopotamian deity into North Africa.
Excavations also show that the tophet of Zitha remained active between the late 1st century BC and the 1st century AD. Funerary deposits ceased around AD 100, but the area continued to be frequented until AD 200, probably for votive offerings. This gradual disappearance of Punic cult practices accompanied the integration of the site into the Roman framework and the construction of the forum, marking the rapid abandonment of Phoenico‑Punic religious traditions .
Roman period
Abandonment of Zitha