Arch of Trajan (Timgad)
A three-bay arch 12 metres high.
Bernard Gagnon — CC BY 4.0 · Bernard Gagnon — CC BY 4.0 · Dan Sloan — CC BY-SA 2.0 · Bernard Gagnon — CC BY 4.0 · Carole Raddato — CC BY-SA 2.0
Timgad, ancient Thamugadi, is a Roman town that Emperor Trajan founded in AD 100 on the northern slopes of the Aurès mountains. Its streets still follow their original grid, making it one of the clearest examples of Roman town planning; nicknamed the Pompeii of North Africa, it has been a UNESCO World Heritage Site since 1982. Soldiers of the Third Augustan Legion laid it out, and most early settlers were veterans. It outgrew its walls by the mid-2nd century and was a centre of the Donatist movement in the 4th. Aurès mountain peoples destroyed it in the late 5th century, the Byzantines built a fort here in 539, and it was abandoned after the 8th century. Excavations ran from 1881 to 1960. Partly restored colonnades lead to the forum, where a paving slab carries a Latin line counting hunting, bathing, games and laughter as life itself. The hillside theatre seated about 3,500. Look for the public library, the Market of Sertius, 14 baths and the 12-metre Arch of Trajan, built long after his reign, with cart ruts under its central bay. South of town, the Byzantine fort's walls reach 14 metres. The site museum holds mosaics but has needed repairs; ask whether it is open. The ruins lie on the south side of modern Timgad, about 35 km east of Batna by road. Allow two to four hours; the site is exposed, so spring and autumn are best. Lambaesis, the legion's base, lies about 19 km west in a straight line, and the Ghoufi Balconies about 56 km south-west.
A three-bay arch 12 metres high.
Cut into a hillside, for about 3,500.
Built with a citizen's bequest.
South side of Timgad town, about 35 km east of Batna
No. To protect the ruins, the Timgad International Festival has used a modern open-air theatre beside the site since 2010; its 43rd edition ran from 9 to 13 July 2026.
Tickets carry a code for the Atlas Go app, launched in 2023, which offers a virtual tour of the site and its museum in several languages. Local guides can also be hired at the entrance, per visitor guides.