a colony from Sidon, and occupied originally a small promontory, which
projects from the coast in a north-easterly direction, and attains a
moderate elevation above the plain at its base. Towards the mainland
it was defended by a triple line of wall still to be traced, and on
the sea-side by blocks of enormous strength, which are said to resemble
those on the western side of the island of Aradus.[597] In Roman times
the town, under the name of Neapolis,[598] attained a vast size, and
was adorned with magnificent edifices, of which there are still numerous
remains. The neighbourhood is rich in palm-groves and olive-groves,[599]
and the Cinyps region, regarded by Herodotus as the most fertile in
North Africa,[5100] lies at no great distance to the east.

Ten miles east, and a little south of Leptis Minor,[5101] was Thapsus,
a small town, but one of great strength, famous as the scene of Julius
Cæsar's great victory over Cato.[5102] It occupied a position close to
the promontory now known as Ras Dimas, in Lat. 35º 39´, Long. 11º 3´,
and was defended by a triple enclosure, whereof considerable remains
are still existing. The outermost of the three lines appears to have
consisted of little more than a ditch and a palisaded rampart, such as
the Romans were accustomed to throw up whenever they pitched a camp in
their wars; but the second and third were more substantial. The second,
which was about forty yards behind the first, was guarded by a deeper
ditch, from which rose a perpendicular stone wall, battlemented at top.
The third, forty yards further back, resembled the second, but was on
an enlarged scale, and the wall was twenty feet thick.[5103] Such triple
enclosures are thought to be traceable in other Phoenician settlements
also;[5104] but in no case are the remains so perfect as at Thapsus. The
harbour, which lay south of the town, was protected from the prevalent
northern and north-eastern winds by a huge mole or jetty, carried
out originally to a distance of 450 yards from the shore, and still