Parc des Villas Romaines (Park of the Roman Villas), Tunis

The Park of the Roman Villas occupies a coastal stretch of Carthage on Odeon Hill. This area, built over an older Punic necropolis, offers a quieter perspective on the Roman city, shifting the focus away from monumental architecture toward domestic life. Set close to the sea, the villas were arranged to benefit from views, breezes, and proximity to trade routes.

The park preserves the foundations of several Roman villas, most dating to the 2nd century AD, with traces of wall layouts, courtyards, and water systems. Fragments of mosaics survive across the site, featuring geometric designs, marine imagery, and mythological themes.

The most complete structure is the Villa of the Aviary to the east, which underwent significant restoration in the 1960s. Surrounded by gardens and an arboretum, the villa is recognized for its pink marble columns, square courtyard, and its distinctive mosaic depicting birds perched among foliage. The layout includes an atrium, ceremonial apartments, a gallery, a foyer, private living quarters, baths, and even shops, with a terrace that once opened directly onto the street.

Immediately west of the Villa of the Aviary stands the Mosaic of the Winning Horses, a celebrated floor mosaic depicting victorious racehorses identified by name. To the east of the main villa, visitors can also see the remains of the House of the Rotunda, named for its circular interior space. Beyond the villas, the park also contains the remains of the Roman Theater, or the Odeon, located on the north-west side of the site and excavated in 1999. Commissioned by Septimius Severus, it is the structure that gives the hill its name. Today, the Park of the Roman Villas remains an open, breezy archaeological space.