Historic Site · Khoms, Libya
Leptis Magna
Leptis or Lepcis Magna, (Arabic: لبدة الكبرى, romanized: Libda al-Kubrā) also known by other names in antiquity, was a prominent city of the Carthaginian Empire and Roman Libya at the mouth of the Wadi Lebda in the Mediterranean. Built c. 701 BC.
Photo: joepyrek from Richmond, Va, USA via Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 2.0. Cropped and resized for display.
Landmark facts
| Location | Khoms, Libya |
|---|---|
| Type | Historic Site |
| Built | c. 701 BC |
| Area | Area: 3.875 km² |
| Coordinates | 32.6392° N, 14.2906° E |
Every fact above is taken from the sources listed below; anything no source states is left blank rather than guessed.
What Leptis Magna is known for
Leptis or Lepcis Magna, (Arabic: لبدة الكبرى, romanized: Libda al-Kubrā) also known by other names in antiquity, was a prominent city of the Carthaginian Empire and Roman Libya at the mouth of the Wadi Lebda in the Mediterranean.
About Leptis Magna
Leptis or Lepcis Magna, (Arabic: لبدة الكبرى, romanized: Libda al-Kubrā) also known by other names in antiquity, was a prominent city of the Carthaginian Empire and Roman Libya at the mouth of the Wadi Lebda in the Mediterranean. Established as a Punic settlement prior to 500 BC, the city experienced significant expansion under Roman Emperor Septimius Severus (r. 193–211), who was born in the city.
History
The Punic city was founded in the second half of the 7th century BC. Little is known about Leptis during this time, but it appears to have been powerful enough to repel Dorieus's attempt to establish a Greek colony nearby around 515 BC. Like most Punic settlements, Leptis became part of the Carthaginian Empire and fell under Rome's control with Carthage's defeat in the Punic Wars.
How to get there
| Nearest town | Khoms |
|---|---|
| Nearest airport | Mitiga Airport (MJI) |
| Distance from the airport | 61.5 miles (straight line) |
Nearest major airport by straight-line distance from the landmark’s coordinates; road distance will be longer.
Airports near this landmark
The airports a visitor would actually fly into, nearest first — each link opens its profile on our sister site AirportProfiles.
- Mitiga International Airport (MJI) · Tripoli, Libya · 60.8 miles away
Landmarks nearby
The closest landmarks in this library, by straight-line distance.
More historic sites
Frequently asked questions
What is Leptis Magna?
Leptis or Lepcis Magna, (Arabic: لبدة الكبرى, romanized: Libda al-Kubrā) also known by other names in antiquity, was a prominent city of the Carthaginian Empire and Roman Libya at the mouth of the Wadi Lebda in the Mediterranean.
Where is Leptis Magna located?
Leptis Magna is in Khoms, Libya. Its coordinates are 32.6392° N, 14.2906° E.
How do I get to Leptis Magna?
The nearest town is Khoms, and the nearest airport is Mitiga Airport (MJI), about 61.5 miles away (straight line).
When was Leptis Magna built?
Leptis Magna was built c. 701 BC.
Sources
- https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Leptis_Magna — Wikipedia article — overview, history and core facts (CC BY-SA).
- https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q191504 — Wikidata — built year, architect, height/size, visitors, official website (CC0).
- https://github.com/jbrooksuk/JSON-Airports — Nearest major airport computed from landmark and airport coordinates (haversine); airport list: jbrooksuk/JSON-Airports.
Page last updated 13 November 2026.