
The city of Sabratha on the northwest coast of Libya was once one of the three cities in the ancient district of Tripolis, along with Oea and Leptis Magna. Sabratha started out as a Phoenician trading center, probably around 500 BCE. In the 2nd and 3rd centuries, the city was Romanized. Caesar's reorganization of Africa brought Roman culture influences into Sabratha. The area became more prosperous, expanding the city and erecting impressive buildings of sandstone, stucco, and later marble from Greece.