TUNISIA // What did the Romans ever do for us? Well, at El Jem, they built one of the wonders of North Africa. In its 3rd-century heyday, this great coliseum could accommodate 35,000 spectators, who bayed for blood as gladiators pitted muscle and metal against wild animals and each other for the pleasure of the emperor. This was one of the largest amphitheatres in the Roman world, and the biggest in the Africa dominion, and it survives largely intact. Unlike the Colosseum in Rome, the theatre at El Jem soars above the surrounding city. In the central arena, you can still imagine the surge of adrenaline as wild beasts were released. If any of this looks familiar, El Jem has starred on the big screen, including a cameo in Monty Python's Life of Brian.