Thyna | |
|---|---|
Commune and town | |
 Phare of Thyna | |
  Thyna | |
| Coordinates:34°41′14.4″N10°43′13.8″E / 34.687333°N 10.720500°E /34.687333; 10.720500 | |
| Country |  Tunisia |
| Governorate | Sfax Governorate |
| Population (2014) | |
• Total | 33,529 |
| Time zone | UTC+1 (CET) |
Thyna, formerlyHenchir-Tina, is a town and commune in theSfax Governorate,Tunisia. As of 2004 it had a population of 26,635.[1] It is located on the coast about 12 km (7 mi) south ofSfax.
Thyna is located in the area of theCarthaginian city ofThenae. It is the most important archaeological site in the vicinity of Sfax. Thyna was the southernmost city in theRoman Province of Africa and became a colony under the EmperorHadrian (117-138). Little remains on the site, but traces can be seen of Roman villas, bath-houses, anearly Christian basilica, anecropolis, and tannery. The town was considered to be on the frontier between theCarthaginian territory and theBerber kingdom ofNumidia. Many objects, including some of themosaics, have been removed to the museum at Sfax.[2] The main point of interest is the "Baths of the Months"; the mosaics here are intact but largely covered with sand. Nearby is a smaller bath house, and parts of the walls of the Roman town can still be traced. A temple has been excavated as well as some dwellings beside a Roman street.[3]
The town is traversed by the RN1 which connects Sfax toGabès. The town has an industrial area that was built in 1999, and to the west lies the Sfax-Thyna International Airport. There are salt mines nearby extending over an area of about 1,500 hectares (3,700 acres) and producing 300,000 tonnes of salt a year. On the coast are saltmarshes which are visited by large numbers of migrating water birds.
