Amphitheatre of El Jem

Repeated historical earthquakes in Sousse, Monastir and El-Jem (Tunisia)—an archaeoseismological study

Historical earthquakes in Tunisia, previously considered sparse and moderate, have been linked to significant seismic damage in the eastern Sahel region. Archaeoseismological evidence from the Roman amphitheatre of El-Jem, along with Islamic buildings in Sousse and Monastir, suggests seismic events reaching intensity IX on the EMS98 scale. These damages are attributed to nearby active faults—the east-west Cherichira-Abaieh Fault and the north-south Monastir Fault. The 859 AD Kairouan earthquake, coinciding with restoration works in Sousse, is estimated to have had a magnitude of up to 7.2 based on fault segment length. Additional seismic events, including one post-1575, further highlight the higher seismic hazard in Sousse due to its proximity to two active faults.