Clupea
(called by the Greek writers Aspis). A town of Africa Propria, twenty-two miles east of Carthage. It was built upon a promontory which was shaped like a shield. Agathocles (q.v.) seized upon this place when he landed in Africa, fortified it, and gave it, from the shape of the promontory, the name of Aspis (“a shield” in Greek, same as clupeus in Latin).
The old town on Cape Boa rises along the slope of the hill where the fort stands, several km NW of the present town. Some recent works of construction in this sector in 1966 revealed an important residential district descending in successive tiers towards the bank. Of particular importance is a luxurious villa that contained a bust of Marcus Aurelius. This aristocratic house includes a large central garden surrounded by a peristyle, complete on three sides, on which open the rooms. The most remarkable wing is formed of four large rooms all paved with mosaic of high quality. The wing that is perpendicular to it comprises a series of several chambers set against the hill. An ensemble of areas is situated above and beyond this wing, on a higher level, constituting a piano nobile offering a large panorama of the sea.
About a score of meters away at the center of the city is a capitoleum with imposing architectural elements of white marble.
BIBLIOGRAPHYA. Ennabli & J. M. Lassus “Rapport préliminaire de la fouille de la villa romaine de Kelibia,” Africa 3 (1969-70) 239-41.
A. ENNABLI