Latest news with #LeptisMagna
Daily Mail
14-05-2025
- Daily Mail
How the world's most dangerous country attracts 90,000 tourists every year due to worrying TikTok trend
A worrying new travel trend has seen thousands of thrill-seekers heading to one of the most dangerous countries on Earth - all in the name of fresh, trailblazing TikTok content. Libya, a country in North Africa torn apart by years of political unrest and armed conflict, is now attracting around 90,000 tourists every year. While most Brits are happy lounging on beaches in Spain or Turkey, a growing group of adventurous travellers are swapping poolside cocktails for 'undiscovered ruins' and local culture - with a side of bodyguards and military checkpoints. Fuelled by viral videos on social media showing off an aesthetic of rustic desert landscapes and 'hidden gem' UNESCO sites, so-called danger tourists are ignoring official advice - and heading straight into one of the globe's most unstable nations. Hudson and Emily are a travel-obsessed couple among those who've made the trip. On a mission to visit every country in the world, with only two countries left before they hit their 198 target, the pair ticked off Libya in 2024 and described their experience as surprisingly safe. Speaking to the Mirror, they said: 'Our bodyguard was very serious about his job; he would even follow us to the bathroom. I honestly never would have imagined we'd get to see some of these countries and I just feel so grateful.' The couple praised the stunning ruins of Leptis Magna, the 'beautiful' streets of Tripoli, and the friendliness of the locals they met. But despite photos and videos across the internet shining a spotlight on the Maghreb nation's overlooked traditions, architecture and culinary scene, not everyone is convinced it's a good idea to organise a getaway just yet. The UK Foreign Office currently advises against all travel to most of Libya, warning of terrorist attacks, kidnappings, and fighting between armed groups. In some parts of the country, they say violence can break out without warning - and British travellers are also told not to expect much help if things go wrong, as the nearest embassy support is in Tunisia. The FDCO warned on the Gov UK site: 'Attacks could be indiscriminate, including in places visited by foreigners. 'British people and nationals of other western countries are considered high-value hostages. Government buildings and security checkpoints have also been targeted in recent years, leading to deaths.' In recent years, there have been several bombings and deadly clashes, such as in 2022, when three people were injured in a car bombing by Islamic State. The year before, two separate attacks killed four people in Libya's south, and in 2023, fighting in Tripoli killed 55 people and shut down the capital's airport. Since the fall of dictator Muammar Gaddafi in 2011, Libya has been stuck in a power struggle. Despite photos and videos across the internet shining a spotlight on the Maghreb nation's overlooked traditions, architecture and culinary scene, not everyone is convinced it's a good idea to organise a getaway just yet Even now, there are rival governments, foreign fighters on the ground, and regular clashes that make the country anything but stable. However, for some tourists, the risk is part of the appeal, as thousands of travellers share videos showing dramatic desert landscapes, ancient cities and 'hidden' tourist spots that rack up millions of views on TikTok. Some travellers say these places are misunderstood, insisting that if you're careful, Libya is safe - but experts have warned tourists to keep in mind the nation is an active conflict zone before planning a trip. Read here for more information on the risks of travelling to Libya as a British national.
Epoch Times
25-04-2025
- Entertainment
- Epoch Times
A Closer Look at the Gear, Weapons, and World of Gladiators
Did you know that the gladiators who competed in Rome had a 90 percent survival rate? In François Gilbert's new work, 'Gladiators 1st-5th Centuries AD,' we are presented an up close and evolving view of the ancient and violent sportsmen during the Roman Empire. Gilbert's book is not necessarily about interesting facts regarding the gladiators, their arenas, the spectators, and the outcome of competition. His focus is primarily on what the gladiators wore, how they protected themselves, the weapons they used and why, and how over time, especially during and after the reign of Commodus (A.D. 180–192), who became a gladiator himself, that survival rate among gladiators plummeted to 50 percent. Gladiator as Idol Part of the Zliten mosaic from Libya (Leptis Magna), about 2nd century. It shows (L to R) a few types of gladiators: a "thraex" fighting a "murmillo," a "hoplomachus" standing with another "murmillo," who is signaling his defeat to the referee. Public Domain The author makes a parallel between this decline in survival rate and the decline in the popularity of the gladiator games, suggesting that, perhaps, the Romans who ventured into the Colosseum weren't as bloodthirsty as popular fiction infers. Before that decline, though, Gilbert notes how 'the ablest among them were also considered true idols by the crowd. Approaching them and touching them had almost magical properties. … The gladiator became a popular figure, and even a model of strength and courage.' This idyllic era of the gladiator was not always the case. Before the Principate (the Roman Empire's form of government) began in the late 1st century B.C., gladiators were typically 'enslaved or condemned people,' whose purpose of entering the arenas was to die (the Roman Colosseum wasn't built until A.D. 80). Gilbert, however, discusses what modern readers are most likely familiar with from movies like 'Gladiator.' Competitors were no longer just enslaved or condemned people, but included 'free men' and even women who chose 'gladiatura' as a career for its possible fame and fortune. Form and Function But what exactly did the gladiators wear, and, more importantly, what weapons did they wield? Gilbert, combined with illustrations by Giuseppe Rava, describes the helmets, shields, greaves, loincloths, shoulder covers, and arm protectors worn by the gladiators. As the author notes, these outfits were not randomly selected, but were worn by classes of gladiators, which include 'eque,' 'thraex,' 'mirmillo,' 'hoplomachus,' and 'retiarius.' Of course, these Latin names hold no significance to us today, but millennia ago, and depending upon which gladiator training school one attended, these meant everything. Even for spectators, the names were of significance. It enabled spectators to know what type of combat would be conducted and would therefore possibly entice them to attend. The author utilizes archeological discoveries to describe the 'gladiatura,' noting precisely where these discoveries were made or in which museum they are currently held. Along with the illustrations, which are drawn according to discovered ancient reliefs and mosaics, there are numerous photographs to help readers see precisely what these gladiators would have looked like. In some instances, these reliefs and mosaics describe how the fighters competed. Related Stories 2/11/2025 3/23/2025 From presenting tridents and tipless swords to elaborately adorned helmets and circular shields, which doubled as an additional weapon, 'Gladiators 1st–5th Centuries AD' proves to be an insightful work on an aspect of the ancient world that, on its face, seems to have really no rhyme or reason. Gilbert's thorough presentation of the science (and, considering some of the designs on the gear and weapons, the art) behind the violent sport proves that the gladiators, their instructors, and their financial backers, did not see their investments of time, money, effort, sweat, and blood as trivial. As barbaric and mindless as these competitions may appear today, it seems there was far more consideration given to the competition itself and its competitors than what first meets the eye. For anyone interested in garnering a closer look and an informed understanding of a sensationalized, yet typically skimmed over ancient subject, Gilbert and Rava's work should be considered. ' By François Gilbert and Giuseppe Rava Osprey Publishing, Nov. 26, 2024 Paperback: 64 pages What arts and culture topics would you like us to cover? Please email ideas or feedback to
