 Septimius Severus was a native of Roman Africa and bestowed a great deal of imperial favor upon it.He raised Thysdrus to municipality status () with partial Roman citizenship.By the early 3rd century when its huge amphitheater was built, Thysdrus rivaled Hadrumetum (present-day Sousse) as the second city of Roman North Africa, after Carthage (near present-day Tunis).