Gigthi

Gigthi was a town in the late Roman province of Tripolitania, which became a residential episcopal see. It corresponded to present-day Djorf-Bou-Ghara.^[1]

Gigthi is today identified as extensive ruins near Rass el Bacha, Boughrara and Oulad Mehabeul.^[2](Latitude: 33°31'59.98" Longitude:10°40'0.01") Gigthi was close to Wādī Bertema and Port de Boughrara. The town was 10 meters above sea level

Gigthi identified with Bou Ghara, was connected by a causeway to Djerba island and the home of the pre Roman Lotus-eaters. The town has remains of a forum with temples a monumental arch, treasury and porticoed street leading to the harbor north of the city, which was probably a market. It also boasted two bath houses.^[3] The town was a prosperous source of grain from the rule of Nerva to Caracalla, and Antoninus Pius made the town a municipium.

Inscriptions from the ruins^[4] show the survival of the Punic language well into Roman times, and ^[5] strong sense of civic pride in the citizens.

• 
  Temple of Mercure
• 
  Temple of Asclepius
• 
  The Grand Temple
• 
  Port boughrara.
• 
  Githis in 1975.

Gighthi was also the seat of an ancient bishopric, which ceased to function effectively in the 7th century with the arrival of Islamic armies. Gighthi is now a titular see of the Catholic Church, being restored as a titular in 1933. The Latin adjective referring to it is Gigthensis.^[1]

We know of Bishop Catulinus, a Catholic bishop who attended the Council of Carthage (411). The first titular bishop of the see was appointed on 23 March 1966.^[6] The current bishop is Mark O'Connell.