If you only visit one archaeological site in Libya, this is the one to choose. It is widely regarded as the best Roman site in the Mediterranean. Located in the city of Al Khumos 120 Km east of Tripoli. It was founded by Phoenician merchants around the beginning of the first millennium BC. The great Emperor Septimius Severus born in Leptis in 145 AD turned his attention to his native city making substantial  changes which every visitor could witness. The arch of Septimius Severus standing at the beginning of the main north-south street of the Cardo Maximus. Where this intersects the east west street the Decumanus Maximus, dedicated to Severus built in 203 AD to celebrate the arrival the great Emperor, to the Palestra a place for sports and games which is parallel to the Baths of Hadrian built in 126-127, remodeled in the time of Emperor Commodus 180-190.

The Nymphaeum and the Colonnades street, built under Severus and dedicated to the Nymphs, it is a semicircular construction containing a pool and fountain, and surrounded by walls, on to the Severus Forum and the adjoining Basilica which are the major extant large-scale buildings in Leptis.

To the harbor which was originally the natural mouth of Leptis valley, sheltered from the sea by rocks to the north and east, continue with the old Forum which dated to the beginning of the imperial era.

In the northern corner of the forum are the remains of tiles from the time of the Emperor Augustus 30 BC-14 AD during the governorship of Calpurnius.

The amphitheatre built in the period of Nero around the year 56Ad on a natural slope of soft sandstone. It was renovated and enlarged in the 2^nd century AD and again under Severus.

Near the amphitheatre was a small temple of the famous Artimes, of Dian, of Ephesus in western Asia.

There is a large new museum next to the main entrance to the site, which collects a big number of artifacts.