The Roman Theatre was built in the 4th century AD; it ‎remained in use until about the 7th century AD, or ‎about the time of the Arab invasion. It was discovered ‎during the 1960s when a government building was ‎planned for this location over the ruins of a Napoleonic ‎fort that had earlier been destroyed. However, during ‎excavation, the ruins of the Roman theatre were ‎found. A Polish team was responsible for its ‎excavation. It was the first, and so far only one ‎discovered in a city which, according to an ancient ‎source, once had four hundred of them.‎