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| The history of Tunisia begins with the arrival of the Phoenicians in the twelfth century B.C.In the Seventh century B.C., the city of Carthage became the greatest of the Mediterranean cities. Its prosperity aroused the envy of the Romans, resulting in a duel to the death lasting more than a century. It ended in 146 B.C. with the annihilation of Carthage. The country later flourished and prospered under the direct administration of Rome. A large number of cities sprang up, such as Thugga (Dougga), Thysdus (El Djem) and a rebuilt Carthage. In the seventh century, this ancient civilization collapsed beneath the onslaught of Arab invaders. This conquest marked a decisive turning point in North Africa. From that time, this part of the world belonged more to the Muslim East than to the Latin and Christian West. Tunisia history continues through the Aghlabite dynasty, on through two centuries of anarchy, through the Hafcides dynasty, up to and including the 20th century. However, it is the remnants of a civilization with a long past which is the focus of PromoTunisia’s cultural journeys. We invite you to undertake a fabulous journey to Carthage, Thysdrus, Dougga, Bulla Regia, Kairouan, and Tunis. Carthage Unhappy Didon for whom a cruel destiny waits. Her brother Pygmalion has killed her husband Siché; she has left her country, Tyr, the pride of the Phoenicians, of whom her father is King. She has alighted on this coast and founded Carthage. Now the handsome prince, Aeneas, escapes to Africa. Didon falls in love. But the Gods have decided otherwise and whilst Aeneas is sailing to Italy, the Queen stabs herself on her funeral pyre. In the following centuries, through bloodshed and destruction, Carthage extended her empire and her commerce. She was the Venice of Africa but even crueler, with babies constantly sacrificed to the insatiable Gods, Baal, Amon and Tanit. Carthage was getting tougher and tougher, but Rome was resisting and defeated them in 241 B.C. in the first Punic war. From the desert, the Numides, ancestors of the Berbers, who had formerly surrendered to Carthage, were beginning to revolt led by Hamilcar. It was a massacre. Then came the famous epic of Hamilcar’s son, Hannibal: the Spanish legions crushed outside of Cannes, Italy invaded, Romes’s retort, Scipio being sent to Africa, Hannibal compelled to follow him and finally in 202 B.C. the Roman legions entering Carthage. The city was brought to its knees. Never again was it going to cause trouble to Rome. But Massinissa, the king of the Numides, had not forgotten his people’s anguish. Patiently, he began to gnaw at what was left of the Carthaginian Empire. Rome wished to finish it and Caton never ceased to repeat passionately “Carthage must be destroyed”. It was the final quarry. In the spring of 146 B.C., the city was razed to the ground, district by district, house by house. Those of the inhabitants who escaped extermination were led off to slavery. On the eve of that terrible day there had been 700,000. Rome had destroyed, Rome would rebuild. The very soil of Carthage has been described as “curse” but just a century later, Ceasar then Pompei were to resurrect the city. Carthage attracted many of rich families from Rome. It was the capital of Africa, a luxurious capital full of life, learning and pleasure, of monuments and libraries. Her newfound glory was to continue for five centuries. Then came the Vandals who rather than destroy the city made it their capital. In 534 A.D., the Byzantines offered Carthage to their emperor Justinian. They were to keep it for one and a half centuries. Then from the depths of the desert, the mounted Arab troops of Hassan Ben Nomane descended on the city and for the second time, Carthage was destroyed. Less meticulously then the first time because even today, around the summer houses of the Tunisian bourgeoisie, sufficient ruins remain, for us to imagine some of the pomp and splendor of this imperial city, once the third Roman city after Rome and Alexandria. El Djem Thysdrus, was in effect, one of the wealthiest cities in the third century A.D.; Gordien elected himself Emperor here in 238 A.D. One can imagine as we enter the amphitheatre with its three tiers of arcades, the cruel games which must have taken place on this occasion. 30,000 howling spectators standing in the stone galleries, cheering the gladiators and hooting the vanquished. One can also imagine the strange silence which fell on these stones once the Romans has departed. In the 7th century, it seems that a furie took refuge there. Kahina, the Berber’s Joan of Arc, prophetess and warrior, who launched her men against the first Arab horsemen, devasted the provinces far and wide but gradually was to retreat village-by-village, defeat-by-defeat. At the end of the 17th century, the amphitheatre was still intact. Then a mass rebellion broke out in the region. The rebels dug themselves into the Coliseum at the Djem and it was necessary to breach in the side of the building in order to dislodge. Once broken, the marvelous monument was no longer a fortress. People rushed to take away the stones of this ill fated arena. The wall, which crowned the edifice, crumbled and the arena was covered with debris. It was not until the 20th century that some order began to take shape out of all the chaos. During the restorations, subterranean chambers lining two long arched galleries were discovered: the rooms where the Romans kept the Christians and the wild beasts. |
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| PromoTunisia Exploration & Leisure |
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| PromoTunisia specializes in guided holidays around cultural themes such as music, festivals,cuisine, arts & traditions to provide our travelers with a Tunisian people experience. |
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| History & Legends |
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