The land that we now call Tunisia has a very ancient history linked to the sea, the sands of the desert and the great civilizations of the Mediterranean
Already in the most remote times its fertile plains and its coasts were inhabited by Berber populations who lived in villages, cultivated the land, raised flocks and left mysterious graffiti on the rocks of the south, these ancient peoples had a simple but profound life linked to nature and the cycles of the earth
Then came the Phoenicians, tireless navigators who left from the coasts of Lebanon, looking for distant lands with which to trade and where to found new cities, they found in Tunisia a perfect coast for their trade and their routes and so Carthage was born
Carthage was much more than a city, it was a dream built on the sea, a commercial and military power with a Phoenician soul but an African spirit, it was founded according to legend by Dido, a queen from Tyre who was looking for a new beginning, the city grew quickly thanks to trade, its fast ships and the intelligence of its merchants
Over time, Carthage became the queen of the Mediterranean Western dominated the naval routes had colonies in Sicily Sardinia the Balearics and even in Spain its fleet was feared and respected and the city was full of temples markets palaces and perfectly organized ports
Carthaginian society was led by a class of aristocrats but merchants and artisans also had an important role they practiced religious rites linked to Phoenician deities such as Baal and Tanit and their sacrifices still continue to raise questions among historians
But Carthage also had rivals among all Rome the two peoples clashed in very long and very hard wars the famous Punic wars that changed the history of the Mediterranean
The most famous general of Carthage was Hannibal who crossed the Alps with elephants and brought the war directly to Italy putting Rome itself in danger he was a military genius and is still studied today in strategy schools
In the end however Carthage was defeated Rome besieged the city and after a terrible war it completely destroyed its walls were torn down its port burned its memory erased or almost
But the history of Tunisia did not end there Rome built a new city on the ruins of Carthage and transformed the region into one of the richest and most developed of the empire Roman Tunisia was famous for its wheat its olive trees its sea full of fish
Amphitheatres temples aqueducts and roads were built some of the most beautiful ruins are still found today in El Djem in Dougga in Sbeitla cities that show how important Tunisia was for Rome
And even if after the arrival of the Vandals and then the Byzantines things changed profoundly the roots of ancient Tunisia remain strong linked to the Berber world to the Phoenician genius to the courage of Carthage and to Roman greatness
A land that was always a bridge between Africa and Europe between East and West between desert and sea
Carthage the queen city of the Mediterranean
Carthage was born on the coasts of Tunisia thanks to the Phoenicians, a people of sailors and merchants who came from Tyre, a city in Lebanon, they were looking for new ports and new trade and found in that African bay a perfect place protected from the winds and rich in resources
Legend has it that it was founded by Dido, a queen who fled from her city and asked the local king how much land could contain an ox hide, but she cut it into very thin strips and managed to surround an entire hill, the hill of Byrsa where the first Carthage arose
The city grew quickly because it was in the heart of the Mediterranean and its ships could reach all known ports, it exported wood, metals, purple fabrics and bought grain, gold, spices, it was a place full of life with orderly streets, temples dedicated to the Phoenician gods, crowded markets and ingenious ports, one for the commercial fleet and one for the military fleet
Carthage was a free city but governed by a very powerful aristocratic class and a senate made up of wise elders, the kings or suffetes were elected and power was never concentrated in a single person was a complex and refined society
The Carthaginians believed in ancient deities such as Baal Hammon and Tanit to whom they offered gifts and sometimes even sacrifices that are still the subject of studies and mysteries today religion was linked to nature to the sun to fertility and the invisible forces of heaven and earth
But Carthage was not only trade and culture it was also war and military power when Rome began to expand towards the Mediterranean it entered into a collision course with Carthage thus began the Punic Wars
Hannibal was the greatest Carthaginian hero he crossed Europe with an army and with elephants he crossed the Alps an incredible feat and defeated the Romans in several battles he remained in Italy for years spreading fear but did not manage to conquer Rome
In the end however the Romans reacted and after three very long and cruel wars the third was fatal Rome attacked Carthage directly the city resisted until the end but was defeated its walls were torn down its inhabitants sold as slaves and the city completely destroyed
Yet the memory of Carthage never died the his spirit remained alive in the stories in the writings in the dreams of those who believed that another way was possible made of travels exchanges freedom
Carthage was a city born on the sea and for the sea daughter of an ancient people and mother of a forgotten empire