- Tunis is the capital city and major port of Tunisia located opposite the Strait of Sicily in the Mediterranean.
- During the Phoenician and Roman period, Tunis was known as Carthage and was a major naval power.
The Roman Sites
- Carthage Roman Theatre and Odeon
- Carthage Roman Villas
- Carthage Roman Amphitheatre
- The Antonine Baths
Museums
- Carthage National Museum (Currently closed until June 2026)
- Byrsa Hill, Byrsa, Tunis.
- The Roman Finds on display include sculptures, Sarcophagii and Amphorae.
- Carthage Punic Port and Museum (Check for opening times)
- Rue du 2 mars 1034, Site Archeologique de Carthage, Tunis.
- The Archeological site holds the Remains of the Punic port.
- Bardo National Museum (Currently closed until further notice)
- Located at P7, Tunis.
- The Bardo National Museum of Tunis houses one of the largest collection of Roman Mosaics in the world.
- They were excavated from Roman villas in Carthage, Hadrumentum and Utica.
History
- Carthage was the Capital city and Naval Base of the Carthaginian Empire (814-146 BCE).
- The Punic Wars (264-146 BCE) between Rome and Carthage ended the Carthaginian Empire in 146 BCE.
- In 49-44 BCE Julius Caesar built the new city of Carthage.
- Between 14-24 CE, the Revolt of Tacfarinas briefly defied Rome.
- By 100 CE, Carthage had a population of 500,000 and was fourth most important city in the Roman Empire.
- In 397 CE, the Council of Carthage was held to decide the Christian Biblical Canon, meaning which canonical works would form the Christian Bible.
- In 439 CE Oct 19, Gaiseric the Vandal, captured Carthage which became the capital of the Vandal Kingdom in North Africa for 100 years.
- In 533-4 CE, Carthage was recaptured by the Byzantine Empire.
- In 698 CE, the Ummayad Arab Empire conquered Carthage at the Battle of Carthage. To prevent any further return of Byzantine influence, Carthage was sacked and destroyed and instead the city of Tunis was founded nearby.
- Between 698-1160, Tunis was an important city under the Ummayad Caliphate, the Abbasid Caliphate and the Fatamid Caliphate.
- Between 1160-1229 Tunis was part of the Almohad Caliphate based in Spain. Between 1229-1534 it was part of the Hafsid Caliphate.
- Tunis became a Province of the Ottoman Empire between 1534-1881 CE, and a Protectorate of the French Empire between 1881-1956 CE.
- In 1956 Tunis became the capital of the Independent State of Tunisia.
Roman Theatre of Carthage, Tunis