The Third Phase: TUSNIA

CARTHAGE AND THE PUNICS

When my father was around 10 - 12 years old he had an accident while sliding on the ice in Chicago. The way he told it always reminded me of the opening scene in "It's a Wonderful Life" when Harry slides on a shovel into a pond and is saved by George. It was probably about the same era. However, instead of a pond, dad crashed into others or an obstacle, his legs bent backwards and broke both his knees. He was not a robust child being in the womb while his older brother was still nursing taking most of the calcium. I tell you this because during his months bedridden he read all volumes of World Book of Knowledge set several times. Because of this he had a great knowledge and love of history and would regale us with stories of the past. One such story was when Rome defeated Carthage after two previous wars. Rome wanted to assure the city would never rise again, and after defeating them salted the earth so nothing could grow there for decades. The first scorched earth policy.

Since then I've been inspired to know more about ancient history and to see this site. Carthage was located on the African coast at its closest point to Europe after Gibraltar, just outside today's Tunis, Tunisia. It was originally settled in 1200 BCE as a trading colony by the Phoenicians from today's Lebanon. As western Mediterranean Phoenicians developed their own culture, they were called Punic. The Punics settled western colonies in Sicily (only 147 miles away), southern Iberian peninsula, Sardinia, and Libyan shores to their east. Carthage became one of the most important trading hubs of the ancient Mediterranean, and richest city of the Classical world.

As Rome came to power and began its imperial ambitions, the cliche "this sea isn't big enough for the both of us" was true before our western movies. For over 100 years, from 264 BCE to 146 BCE, there were three Punic wars between Rome and Carthage. The First Punic war was was fought as a naval battle around Sicily as Rome expanded.

The Second Punic War is the most memorable when Hannibal invaded Rome by entering Iberia, crossed the Alps with elephants, and laid siege to Rome. His elephants died, soldiers deserted, and he became stalemated outside the city. To counter the move, Rome directly attacked Carthage, and Hannibal was recalled home to defend the city. His strategy is still studied today in military academies.

In 146 BCE Rome contrived to finally do away with their rival. The Third Punic war was fought entirely in today's Tunisia. The Romans invaded Carthage, slaughtered their entire population, completed destroyed the city leaving no two stones together, and plowed the remains under the soil. Salting the earth only became apocryphal after 1863, and was probably popular when by dad read about it. But scholars today doubt the final retribution. Too bad, it's a good story of revenge.

One hundred years after its oblivion, Julius Caesar rebuilt a Roman city on the site in 45 BCE. Due to its strategic location, Roman Carthage became one of Rome's most military and elegant cities, with dry docks, trading port, baths, amphitheaters, and fabulous houses with mosaic floors for the wealthy. These are the ruins we see today in Tunisia.

We left Cairo early in order to have a tour of Carthage on arrival. Our Dar (house) was in the center of Tunis' old Medina, where no cars are allowed (or could fit). Our host met us outside at a public plaza. She quickly walked with confidence and experience through all the twisting and turning streets, shops, donkey carts, and shoppers leaving us completely bewildered and confused as to where we were, or how to get out to meet our tour guide in only an hour or so.

The Souk in the Medina. Lots of metal work, fabrics, households, and food.

Wandering through the labyrinth of the Souk.

Looking at our iPhone map, I found a much closer, and more easily navigated, rendezvous for our tour guide that was outside the main Bab (gate) on the other side of the Medina.

Historic Bab (Gate) at entrance to Medina

Old hotel at Bab plaza where we met our guides.

Our first stop was the UNESCO Roman baths, the largest outside Rome. Even with only a few columns and the hypocaust (sort-of a basement floor heating system) the site is impressive. Imperial Rome was decadent. There weren't many battles to fight anymore, the revenue from trading and conquered lands was excessive so the wealthy engaged in eating, drinking and spa treatments (sound familiar - early income inequality). The emperors Caligula, Nero, and Commodus are examples of "power corrupts", and "absolute power corrupts absolutely".

Plan of the Carthage Baths and Spa. Larger than the length of a football field.

Section showing the huge scale and elegance of the Baths.

The platform "mushroom" caps was the main floor
with the hypocaust below heating all the floors and water.

Marble column, stone walls and brick arches

The carving on the marble freeze looks like it was carved yesterday.

Nearby the baths is what looks like a modern developed waterway to increase property values. However, this was dug over 2000 years ago as a dry dock for the Roman navy behind their man-made trading port lagoon. Around the circumference and the island they built covered dry-docks like spokes in a wheel.

The island and waterway taken from the connection to the Port basin.

Illustration of the circular dry-dock basin and the trading port to the left.

Another ancient site not from Roman times, but 700 BCE during Carthage's early period, is Tophet, a children's burial ground. There is renewed controversy about the reason for this cemetery. Historically, the thought was that the Baal worshiping Carthaginians sacrificed children to their god. However, recent explorations reveal that many of the children were fetuses or new born as they only had teeth buds. At the time child mortality was about 50% so the sacrificial story seems like propaganda. The records of the sacrificing of children was written by Carthage's enemies - early fake news. Things never change?

2500 y.o. children's cemetery.

Tombstone with carving to Baal.

Two more stops in the ancient Roman world near the ruins of Carthage, is the theater and cistern. Marvels of Roman civic infrastructure and lifestyle.

Classic Roman theater modeled on the Greeks
now used for modern concerts and performances

Roman Cistern about the size of a football field, fed by an aqueduct.
Each half cylinder is a separate water storage facility in order to clean them in sequence.

After our visit to historic Carthage, about half hour from Tunis, we visited the "modern" suburb of Sidi Bou Said. This is named after a twelfth century religious figure who is buried on this hill overlooking the Mediterranean. In the eighteenth century, while under Ottoman rule, many Turkish wealthy and governors built houses here. It is still a wealthy suburb and now a picturesque tourist attraction. Like Santorini it has white buildings with blue trim that cascade down the ridge line with artist shops lining the narrow paths between.

Hillside town of Sidi Bou Said

Narrow residential street.

Picturesque and stunning view of the Mediterranean.

We returned to our Dar in the Medina and settled in after a non-stop day since leaving Cairo. While charming, it was a bit rustic compared to our Dar in Fez Morocco. That was owned by a London woman from the financial sector who retreated to Fez and lovingly and artistically renovated the Dar. But that's an older story.