Tunis is the capital of both the
Tunisian Republic and the
Tunis Governorate. It is
Tunisia's largest city, with a population of 2,256,320 as of
2011; the greater metropolitan area holds some 2,412,
500 inhabitants. Situated on a large
Mediterranean Sea gulf (the
Gulf of Tunis), behind the
Lake of Tunis and the port of
La Goulette (
Halq al Wadi), the city extends along the coastal plain and the hills that surround it. At the centre of more modern development (from the colonial era and later) lies the old medina.
Beyond this district lie the suburbs of
Carthage,
La Marsa, and
Sidi Bou Said. The medina is found at the centre of the city: a dense agglomeration of alleys and covered passages, full of intense scents and colours, boisterous and active trade, and a surfeit of goods on offer ranging from leather to plastic, tin to the finest filigree, tourist souvenirs to the works of tiny crafts shops. Just through the Sea
Gate (also known as the Bab el
Bahr and the
Porte de
France) begins the modern city, or Ville Nouvelle, transversed by the grand
Avenue Habib Bourguiba (often referred to by popular press and travel guides as "the Tunisian Champs-Élysées"), where the colonial-era buildings provide a clear contrast to smaller, older structures. As the capital city of the country, Tunis is the focus of Tunisian political and administrative life; it is also the centre of the country's commercial activity. The expansion of the Tunisian economy in recent decades is reflected in the booming development of the outer city where one can see clearly the social challenges brought about by rapid modernization in Tunisia.The historical study of Carthage is problematic. Because its culture and records were destroyed by the
Romans at the end of the
Third Punic War, very few
Carthaginian primary historical sources survive. While there are a few ancient translations of
Punic texts into
Greek and
Latin, as well as inscriptions on monuments and buildings discovered in
North Africa, the main sources are Greek and
Roman historians, including
Livy,
Polybius,
Appian,
Cornelius Nepos,
Silius Italicus,
Plutarch,
Dio Cassius, and
Herodotus. These writers belonged to peoples in competition, and often in conflict, with Carthage. Greek cities contended with Carthage over
Sicily, and the Romans fought three wars against Carthage. Not surprisingly, their accounts of Carthage are extremely hostile; while there are a few
Greek authors who took a favourable view, these works have been lost. Recent excavation has brought much more primary material to light. Some of these finds contradict aspects of the traditional picture of Carthage, and much of the material is still ambiguous. The existence of the town is attested by sources dating from the
4th century BC. In the 2nd millennium BC a town, originally named
Tunes, was founded by
Berbers and also over time occupied by
Numidians. In 146 BC, the Romans destroyed Tunis (along with Carthage). However, the city was subsequently rebuilt under the rule of
Augustus and became an important town under
Roman control and the center of a booming agricultural industry. Situated on a hill, Tunis served as an excellent
point from which the comings and goings of naval and caravan traffic to and from Carthage could be observed. Tunis was one of the first towns in the region to fall under Carthaginian control, and in the centuries that followed Tunis was mentioned in the military histories associated with Carthage. Thus, during
Agathocles' expedition, which landed at Cape Bon in
310 BC, Tunis changed hands on various occasions. When Agathocles died in 288 BC, a large company of
Italian mercenaries who had previously been held in his service found themselves suddenly without employment. Rather than leave Sicily, they seized the city of
Messana. Naming themselves Mamertines (or "sons of
Mars"), they became a law unto themselves, terrorizing the surrounding countryside. The Mamertines became a growing threat to Carthage and
Syracuse alike. In 265 BC,
Hiero II, former general of Pyrrhus and the new tyrant of Syracuse, took action against them. Faced with a vastly superior force, the Mamertines divided into two factions, one advocating surrender to Carthage, the other preferring to seek aid from
Rome. As a result, embassies were sent to both cities. While the
Roman Senate debated the best course of action, the
Carthaginians eagerly agreed to send a garrison to Messana.
- published: 20 Jun 2013
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