Background
Tunisia is the northernmost country in Africa forming part of the Maghreb region. It is bordered by Algeria, Libya, and the Mediterranean Sea. The archaeological sites of Carthage (dating back to the 9th century BC), as well as the Great Mosque of Kairouan are found there. Known for its ancient architecture, souks and blue coasts, it covers 63,170 square miles and has a population of 12.1 million. The eastern end of the Atlas Mountains (that I first laid eyes on during my visit to Morocco) and the northern reaches of the Sahara desert meet here, as well.
Beginning in early antiquity, Tunisia was inhabited by the indigenous Berbers. Phoenicians arrived in the 12th century BC and began establishing settlements. By the 7th century BC, Carthage had emerged as the most powerful region. A major mercantile empire and military rival to the Roman Republic until 146 BC, Carthage was a force. Eventually, the Romans defeated the Carthaginians and occupied Tunisia for most of the next 800 years.
The Romans were responsible for introducing Christianity and left architectural legacies like the Amphitheatre of El Djem. In the 7th century AD after numerous attempts, Arab Muslims conquered Tunisia and brought Islam and their culture to the local inhabitants. Islam is the predominant religion to this day with 99% of the population being of this faith. In 1546, the Ottoman Empire established control there, ruling until 1881, when the French conquered Tunisia. In 1956, Tunisia gained independence as the Tunisian Republic. Its cultural identity remains rooted in this centuries-long intersection of different cultures and ethnicities.
Day 1:
My history and culture lessons in Tunisia began in reverse with me touring the capital city of Tunis last. Upon arrival, my guide and historian, Mohamed, picked me up and headed straight for the city of Testour. During the Roman period of the 13th and 14th centuries, the city was called Tichilla by Berber tribes. Tichilla translates to “green grass” and was a nod to the tapestry of verdant fields surrounding the city. Rebuilt in the 1500s by Jewish and Muslim refugees from Andalusia, Testour became a haven for religious communities expelled under Spanish King Phillip III. Testour (as the city became known to the refugees in the 17th century) is one of the oldest towns in Tunisia. For decades, the locals only spoke Spanish and practiced Spanish traditions and infused the area with Andalusian culture and architecture.
Grand Mosque of Testour
One of the highlights of my visit was the Grand Mosque of Testour built in the 17th century by Spanish immigrant, Mohamed Tagharinu. The Mosque has several interesting features. There is the typical Spanish rubble stone façade, and lack of windows, but the most impressive is the ornate clock resting on the south-western side of the minaret.
While a clock, in and of itself is not particularly interesting, this clock is unique. What makes this one special is that the numbers on the clock are backwards and it runs counterclockwise! There are only three other clocks of this type in the world – one in Florence, one in Prague and one in Germany. There are two rumors as to why the clock was crafted this way: one, was having the numbers point west reminded locals of their heritage. The other was the numbers were set backward representing the locals’ wish to go back to Andalusia. This Mosque also has not one but two Stars of David on the top, acknowledging the Jewish community that helped build the city. For many this cemented the Mosque as an emblem of religious tolerance – unheard of during this era.
Next up were the ancient cities of Dougga and Bulla Regia. Dougga also known as Thugga was a Berber, Punic and Roman settlement in northern Tunisia. Designated a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1997, it was called “the best-preserved Roman small town in North Africa”. Among the most famous monuments at the site are a mausoleum, the Capitol, the Roman theater, and the temples of Saturn and Juno Caelestis.
Bulla Regia
Bulla Regia is an important archaeological site also found in northwestern Tunisia. The region became part of the Roman Empire in the first century CE, and prospered by providing agricultural products such as wheat, grains, grapes, and olives to the rest of the Empire. The prosperity of the region is reflected in the private architecture and ornate decorations of the ruins at this site. What makes this site unique among the numerous archaeological sites in Tunisia is the domestic architecture constructed below ground. Scholars have hypothesized that the houses were built in this manner to alleviate the intense heat. Most of the ornate mosaics adorning the houses have remained intact and the colors are still vibrant.
Day 2:
I visited the archaeological site of Sbeitla (also called Sufetula). Sbeitla is located in north-central Tunisia and contains the best preserved Roman forum temples in Tunisia. It was excavated and restored between 1906 and 1921. The notable Roman remains at this site are the Triumphal Arch, the public baths, the Forum, the Gate of Antoninus and the Three Temples.
The Triumphal Arch of the Tetrarchy at the entrance to the city commemorates the four emperors that governed the empire in the year 300, just before the rule of Constantine the Great. The Forum is one of the best preserved in the world.
The Gate of Antoninus, which stands at the entrance to the forum and can be dated between 138 and 161, has inscriptions making reference to Antoninus Pius and his two adopted sons, Lucius Verus and Marcus Aurelius. My personal favorite was the Three Temples. Instead of constructing one temple dedicated to the three most important Roman gods (Jupiter, Juno, and Minerva), the inhabitants of the city built separate temples for each one.
Day 3:
Kairouan and El Djem
Kairouan (also spelled El Qayrawān or Kairwan) is a city in northern Tunisia’s inland desert. Designated a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1988, the city was founded by the Umayyads around 670 in the period of Caliph Mu’awiya (reigned 661–680). It became an important center for Sunni Islamic scholarship and Quranic learning attracting Muslims from various parts of the world. Fourth in line only to Mecca, Medina and Jerusalem it was believed that seven trips here equalled one hajj to Mecca. It became a powerful trading hub and center of Islamic scholarship in the 9th century. The 9th century was when Aghlabid emirs ruled Kairouan and built many of its monuments. The Great Mosque, on the edge of the medina, with its antique columns and imposing minaret, dates from this period and is a major pilgrimage site.
El Djem (or El Jem)
El Djem has been settled since the 3rd century BCE. At that time, it was a Punic settlement, but it only began to gain prominence after Caesar founded the town of Thysdrus there in 46 BCE. Thysdrus lay amid a large olive-growing region. Since olive oil was in great demand in Rome during that period, the town prospered rapidly. Over time, it became the leading olive-growing center of North Africa. With a population of between 20,000 and 30,000, the town accumulated enormous wealth, much of which – as in other Roman towns – was spent on the erection of both public buildings and private houses.
The amphitheater, begun at the end of the 2nd century CE, was designed to be a symbol of this prosperity. While it was still under construction, the decline of Thysdrus set in. A tax on olive oil was reintroduced in 238 CE, sparking a rebellion. The unrest spread through Tunisia, and a large group of landowners, with the help of the juvenes (a kind of officers’ training corps or militia), murdered the imperial procurator and named proconsul, Gordian, emperor.
The uprising was repressed and the town was sacked, but Thysdrus never recovered. Subsequently, the amphitheater once a symbol of affluence was converted into a fortress. Mainly used for gladiator shows and small scale chariot races, the Amphitheatre of El Jem could seat 35,000 spectators. Only the Colosseum in Rome (seating about 50,000 spectators), the Pozzuoli near Naples and the ruined one at Carthage were larger. Its colossal size and excellent preservation has given it the nickname the African Coliseum. It remained more or less intact, until the 17th century. After the 17th century, stones were gleaned for building up El Djem and the Great Mosque in Kairouan. The ruins of the amphitheater were declared a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1979.
Day 4
My fourth and final day in Tunisia was spent in Sidi Bou Said and the capital, Tunis. Sidi Bou Said is a town just outside Tunis in northern Tunisia. The town was named for religious figure, Abu Said al-Baji, who lived there. Previously known as Jabal el-Menar, Sidi has a very distinctive architecture. The influx of Spanish Muslims in the 16th century from Andalusia, and the rising Ottoman empire left a clear impact on the landscape. In the 19th century, the French viewed Sidi as a romantic fishing village that possessed a European air. An air they committed to preserve (it was given protected status in 1915).
Sidi Bou Said
In the 18th century, wealthy citizens of Tunis built residences there. During the 1920s, French painter and musician Rodolphe d’Erlanger, introduced the blue and white theme to the town. On first glance, the town reminded me a lot of Santorini with the homes painted white with blue domed rooftops. Sidi has a reputation as a town of artists and members of the École de Tunis (painting school of Tunis).
Carthage
After Sidi was a trip to the ancient city of Carthage. Carthage was a settlement that later became a city-state and then an empire. Founded by Phoenician colonists from Tyre (present day Lebanon) in the ninth century BC, Carthage reached its height in the 4th century BC. A direct result of its vast network of colonies, vassals and satellite states. Not only was Carthage one of the largest metropolises in the world, the Carthaginians had become a major power. They controlled the largest territory in the region. The coast of northwest Africa, southern Iberia (Spain, Portugal, and Gibraltar), the islands of Sicily, Sardinia, Corsica, Malta, and the Balearic archipelago all fell under Carthaginian rule.
As the dominant power of the western Mediterranean, Carthage inevitably came into conflict with its neighbors and rivals. They battled everyone from the indigenous Berbers of North Africa to the nascent Roman Republic. Following centuries of conflict with the Sicilian Greeks, the growing competition with Rome culminated in the Punic Wars (264–146 BC). Carthage was destroyed and Julius Caesar rebuilt the city in 49-44 BC.
After Sidi we traveled to Tunis for a city tour and a trip to the famed Bardo Museum. The Bardo holds one of the largest collections of mosaics in the world. Priceless pieces tracing the 3,000 years of Tunisian history are housed there. Of course, I had to visit the Tunis sign and take the obligatory photos prior to hurrying off to immerse myself in Tunisian history. After visiting the museum, my Tunisian adventure came to a close. Time to return to Rome to pick up where I left off.