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Phoenician Tunisia
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 Three millenniums of history
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The Punic period dawned when the Phoenicians from the Levant settled ancient Utica about 1000 BC. Dido, also known as Alyssa, founded Carthage in 814 BC. Starting in 264 BC, Carthage fought three wars with Rome, defending the city until 146 BC.
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A Punic gem of a city, Kerkaouane is unveiled ; discovered in 1952
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| Ancient Bathtub at Kerkaouane |
In 1952, archeologists were wandering along the deep turquoise sea through the rich farming area of the Cap Bon penninsula.
Here they stumbled upon surface remains which led to the discovery of a Punic town which had not been destroyed or overbuilt by later civilizations.
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| The symbol of the Goddess Tanit |
Excavations which began the next year unveiled an array of splendid coins, jewelry, glassware and pottery. Soon in a very short following period, workers uncovered fine? houses with courtyards, sophisticated indoor plumbing and beautifully preserved family bathtubs.
Kerkaouane remains a place which fills gratifies the visitor's imagination with the peaceful rhythm of Punic daily life.
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Hannibal is respected by friend and enemy.
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No Carthaginian is more renowned than Hannibal, the general and statesman who lived from 246 to 183 BC.
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| Hannibal |
As a child, Hannibal left Carthage with his father, Hamilcar, to conquer Spain. He became a distinguished soldier under his son-in-law, Hasdrubal. At the latter’s death in 229 BC, he was appointed Commander-in-Chief of the Punic armies. He immediately started on social and political projects to enhance Punic presence within the Iberian Peninsula.
The increasing Roman interference in Spain encouraged Hannibal to launch a pre-emptive attack on Rome. He left Spain in 218, crossed the Alps with his famous elephants, and destroyed a series of Roman armies in the battles of Trebia, Lake Trasimeno and Cannae.
The war eventually ended in North Africa, when Hannibal was defeated by the Roman General Scipio in 202 BC at Zama in central Tunisia. Carthage re-emerged and prospered again before being finally destroyed by Rome in 146 BC.
Unfortunately, the only surviving documents about Hannibal and the Punic Wars were written by Roman historians. But even his enemies described Hannibal as a great and humane general.
Hannibal used to forbid his soldiers all actions of pillage and vandalism. He has always respected the gods by invoking them during his speeches and used to the gods … He ordered his men to their treasures. Therefore, at a time when he was short of gold he refused to use the gold column in Goddess Hera’s temple near Crotone.
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