Carthage Ruins

Carthage Ruins

The ancient city ruins of Carthage are located 17 kilometers northeast of Tunis, the capital of Tunisia. In 1979, UNESCO designated the Carthage ruins as a cultural heritage site and included them in the World Heritage List. According to the Roman epic *Iliad*, to escape her brother's enmity, Queen Dido of Phoenicia fled the kingdom of Tyre and came here to lead this thriving nation. From afar, one could see the rising city—the territory of the Tyrians—founded in the 8th century BC, which is Carthage. The Carthaginians were skilled in navigation. Recently, two military harbors from the Carthaginian period have been discovered in the ancient city, one of which had a large dock capable of accommodating over 200 ships.

The oldest part of the ancient city of Carthage is located at the foot of Byrsa Hill, close to the coast, serving as the city's center. The southernmost part of Byrsa Hill houses the temple of Tanit, the Carthaginian goddess of fertility. At the very southern tip is the commercial harbor of Ramesh. Byrsa Hill was once fortified with strong defensive structures, including walls stretching 34 kilometers in length, 13 meters in height, and 8 meters in width, with watchtowers positioned every 60 meters. Excavations have revealed remnants of palaces, residences, stone sarcophagi, burial artifacts, and the ruins of a Byzantine-era palace.

More remains from the Roman era of the ancient city of Carthage have survived. The Romans built a grand temple on Byrsa Hill, and the open-air colonnade still preserves statues of Rome’s most outstanding victory and harvest gods in Carthage. The famous public baths were constructed between 145-162 AD during the reign of Emperor Antoninus, making them the fourth-largest baths in the Roman Empire. From the remaining base columns, broken walls, and arches, one can faintly discern the symmetrical arrangement of bathing rooms on both sides, including changing rooms, cold water rooms, warm water rooms, steam rooms, massage rooms, and gyms. The bathhouse water was supplied via a 60-kilometer-long aqueduct from a distant mountain spring. The aqueduct stands 6-20 meters high, with several sections and supports still remaining today.

Residential areas also preserve exquisitely carved stone pillars adorned with human figures, lion heads, and horse bodies. On the floors of several courtyards, mosaic paintings created over 2,000 years ago from colorful pebbles remain, their hues still vibrant and splendid. The artwork depicts horses, young boys catching ducks, and vivid deer, showcasing the achievements of Roman-era Carthaginian mosaics. Like other Roman cities, the Roman-built ancient city of Carthage featured an amphitheater and an oval arena. The theater was divided into three sections, each separated by barriers, with five steps behind the orchestra and several niches in front of the stage. The back wall had three doors, and the side doors of the stage led directly to colonnades outside the arena. Opposite the stage was a circular stone seating area with 21 tiers. The oval arena was also quite large, capable of seating over 50,000 spectators. After Carthage was destroyed, the site became a quarry, with building materials repurposed elsewhere, leaving only architectural remnants.

4 Development Process

The renowned Carthage ruins are located 17 kilometers northeast of Tunis along the coastline, extending approximately 6 kilometers from south to north. Around the 9th century BC, Princess Elissa of Phoenicia led her people across the seas from present-day Lebanon to this unfamiliar land on the southern shores of the Mediterranean. With her wisdom, she persuaded the local Berber inhabitants to grant her land, where she established the famous Carthage. As the Phoenicians were a seafaring and trading people, their growing strength posed a threat to the nascent Roman Empire, eventually leading to three Punic Wars. The victorious Romans employed a scorched-earth policy, causing Carthage to mysteriously vanish from history. Later, through the efforts of archaeologists, the once briefly radiant city of Carthage was rediscovered and brought back to the world’s attention.

Among the Carthage ruins lies an ancient Phoenician harbor connected to the Mediterranean via excavated canals, with water levels controlling ship access, capable of docking up to 220 ships. This harbor site includes both military and commercial harbors, with the smaller commercial harbor located south of the military harbor. By modern standards, these harbors may seem modest, but they nonetheless highlight the Phoenicians’ expertise in navigation and trade.

Carthage was a renowned ancient state in North Africa, centered in present-day Tunisia. Established around 814 BC by Phoenician settlers from the city-state of Tyre, legend has it that during a civil war in Tyre, the princess fled, drifting at sea for days before landing in Tunisia. She requested a piece of land no larger than the hide of a bull from the Berber tribal chief, who generously agreed. The clever princess cut the bullhide into thin strips, tied them together, and enclosed a plot of land on a hill, founding the city of Carthage. Thus, it became the capital of the Phoenician slave state in North Africa and a bustling hub of trade and culture, quickly rising to become the second-largest city in the world after Rome. By the 3rd century BC, the increasingly powerful Roman Empire, vying for control of the western Mediterranean, fought three wars with the Phoenicians. In 146 BC, Carthage was captured and burned to the ground, with the great fire lasting 16 days and reducing the beautiful ancient city to ruins.

The ancient city of Carthage was situated on a peninsula in the center of Tunis Bay, connected to the mainland by a single narrow passage, adjacent to Lake Tunis, surrounded by open terrain, overlapping hills, and scenic valleys, with a strategic location. The city covered an area of 315 hectares. It had two harbors, one within the city walls capable of holding hundreds of ships. The city walls spanned 34 kilometers in circumference, standing 12 meters high and 9 meters wide. Within the city stood the Byrsa Castle, located on a hill overlooking the sea, enclosed by its own walls. Most of the visible ruins today actually date back to the Roman-built city. Palaces, temples, villas, residences, theaters, arenas, racetracks, music halls, public baths, cemeteries, and harbors are faintly discernible. Its former prosperity has made it a famous historical site comparable to Pompeii in Italy.

Today, a magnificent museum has been built at the Carthage ruins, displaying artifacts from various dynasties, including stone sarcophagi and burial items from the Phoenician era. Stone tablets inscribed with Phoenician script among the unearthed relics further confirm the theory that the Phoenicians were the earliest creators of the world’s phonetic writing system. The ancient Carthaginians had the grim practice of sacrificing children to the gods, and the containers for child remains found at the ruins evoke deep sorrow. Most famous are the discovered mosaics, which are abundant and spectacular. It is said that Carthage is the place with the highest number of mosaics unearthed in the world. The museum houses over 10 types of mosaics depicting seasonal changes, often using the Flower Goddess to represent spring, the Wheat Goddess for summer, the Grape Goddess for autumn, and the Olive Goddess for winter. These rich and diverse artistic treasures fully showcase Carthage’s status as a showcase of ancient Mediterranean civilization at the time.

5 Resource and Landscape – Edited Carthage Ancient Ruins

The city ruins are the most famous among Tunisia’s many historic sites. Located 17 kilometers north of Tunis, the city was built by the Phoenicians in 814 BC, covering an area of 315 hectares. Major structures include city walls (34 kilometers long, 13 meters high, and 8 meters thick), palaces, temples, villas, residences, public baths, theaters, arenas, racetracks, harbors, and cemeteries. It was once the capital of a powerful slaveholding state in the Mediterranean (in Phoenician, Carthage means "new city" or "new capital") and also the political, economic, commercial, and agricultural center of North Africa and the Mediterranean region at the time.

From 264 BC onward, three Punic Wars erupted between Carthage and the Roman Empire. In 146 BC, Carthage was defeated, and its capital was burned by the Romans. Decades later, the Romans built a new city on the ruins, which became the second-largest city after Rome, with a peak population of 600,000. Over time, this nearly 3,000-year-old historic city experienced periods of rise and fall. Today, visitors can only glimpse its former glory through the remaining broken walls, tombs, stone tablets, mosaics, and excavated artifacts. Near the ruins, by the seaside, there is a relatively well-preserved Antonine public bath. While its upper structure is gone, the stratified layout clearly shows symmetrical arrangements of changing rooms, hot swimming pools, massage rooms, gradually heated water rooms, warm water rooms, cold water rooms, gyms, and swimming pools. The bathwater was supplied via the 60-kilometer-long Zaghouan Aqueduct.

In Carthage, there are also ancient Roman amphitheaters, ancient city ruins, and theaters. The ancient Roman open-air theater, built entirely of stone, is still in use today. Tunisia is a country with a long history. Nearly 600 years of Roman rule left indelible marks on Tunisian soil, with the Carthage ruins near the northern suburbs of Tunis being the most famous. Although Carthage was originally built by the Phoenicians, its existing ruins are remnants of the city constructed by the Roman Empire. Standing on the Carthage ruins, now listed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site, the weathered yet standing broken walls evoke boundless imagination.

About 200 kilometers south of Tunis lies the ancient Roman amphitheater of El Djem, another famous historic site. The oval-shaped amphitheater can accommodate 35,000 spectators and is one of the three best-preserved ancient Roman amphitheaters in the world. Visitors say that seeing the El Djem amphitheater is like visiting Italy.

6 Rise and Fall History – Edited According to the Roman epic *Iliad*, to escape her brother's enmity, Queen Dido of Phoenicia fled the kingdom of Tyre and came here to lead this thriving nation. From afar, you can see the rising city—the territory of the Tyrians—it is Carthage, founded in the 8th century BC.

Dido was the sister of the ancient capital of Phoenicia—King of Tyre. After the king killed Dido’s husband for greed, Dido fled with her followers, setting sail to find a new kingdom of her own. On the coast of North Africa, she established a grand city; the Trojan prince, one of the founders of the Roman Empire, Aeneas, also arrived there while searching for a suitable location to establish the Roman Empire. Dido named the city "Carthage" (a word derived from Phoenician, meaning "new city").

When the hostility between the two powerful states of Rome and Carthage grew, the First Punic War broke out around 264–241 BC, followed by Hannibal’s expedition in 218 BC. The Carthaginians were defeated, ceding Sicily and paying massive war reparations. In 218 BC, Hannibal seized the opportunity to strike first, sweeping through Etruria (an ancient state in western Italy) and defeating the Roman army at the Battle of Cannae in 216 BC. Hannibal, a young Carthaginian military commander, led 38,000 infantry, 8,000 cavalry, and 37 elephants across the Alps, unexpectedly capturing Italy. This surprise attack remains legendary to this day. Hannibal waged war across Italy for years, achieving continuous victories, but in the Second Punic War, the Romans invaded Carthage, forcing Hannibal to retreat. The Second Punic War ended in 202 BC with Hannibal’s defeat at the Battle of Zama.

In 149 BC, the Romans declared the Third Punic War against Carthage, leading to the city’s siege and eventual capture. In 146 BC, Carthage was burned for what was said to be over ten days. Though Carthage’s architecture brilliantly reflected European artistic traditions and styles, it performed poorly against the Romans. By the mid-2nd century BC, the Roman Senate unanimously agreed with the resolute proposal of the Roman politician Cato: Carthage must be destroyed. Carthage, once an ally of Rome but now a rival and enemy, was finally razed in 146 BC.

In the 6th century BC, Carthage grew increasingly powerful, establishing its own fleet and acquiring numerous colonies. The Carthaginians built two artificial harbors near Tophet. These harbors symbolized their maritime prowess, leaving a profound impression on many modern visitors. One harbor was a circular military port with a central island featuring a dry dock capable of housing many ships simultaneously. According to the Greek historian Appian, the military port could accommodate over 200 ships, a claim largely confirmed by archaeologists. Connected to the military port was a large commercial harbor, the entrance of which has now been identified.

7 Archaeological Research – Edited The city center of Carthage appears to have been located around Byrsa Hill (the word Byrsa originally meant "bullhide." Legend has it that when Dido first arrived, the land she acquired was so small that a single bullhide could encircle it). Today, Byrsa Hill houses an archaeological museum. Archaeologists have excavated the hillside, uncovering houses and shops dating back to the late 3rd century and early 2nd century BC. However, most of the still-visible structures—such as the oval arena, the lower levels of Antonine baths, and some villas—bear the strong imprint of the Roman conquerors. Distinguishing historical fact from legend is sometimes nearly impossible.

Despite extensive archaeological work, some clues remain elusive. Even the founding date of Carthage is uncertain. Written records suggest it was built in the late 9th century BC, yet archaeological findings indicate no habitation there before the mid-8th century BC. The earliest archaeological discoveries were chilling. A place called Tophet apparently served as an altar for sacrifices to the goddess Tanit. There, numerous children were offered as sacrifices. During moonlit religious ceremonies, 2–3-year-old children were dedicated to Baal—the ancient Phoenician sun god. Sealing members of noble families with necessities for the afterlife in tombs to enter the next world seemed to be a local tradition. The legend of Dido’s death may stem from a primitive belief that the passing of a king or queen would benefit the nation.

The ancient city ruins of Carthage are the most famous historic site in Tunisia, located 17 kilometers north of Tunis. Built by the Phoenicians in 814 BC, it was the capital of the slaveholding state of Carthage and once the largest commercial port in the Mediterranean. The ancient city was destroyed by the Romans in 146 BC, later rebuilt as a Roman territory, featuring an oval arena, the Roman Empire’s fourth-largest bathhouse—the Antonine Baths—and several villas. Thus, the city’s architecture exhibits a strong European flair. It stands as proof of the ancient Punician civilization that once dominated the Mediterranean region.

Carthage means "new city" in Phoenician. Legend has it that it was founded by Dido using her wisdom. To escape the persecution of her brother—the king of Phoenicia—she fled her homeland and arrived in the region near present-day Tunis, in the territory of the Numidians. To find a settlement for herself and her followers, she asked the Numidian prince for a piece of land that could be covered by a bullhide. She then cut the bullhide into thin strips and used them to encircle Byrsa Hill, the site where the Saint Louis Cathedral now stands, beginning the construction of the "new city" of Carthage. Distinguishing historical fact from legend is indeed challenging. Despite extensive archaeological efforts, some clues remain unclear, and even the founding date of Carthage is uncertain. Records state it was built in the late 9th century BC, yet archaeological evidence shows no habitation there before the mid-8th century BC.

8 Main Buildings

In the Phoenician language, Carthage means "New City." Legend has it that it was founded through the wisdom of Dido. To escape her brother, King Pygmalion, who had exiled her, she fled her homeland and arrived in the region of Hippo Regius, near present-day Tunisia. To find a place to settle for herself and her followers, she asked the Numidian prince to grant her as much land as could be covered by an ox hide. She then cut the hide into thin strips and used them to encircle Byrsa Hill—the site where the Basilica of Saint Louis now stands—and began building the “New City” of Carthage there. It is indeed sometimes difficult to distinguish historical fact from legend. Despite extensive archaeological work, some clues remain elusive, and even the exact date of Carthage’s founding is uncertain. Written records suggest that Carthage was established in the late 9th century BC, yet archaeological findings indicate that the area was uninhabited until the mid-8th century BC.

8 Main Buildings

The El Jem Amphitheatre boasts a long history, having been built in the early 3rd century AD. It is a renowned structure left behind by the ancient Roman Empire in this region. Many famous French writers, such as Guy de Maupassant and Gustave Flaubert, once made special trips here to visit and described it as “the most magnificent colosseum in the world” and “a symbol and emblem of the Roman Empire’s presence in Africa.” It is one of the three great amphitheatres in the world, standing 36 meters high and featuring 500 entrances, capable of accommodating 40,000 people at once. The Roman architecture and carvings here are truly astonishing to modern visitors. The arena walls are tall, connected by layers of arches, exuding an elegant construction style that makes walking through it feel like strolling through the halls of an ancient castle. Sitting atop the highest tier of the spectator stands and looking down, the vast amphitheatre spreads out before your eyes. Today, the Tunisian government holds the “Carthage International Festival” here annually.

Imperial Harbor

In the 6th century BC, Carthage grew increasingly powerful. The empire established its own fleet and acquired numerous colonies. The Carthaginians built two artificial harbors, which became symbols of their maritime strength. Traces of these two harbors can still be seen at the present-day site. One of the harbors was a circular military port, featuring a small central island that could accommodate multiple ships simultaneously. According to records, the military harbor could hold over 200 ships—a description largely confirmed by archaeologists. Connected to the military port was a large commercial harbor, the entrance of which has now been identified.

Antonine Baths

The Antonine Baths were constructed by Roman Emperor Antoninus. Today, only the remains of columns and fragmented walls of the above-ground structures survive, but the lower-level layout reveals symmetrically arranged rooms including dressing rooms, hot swimming pools, massage rooms, steam rooms, warm-water rooms, cold-water rooms, and exercise halls. The water supply for the baths was brought through aqueducts from 60 kilometers away. The aqueducts were entirely built of stone, with only a few sections remaining today, while the 30,000-cubic-meter reservoir is still functional. The most enchanting experience is gazing from the observation platform at the azure sea and the towering mountains beyond. Within the archaeological park of the Roman villa, when surrounded by pavilions and terraces reconstructed with outstanding architectural artistry, it’s not hard to imagine the luxurious and decadent lifestyle of the nobility at that time.

Carthage Ancient Ruins (Carthage) — A must-visit destination when traveling to Tunisia. Located 17 kilometers northeast of Tunis, by the Mediterranean Sea, it was founded by the Phoenicians in 814 BC, predating Rome by 61 years. Once the capital of the powerful slaveholding state of Carthage in the Mediterranean, it was the political, economic, commercial, and agricultural hub of the North African Mediterranean region at the time. Most of the Carthage ruins seen today were rebuilt during the Roman occupation. The remnants of structures such as the theater, public baths, and aqueducts reveal the grand scale and precise design of the engineering projects of that era. Near the Carthage ruins stands a newly built modern museum, which preserves and displays a wealth of precious historical artifacts. In 1978, UNESCO included the Carthage ruins on the first list of “World Cultural and Natural Heritage” sites. The Tunisian government has established a national archaeological park at this site.