Introduction
Carthage, a land of opportunity found in more than 2,000 years ago. Driven by wealth, power, and ambition, Carthage was able to rule the Mediterranean for over 600 years. The empire was located in the northern tip of Tunisia behind the capital Tunis. Carthage was founded by the Phoenician Queen Elissa (better known as Dido) sometime around 813 BCE. The city (in modern-day Tunisia, North Africa) was orginally known as Kart- hadasht (new city). The Greeks called the city Karchedon and the Romans turned this name into Carthago.
The Start of Carthage
According to the legend, there was a Queen named Dido who lived with her husband in Tyre but then Dido's brother murdered her husband. Terrified for her life, Dido ran away to a no man's land (Tunisia) . There she bargained with the native people to buy as much land that there could be covered with a hide of an ox. There under her control, the new city of kart-hadasht was established.
Evidence of Carthage
The Romans actively set out to destroy Carthage in 146 B.C., following the Third Punic War, and then they built a new
Carthage on top of the ruins, a century later, which was itself destroyed. So
there are few remains of Carthage in the original location. There are tombs and
burial urns from a sanctuary to the fertility mother goddess Tanit, a stretch of the wall fortifying the city
that is visible from the air, and the remains of two harbors.
Carthage on top of the ruins, a century later, which was itself destroyed. So
there are few remains of Carthage in the original location. There are tombs and
burial urns from a sanctuary to the fertility mother goddess Tanit, a stretch of the wall fortifying the city
that is visible from the air, and the remains of two harbors.