Grace & James Hoban Rickard Travel Journals 2010 April: TUNISIA

Roman Sites, Museums and History

17 Apr 2010

Fabulous temple at Dougga

Amphitheater - Dougga

Forum entry - Makthar

Show all 32 photos

Doorway arch - Makthar

Megalithic burial site – 5th cent BC to 1st cent AD -...

Christian Tombstone - Makthar

Tomb Inscription - Makthar

City Gate - Sbeitla

Temple wall - Sbeitla

Roman road - Sbeitla

Roman baptismal - Sbeitla

Fabulous coliseum – El Djem

Inside Roman coliseum – El Djem

WWI graffiti – El Djem

Picture of ancient Carthage

Us in the baths at Carthage

Column at baths of Carthage

Another column at Roman baths

Coliseum at Carthage (what’s left of it)

Chapel inside coliseum at Carthage

Christian martyrs died here

Bardo Museum – 19th century mansion - Tunis

Spanish arabesque motifs – Bardo museum

Roman mosaics – Bardo museum

Detail of mosaic – Bardo museum

Detail at Bardo museum - Tunis

Mosaic floor with gods of days of week and zodiac – Bardo...

Whacking off noses took away the power of former Roman rulers –...

Roman mosaic reminiscent of Irish motif

Museum of Carthage

Copy of head of statue from Carthage – original in the Louvre

This is what we came to see – the Phoenician and Roman towns such as Carthage, Sbeitla and a number of others that flourished here in the millennium before Christ. Christianity was introduced in 500 AD by the Byzantines, but declined 100 years later under the Islamic conquest.

We also found a rich history spanning more than two millennia. Megalithic tombs from as early as the 5th century BC are reminiscent of Celtic sites in Ireland. The Carthaginian general Hannibal invaded Northern Italy in 218 BC by taking elephants over the Alps.

From the Punic (Phoenician) times until recently there have been many fluctuations of control. Invading people from all sides – Vandals, Berbers, Romans, Byzantines, Arabs, French, and Germans all ran Tunisia at one time or another. American troops fought there in WW2. Both Gen. Patton and Gen. Eisenhower passed through the country during the North African Campaign. Gen. Rommel commanded German troops.

Entry Rating:

Why ratings?

Please Rate:

Thank you for voting!

Share |