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Tunisia is a republic of North Africa. It is joined on the north and east by the Mediterranean Sea, and to the south by Libya and the west by Algeria. The capital and largest city of Tunisia is Tunis with a population of 1 million.
In the earliest known period of it's history the region now called Tunisia was part of the Carthaginian Empire. According to tradition Phoenician traders founded the city of Carthage in 814 BC at a location slightly northeast of the site of the modern Tunis. In subsequent centuries Cathage became the centre of a mighty empire that dominated most of northern Africa, the Iberian peninsula, Sardinia and parts of Sicily. That was until 264 BC when along came the ever growing Roman Empire and that was when the fun really started!
Our first stop was in the fashionable town of Sidi Bou Said a place of great charm and a favourite retreat for the wealthy. It is a cliff top village with gleaming white, Spanish like, houses that over-look the Gulf of Tunis. Sidi means Saint and Sidi Bou Said was said to be the French King Louis, who according to the French died of the plague after being defeated in the battle of Carthage in the 11th century. However, local legend has it that he came to the village incognito after the defeat to become a Muslim, take on the Muslim name Bou Said, marry a local girl and become renowned for his ability to cure scorpion bites!
Although we made a great fuss about scorpions throughout this programme I think it's only right that I should point out that we didn't see any, if there are any!
About two hours drive from Tunis is the Roman city of Dougga which is the largest and most dramatic site in all of Tunisia. The 'City of Temples' was originally 'Thugga' a Carthaginian principality which later fell to Numidian rule and then to Roman. This must have been a very large city before the Romans invaded because they would normally build on flat ground, Dougga is perched high on a mountain top.
The sheer size of Dougga is mind blowing, so set a good half or even full day to one side for it. This was a very rich city and the locals liked to show off their wealth by building something for the city - look out for the theatre built in AD 168 by Publiius Marcius Qudratas. The Capitol Temple is unbelievable. It has a grand portico with six columns however the flutings have been damaged by villagers who believe them to be a charm against scorpions. The Cyclops baths, so named because of a Cyclops mosaic which used to be there and is now in the Bardo Museum, have some every well preserved loos just inside the entrance.
Back near Tunis and the ancient city of Carthage. This is a must. High up on Byrsa Hill are the remains of this once mighty empire. Legend has it that in 814 BC Dido, daughter of the King of Tyre, asked the chief Iarbus for as much land as she could cover with a bull's hide. He agreed and she cunningly cut the hide into tiny strips, tied them together and encircled a hill. Byrsa is Greek for bull's hide.
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