Carthage

Here I am, in modern day Tunisia.  This was the ancient land of Carthage, itself a colony setup by the Phoenicians, who came from the east coast of the Mediterranean Sea, the modern day Lebanon.  From here, Hannibal took the fight to the Romans around 2,200 years ago and almost destroyed them before the Romans had a chance to build an empire spanning 3 continents.   

We started at the Carthaginian fort, the basis of the fearsome Carthaginian naval power.  The bay is still there, but the fort left few traces.  

Some Carthaginian graves have been found.

Many tiny coffins littered the site, supposedly made for the babies that had been sacrificed to their gods.  Today, it is hard to imagine that people would burn their babies to please their gods.  But apparently it was a common practice in those days more than 2,000 years ago.  

The Romans won, of course, and turned Carthage into its “African” province, from whence the continent derived its name.  They then built cities and theatres, and grew so much corn that they could feed their army for centuries.  This theatre, with the iconic semi-circular shape, is said to seat 5,000 people.  Not the largest of its type, but impressive enough.  

Here lived the great Augustine, well known for the concept of the original sin, Confessions, the City of God, and so much more. 

To the right of the theatre in the photo is a mosque, a symbol of Islam, who, in turn, overcame the Romans.  

Why would someone ever find history boring?