The Fable of Carthage

TUNISIA, was already in a fairly civilised state when the Phoenicians landed on its shores about twelve hundred years B.C.
They founded new cities, such as Outih (Utica), Hippo Zorytus (Bizert), and Thines (Tunis)

The most famous historical city of Africa, the ancient Carthage, was built 800 years later by the Phoenician emigrants, accompanied, as the Fable by Virgil relates, by the unfortunate Princess Elissa, daughter of Belus, King of Tyre, or Dido, flying from her brother Pygmalion, by whom her husband been assassinated.

the fable describes how Dido purchased from the natives as mush land as could be covered by a bull's hide, then cunningly cut the hide into the narrowest possible strips, and thus enclosed sufficient space on which to build her city, at first called Byrsa (bull's hide), and afterwards Carthage.
The new colony flourished, and soon became eager for colonial extension.
Under Malkus, Carthage acquired the Balearic Islands and Corsica.
Hamon the great and his sons Hasdrubel and Hamilcar added to its prosperity.
Later, the city under Hamilcar (B. C. 481) allied itself with Xerxes against the Greeks, and made war on Sicily.
Beaten by the Prince of Syracuse, under the command of Hannibal, son of Gisco, Carthage sent a large army to invalid Sicily, wish was partially successful; and Hanibal returned to Carthage with spoils of war, and to prepare for the complete conquest of Sicily.

On arrival a second time in Sicily the army was destroyed by plague and famine, and the harsh conditions they faced, a treaty disastrous to Carthage was concluded with Rome.

Invaded by Agathocles, B.C. 310, and by the famous Pyrrhus, King of Epirus, Carthage was reduced to one possession.
The Carthaginians refused to evacuate Sicily, and augmenting their troops, succeeded in compelling Pyrrhus to embark for Tarentum.
Then commenced to struggle between Rome and Carthage for the possession of Sicily, Spain, and Africa, which lasted 120 years.
Soon began the tragic events known as the three Punic wars

Tunisia was a major crossroads of empires. The Phoenicians, the Romans, the Vandals and the Byzantines, the Arabs, the Ottoman Empire and then finally the French lived on its shores. The country is covered with ruins that tell its history. Carthage, the Phoenician capitol is its largest and most famous, was largely destroyed by the Romans and then rebuild.