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Carthage You are scarcely supposed to have never heard about Carthage. One can say this city became famous for a man's envy and persistence as well as for a woman's ingenuity and self-sacrifice. The scientific data state that this lady of fashion lived much earlier. Consequently, we start our narrative with this woman. Elissa was the name of this Phoenician queen. In the year 814 B.C. this strong-willed woman and her numerous followers landed on the coast of North Africa. The indigenous people - Berbers, weren't looking forward to welcoming the colonizers. As soon as they understood that the Phoenicians were unlikely to leave Africa once for all, they tried to create obstacles. In the meantime, by "business talks" Elissa purchased the enticing Berber site at an exorbitant price paying for a piece of land the size of a bull's hide. Not very large piece as it might have been covered by a bull's pelt. Indeed, a bull is bigger as compared with a hamster. But there's no room under a pelt for the whole group. However, Elissa had ever looked upon herself as a wise woman. So, she thought out all beforehand. At night she cut the hide into very thin strips until she had one strip long enough to surround the hilltop upon which Carthage was later built. The next morning saw her "snatch" a big piece of the Berber "place to live". To commemorate this out of the ordinary event, the main square of Carthage gets the name of "BYRSA" (pelt). The first settlement was built on the land that had been got through Elissa's cunning. In a while it turned into the eminent city of Carthage. Unfortunately, some ruins are reminiscent of the square, but they bear witness to streets and buildings to say nothing of the water drain rests. The settlement extended. Carthage grew in strength. One day a Berber ruler demanded Elissa's hand in marriage. He cared for negotiating a fruitful alliance with the artful Phoenicians. But Elissa was proud and loved the city like her own child. She asked gods for advice. What should she do to make Carthage prosperous and famous for centuries? To tell the truth, those days' gods were unlikely to be very compassionate. They required a great sacrifice of her - Elissa's life. Then she ordered to build a sacrificial pyre at the gate of Carthage, legend says, and threw herself into the fire with no doubt at the eyes of the shocked citizens. The queen's ashes were buried. And the whole state began flourishing there, amazing everybody by its greatness and wealth. Skilful and hardworking Phoenicians cultivated wheat, produced glassware, were good at textiles and pottery. In addition, they invented the first alphabet of 22 letters. By and by the Carthaginians soon made their presence felt in Corsica, Sardinia, establishing themselves in Maghrib, Spain and Sicily. It is said that Marcus Porcius Cato, a Roman senator, was brought to Carthage. Having made a tour of the city, he was dying of envy. Coming home, he always used to conclude his public speech with the words "Delenda est Carthago!" (Carthage must be destroyed). The arrogant Rome didn't put up with a competitor, and operated all accessible means in this no-ruled fight. Apart from the traditional "ravage with fire and sword", the Romans did not ignore "counter PR", setting a rumour afloat about Phoenicians' lust for bloodshed. More to the point, numerous human victims were sacrificed in the honors of the gods including babies. Today the majority of scientists consider it an attempt to harm the reputation of a political opponent. The persistent senator, meanwhile, achieved his goal, though after his death. Carthage was really destroyed to nothing. To tell the truth, by considerable victims and efforts as the citadel stood up to the enemy's onslaught. The wars between Carthage and Rome got the name Punic - Carthaginians were named "Punes". During the last, the shortest one - the third Punic war the citadel was literally leveled to the ground. The fertile soil was strewn with salt. Nothing could be grown there. However, approximately 100 years later a Caesar restored it anew in the Roman style. Rome's power also waned, and Carthage eventually fell to the Vandals, Arians, that destroyed the revived city before the Byzantines came. And then, the Arabs took control over it, replaced later by the French protectorate. Now a quiet suburb of Tunis, it bears no resemblance to the magnificent city whose power once made Rome tremble. Monuments of the most different epoch - Punic, Roman, Byzantine, Spanish ones visualize. Among the lasted ones we can view the rests of sanctuaries to Tanit and to the well-known Baal Hammon, Antonius terms, an amphitheater, arena of gladiators. In fine, enjoyable sights tempt you to have a look at them. As for Carthage everybody has the slightest idea of it by the irony of fate thanks to Cato's famous saying. Hoping for its fall he repeated with an insistence worthy of better application: "Delenda est Carthago!", that immortalized it for ever. Next: >>>  Farewell with Tunisia

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