Archaeological Site of Carthage, Tunisia - UNESCO World Heritage Site

 Place: Archaeological Site of Carthage, Tunisia

Weather: Light rain early then cloudy with showers in the afternoon, 51/69F.

Significance: Carthage was founded in the 9th century BC by the Phoenicians, the civilization with the first known alphabet. Carthage was the main rival to Rome as it became a world power in the 3rd and 2nd centuries BC. They fought in the Punic Wars from 264-146 BC - which ended with the defeat of Carthage. The Romans burned down the city of Carthage and made it anew into the main governing city for the Roman province of Africa.

In legend Carthage was founded by Dido, a woman who has been written about in story and song for thousands of years. Her first notable appearance is in Virgil's Aeneid. She was mentioned in Dante's Divine Comedy, Christopher Marlowe wrote a play about her, Henry Purcell wrote an opera about her, and Shakespeare mentioned her 12 times in his plays - including the following in The Merchant of Venice.

In such a night
Stood Dido with a willow in her hand
Upon the wild sea banks and waft her love
To come again to Carthage

Website: UNESCO World Heritage Site

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One of the few Phoenician ruins on the site (from whc.unesco.org)

Columns from the Roman part of the site (from whc.unesco.org)