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I found many remnants of Roman mosaics in Tunisia; they seem to be everywhere. They are especially easy to find along the beaches because even the individual st
by morninglight 6y ago
I found many remnants of Roman mosaics in Tunisia; they seem to be everywhere. They are especially easy to find along the beaches because even the individual stones stand out. They have a small square shape that is unlike anything else you are likely to see. I suspect they were from the private homes and villas of wealthy Romans. The largest one I found was over 2 square meters, but I did not invest much effort searching. Back in those days, I had more interesting things to do with my time on the beach.
Two thousand years ago, the mediterranean was a much different place. Today much of Tunisia seems barren, but one peek at the El Jem Amphitheatre and you know things have changed. Tunisia was once a verdant agricultural land with a booming economy that supported the building of sumptuous homes, outdoor theatres, public baths, temples, enormous aqueducts, etc.
http://www.tourismtunisia.com/historic-sites-in-tunisia/ http://www.tourismtunisia.com/historic-sites-in-tunisia/
- wahern 6y agoYou understate what Tunisia once was; it was once, basically, Carthage, the richest city-state in the world and the center (or one of the centers) of several of the most advanced civilizations in the world--the Phoenician, Carthaginian, and later Roman Empires. Carthage was razed during the Arab Conquest so the Romans would stop attempting to take back the region. A more modest city was rebuilt nearby but the region never came close to achieving its former glory.
- simonebrunozzi 6y agoCarthago Delenda Est (Carthage must be destroyed)! Possibly the most famous sentence by Cicero, even if this is the abbreviated form. [0] [0]: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Carthago_delenda_est https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Carthago_delenda_est
- swasheck 6y agoCarthage and Corinth were Rome’s primary competition. Carthage’s final fall coincided with Corinth's, but its history with Rome dated back much much earlier. Roman artifacts are a relic of their occupation and rebuild of the city. And you’re correct with the notion of the Arab/Muslim conquests. An amazing city that was reduced to a fraction of its former glory. That such a well-preserved artifact has been preserved is quite an amazing discovery. I’m pretty excited by it.
- Bayart 6y agoThe province of Africa was a pillar of the Roman empire well after the fall of Carthage. It didn't really decline until the Early Middle Ages with the successive crisis of Donatism, the Vandal invasion and the Islamic invasion.