Tunisia is the African country home to the ancient ruins of Carthage.
Carthage stood on the Gulf of Tunis, near modern Tunis, and was founded by Phoenician settlers traditionally dated to 814 BC. It developed into a powerful maritime and trading state that controlled important parts of the western Mediterranean. The city is especially associated with Hannibal, the Carthaginian commander who crossed the Alps during the Second Punic War.
Rome destroyed Carthage in 146 BC at the end of the Third Punic War. The Romans later rebuilt it, and Roman Carthage became one of North Africa’s most important cities. The archaeological site includes remains from Punic, Roman, and later periods.
Carthage is sometimes confused with modern Tunis because the ruins lie within the Tunis metropolitan area. The archaeological site is on Tunisia’s coast and was designated a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1979.