Historians believe the Phoenicians of Tyre founded Carthage more than 3,000 years ago in 814 BCE, and it became a powerful Mediterranean commercial empire. Later, the Roman Empire took over and rebuilt the city leaving a reflection of their occupation of Carthage for 800 years. In 1979 UNECO declared Carthage a world heritage site.
Our first stop was at the site of the Roman Baths. We began by walking to the part outside of the city where the dead were buried. We call it a cemetery but it is also know as a Necropolis. It was always built outside of the city walls but close to them. This limited the growth of the city for good or bad.
A few pictures are from the front gate {3} in Google map image above, and six are from the necropolis {6} a short walk away to the north. The old city of Carthage is to the right. Pictures of that will be in the next post.
Within the UNESCO site, the signs are in French, English and Arabic.
I wonder what the plan is for all of these tomb stones. This is where those sacrificed to the deities were buried and is called the Tophet.
Two videos summarize the first forty-five minute stop on our excursion.
