Roman remains could just ruin you
A FEW hours under the Tunisian sun and my North African tour was in ruins.
It was marvellous.
Among the towering remains of two of the greatest empires the world has ever seen, a young girl rode her mountain bike over earthworks and stones laid down in Carthage 2,000 years ago.
History is all round you in Tunisia, treasured but not fenced off.
Step inside and experience how the Romans must have felt when they conquered and destroyed Carthage in 146BC and built their empire on top of it.
You can stand in the ruins of the giant Roman baths and learn how they perfected the steam room, the hot and cold baths and effective drainage, before the birth of Christ.
An amazing thought, if you've ever had to wait for the plumber to fix your 21st century bathroom
Intricate Roman mosaic floors remain beautiful and largely intact at hundreds of ancient sites across Tunisia.
Legend has it that Queen Dido established the Phoenician city of Carthage near the site of modern capital Tunis in 814BC. It commanded a vast commerical empire for seven centuries until the Romans stormed in.
They destroyed Carthage in 146BC and Julius Caesar rebuilt it a century later, to become the third largest city in the Roman empire.
Vandals were a menace, even then. The warlike Vandal tribes pillaged their way across France and Spain and wrought havoc, conquering Carthage in 423 AD.
Today's vandals leave their garish 'tags.'
In those days the trademark was to smash the noses and genitals off the Romans' grand statues.
Many of those statues remain in the magnificent Bardo national museum in Tunis, or standing proud at many historical sites, disfigured but defiant.
Monuments to the glory of Carthage can be seen around Tunis. The huge baths, the theatre, the palace of Queen Dido, and the ruins of the Punic harbour, where that young lass was riding her bike.
Less than three hours' flight from the UK, Tunisia boasts ideal Mediterranean resorts for sun-worshippers, with long, hot summers, more than 700 miles of sandy beaches and resorts such as Hammamet, Port El Kantaoui and Sousse.
Its vibrant cities with bustling souks – or markets – make for exciting city breaks.
For the intrepid traveller there are treks into the southern desert and the village of Matmata, where troglodyte houses from the 4th century BC were used in the Star Wars films.
But I was there to explore some of the world's finest surviving Roman sites, starting with Carthage, and that meant travelling south and inland.
Driving through rural Tunisia is an eye-opener.
Shepherds, many wearing dark, flowing, hooded robes as they would have done centuries ago, herd sheep along grass verges beside the main highway.
If a sheep strays towards the fast-moving traffic, they guide it tenderly back to the flock by throwing stones at it.
Heavily-laden donkeys trudge along, some pulling carts with a family aboard.
Stork nest on the electricity pylons.
Nomadic families pitch their tents just off the highway.
Our journey took in the holy city of Kairouan and the magnificent Great Mosque, built in 670AD – one of the world's most important Islamic sites.
Here too is the zaouia – Islamic religious school or monastery – of Sidi Saheb, a companion of the Prophet.
This ornate building, with splendid mosaics, is nicknamed The Barber's Mosque, as the holy man entombed there is said to have kept three hairs from the Prophet's beard.
Beards feature prominently in Islamic culture. Tunisia began converting to Islam in the 7th century AD, and is now 98 per cent Muslim.
Kairouan is a charming city of ancient alleyways and passages, with hundreds of white-domed mosques and tombs.
Our next stop was Sbeitla, one of Tunisia's major Roman sites, a vast expanse of ruins centred on an extraordinary capitol formed by three temples side by side.
Makhtar is a slightly smaller site, but with the magnificent Trajan's Arch, great baths, some of the earliest-known monuments, and traces of Byzantine fortifications.
Far more recent, but grand and imposing, is the hilltop city of El Kef, built on the cliff face of the table-top Jebel Dyr mountain. It was the provisional capital of Tunisia during World War II and its mighty battlements remain.
Bulla Regia, our next stop, is the only Roman site in the world to have homes with underground chambers. We tread gingerly round mosaics upon which the rich would have stood 2,000 years ago.
Our Roman tour ended at the hilltop World Heritage Site of Dougga, where the mighty temple lay buried under the soil until the 19th century.
People had to be rehoused before the land could be excavated to reveal its full glory.
Back in Tunis, we're ready for a break for shopping.
You've seen nothing like the Medina, or old town, of Tunis, a UNESCO World Heritage site.
The labyrinth of streets and alleys around the Great Mosque was founded 13 centuries ago.
The old town is enclosed by ramparts, bustling alleys packed with stalls selling jewellery, ceramics and earthenware pots, leather goods, shoes, bags, precious metals – plus lots of metals you suspect are not so precious – exotic clothing and fine rugs and carpets.
Everywhere is noise, traders battling for your attention with compliments and catcalls, and all up for a frantic session of haggling.
They might sound as if you've hurt their feelings by criticising their prices, but stand your ground and barter.
Tunisian people are friendly, helpful and outgoing.
Tunis is a bustling international city with nightlife, but walk through a smaller town, like Kairouan, by night, and you will see streets of small cafes full of men – not a woman in sight after dark.
Despite the strong faith, with alcohol frowned upon, Tunisia produces very palatable wines.
Typical menus are dominated by grilled fish, beef and lamb – but, of course, no pork – fresh vegetables, the staple couscous and loads of salad. Good healthy fare, but, outside Tunisia, some eateries seem to struggle with the idea of vegetarianism.
Meals traditionally began with a free bowl of olives, fresh bread and harissa – a fiery chilli dip.
That's a habit I brought home.
Factfile
Tunisair operate four flights per week from Heathrow to Tunis, from 177 (inc. taxes). Reservations: 020 7734 7644 or visit www.tunisair.com
Bill Auckland stayed at:
The five-star Hotel Karthago Le Palace, Gammarth. Call 00216 912 000 or visit www.lepalace.com.tn
The five-star Hotel Kasbah Kairouan. Call 00216 77 237 301 or visit www.goldenyasmin.com
Five-star The Residence Hotel, Gammarth. Call 00216 71 910 101 or visit www.theresidence-tunis.com
Visit www.cometotunisia.co.uk
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Friday 10 February 2012
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