Sousse, Tunisia
The morning was spent sailing just off the North coast of Africa as we made our way to our next port of call, Sousse, in Tunisia. Founded around the year 1100 BC by the Phoenicians it still has an impressive ring of defensive walls and towers standing sentinel above the modern dwellings and shops of the ancient medina. Tunisia has become a popular ‘sun and sand’ holiday destination in recent years and boasts 1,400 km of coastline. With a population of 10 million it is the smallest country in North Africa. Following lunch onboard we left by coach to visit the ancient remnants of El Jem, an hour or so drive from Sousse.
Prior to visiting the site itself we went to the archaeological museum to view a selection of the items that have been recovered over the years during archaeological excavations. What a cultural gem this was! Arranged in a number of large open plan rooms were an impressive number of Roman mosaics. These have been moved indoors to safeguard them from potential damage. Most of these dated to the third century AD and were sensitively executed scenes of everyday life and mythological subjects. A Roman villa had been reconstructed and its mosaics were still in situ affording us an opportunity to see them in their proper context. In addition the museum had an eye-opening collection of pottery, statuettes, bone pins and stone carvings. From here we went to explore the main extant building of El Jem, – the amphitheatre. This is a remarkably impressive structure and is a designated UNESCO World Heritage Site. Our guides took us on a walk through the different sections, including a visit to the underground corridors and rooms where the gladiators, slaves and wild animals were kept. In Roman times the extensive surrounding town was known as Thysdrus but little, if any, of it is in evidence today. The modern town has been built on top of its buried remains with the passage of time.
Back in Sousse we went on a short walk through its colorful and bustling market area. Many of the crafts have remained unchanged since medieval times and each tends to be concentrated in particular quarters of the medina. In effect these working areas are a living history, a thread linking the present with the past.
The morning was spent sailing just off the North coast of Africa as we made our way to our next port of call, Sousse, in Tunisia. Founded around the year 1100 BC by the Phoenicians it still has an impressive ring of defensive walls and towers standing sentinel above the modern dwellings and shops of the ancient medina. Tunisia has become a popular ‘sun and sand’ holiday destination in recent years and boasts 1,400 km of coastline. With a population of 10 million it is the smallest country in North Africa. Following lunch onboard we left by coach to visit the ancient remnants of El Jem, an hour or so drive from Sousse.
Prior to visiting the site itself we went to the archaeological museum to view a selection of the items that have been recovered over the years during archaeological excavations. What a cultural gem this was! Arranged in a number of large open plan rooms were an impressive number of Roman mosaics. These have been moved indoors to safeguard them from potential damage. Most of these dated to the third century AD and were sensitively executed scenes of everyday life and mythological subjects. A Roman villa had been reconstructed and its mosaics were still in situ affording us an opportunity to see them in their proper context. In addition the museum had an eye-opening collection of pottery, statuettes, bone pins and stone carvings. From here we went to explore the main extant building of El Jem, – the amphitheatre. This is a remarkably impressive structure and is a designated UNESCO World Heritage Site. Our guides took us on a walk through the different sections, including a visit to the underground corridors and rooms where the gladiators, slaves and wild animals were kept. In Roman times the extensive surrounding town was known as Thysdrus but little, if any, of it is in evidence today. The modern town has been built on top of its buried remains with the passage of time.
Back in Sousse we went on a short walk through its colorful and bustling market area. Many of the crafts have remained unchanged since medieval times and each tends to be concentrated in particular quarters of the medina. In effect these working areas are a living history, a thread linking the present with the past.
