History

Geography

Tunisia is the smallest region of the Maghreb. Tunis is the capital of the region Tunisia. It is located on the northern African coast between the western and the eastern basins of the Mediterranean Sea. Tunis is built at the end of the shallow Lake of Tunis, which is an inlet of the Gulf of Tunis ("Tunis" 1). In a more general sense, two branches of the Atlas mountain range, which crosses northwestern Africa, extend into Tunisia. The mountains are low for only a very few peaks reach more than 2000 feet. Hills and grassland lie between the mountain ranges. The Majardah River runs through the valley in the north creating for a very fertile area. It is the only river in Tunisia that does not dry up in the summer. The Sahara desert is found in the south of Tunisia.

Climate

There are hot, dry summers and warm, wet winters. Most rain falls in the winter in the north. However this is irregular and droughts occur every three to four years. In the south there is little rain (L. Carl Brown 487-488).

http://www.tourismtunisia.com/togo/tunis/tunis.html

Settlement

Tunis was founded by the Libyans, who surrendered the site of Carthage ( a location slightly southwest from Tunis) in the 9th century BC to the Phoenicians from Tyre ("Tunis" 1). Beginning in 264 BC there occurred a series of bloody struggles between the Carthaginian Empire and the expanding Roman Empire called the Punic Wars. In the Third Punic War (149-146 BC) Rome defeated and destroyed Carthage and Tunis. However, the city, Tunis, was rebuilt under the Romans and flourished. Its historical importance peaked during the Muslim conquest in 7th century AD. Under the Aghlabids (800-909) it became a capital city and reached its greatest prosperity under the Hafsid dynasty (1236-1574). During this period, the various Arab conquerors replaced the Roman-Christian culture with Muslim customs and beliefs. Power was transferred rapidly from one dynasty to another ("Tunisia" 1-2). The Holy Roman emperor Charles V took possession of Tunis in 1535, but passed onto the Turks in 1539. The Spaniards retook it and held it from 1573 to 1574 but were obliged to yield it to the Turkish Ottoman Empire ("Tunis" 1).