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Roman Carthage was an important city in ancient Rome, located in modern-day Tunisia. Approximately 100 years after the destruction of Punic Carthage in 146 BC, a new city of the same name ( Latin Carthāgō ) was built on the same land by the Romans in the period from 49 to 44 BC.
Nearly a century after the fall of Carthage, a new "Roman Carthage" was built on the same site by Julius Caesar between 49 and 44 BC. It soon became the center of the province of Africa, which was a major breadbasket of the Roman Empire and one of its wealthiest provinces.
The existence of Roman civilization (including the Eastern Roman Empire) spanned three climatological periods: Early Subatlantic (900 BC–175 AD), Mid-Subatlantic (175–750) and Late Subatlantic (since 750).
- Overview
- ‘Carthage must be destroyed’
- Exploring ancient Carthage
Roman conquerors tried to erase the past of this ancient Tunisian port city—but these historic sites shed light on the true glories of Carthage.
From 650 B.C. to 146 B.C., Carthage was the most powerful trading and commercial city in the Mediterranean. Its sophisticated 200-dock harbor and wealthy population supported a sprawling metropolis of temples, markets, and estates outside present day Tunis, a 20-minute drive away. It even loomed large in Greek mythology as the home of the legendary Dido, whose racy story of forced marriage and illicit love inspired poetry, operas, and countless classical oil paintings.
But some 2,000 years ago, Carthage was razed to the ground by its rival, the Roman Republic. Carthaginians were murdered or sold into slavery, and the Romans built a new Carthage on the ruins.
Since the Romans sacked the city and destroyed most of its libraries and archives, “virtually nothing” known of the Carthaginian people has been gleaned from primary sources. “With Carthage, you’re dealing with something where there are huge holes,” says Richard Miles, author of Carthage Must Be Destroyed: The Rise and Fall of an Ancient Civilization.
Around 200 B.C., “Carthage [was] the original Mediterranean superpower,” says Miles. Thanks to its vast control over trading ports and various North African land routes, “Carthage was the great connector. It [took] all sorts of influences—Greek, Phoenician, Italian, [and also from] the Iberian Peninsula, Nubians, and the Libyans in North Africa—and it melded them together into something that is unique.”
(Find mosaics and mystery in an outpost of the Roman Empire.)
As the Roman Republic’s power grew across the sea, however, so did its rivalry with the Carthaginians. Three wars flared between the two empires, spanning nearly a hundred years.
Left: A 1909 photo depicts a pair of men among the ruins of ancient Carthage outside of Tunis.
Photograph by James F. J. Archibald, Nat Geo Image Collection
Right: These ancient Phoenician jars, holding the remains of human sacrifices, were found in ruins of Carthage.
Yet, Rome was unable to erase Carthage from history in its entirety, says Miles. Declared a UNESCO World Heritage site in 1979, the ancient site of Carthage, at the peak of Byrsa Hill, overlooks the Punic port that grew the city’s power. Here visitors can explore the once thriving Byrsa Acropolis, which holds a museum, a necropolis, and several remarkably maintained Carthaginian houses.
“The houses—just before the destruction [of Carthage]—are perfectly preserved. That part of the Byrsa Hill is something you have to visit for sure,” says archaeologist Stefano Cespa, who, with the German Archaeological Institute of Rome, has spent the past decade excavating Carthaginian sites around the city.
The redevelopment effort will renovate the adjacent Carthage National Museum (expected to reopen in June 2026) that will “connect the museum exhibition halls to the outdoors and the views of Carthage,” says Gabriela Carillo, an architect who is assisting the project. Other aspects of renovation will address the site’s landscape, accessibility, and environmental concerns.
From the complex on Byrsa Hill, visitors can descend to explore the crescent-shaped port that once served the Carthaginians’ impressive naval fleet. Miles adds that the port may have played a direct role in the city’s destruction since the military fleet docked there violated the treaty between the empires of Rome and Carthage. Today, the port is used only by fishing boats, and a small walking path runs around the rim.
Left: Tourists visit the Carthage National Museum, which showcases archaeological artifacts from the Punic and Roman eras.
Right: A visitor walks through the ruins of the Roman-era Antonine Baths at Carthage, which was once one of the largest bath complexes in the empire.
This lesson will explore the ancient city of Carthage which was located in what today would be Tunisia, in Northern Africa. We will briefly explore the legendary founding, the people who...
Aug 1, 2000 · The Roman Carthage, built after the third Punic War (146 BC), received its water from a source more than 50 km away, through a magnificent aqueduct that is still visible today (Cornell and Matthews, 1982).
The Roman Amphitheater in Carthage is a magnificent and historically significant site that should be included in any comprehensive Carthage travel guide. The amphitheater's architecture is awe-inspiring, showcasing the skill and ingenuity of ancient Roman engineers.
