Neglect hides the glory of the port of Carthage in the Mediterranean

A port that writes the history of the northern suburb of the capital and its cultural and touristic present.

Home of the kings of hunting, commerce and war

No one neglects his face, nor can countries neglect a bright history that is supposed to adorn their present and future. The Port of Carthage, which is located on the northern bank of the capital, suffers from a lack of interest despite its location adjacent to the historic city and close to the presidential palace, which is adjacent to a neighborhood that includes high-class villas .

Tunisia - Fishing boats are anchored on the coast of the ancient port of Carthage, or what is left of it, to play the same role that the Carthaginian ancestors played, kings of fishing and maritime trade in the Mediterranean centuries ago.

Heaps of nets pile up on the dirt quay of the historic harbor as they wait for the fishermen to come in the evening to set sail in search of their livelihood with the help of oil lamps. Meanwhile, as the sun's rays are about to set, visitors flock to enjoy the view of the intersection of sunset and the surface of the sea in a place full of history.

The port gains prestige among those fond of the history of Carthage, as it was the launching pad for the commercial and war ships of the Carthaginians, who had fully extended their influence in the Mediterranean basin and made the glory of Carthage, which bore the title of “Empire of the Sea” for several centuries.

The port is gaining prestige among those who are fond of history, as it has been the launching pad for merchant and warships to the "Empire of the Sea" for several centuries

The port is located in the heart of the city, which includes the Roman Amphitheater and the rest of the historical city ruins, and close to the Presidential Palace, adjacent to a neighborhood of high-class villas in the suburb of Carthage.

The port takes a circular shape where the water surrounds a small island, and the port’s waters connect to the Mediterranean through an opening of no more than ten meters through which fishing boats pass today, but the port’s area has declined from what it was in the past due to urbanization.

A security man in civilian clothes says at the guard headquarters overlooking the port, “Many well-known political figures, including former ministers, live in the adjacent area. The site is very important, but it complains of neglect.”

The guard added, “The fishermen suffer from the narrowness of the port, some of them come from other areas outside Carthage, and this has caused overcrowding that exceeds the real capacity, in addition to the fact that the water surface is low inside the port, and this hinders the movement of ships freely.”

Next to the fishing port, the huge pieces of rock from the remains of the adjacent military port still bear witness to the history of a revered military power in the Mediterranean basin.

The researchers concluded that these ports were established between the second and third centuries BC, approximately 600 years after the founding of Carthage. They consist of a military port and a commercial port that includes advanced equipment, including ship repair and repair docks, hangars for building new ships, and warehouses for goods and raw materials.

Small Gate to Great Glory

According to the approximate drawing of the city in the Museum of Carthage, the military harbor and the island were flanked by great berths along which were bunkers intended to accept 220 ships and surrounded by two high walls, and the island was rising opposite the entrance in such a way that the emir of the sea could see what is located at sea, while those coming from it do not see what Inside the port clearly, even merchants couldn't see what was going on inside the military port.

"The port of Carthage is the first in the history of the coasts of the Mediterranean and Africa," said a university researcher specializing in ancient history. It was built with distinct engineering and has a special luster. It is a form of state power.”

Al-Nusairi added, “The port housed a large naval fleet and an army. This means that there have been commercial sea voyages. It also means domination of the maritime domain. And behind that there is a shipbuilding industry and a big economy.”

According to historians, the Phoenicians (the early Carthaginians) were able to quickly benefit from the distinguished location of Carthage, as it became within a few years the Mediterranean trade station, and its port stores, which is the heart of the city, were filled with goods from different countries of the world.

But the port played a leading role in the expansion of Carthage in the western Mediterranean, its establishment of many settlements in North Africa, Sicily, Spain and other regions, and its imposition of trade and military agreements with its opponents thanks to a powerful military fleet that accompanies various commercial voyages.

The port of Carthage is the first in the history of the coasts of the Mediterranean and Africa. It was established with a distinguished engineering and has a special luster. It is a form of state power

A design of the city based on what remains of its monuments, in a research supervised by German researcher Anastasia Pfeiffer from the “Faber-Courtial” Institute, which specializes in virtual reconstruction through 3D imaging technology, confirms what historians recorded of the commercial and military prosperity of the city during the period of its expansion.

The design, which virtually brings life back to Carthage, embodies a sophisticated urban and institutional organization for the coastal city, including the advanced design of the two ports during the fourth century BC.

The researcher's tape shows how ships were entering the war port through the commercial port, which had one entrance from the sea, 70 feet wide, and closed with iron chains. After the destruction of Carthage in 146 BC in its last wars with Rome, the Punic ports were restored by the Romans, who reconstructed the island around the year 200 AD.

But most of the features of the historic port disappeared over time under the dust, while modern buildings rose over a large part of its parts. For more than ten years, the authorities have talked about plans to restore the port, which is inscribed with the remains of the city of Carthage, a UNESCO World Heritage Site.

“There is a correct neglect, but reviving it again requires a huge budget of billions of dollars,” said Al-Nasiri researcher. Another problem is that the bulk of the harbor no longer exists. The project needs support from the state and giant specialized companies, and it should not be limited to researchers and a ministry.”

But despite the absence of rehabilitation and restoration works, visitors flock daily to the port to take pictures of the sunset and evoke the Carthaginian ships laden with goods and soldiers, and their repeated shocks with the Romans in remarkable war incidents.

“The place remains magical, with a history full of glory, dominance, and volatile events in the history of Carthage, so people always come to the port to live in the presence of history,” Al-Nusairi says.