Tunisia Way

Further down the Rue Hannibal in a lovely shady garden is the Tophet dedicated to Baal Haamon. The aura of peace is shattered by the view of row upon row, layer upon layer of funeral steles and urns containing the ashes of sacrificed children. The steles bear inscriptions in Punic, magical symbols and stylized representations of gods. A model of the Tophet exists at the National Museum of Carthage. Human sacrifice was practiced in the early days of Carthage and continued into the 3rd century, although some experts believe that a sheep or veal was often substituted to a human child. However during times of war, plague or drought, the practice was revived . The sanctuary itself covers about 2 hectares and is riddled with shafts and layer upon layer of steles giving credence to the number of over 7000 sacrifices. A great controversy still rages over this practice as some scholars believe the stories of child sacrifice to be an slanderous invention of the Roman writers and much exaggerated.

Leave this gloomy site and explore the imposing ruins of the Baths of Antonin ,known to be the largest in the Roman world, beside that of Rome itself. Set against the blue background of the Mediterranean the last of the eight colossal columns that supported the central room, gives us just a glimpse of the grandeur of these baths that covered almost 2 hectares. The nearby Archaeological Park demonstrates the Roman love of order with its rectangular grid of streets serving the residential quarter. This site is of a particular interest showing the successive layers of inhabitants with Punic graves, a Christian church, and a 7th century burial chapel , as well as rounded limestone projectiles from Carthaginian armories.

The Roman Theater dating from the 2nd century AD seated 5000 spectators and is still in use for the Cartage Festival held in July through August. On the hillside behind the theater, lies a Park containing the villas of wealthy Romans, one of which the Villa Des Voilieres has been restored with its elegant peristyle and fine mosaics.

A stroll through the area will reveal the extent of Carthage under the Romans. At La Malaga about 1 km northwest of Byrsa and near the road to Tunis, 24 enormous cisterns were built to hold the water brought by an aqueduct from Zaghouan 132 km away. Only 15 or so remain, yet their impressive size is again a testimony of the Roman genius for construction. Nearby the ruins of the Amphitheater - built in the 2nd century for over 50,000 spectators, it was the scene for the martyrdom of Christians in the 3rd century. Although only the underground rooms and a part of the foundations remain, they bear witness of its grandeur and magnitude.