On Sunday, went to the home of one of the greatest military general in history of human kind Hannibal Barca: Carthage. So on Saturday night, I decided to plan my journey to Carthage as I know that the sites are well-spread throughout the “suburb”. Believed to be founded by the Pricess Elyssa of Didon in 814 BC, Carthage is the home of the Phoenician and the Roman. Today, Carthage is a prestigious suburb, and as I later realise during my visit there. To me, it looks more like the expensive suburb in the Gold Coast, Australia – without the skyscrapers.
It was a warm sunny Sunday… I seriously couldn’t ask for a better weather than that one. So we left our humble, downtown home at 11-ish and went straight to Tunis Marine train station, which is the same train station to go to Sidi Bou Said, and get off at Carthage Hannibal station. Using “the bible of my journey in Tunisia”, the Lonely Planet book, we (Vira and I) decided to go the Antonine Baths first.
The site was massive and it was just the foundations. The baths was built in the middle of the 2nd century and was once the third largest in the Roman Empire in its hey day. Entering the ruin site, I immersed as being part of the ancient Roman socialite paying attention to my beauty and wellness. I guess people from the ancient life took more time for such things than we do now in the 21st century. Just think: 2nd century; building as big as the QUT GP Campus in Brisbane, Australia; on the sea side; and with the entire beauty and health facilities. Where on earth would you find such place now? But then again, if you build such monumental bath house now, people would think you’re a show-off dickhead, with too much money to spend than enough time to help the poor.
After Antonine Baths, we went to the Roman Villa. Just cross the Avenue Habib Bourguiba (side note: Habib Bourguiba is the name of the 1st president of the Republic of Tunisia. His name is celebrated as the name of many streets in Tunisia, including the Tunis’ main street), walk about 100 metres up on Avenue 7 Novembre, and you’re there. When the Antonine Baths gives an insight of the elaborate lifestyle of the Roman, the Roman Villas is about their elaborate life in itself. The Lonely Planet book didn’t say much of it but I would guess it was a milieu of prestigious houses.
The main attraction of this site was the Villa of the Aviary. The Lonely Planet book says, “…you get a sense of refined Roman life from the over-reconstructed house.” So was it someone’s house and not some random local bath house?? But then again, if you were living during that period, with Antonine Baths just 5 minutes walk away, you wouldn’t need a local bath house. Not much to see in this house, but the entrance’s mosaic floor-tiling was a fascinating thing to have in your house…if only it was your house. Then there are headless statues, again, those were most probably the works of the vandals. But the view was breath-taking, complete with the warm sunshine and the cool breeze. I could live there forever!!
Then we stepped a few meters away from there and found someone’s house whose name I can’t remember… But it wasn’t very distinct; I didn’t think it was a house. I stepped in and found a room with mosaics being leaned on the walls by probably the archaeologist who found the site and it looked more like a struggling artist’s studio with paintings everywhere than a house of mosaics (because of the amount of mosaics there). The way I found out that it was a house from a plaque not far from it. Then after the Roman Villa, we went to the Roman Theatre. Notice the difference: Roman Theatre, not Amphitheatre. They are two different things. Although it’s actually sitting next to the Roman Villas, but you’ll need to get out of the Roman Villas, go back to the Avenue 7 Novembre, and walk up a bit to get to the Roman Theatre.
I couldn’t find something spectacular on this one, actually. It’s just half-round theatre big enough to hold around 2000 spectators. Again, Lonely Planet didn’t discuss much of this but I’m pretty sure they used it for theatrical shows and not for gladiator contest. Unlike most amphitheatres which usually built, this one lays on a hill. It is now being used for the annual Carthage International Festival, an international music festival.
So Vira and I were sitting there and tried to have a quiet time while deciding where we were going next. Then all of sudden 10 pre-teens came to us and tried to speak to us in French, Arabic, and Italian…all at the same time! I kept saying to them “no…no Arabic… English… No no Italian… No French… English English…” But those kids were persistent they could be good sales people. Then they finally get it that I only speak English, then they ask me what my name is and where I’m from. Trying to be a good, independent traveller, I tried to answer them. I even clapped with them when one of them started to sing. But note to self: the next time some random person ask me where I’m from, I’d answer Australia. Indonesia is far less popular to Tunisians than Australia. At least people would get that I don’t speak French and Arabic!! :D
Next stop, as we’ve decided after the kids have left, is the L’Acropolium, which sits next to the Byrsa Hill, and the Carthage National Museum. So we crossed the street (Ave. 7 Novembre – there is some random, looks-like-a-ruin-site just across the Roman Theatre on this street. I think it was still under re-construction so we decided not to get in to check it out in case it was actually a private property), walk up Rue Florus, find Rue l’Amphitheatre, and walked up a bit to find Rue Mendes France. On this street, we got confused but found a nice man who showed us an absolute short cut to get to the L’Acropolium. There’s a super-narrow, steep street and just hike it. So we did and man! That would’ve saved us 10 minutes of unnecessary walking and leg-aching. We climbed and found ourself directly in front of the L’Acropolium, only to find our multiple entry ticket wasn’t valid for the site. Bugger!! So we decided to buy something to drink, have a sit, and then go to the Carthage Museum and Byrsa Hill.
Byrsa Hill was used by the Phoenician as a temple to the Carthaginian god Eschmoun, but the Roman destroyed most of it to create “their capitol and forum” (Lonely Planet…I love that book!!). Unlike the Antonine Baths, which I could actually see it being used for personal-wellness, I couldn’t really see the purpose of this site, maybe because it was so destroyed (screw you, the Romans!!). But then again, the view from the top of the hill was awesome.
So after that, we entered the National Museum, much smaller and humbler than its counterpart in Bardo. It houses a decent number of mosaics and statues but do have a pretty comprehensive number of artefacts ranging from the Phoenician to the Roman era. It also store a replica of Princess Antonine, the daughter of Lucius Verus (sounds familiar, anyone???). The original is found here in Carthage, but is being kept at The Louvre in France. Too bad, though, that most explanations were in Arabic or French. Coming out of the museum, the clock is showing 4pm in the afternoon. We looked at the ticket to check if there’s any place worth visiting near Byrsa Hill. We decided to go to Paleo-Christian Museum, off Avenue Habib Bourguiba (Carthage’s main street). Off we went. But somewhere along the way, we decided to go to the Magnon Quarter before we went to the Paleo-Christian Museum. There weren’t much to see. It was just like a small block of ruins.
After Magnon Quarter, our legs were aching so badly we decided to go home and visited the remaining sites another day. We asked how much it costed to go by 1st class so we could sit down during the train journey home, but found it too expensive for our pocket (1.100 TD). So we took the train home by 2nd class.
On the train, I was thinking about what has happened to me on the last few days. Yeah, it’s been so stressful and frustrating. But you know; we often are too stressful to remember to have fun, to take life less seriously. Think of all these people who live centuries ago with their elaborate lifestyle, they have nothing to worry about. Then I decided to treat myself with a chocolate crepe on the Tunis’ Avenue Habib Bourguiba before going home. Bliss!
Siz
