Utica/Utique

Utica is the oldest Phoenician foundation in Tunisia - prior to Carthage. It developed from an early simple anchorage to a large harbour. During the third Punic War Utica sided with Rome, against Carthage. It was all the better, for, the winners of the war made it the capital of their first African province. From then on, the city knew a prosperous period until its port was blocked with sand in the third century. Deprived of its opening on the sea, it declined graduallly.
Utica is a real jewel of Tunisia archaeology. In addition to its well-supplied museum, in artefacts from Phoenician, Carthaginian and Roman epochs, the site contains many monuments such as thermes, villas with beautiful mosaic ornaments, a Christian basilica, water equipments...