A shotgun tour through history

Carthage amphitheater, Tunisia. Ancient history came to life through the artifacts and ruins as the writer adventured. One could see that Carthage was once a city full of life and rich architecture. Every minute spent with the silent structures was worth it

My first question on seeing the surprisingly still well preserved ruins of the Carthage Amphitheater was, have those trees always been there? The minute it was out of my mouth, images of really old fig trees I had seen in my village flashed across my mind and I saw the utter folly in my question. Those cedars did not look even 50 years old which is about what the kind gentleman at the ticket booth said.
Surely, they could not have been there for over 2000 years. Carthage is said to have been founded by Phoenicians who had fled from Tyre in 800 B.C . It was later destroyed and rebuilt by invading romans in the Ist century.

The mortar remains of the amphitheatre where ancient Carthigians gathered for their entertainment, like we troop to the theatre today, do not look 2000 years old either. Maybe it is because I already had a preconceived notion of what ruins should look like. Decaying and crumbling at the slightest breath of wind, with clear signs of rudimentary construction of a time before cement.

So I had to pause and look closer when some of the pieces which are scattered around the round structure appeared to have mortar, or concrete. Apparently, Carthage maybe as old as history, but not so old that man had not discovered building with mortar.

I do allow for the work of restoration, and a little tweaking here and there ensuring the site remains for several more decades, but the site is still well preserved, with some parts like underground door and the arches in very good shape. In the clearing among the cedars I can almost picture the lions or whatever other animal bounding through the corridor to provide entertainment though I had a bit of trouble figuring where the people sat. I assume remains of that is scattered in the area, as the chunks of mortar lying around.

The actual city is a short drive from the amphitheatre and true to story book, or rather history books in this case, the city is built on a hill. This one overlooks the bay of Tunis offers a sweeping view of the sea and surrounding landscape where farms and mansions of the more affluent Carthigians were located. Seeing the layout of the old city with its wide square and the columns reminded me of those Greek history lessons. Cramming how the cities were arranged, the acropolis, and so on.

Busts that may have stood in hallways and foyers pristine white and perfect now stand broken and on broken pillars or remains of walls. There are flower pots too, sit on the Punic Centre, even cracked and broken, you can’t fail to appreciate the art and effort that went into making them.

Further into the ruins is where I felt for the first time the presence of past generations. Where you can see the borders of what were ones homes, and streets and water troughs that still gather water it rains. It is also here that all the whiteness ends and you can see the effects of time on a once thriving city. Where whole walls were obliterated, and the others are crumbling. It’s brown and even manages a little mustiness like old things should be. I can imagine a lady in the ancient city being dwarfed by the high walls of what I read were buildings five or six storeys high as she called on her friend, or went about her Ist century business.

The site and the Carthage National Museum still hold bits and pieces of one of the biggest and most famous cities in that side of the Mediterranean, in a range of artifacts that give a peek into the life and norms of those days to the montages and utensils recovered from the site.

The city over would take a whole day to explore, time I did not have, but even a quick look and snap session makes the 20 minute drive from Tunis to Carthage worth it. Seeing the still very well preserved back walls was my priceless moment, I could not believe that that wall has seen things come and go for 2000 years. It made me wish walls had eyes and ears and mouths to tell the story.

cwanjiru@ug.nationmedia.com