Tunisia - The ancient Phoenician city of Carthage is located on the coast of North Africa in a suburb of Tunis, Tunisia. Its strategic location allowed the port city to become a thriving trade center that controlled shipping along the Mediterranean, particularly between Sicily and North Africa. Founded by the Phoenicians of Tyre, the city of Carthage (which means “new town”) eventually grew to rival Rome. This led to its capture and destruction in 146 BCE, after which it became a province of the Roman Empire. The ancient city’s archeological site became a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1979. Key sites include the Roman Baths of Antoninus, the city’s Punic Ports, and Byrsa Hill.:
