Byrsa Hill, Ancient Carthage Tunisia
According to Virgil’s legendary Aeneid, the foundation of Ancient Carthage is to be attributed to Elyssa of Tyre (in modern Lebanon). Escaping her father (Pygmalion), who murdered her husband (Acherbas), Elyssa fled to North Africa’s shores in 814 B.Cwith many rich and noble Tyrian citizens intent on founding a new land. Elyssa was welcomed by the Berbers who named her Didon, “the wanderer”. Anxious to found her own new land there, Elyssa-Dido requested that her hosts provide her and her people with as much land as could be covered by a bull’s hide. The Berbers agreed. The shrewd woman cut the bull hide into long thin strips which, when placed end to end, surrounded the hill that became Byrsa. On this hill, Elyssa founded Kart Hadasht, “the new city”. To this day, Carthage’s hill is known as Byrsa, signifying “bull’s hide”.

Disregarding the legend, historians agree that the mass immigration of the Tyrians and the foundation of ancient Carthage are more likely consequences of the oppression of the Tyrians by the Syrians in their natal country than the leadership of a young princess, regardless of her merit. No matter the origins of ancient Carthage, this maritime city became a critically important political and religious centre in the 3rd century Before Christ. Ancient Carthage controlled all other Tyrian trading posts such as Utica and Thysdrus, becoming the strongest Mediterranean naval force funded on the commerce of pewter and silver. Despite this strength, Romans destroyed the Carthaginian city in 146 BC, in the 3rd Punic war, and established a new town baptized Karthago.