Tunis
Mohammed Bouazizi Set Himself on Fire on December 17, 2010 and Ben Ali Fled Tunisia 28 Days Later Triggering Arab Spring Revolutions Across 6 Countries; El Ghriba Synagogue on Djerba Has a Legendary Founding Date of 586 BCE Making It the Oldest Synagogue in Africa; the Tunisian Rapper El General's Track Rayes Lebled Criticizing Ben Ali Became the Anthem of the Revolution After Going Viral on Facebook
Mohammed Bouazizi's self-immolation on December 17, 2010 and Ben Ali fleeing with 1.5 tonnes of gold 28 days later triggering revolutions in Egypt, Libya, Yemen, Bahrain, and Syria; El Ghriba Synagogue on Djerba with legendary founding date of 586 BCE; the Sousse Catacombs with 15,000 burials in 240 galleries (the largest early Christian burial complex in Africa); Tunisian rapper El General's Rayes Lebled going viral on Facebook as the revolution's anthem; the Moriscos expelled from Spain in 1609 preserving Andalusian Maluf classical music in Tunisia; and the Tunisia budget guide with TND exchange rates and transport costs.
The Punic Language Survived as a Spoken Vernacular in Roman North Africa Until the 5th Century CE When Augustine of Hippo Mentions Punic Speakers in His Parish; The Vandals Sacked Rome in 455 CE from Their Base in Carthage and May Have Taken the Temple Treasures of Jerusalem; the Arab Berber Queen Dihya (Kahina) Defeated an Arab Army and Is Honored Both as a Brave Enemy in Muslim Tradition and as a National Hero in Berber Tradition
Punic language surviving as a vernacular until the 5th century CE with Augustine of Hippo mentioning Punic speakers; the Vandals sacking Rome in 455 CE from Carthage potentially taking the Jerusalem Temple treasures; Berber queen Dihya (Kahina) defeating an Arab army around 688-703 CE; Tunisian film Halfaouine (1990) winning Critics Week at Cannes; the chechia red felt cap becoming the Turkish fez; and the Tunis photography guide from morning medina to sunset Sidi Bou Said.
Hannibal's Battle of Cannae (216 BCE) Killed 45,000-70,000 Romans in a Single Day Using the Double-Envelopment Maneuver Still Taught at Military Academies Worldwide; the El Djem Amphitheatre (238 CE) Was Built Without Mortar With Stone Quarried 30km Away; Roman Africa Supplied 35-40% of All Olive Oil Consumed in Rome and Tunisia Remains the Third Largest Olive Oil Exporter After Spain and Italy
Hannibal's Battle of Cannae (216 BCE) killing 45,000-70,000 Romans using the double-envelopment still taught at military academies; the El Djem amphitheatre built without mortar with stone transported 30km; Roman Africa Proconsularis supplying 35-40% of Rome's olive oil; Tunisia remaining the world's third largest olive oil exporter; the Moriscos expelled from Spain in 1609 bringing Andalusian music (Maluf) to Tunisia; and the Tunisia vs Morocco comparison on politics, medinas, Sahara access, and cuisine.
Habib Bourguiba Issued the Arab World's Most Progressive Women's Rights Code Just 6 Months After Independence in 1956 Banning Polygamy and Repudiation While Egypt and Syria Maintained Traditional Islamic Family Law; Kairouan's Great Mosque Founded 670 CE Has the Oldest Surviving Minaret in the World; Star Wars Tatooine Was Named for the Real Tunisian City of Tataouine and Multiple Star Wars Scenes Were Filmed Near Matmata and Ong Jemal
Bourguiba banning polygamy and Islamic repudiation divorce just 6 months after Tunisian independence in 1956; Kairouan's Great Mosque (670 CE) with the world's oldest surviving minaret; Star Wars naming Tatooine after the real Tunisian city of Tataouine and filming the Lars Homestead at the Hotel Sidi Driss in Matmata; Paul Klee visiting Sidi Bou Said in 1914 and writing I and colour are one; Dougga UNESCO site with the best-preserved Roman Capitol outside Italy; and the complete 3-day Tunis itinerary with TGM train to Carthage and Sidi Bou Said.
The Bardo Museum Has the World's Finest Collection of Roman Floor Mosaics and Was Attacked by ISIS Gunmen in March 2015 Who Killed 22 Tourists; Hannibal Crossed the Alps with 37 War Elephants and Won Three Massive Battles Against Rome Before Never Capturing Rome Itself; The Arab Spring Began on December 17, 2010 When Mohammed Bouazizi Set Himself on Fire in Sidi Bouzid and Tunisia Was the Only Arab Spring Country to Successfully Transition to Democracy
The Bardo Museum housing the world's finest Roman mosaic collection; ISIS attack on the Bardo killing 22 tourists in March 2015; Hannibal crossing the Alps with 37 war elephants and killing approximately 100,000 Roman soldiers at three battles while never capturing Rome; Mohammed Bouazizi's December 17, 2010 self-immolation triggering the Arab Spring and Ben Ali fleeing 28 days later; Tunisia as the only Arab Spring country to achieve democratic transition (Nobel Peace Prize 2015); Tunisian harissa inscribed on UNESCO Intangible Cultural Heritage list 2022; and the Tunis practical visitor guide with medina, Bardo, and day trips to Carthage and Dougga.
Tunisia Occupies the Geographic Center of the Mediterranean Where the 148km Strait Between Cap Bon and Sicily Has Been the Crossing Point for Phoenicians, Romans, Vandals, Arabs, and Today's Migration Crisis; Tunisia's El Ghriba Synagogue on Djerba Has a Legendary Founding Date of 586 BCE and 100,000 Tunisian Jews Emigrated to Israel and France Between 1948 and 1967; Tunisia Supplied One-Third of Rome's Grain Requirements as the Granary of Rome
Tunisia's Cap Bon peninsula being 148km from Sicily making it the crossing point for Phoenicians, Romans, Vandals (sacking Rome 455 CE), Arabs (Sicily 827 CE), and today's migration route; El Ghriba Synagogue's legendary 586 BCE founding and 100,000 Tunisian Jews emigrating 1948-1967; Tunisia supplying one-third of Rome's grain as the Roman granary; the Hafsid Mosque of the Kasbah (1233 CE) and 40+ zaouias in the Tunis Medina; the Tunisia vs Egypt Arab Spring comparison and why Tunisia's smaller military and stronger civil society (UGTT) enabled a democratic transition Egypt could not achieve.