About Tunisia Tourism Historical sites
Utica |
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is an ancient city northwest of Carthage near the outflow of the Medjerda River into the Mediterranean Sea, traditionally considered to be the first colony founded by the Phoenicians in North Africa.Today, Utica no longer exists, and its remains are located not on the
coast where it once lay, but further inland because the Medjerda River
caused the silting over of its original port.
Utica's beginnings
Utica was founded as a port located on the trade route leading to the
Straits of Gibraltar and the Atlantic, thus facilitating Phoenician
trade in the Mediterranean.
The actual founding date of Utica is controversial. Several classical
authors date its foundation around 1100 BC. The archaeological
evidence, however, suggests a foundation no earlier than the eighth
century BC. Although Carthage was later founded about 40 km. from
Utica, records suggest “that until 540 BC Utica was still maintaining
political and economic autonomy in relation to its powerful
Carthaginian neighbor”. By the fourth century BC, Utica came under
Punic control but continued to exist as a privileged ally of Carthage.
Mercenary War
This relationship between Carthage and Utica began to disintegrate after the First Punic War,
with the outbreak of rebellion among mercenaries who had not received
compensation for their service to Carthage. Originally, Utica refused
to participate in this rebellion, so that the Libyan forces led by
Spendius and Matho laid siege to Utica and nearby Hippocritae. The Carthaginian generals Hanno and Hamilcar
then came to Utica’s defense, managing to raise the siege, but "the
severest blow of all…was the defection of Hippacritae and Utica, the
only two cities in Libya which had…bravely faced the present war…indeed they never had on any occasion given the least sign of hostility to Carthage.” Eventually, the forces of Carthage proved victorious, forcing Utica and Hippacritae to surrender after a short siege. Third Punic War
Utica again defied Carthage in the Third Punic War, when it
surrendered to Rome shortly before the breakout of war in 150 BC. After
its victory, Rome rewarded Utica by granting it an expanse of territory
stretching from Carthage to Hippo. As a result of the war, Roman created a new province of Africa,
and Utica became its capital, which meant that the governor's residence
was there along with a small garrison. Over the following decades Utica
also attracted Roman citizens who settled there to do business. |
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