Utica

About this place

Utica is an ancient Phoenician and later Roman city in Bizerte Governorate in northern Tunisia, its ruins lying about 30 km in a straight line north-west of Tunis. Tradition holds it to be the first colony the Phoenicians founded in North Africa, and its name means «the old one», in contrast to Carthage, whose name means «new town». Ancient writers date its founding to around 1100 BC, while archaeological evidence points to the 8th century BC at the earliest. It was a port on the trade route between Phoenicia and the Strait of Gibraltar, and after the Punic Wars it became an important Roman colony for seven centuries. The city once stood on the sea at the mouth of the Medjerda river, but silt carried by the river over the centuries pushed the coastline away, so its ruins now lie inland among fields. On a low hill stand the remains of Roman villas whose floors still keep their mosaics, the best known being the House of the Cascade, along with paved streets and baths. A small site museum displays finds from the excavations. A small entry fee is charged. The site is quiet and sees few visitors, framed by cypress and pine trees, and it is easy to combine with Bizerte or Ghar El Melh in a day.