Global Treasures: Carthage

Television Director: Ullman, Frank

Producer: Scarson, Peter O.

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Catalogue Number: GTR-DVD-1025

UPC: 879061006241

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Global Treasures - History's Most Protected Monuments - Heritage is our legacy from the past, what we live today, and whatwe pass on to future generations. Our cultural and natural heritage are both irreplaceable sources of life and inspiration. Places as unique and diverse as the wilds of East Africa's Serengeti, the Pyramids of Egypt, the Great Barrier Reef in Australia and the Baroque cathedrals of Latin America make up our world's heritage. Join us as we explore one of these protected monuments.

Today, Carthage is still the centre of Tunisian political power, and the past has made its own remarkable and indelible impression. According to legend, the city of Karth Hadasht was founded by Phoenician settlers in the year 814 BC. The Romans named it Carthage.

The city soon began to control the Numidic hinterland and established colonies in the entire western area of the Mediterranean.

Relatively little remains of the original Phoenician and Punic buildings. So far, archaeologists have only managed to recover Roman treasures. A former monastery, Carthage Museum was built on historic land that also contains numerous fascinating relics from both the Punic and Roman epochs.

Close to the museum there is an array of water cisterns, an impressive example of Roman engineering. In earlier times, the water cisterns were mainly supplied by the Zaghouan's Aquaduct that was built by the Romans at the beginning of the second century AD.

The impressive Carthage Amphitheatre dates back to the time of Emperor Augustinus. It was a popular setting for cruel and bloody entertainment. Following Roman tradition, the amphitheatre's arena was the most important place for public entertainment. Even today, one can sense what it must have been like for the gladiators as they ran into the arena to battle for their life.

Built between 138 and 161 AD, Carthage's impressive therms are some of the most beautiful and splendid bathing spas of the entire Roman empire. The spa area originally extended 300 metres along the coast and was over 100 metres wide. A well-planned underground canal system was fed by a network of cisterns that supplied water from the nearby hills down to the baths.

In spite of past wars and destruction by the Romans, Carthage has retained its unique and majestic beauty to the present day.