Tunisia

Main article: History of Tunisia

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

At the beginning of recorded history, Tunisia was inhabited by Berber tribes. Its coast was settled by Phoenicians starting as early as the 10th Century B.C. In the 6th Century B.C., Carthage rose to power, but it was conquered by Rome (2nd Century B.C.), and the region became one of the granaries of Rome. It was held by the Vandals (5th cent. A.D.) and Byzantines (6th Century). In the 7th Century it was conquered by Arab Muslims, who founded Al Qayrawan. Successive Muslim dynasties ruled, interrupted by Berber rebellions. The reigns of the Aghlabids (9th Century) and of the Zirids (from 972), Berber followers of the Fatimids, were especially prosperous. When the Zirids angered the Fatimids in Cairo (1050), the latter sent in the Banu Hilal to ravage Tunisia. The coasts were held briefly by the Normans of Sicily in the 12th Century. In 1159, Tunisia was conquered by the Almohad caliphs of Morocco. They were succeeded by the Berber Hafsids (c.1230–1574), under whom Tunisia prospered. In the last years of the Hafsids, Spain seized many of the coastal cities, but these were recovered for Islam by the Ottoman Empire. Under its Turkish governors, the Beys, Tunisia attained virtual independence. The Hussein dynasty of Beys, established in 1705, lasted until 1957. In the late 16th Century the coast became a pirate stronghold (see: Barbary States). It was made a French protectorate on May 12, 1881. Tunisia became independent in 1956, and has had two presidents since.

Berber: The Berbers (also called Imazighen, "free men", singular Amazigh) are an ethnic group indigenous to Northwest Africa, speaking the Berber languages of the Afroasiatic family. There are between 14 and 25 million speakers of Berber languages in North Africa (see population estimation), principally con...

10th Century: As a means of recording the passage of time, the 10th century was that century which lasted from 901 to 1000....

Carthage: :This article is about the ancient city-state of Carthage in North Africa. For other uses of the word, see Carthage (disambiguation)....

Tunisia related Images and Photos (experimental)

Puma Tunisia Jersey	Tunisia and Tripoli	Tunisia Puma Men's National Team Away Jersey	Oasis at Al Kantara Tunisia
A Street Scene in Tunisia 1891	Sand Dunes and Oasis Desert Tunisia	Sand Dunes and Oasis Desert Tunisia	Statuette of a Woman Playing a Double Flute from Tunisia
Children Playing on Beach in Front of Restored Fort Ribat Monastir Tunisia	Girl in Traditional Dress at Sahara Festival Looking at Camera Douz Tunisia	Sea of Dunes in Sahara Desert in Late Afternoon Sunlight Sahara Desert South Of Djerba Tunisia