Ancient city and state, northern Africa.
Located near modern Tunis , Tun., it was built around a citadel called the Byrsa. Founded by colonists from Tyre , probably in the 8th century BC, its people undertook conquests in western Africa, Sicily , and Sardinia in the 6th century BC. Under the descendants of Hamilcar, it came to dominate the western Mediterranean Sea. In the 3rd century BC it fought the first of the three Punic Wars with Rome. Destroyed by a Roman army led by Julius Caesar in 44 BC; in 29 BC Augustus made it the administrative centre of the province of Africa. Among the Christian bishops who served there were Tertullian and St. Cyprian . Captured by the {{link=Vandal">Vandal s in 439 and the Byzantine Empire in the 6th century, it was taken by the Arabs in the 7th century and was eclipsed by their emphasis on Tunis.