SUSAH

also spelled Sousse, or Sousa, capital of Susah wilayah (governorate), central east Tunisia. The town, an important port and commercial centre, originated as the Phoenician settlement of Hadrumetum. It declined under Arab control but was revived by the Aghlabid rulers of al-Qayrawan (Kairouan) in the 9th century, whose port it remained until the invasions of the Bedouin Arabs in the 11th century. Reestablished as a prominent port under the French protectorate (18811955), Susah is once again an important trade centre, although agricultural activity has fallen off in favour of fishing, and tourism is important. Major economic pursuits include canning of sardines, automotive parts manufacture and assembly, processing of olive oil, and cotton textile milling. The old town, enclosed by ramparts that date from the Byzantine period and from the Aghlabid dynasty, contains the Great Mosque and ribat (monastery-fortress, dating from the 9th century), the suqs (marketplaces), and some Muslim quarters. Susah is linked by road and rail to Tunis, Safaqis (Sfax), Qabis (Gabs), and Qafsah (Gafsa). Susah wilayah, encompassing a lightly undulating coastal plain where olive trees and esparto grass are cultivated, has an area of 1,012 sq mi (2,621 sq km). Its main centres, in addition to the capital, are al-Munastir (Monastir) and al-Mahdiyah (Mahdia). Pop. (1975) town, 69,530; (1982 est.) wilayah, 306,900.