Tunisia History

That portion of North Africa which eventually became Tunisia has a very ancient history. The earliest inhabitants appear to have been a tribe known as Berbers. The coastal areas of Tunisia were controlled by the Phoenicians beginning about 1000 B.C. They established a large colony at Carthage, not far from present day Tunis, the capital of Tunisia. Subsequently, the Romans destroyed Carthage, after a series of protracted wars, and annexed the entire area.

During the Roman period, Christianity was introduced into North Africa. In the fifth century A.D., the Germanic tribe known as the Vandals invaded North Africa, followed subsequently by the Byzantines.

In the early seventh century A.D., Arabs, who had converted to Islam, conquered most of North Africa. The Berbers, who lived mostly in the areas behind the coasts, were eventually converted to Islam, and a mixed population of Arabs and Berbers lived in what would later become Tunisia. At first, the Arabs ruled Tunisia, but eventually the Berbers were able to regain a great deal of political power.

During the sixteenth century, the Ottoman Turks invaded North Africa and made Tunisia into a virtually independent state subject only to nominal control. The Tunisians were permitted to be governed by their own rulers, the Beys.

In 1881, France established a protectorate over Tunisia, which made it into a quasi-colony. The French permitted the continuation of political rule by the Beys, but exercised strong economic and political control over the country.

Independence movements developed gradually after World War II. In 1956, France agreed to withdraw its protectorate, and Tunisia became independent, establishing a democratic republic.