Living History in the Ancient City of Carthage
By: John Burgess, CAS ’25
The Vienna Orchestra preparing to play at the Al-Jem amphitheater in Al-Jem, Tunisia.
GRIP: Swicorp Infra Capital
In Tunisia, summertime means festival season. Music and culture fill the air and the street after the last prayer is sang from the multitude of mosques throughout the city, around 9:30pm. Taxis are next to impossible to hail and traffic is bumper to bumper as locals and tourists alike flock to the Roman amphitheater of Carthage to sit in awe of a magnificent performance in the same seats as the Romans did, millennia ago.
I knew virtually nothing about Tunisia before touching down at Tunis-Carthage International Airport very late on a Saturday night. I was greeted by my host mom that same evening, who welcomed me with open arms and a bottle of water after my long travel day. As my first week at Swicorp Infra Capital began, our habitat of nightly dinners together also started. We would dine on homemade Tunisian delicacies like slata mechouia and chmenka and chat for hours on end about Tunisia, my life back home, her life, and more.
Early in the summer, I used on hot Sunday to explore all the ancient ruins that surrounded by home. Carthage is a vibrant suburb in Tunisia today, complete with traditional homes and modern apartments. My homestay was located on the waterfront, on land that previously composed the walls of the ancient port of Carthage, initially constructed by the Phoenicians. The unique circular shape, referred to be a “drinking vessel” or cothon shape is still clearly visible today. I walked through the unforgiving Mediterranean heat for hours, taking in the immaculate mosaics, immense Roman baths, and gladiator grounds. My journey ended at the Roman amphitheater, whose ancient stage was still fitted with stage lights.
At work, I first learned about these music festivals that happen across the county. My boss was an avid classic music fan and visited them all each summer. Artists come from across the Arab world and Europe flock to perform at these festivals each summer. The International Festival of Carthage and of Al-Jem are the largest. In Carthage, I saw a Carmen, the famous French opera, translated into Tunisian Arabic for the first time. My friend played in the orchestra, too! Later in the summer, I went again to see the Ziara show, a musical representation of Sufi Islam dance, stories, and cultural memory. You could hear music for kilometers and see lights gleaming in the sky from kilometers away. With my coworkers, I even traveled to Al-Jem in the south of Tunisia to see the Vienna Orchestra perform in one of the best-preserved Roman ruins in the world that is unique to Africa.
The unique blend of past, present, and future truly define Tunisia. Thanks to friends and co-workers, I was lucky to experience the magic musical talents that the region has to offer during Festival season. Although my friend group was full of excellent violinists, I just listened and enjoyed!
The Global Research and Internship Program (GRIP) provides outstanding undergraduate and graduate students the opportunity to intern or conduct research abroad for 8 to 12 weeks over the summer. Participants gain career-enhancing experience and global exposure that is essential in a global workforce.