Utica: The first Phoenician colony in North Africa
Utica was the first city founded by Phoenician traders on the North African coast , near the mouth of the Wadi Medjerda. Although part of the Carthaginian Empire , it managed to maintain a degree of independence from its powerful neighbor. After the fall of Carthage, Utica became the first capital of Roman Africa.
Punic city
Punic cemetery at Utica
According to several ancient sources, Utica was founded around 1100 BC. However, recent archaeological research suggests that there were more recent foundations dating back to a period slightly before 800 BC. The Phoenician name Utica, meaning “old,” is related to the Arabic word “Atika,” which in turn means “old,” in contrast to Carthage, which means “new city.” Since Utica was located somewhat inland, the nearby city of Roscomona (Ghar el Melh) served as its port.
Carthage was founded shortly after Utica, about 40 kilometres away, and quickly became the most powerful city in the region. However, Utica long retained its political and economic independence: it came under Punic control only later, around 540 BC, and even then it maintained a privileged position as an ally of Carthage. At the same time, there were always commercial rivalries between the two cities.
The Punic Wars provided Utica with an opportunity to try to free itself from Carthaginian domination. After the First Punic War , during an uprising of former Carthaginian mercenaries , Utica and the neighboring city of Hippo Diaretus (Bizerte) supported the revolt. During the Second Punic War , the Roman general Scipio Africanus besieged Utica, which he wanted to use as a rear base for his campaign in Africa, but failed to conquer it. Finally, in 150 BC, on the eve of the Third Punic War, Utica broke away and made an alliance with Rome. As a reward, the city became the capital of the new Roman province of Africa , and the Romans granted it control over the entire territory from Carthage to Hippo Diaretus.
Roman city
Cato otisensis
During the Roman Civil War (49–45 BC), one of the major battles between the supporters of Julius Caesar and those of Pompeius took place in Utica. Near the end of the war, the last of Pompeius' supporters, including their leader, the senator Cato the Younger, took refuge in Utica after their defeat. Cato took his own life, but his popularity in the city led the townspeople to bury his body with honors and give him the title of Cato Uticensis, all without fear of Caesar's retaliation.
In 44 BC, Julius Caesar decided to rebuild Carthage as the capital of Roman Africa. Since then, Utica gradually lost its importance. During the reign of Emperor Hadrian, the city asked to become a Roman colony, but its request was not taken into consideration until later, during the reign of Emperor Septimius Severus, who was of African origin.
At the beginning of the Christian era , the city of Utica, like the whole province of Africa, had a strong Christian community. The name of the bishop of Utica appears in the list of participants in several provincial councils held in Carthage.
The decline of Utica was accelerated by the encroachment of sand into its harbour, which brought an end to the city's maritime trade. The conversion to an agricultural economy was able to some extent to prevent the decline of their economy, but these efforts were ultimately insufficient. The sack of the city by the Vandals in 439 brought about its complete decline. The city still existed at the time of the Byzantine Empire's reconquest of Roman Africa, but it seems to have been abandoned before the beginning of the Arab conquests. Its ruins can still be visited today in the Tunisian province of Bizerte.
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