Sousse

Sousse

Sousse is a town in the east-central part of Tunisia, an important port and commercial center, which originated as a Phoenician settlement of Hadrumetum. It was used as a stronghold by Hannibal during the Second Punic War, and during the Third Punic War Sousse changed its allegiance and was granted free town status. Under Arab control, it declined, but was revived in the 9th century by the Aghlabid rulers of Kairouan, whose port it remained until the 11th century invasion of the Bedouin Arabs. Sousse again became a prominent port under the French protectorate, but during World War II the town and its port suffered severe damage. The rebuilding of the town, particularly since the 1960s, has brought a new focus on tourism, including the construction of a port at Port El-Kantaoui. Sousse has once again become an important commercial center, and its agricultural sector has been reduced in favor of fishing and tourism. The Old Town, surrounded by ramparts dating from the Byzantine period and the Aghlabid dynasty, contains the Great Mosque, which was founded in the 9th century by the Aghlabid emir Abū al-ʿAbbās Muḥammad, and the ribāṭ, a monastery-fortress from the 9th century, the souks and some Muslim quarters. The Old Town was declared a World Heritage Site by UNESCO in 1988. The town also contains extensive catacombs which date back to a significant Christian presence in the 3rd century AD. The region in which Sousse is located comprises a gently undulating coastal plain where olive trees and esparto grass are cultivated.