SOUSSE (Hadrumetum)		Quality of Remains
		Ease of Access
		Atmosphere & Setting

History & Occupation:

An ancient Phoenician city, Sousse sided with Rome in the Punic Wars and became influential and strong thereafter. The town was taken by the Vandals in 434 and then retaken by the Byzantine Empire, who controlled it until the Arab invasion of the 7th century. Continual occupation ever since has left little of the ancient city to see.

Remains and Visit:

Theoretically there are several sights to visit of Roman interest in Sousse. However, the ruins off Rue Victor Hugo were, at our visit, inaccessible and 'permanently' closed off with hoarding. The 'House of the Tragic Poet' may have been open, but the two taxi drivers we asked to take us there had never heard of it and refused to try and find it for us, and the well-known and easy to find Archaeological museum was closed for refurbishment. Sousse therefore was largely a failure. We did manage to get a driver to take us to the late Roman Christian catacombs which, while interesting, are not a patch on those in Rome. If visiting Roman Sousse, be prepared with a good map, marked with the sites you want to visit, and be prepared to work hard.

Images:

Catacombs	Catacombs