Visit Sousse in Tunisia

Join Shepherd entertainment on a trip to visit the city of Sousse in Tunisia.

The second oldest city of the country is Sousse which has fallen victim to sieges and plundering several times. Hadrumet which was built by the Phoenicians and was once an independent town was an ally of Carthage. First, the Syracusans destroyed it. Later, it allied with Rome against Carthage but also it was on the win side, it fell victim to the internal feuds of the Romans. It served the vandals and the Byzantine as well until the Arabian general Uqba ibn Nafi destroyed it. The town which was rebuilt with the name Sousse fought against the Sicilians. Later, it was besieged by the Spanish and the French. Sousse is an important trade and tourist center with many boats departing from here. It also plays a significant role in the economic life of the country as a fishing port. The boats not only go after fish but also octopus, shrimp, crabs and clams. The fish market is a really exotic view. There isn’t a single swimming creature in the Mediterranean that isn’t sold here. The most common fish are tuna, mackerel and sardines, but there are also varieties here which are hardly seen edible at all. Ingredients for side dishes can be bought at the vegetable market. The locals have no refrigerators so they buy fresh good everyday. There’s a medina, the word originally means city, in every Arab town. Today, it refers to the ancient heart of the city, the old town protected by the walls. Constructed peacefully over the course of the centuries, the walls of the medina can form a labyrinth. Parts of the city’s center are called souk or market and before it attached to the city wall which is called Kasbah. While Kasbahs have lost their significance, bazaars have not changed. The women buy their spices, dried and fresh fruit, sweets and baked goods here. Opposite of Ribat, there’s a grand mosque which was also fortified. It has no minaret but there’s a small pavilion on the roof. The mosque even calls the believers of Islam to prayer five times a day. According to legend, Allah ordered 50 prays, but Mohammad, his prophet, thought it was too much since people cannot work besides so many prayers. He told this to Moses who told it to Allah who said that half of it would be enough, but Mohammad and Moses thought it was still too many prayers. The people of the desert cannot say so many prayers at Mohammad, Allah answered and finally they agreed on five prayers. This story shows one of the storytelling habits of the Arabian people as well as their intimate relationship with the Godly power. Another explanation is that the five prayers represent the five pillars of faith which are faith, prayer, fasting, charity and pilgrimage. The Ribat which originates from the beginning of the Muslim is a Tunisian specialty, a mixture of a monastery and barracks. It’s the home of Muslim warriors similar to the Knights of Christian Orders. The organizational structure is similar to that of the Knights of Malta. The building of the Ribat of Sousse surrounds an inner yard. On both levels, there are doors leading to windowless cells on the corridors. The large dark, unornamented prayer room is the oldest room of such kind in Africa. The entrance was protected by a large gate and guard tower 20 meters high.