Tunisia 2020–2021
This year's program consists of two elements:
- An on-campus course taught during the Fall 2020 semester. The course counts toward the Phronesis minor in the "ancient" category. We will read selections from the literature of the Punic, Roman, Christian, and Islamic periods of the country's history.
- A trip to Tunisia, tenatively scheduled for January 2021. If the trip cannot move forward at that time due to coronavirus restrictions, it will be rescheduled as soon as conditions permit. Students who complete the on-campus course will receive priority registration for the trip.
Gallery (click for captions)
Why Tunisia?
Tunisia has been home to a number of rich and varied civilizations since antiquity. The indigenous people is called the Amazighs or Berbers. We'll see examples of the Berber alphabet and language as soon as we land in the airport in Tunis.
Beginning in the 800s, Tunisia was the site of one of the most powerful Phoenician colonies, Carthage. The Phoenicians originally came from the Levant (modern Lebanon and Syria), and were known in the Western Mediterranean as the Punics. We'll visit the site of Carthage and see Punic artifacts in a museum setting. On campus, we'll read the sole surviving testimony of the Phoenician mythology, and read Roman accounts of the great and centuries-long rivalry with the emerging Roman Republic. The Romans fought three bitter wars with Carthage, led by the great general Hannibal, who famously crossed the Alps with his elephants. We'll see evidence of the eventual destruction of Carthage by the Romans.
During the period of the Roman Empire, Tunisia was in the crucial Roman province of Africa, which later gave its name to the entire continent (earlier geographers, such as Herodotus, called the continent by other names, including "Libya"). We'll visit remarkably intact Roman ruins, and you'll experience firsthand what it would have been like to walk down a Roman street, into Roman houses and bathhouses, public toilets, and temples.
Before Christianity became the official religion of the Roman Empire, the province of Africa was an important center of Christianity, and produced a number of giants of Christian thought. We'll read from Augustine's Confessions, one of the most important books ever written, and then visit the sites in Carthage where Augustine studied and prayed. We'll also read the story of the martyrdom of bishop Cyprian of Carthage and of two young Christian women, Perpetua and Felicity.
During the Middle Ages, Tunisia stood tall as a site of Islamic civilization and learning. In the heart of the medieval Tunis Medina, we'll visit one of the oldest universities in the world, founded in 737 CE. We'll also travel to Cairouan to see its shrines and mosques. The name of the city is related to the English word "caravan," and attests the importance of the site as a crossroads of the Maghreb (the North African countries west of Egypt and Sudan). We'll also read from the works of Ibn Khaldun (1332–1406), one of the great original thinkers of the Middle Ages.
Finally, we will consider the unique story of modern Tunisia, from its period as an Ottoman and then French colony, to its independence in 1957, to its role in the Arab uprisings that began in Tunisia in 2011. Since the uprisings, Tunisia has achieved the most stable democracy in the Arab world. We will meet people who lived through those events, and hear their stories.
Beginning in the 800s, Tunisia was the site of one of the most powerful Phoenician colonies, Carthage. The Phoenicians originally came from the Levant (modern Lebanon and Syria), and were known in the Western Mediterranean as the Punics. We'll visit the site of Carthage and see Punic artifacts in a museum setting. On campus, we'll read the sole surviving testimony of the Phoenician mythology, and read Roman accounts of the great and centuries-long rivalry with the emerging Roman Republic. The Romans fought three bitter wars with Carthage, led by the great general Hannibal, who famously crossed the Alps with his elephants. We'll see evidence of the eventual destruction of Carthage by the Romans.
During the period of the Roman Empire, Tunisia was in the crucial Roman province of Africa, which later gave its name to the entire continent (earlier geographers, such as Herodotus, called the continent by other names, including "Libya"). We'll visit remarkably intact Roman ruins, and you'll experience firsthand what it would have been like to walk down a Roman street, into Roman houses and bathhouses, public toilets, and temples.
Before Christianity became the official religion of the Roman Empire, the province of Africa was an important center of Christianity, and produced a number of giants of Christian thought. We'll read from Augustine's Confessions, one of the most important books ever written, and then visit the sites in Carthage where Augustine studied and prayed. We'll also read the story of the martyrdom of bishop Cyprian of Carthage and of two young Christian women, Perpetua and Felicity.
During the Middle Ages, Tunisia stood tall as a site of Islamic civilization and learning. In the heart of the medieval Tunis Medina, we'll visit one of the oldest universities in the world, founded in 737 CE. We'll also travel to Cairouan to see its shrines and mosques. The name of the city is related to the English word "caravan," and attests the importance of the site as a crossroads of the Maghreb (the North African countries west of Egypt and Sudan). We'll also read from the works of Ibn Khaldun (1332–1406), one of the great original thinkers of the Middle Ages.
Finally, we will consider the unique story of modern Tunisia, from its period as an Ottoman and then French colony, to its independence in 1957, to its role in the Arab uprisings that began in Tunisia in 2011. Since the uprisings, Tunisia has achieved the most stable democracy in the Arab world. We will meet people who lived through those events, and hear their stories.
Will the trip be affected by the coronavirus crisis?
Probably, yes.
We are tentatively planning the trip for January 2021, but it would not be unexpected for those plans to be changed. All university travel is overseen by the learning abroad office, and we will take our guidance from the university's policies.
If the trip does not move forward as planned, we would like to do it at the earliest possible opportunity, whether later in 2021 or beyond. Students who participate in the class will have priority registration, and will be welcome to join the trip as alumni should they graduate before restrictions are lifted.
We are tentatively planning the trip for January 2021, but it would not be unexpected for those plans to be changed. All university travel is overseen by the learning abroad office, and we will take our guidance from the university's policies.
If the trip does not move forward as planned, we would like to do it at the earliest possible opportunity, whether later in 2021 or beyond. Students who participate in the class will have priority registration, and will be welcome to join the trip as alumni should they graduate before restrictions are lifted.
Who should take the class?
Besides Phronesis minors, for whom the class will fulfill the requirements for a course in antiquity, the subject matter and the trip will be of interest to students of the Middle East, religion, art and architecture, Classics, French, Arabic, and Latin, historians, archaeologists, and adventurers.
As an Honors College class, the focus will be on primary source readings, some of which I have already mentioned. The reading list has a nice mix of the classic texts you might encounter in Human Situation as well as some more obscure gems that you are unlikely to encounter anywhere else on campus.
As an Honors College class, the focus will be on primary source readings, some of which I have already mentioned. The reading list has a nice mix of the classic texts you might encounter in Human Situation as well as some more obscure gems that you are unlikely to encounter anywhere else on campus.
How will I earn credit in the class?
Course credit will depend heavily on completing the assigned readings and participating actively in discussions. Toward the end of the semester, you will work together with a small group to become an "expert" on one of the sites we will visit, including the four UNESCO World Heritage sites on our itinerary.
Has the Honors College been to Tunisia and the region before?
We took a group of students in 2019 for a very successful tour. We are partnering with a top-notch local operator that has a strong track record with the Honors College in the region. The trip staff (Rainbow, Myrick, Castillo) has led about ten prior trips to the region, including four previous trips to North African (Egypt and Tunisia), as well as a number of trips to Israel and Jordan.
What languages do they speak in Tunisia?
You will get by fine with English, and be able to interact in stores and restaurants. Many Tunisians are bilingually fluent in Arabic and French. The local dialect of Arabic, Tunsi, will present Arabic speakers with some fascinating new insights.
What kind of money will I use?
The local currency is the Tunisian dinar (from denarius, a legacy of the area's Roman past). Tunisia has some unique currency restrictions, and so you will not be able to purchase dinars in the states prior to the trip, nor leave the country with them. ATMs and banks are abundant, and there is a favorable exchange rate (around 3 to 1).
If you've never been to North Africa or the Middle East, you will get to experience the pleasure of shopping for souvenirs in a souk, the type of traditional, bargaining-based market that is characteristic of the region going back to antiquity. As early as the fifth century BCE, Herodotus reports the irritation of the Persians with this sort of haggling, but with a few tips from your tour leaders and our local hosts, you'll find it to be a fun experience!
If you've never been to North Africa or the Middle East, you will get to experience the pleasure of shopping for souvenirs in a souk, the type of traditional, bargaining-based market that is characteristic of the region going back to antiquity. As early as the fifth century BCE, Herodotus reports the irritation of the Persians with this sort of haggling, but with a few tips from your tour leaders and our local hosts, you'll find it to be a fun experience!
What is Tunisian food like?
As you might expect from its central location in the Mediterranean, Tunisia offers a cuisine that is an almagam of influences, from traditional local crops and staples to exotic spices of the caravan trade, from strongly brewed coffee and tea to French and Italian influences. In Tunis, we'll often have the choice of local fish and seafood. We'll also eat couscous, a dish based on tiny balls of pasta, similar to a very fine-grained rice. We'll also experience the distinctive Tunisian tagine (a sort of stew) and brik (a savory, deep-fried pastry).
Roman Africa was the breadbasket of the empire, and in addition to excellent bread, we'll enjoy local beers and wines. Tunisia produces some of the most highly-regarded organic, extra virgin olive oils in the world. I brought back several bottles in my suitcase, and have been enjoying them ever since!
Roman Africa was the breadbasket of the empire, and in addition to excellent bread, we'll enjoy local beers and wines. Tunisia produces some of the most highly-regarded organic, extra virgin olive oils in the world. I brought back several bottles in my suitcase, and have been enjoying them ever since!