Sousse is a port city in eastern Tunisia, in the Sahel region on the Gulf of Hammamet (Mediterranean Sea). It is the capital of the Sousse Governorate, located 143 kilometers south of Tunis. Sousse is the third largest port in Tunisia. A holiday resort on the Mediterranean Sea, it attracts over 1.5 million tourists annually. The city includes the Port of Port El Kantaoui marina. Former President of the Republic of Tunisia, Zine Al-Abidine Ben Ali, was born in Sousse. Due to its ancient history and monuments, the city is a UNESCO World Heritage Site. The city has developed industries in the oil, sugar, fish, cotton, chemicals, construction materials, and automotive industries.
The history of the city. Hadrumetum was one of the Phoenician colonies founded in the 9th century BC. It was located north of Parva and Thapsus and south of Carthage. In 202 BC, during the Second Punic War, it served as a military base for Hannibal. After the Third Punic War, the city fell within the Roman Empire. Following Diocletian’s administrative reforms, it became the capital of the province of Africa Byzacena. In the 4th and 5th centuries, it was an important center of Christian life. The monks of Hadrumetum engaged in dialogue with Augustine of Hippo regarding the Pelagian controversy. Confused by Pelagius’s doctrine, in 427 they read a letter Augustine of Hippo wrote nine years earlier to Presbyter Sixtus and raised the issue of predestination. Augustine, in response to doubts arising in the monastery at Hadrumetum, wrote Letters 214 and 215, followed by the treatise On Grace and Free Will / De gratia et libero arbitrio / (see Corrigenda, II,92.66). The monks, knowing Pope Boniface’s position on Pelagian teaching, accepted this text—in the words of Abbot Valentinus—as a medicamentum pie curantium cum gratia (a medicine for those piously cured by grace; see Letter 216, 2-3; CSEL 58,57). In the 5th century CE, as a result of an invasion, the city fell to the Vandals. Lead tablets with magical formulas, terracotta figurines, and mosaics were found at the archaeological site, including a mosaic depicting Virgil (during the French protectorate, it was moved to the museum in Bardo).
Étoile Sportive du Sahel is a Tunisian football club currently playing in the first division, based in the Mediterranean city of Sousse. Étoile Sportive du Sahel won its first Tunisian league title in 1950, when Tunisia was still a French colony. By 2007, it had won the title eight more times. It achieved most of its international success in the 21st century. In 2004 and 2005, it reached the final of the African Champions League twice in a row, losing both times – the first time to Enyimba of Nigeria and the second to Al-Ahly Cairo of Egypt. In 2007, it reached the final of the competition for the third time, this time defeating Al-Ahly on aggregate.
The Stade Olympique de Sousse is a multi-purpose stadium in Sousse, Tunisia. It is primarily used as a football stadium, and is home to the league team Étoile Sportive du Sahel. The stadium, which seats 40,000 spectators, was built in 1973. The inaugural match was played that year between Étoile Sportive du Sahel and Club Africain Tunis. It has twice hosted the Africa Cup of Nations: in 1994 and 2004. The stadium was renovated in 1999.
Tourist Attractions.
1. Sousse Medina: The historic old town surrounded by defensive walls, filled with narrow streets and traditional souks.
2. Ribat: An 8th-century fortified monastery with a viewing tower offering panoramic views of the entire city and port. Grand Mosque: A unique temple with austere, defensive architecture without the traditional minaret.
3. Archaeological Museum: Located in the kasbah, renowned for its vast and valuable collection of Roman mosaics.
4. Port El Kantaoui: A modern, upscale tourist district with a yacht marina, golf courses, and restaurants.
Beaches and Recreation: Bou Jaafar Beach: The city’s main public beach, stretching along the seafront promenade. Fine Sand: The region is renowned for its wide, sandy beaches with gentle slopes. Water Sports: A wide range of windsurfing, jet skiing, and paragliding are available on the hotel beaches.
Practical Information: The city is well-connected via train and inexpensive shared taxis (louage). Accommodation: A wide selection of all-inclusive hotels, particularly in the tourist area and around Port El Kantaoui. Climate: Typically Mediterranean, with hot summers and mild winters.
