Tunes Urbs

Title

Tunes Urbs

Description

Map shows the city Tunis as bird´s eye view

ca. 1595

Artist

Braun/Hogenberg (1572-1618)

Frans Hogenberg (1535 – 1590) was a Flemish and German painter, engraver, and mapmaker. Hogenberg was born in Mechelen as the son of Nicolaas Hogenberg In 1568 he was banned from Antwerp by the Duke of Alva. He travelled to London, where he stayed a few years before emigrating to Cologne. He is known for portraits and topographical views as well as historical allegories. He also produced scenes of contemporary historical events. George Braun (1541-1622), a cleric of Cologne, was the principal editor of the "Civitates Orbis Terrarum". The first volume of the Civitates Orbis Terrarum was published in Cologne in 1572. The sixth and the final volume appeared in 1617. This great city atlas, edited by Georg Braun and largely engraved by Franz Hogenberg, eventually contained 546 prospects, bird-eye views and map views of cities from all over the world. Braun (1541-1622), a cleric of Cologne, was the principal editor of the work, and was greatly assisted in his project by the close, and continued interest of Abraham Ortelius, whose Theatrum Orbis Terrarum of 1570 was, as a systematic and comprehensive collection of maps of uniform style, the first true atlas.

Historical Description

Today's Tunisia experienced the establishment of commercial branches by settlers from the eastern Mediterranean at the beginning of the historical records. According to legend, it was Queen Élyssa, sister of the king of Tyr, Pygmalion, who founded the city. Carthage became the greatest power of the western Mediterranean in 150 years. The influence came partly through colonization, but mostly through commercial branches and contracts. This power and the high agricultural potential of the Carthaginian motherland led to the awakening of the interest of the young, strengthening Roman Empire and a confrontation that culminated in the three Punic Wars. Carthage, with its troops led by Hannibal, was able to bring the Roman Empire to the brink of defeat several times during the Second Punic War (218–201 BC). At the end of the Third Punic War (149-146 BC) the city of Carthage was besieged for three years and ultimately destroyed. The area of today's Tunisia became part of the Roman province of Africa with capital Utica. Africa, along with Egypt, became one of the most important suppliers of agricultural products in Rome. Above all, Africa supplied grain and olive oil. Christianity spread quickly, especially through the arrival of settlers, traders and soldiers. Carthage became known in this regard that the influential Christian apologist Tertullian lived and worked here, so that North Africa soon developed into one of several centers of Christianity. The first Arab advances into what is now Tunisia began in 647. Unlike previous conquerors, the Arabs were not satisfied with just occupying the coastal areas, but also set out to conquer the interior. From the first third of the 12th century, Tunisia was subjected to frequent attacks by the Normans from Sicily and southern Italy. The economic boom caused the Almohadic century to go down in history as the golden age of the Maghreb, when large cities developed with magnificent mosques and scientists like Ibn Chaldūn worked. From the second half of the 14th century, the Hafsids slowly lost control of their territory and came under the influence of the Merinids of Abu Inan Faris, especially after the lost Battle of Kairouan (1348). In 1705 Husain I. ibn Ali made himself a Bey of Tunis and founded the Husainid dynasty. Tunisia achieved a high degree of independence among the Husainids, although it was still officially an Ottoman province. Ahmad I. al-Husain, who ruled from 1837 to 1855, initiated a modernization push with important reforms such as the abolition of slavery or the adoption of a constitution.