Historical Relations between Sardinia and Tunisia

Abstract

The relationship between Sardinia and Africa (modern Tunisia) originates from prehistoric and Phoenician through the dominance of Carthage,  testified by repeated meaningful exchanges of population and in particular with the presence of deportees and African immigrants in Sardinia, and with military and civilian Sardinian people in North Africa. In a similar way Romanization developed, especially for the structural similarities of the economy and specifically of agriculture in these provinces, linked by an intense commercial traffic and often associated in the political destiny. The survival of common cultural elements appeared in Sardinia and in Africa in city's institutions, in religious life, in language and onomastics; the epigraphic documentation confirms further successive convergences.
The Universities of Cagliari and Sassari lead since 1994 archaeological excavations at Uchi Maius, Uthina, Zama Regia, Nabeul. The Centre for Interdisciplinary Studies on the Roman provinces of the University of Sassari has promoted conferences on Africa Romana, reached the twentieth edition: a thirty year history of encounters that marked a truly innovative research perspective (recently the XX volume was presented in Tunis and Rome).
In Sassari February 22, 2016 was set up archaelogical Italian School of Carthage, arrived today to 120 members, interested to work in the international arena, which should promote forms of coordination between initiatives that characterize the Italian cooperation in Tunisia (and more generally in Maghreb countries) in the scientific-cultural field.