Between the Life and Ve century, the competition with the Greeks led Carthage to develop its own resources; controlling soon all North-East of the country, this colony reinforced its authority on the other Phoenician counters of the coast of Africa during the O C front century J. - C. It then undertook more remote recognitions towards north, attracted by the trade of tin, and towards the south, to profit from the trade of gold with Sudan.

At the beginning of IIIe front century J. - C., Carthage was affirmed like a maritime and commercial great power, but its incapacity to integrate the indigenous Berber populations in its civilization was going to make it vulnerable when the Romans supplanted the Greeks like main competitors. Rivals for the control of the Western Mediterranean, the two powers entered in conflict (Punic Wars). The possession of Sicily was in the center of the stakes which were going to oppose to three recoveries the two cities starting from 264 av. J. - C.

A revolt of Berber during the first Punic War (264-241 av. J. - C.) contributed to avoid the victory of Carthage over Rome. Victory of Hannibal to Cannes in 216 av. J. - C. gave one moment the advantage to Carthage but, at the conclusion of the second Punic War (218-201 av. J. - C.), the Roman victory, once again facilitated by a revolt of Berber under the control of their king Massinissa, materialized by the conquest of many Carthaginian territories. Lastly, at the conclusion of a third war (148-146 av. J. - C.), Rome crushed Carthage definitively and was installed on the debris of the city after it to have shaven.

Integral part of the Republic then Empire, with Numidie, ancient Tunisia become the province of Africa Proconsularis, became then during six centuries the seat of a brilliant Romano-African civilization.

In IIe century Christianity made stock there, and the province saw being born from prestigious churchmen as a saint Cyprien (IIIe century) and holy Augustin (IVe century). In 429, carried out by their Genséric chief, the Vandals crossed the Straits of Gibraltar; ten years later, after being itself returned Masters of Hippone, they entered Carthage, where they settled for nearly one century. But the Vandals appeared unable to contain the hostile tribes which were agitated at the borders of their territory, and their defeat in front of the Berber ones, in 530, provides to the Justinien emperor the occasion to seize the territory (533).

However, in the grip of ceaseless quarrels and religious fights, the Byzantines could not more integrate in the structure of their empire the Berber ones who raised themselves several times. In 647, the first wave of the Arab expansion carried Sufetula (Sbeïtla), capital of the Patrice Gregoire; other forwardings followed and Carthage was destroyed into 698.  
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However, refusing the assimilation, they were numerous to reject the dominant religion and to adhere to the kharidjism, heresy born in the East, proclaiming the equality of all the Moslems, irrespective of races nor of classes. In 745, the Berber kharidjites seized Kairouan. Province omeyyade until 750, Abbasid until 800, aghlabide until 909, Ifriqiya fell then between the hands from the Shiites fatimides (909-973). When the latter left for Egypt, Tunisia échut in Berber Bulukkin (or Bologgin) ibn Ziri.

In the middle of the XI E century, when Zirides broke with the Shiism, Fatimides, to be avenged, released on the country the nomads Banou Hilal (Hilaliens). Weakened, Ifriqiya sank then in a long disorder. It found its stability and prosperity only under Hafsides (1236).  
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Othomans with the French

At the end of XVIe century, the Othomans, who carry the greatest interest to the Western Mediterranean, do of Tunisia one their provinces, after Tunis had been taken by the Spanishs (1535). At the end of a few years of Turkish administration, the country is controlled by a bey (1590), then by a dynasty beylicale founded by Murad Ier (1612-1631). Under Muradides, then at the time of the first decades of reign of their successors, Husaynides (1705-1957), the country knows an undeniable economic advancement.

But at the XVIIIe century, the diversion towards the Atlantic of most of the commercial traffic as well as bad management beylicale involve the financial strangulation of a regency coveted by Europeans. In 1881, pretexting an incursion khroumire in Algeria, Jules Ferry decides a punitive forwarding which leads to the treaty of Bardo (May 12th, 1881).

After one period of military administration (1883-1884), civil controllers from Algeria replace the local wizards. Economic development has as a consequence the formation of a middle-class reformist and the rise of nationalism. Excluded from the management of the business of their country, the Tunisians start to claim their independence. In 1907, Ali Bach Hamba and Hedi Sfar create the group of the Young Tunisians. In 1911, a riot started in Tunis at the time of the italo-Turkish war gives the starting point of a movement of opposition organized, but this one been the subject at once of a very hard repression. The movement of the Young Tunisians will be able to reappear only after 1918.

After the First World War, the search of release, animated initially by the destouriens, then by the néodestouriens, gains in determination. Creation, in 1920, of Destour starts again the nationalist movement. The movement is touched by the arrest and the exile, in 1925, of the leaders of the General confederation of the Tunisian workers (CGTT). A new dynamics results from the specifically Tunisian, liberal orientation and laic data, in 1933, in Destour by Habib Bourguiba.

In 1934, the rupture occurs with the Destour Old man. The chiefs of Néo-Destour are off-set in the South, then released, in 1936, by the Léon Blum government which opens negotiations stopped by the fall of the ministry in June 1937. Bloody incidents occur, in July 1937, and again cause the arrest of the chiefs of Néo-Destour and, in 1938, the proclamation of the state of siege  

Walk towards independence

The Second world war stops hardly the action of the nationalists; as of the end of the year 1940, the movement becomes extensive. To have tried to channel with its profit the nationalist ideas, Moncef bey is deposited after the countryside of Tunisia which puts an end to the German occupation of the country (November 1942 to May 1943). It is replaced by Lamine bey.

In 1947, Habib Bourguiba takes part in the creation of the Committee of release of the Maghreb in Cairo and supports in 1948 the constitution of the General union of the Tunisian workers (UGTT). In August 1950, the bey forms a government in which the general secretary of Néo-Destour takes part. Habib Bourguiba presents a program inviting France to release taken. The nationalists protest highly against the assertion, on on December 15th, 1951, by the French government “of the final character of the bond which joins together Tunisia in France”; vis-a-vis the excuses of Paris, Bourguiba is solved with confrontation and encourages armed resistance. It is once again stopped in January 1952, whereas the nationalists began the armed struggle.

In 1954, the things change abruptly with the arrival of Pierre Mendès France to the presidency of the Council: France agree to negotiate with the nationalists. In a made speech with Carthage, on on July 31st, 1954, Mendès France commits itself granting internal autonomy; this one made the object of signed conventions, on on June 3rd, 1955, with the government Tahar Ben Ammar. On March 20th, 1956, a protocol abolishes the treaty of Bardo and recognizes the independence of Regency. Néo-Destour obtains 95% of the votes to the elections of April 1956. Become chief of the government, Habib Bourguiba breaks the opposition of Salah Ben Youssef (1956-1957), draws aside Lamine bey and, on on July 25th, 1957, proclaims the Republic of Tunisia of which he becomes the first president.  
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Independent Tunisia

Bourguiba sets up a mode which wants to be at the same time modernistic (laicization of teaching, promulgation of the Code of the personal status with prohibition of polygamy and declaration of the equality between the men and the women…), liberal (recognition of fundamental freedoms) and Socialist (land reform, planned development).

The relations with France are first of all difficult as reveals it, in 1961, the business of Bizerte - last French military base in Tunisia - which is finally evacuated by the French troops, on on December 15th, 1963. Nevertheless, last the first times of independence, its policy causes the rise of dissatisfactions. A new series of ground nationalizations of colonists in 1964 causes the suspension of financial aid. In September 1964, the dinar must be strongly devaluated.

Re-elected president on on November 8th, Habib Bourguiba is criticized by the Arab countries for her positions moderated towards Israel. The diplomatic relations with Egypt are broken in October 1967, then with Syria in May 1968. The deterioration of the relationship between the Socialist party destourien (PSD) and the UGTT leads to the arrest and the judgment, in January 1966, of Habib Achour (1913 - - 1999), general secretary of the trade union. The project of acceleration of the land reform causes a generalized dissatisfaction. In November 1969, the Prime Minister Ahmed Ben Salah is waned and excluded from the party.

After the re-election of Bourguiba, on on November 2nd, 1969, the Prime Minister Baghi Ladgham puts an end to the land reform, increases the wages of the workmen and lowers the prices. Habib Achour finds his functions of general secretary of the UGTT. From 1970, Tunisia approaches the Arab countries again. (Faithful to its engagements towards the Palestinian people, Tunisia will be a land of welcome for the leaders of the PLO of 1982 to 1993). In May 1970, Ahmed Ben Salah is condemned to ten years of forced labors. In June, Hedi Nouira is named in charge of the government.

With the congress of October 1971, the liberals carry it but are isolated political office. Their leader, the Mestiri Home secretary, is excluded from the party in January 1972. In January 1974, Habib Bourguiba and colonel Kadhafi decide to amalgamate Tunisia and Libya. The project is cancelled in March, and the Masmoudi Foreign Minister is isolated government. Quasi permanent student agitation is severely repressed in April 1974. The congress of the PSD gives up, in September, the liberal line. Elected official life president of the PSD, Habib Bourguiba makes exclude the opponents and adopt the system of the sole party. Re-elected on on November 3rd, 1974, he is elected, in March 1975, Head of State with life. But the crises, consequently, follow one another.  

To stop the social agitation generated by the economic crisis, the government, the UGTT and employers sign, in January 1977, a pact without great effects. The UGTT starts, on on January 26th, 1978, a general strike which degenerates into a riot, brutally repressed by the army. The principal persons in charge of the trade union are stopped and Habib Achour is condemned to ten years of forced labors; he pardoned in 1979 and will be assigned with residence. In April 1980, Mohammed Me Zali is appointed Prime Minister and general secretary of the PSD. The leaders of the UGTT and the members of the popular Movement of unit (MUP) condemned are amnestied (except for Ben Salah) in 1981. With the congress of the PSD of April 1981, Bourguiba affirms the rights of the trade unions to autonomy and announces an evolution towards the multi-party system.

On November 1st, the National front, made up between the PSD and the UGTT, the totality of the seats obtains and, on on November 8th, Mohammed Me Zali is confirmed in its functions.  
 The multi-party system is founded in November 1983. The rise in the price of the products of first need causes, at the beginning of 1984, of serious riots. Bourguiba cancels the rises to restore the calm one. In December 1984, Habib Achour becomes again general secretary of the UGTT. Repression falls down in 1985 on the UGTT. In 1987, two militants of the Movement of the Islamic tendency (MTI) are condemned to death.

After-Bourguiba

Stated “medically prevented”, president Bourguiba is relieved, on on November 7th, 1987, and is replaced by the general Zine el-Abidine Ben Ali, appointed one month earlier Prime Minister. Equipped with new structures, the PSD becomes the Constitutional Democratic Assembly (RCD) and a process of renewal of the leaders is committed.

The Constitution abolishes the relative tendencies with the presidency of the Republic with life and of selective measurements of amnesty are taken. On April 2nd, 1989, Ben Ali, one applicant, is elected president of the Republic and the RCD obtains the near total of the seats to the National Assembly. Serious incidents occur, on on May 8th, 1991, on the university campus of Tunis: two students are killed.

On May 22nd, a project of plot of the islamist organization Ennahda, aiming at assassinating the president Ben Ali, is discovered. Five authors of the bloody attack (February 17th) against a room of the RCD in full center of Tunis are carried out on on October 9th. Several thousands of islamist are stopped in 1991-1992. In June 1992, the Tunisian League of human rights (LTDH) is dissolved. 279 islamist is judged during two lawsuits, in July - August, for the plot discovered in 1991: the principal leaders of Ennahda, of which some are in escape, are condemned to the prison with perpetuity. However, the liberalization of the economy and the efforts in favor of economic development continue.  

Reappointed in his term of office for five years in 1994, president Ben Ali reinforced his influence on the State and continuous to answer the islamist rise by a relentless repression. The modification of the electoral code made it possible the opposition parties to sit at the Parliament, but with the municipal elections of 1995 the opposition obtained, as a whole the worldwide, only 6 seats out of 4090.  

Lastly, although the official authorities of the Tunisian State affirm the attachment of president Ben Ali “to the independence of justice and the respect of the principles of the rule of law, of the values of the human rights and conventions and international agreements afférant there”, of many international organizations denounce “serious violations and systematic human rights and fundamental freedoms”. Thus, the journalists or intellectuals who emit criticisms with regard to the mode are immediately continued for “diffusion of false reports likely to disturb the law and order” and “slandering of the constitutional body”. In his annual report on freedom of the press in the world, in the chapter “Tunisia”, the Reporters organization without borders notes besides: “The censure is an basic element of the police State set up by president Ben Ali. Any information likely to constitute a critic of the mode, of is made, prohibited, even in the sectors which seem far away from the stakes of the power. The locking of the system is founded on the fear and corruption.”