In the earliest known time of its history, the region now called Tunisia was part of the Carthaginian Empire (see Carthage). According to tradition, Phoenician traders founded the city of Carthage in 814 bc at a location slightly northeast of the site of modern Tunis. In consequent centuries Carthage became the center of a mighty empire that controlled most of northern Africa and intermittently governed the southern part of the Iberian Peninsula, Sardinia, and parts of Sicily. Beginning in 264 bc Carthage clashed with the expanding Roman Empire in a series of bloody fights known as the Punic Wars. In the last of these, the Third Punic War (149-146 bc), Rome defeated the Carthaginians and completely destroyed their capital.

The region was overrun by Arab adherents of Islam in the 7th century. The Arab conquerors governed from the late 7th to the early 16th century. During that time they replaced the Roman-Christian culture with a Muslim way of life. During the Muslim era a succession of dynasties wielded power, notably the Aghlabites (800-909), the Fatimids (909-973), and the Zeirids (10th century). In the latter part of the 12th century the Normans, led by the Sicilian ruler Roger II, briefly occupied a number of valuable coastal points. The Arabs recovered the region later in the century, and the Arab Almohad (12th century) and Hafsite (1228-1574) dynasties succeeded to power.