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20 Most Famous Tunisian People

Originally Published by Terryruth in October 2022 and Updated by Nellian in May 2024.

Tunisia, officially the Republic of Tunisia, is the northernmost country in Africa. With a rich history and culture, it is a part of the Maghreb region of North Africa and is bordered by Algeria to the west and southwest, Libya to the southeast, and the Mediterranean Sea to the north and east. 

1. Hannibal was a Punic Carthaginian military commander

Hannibal Barca counted the rings of the Roman knights killed at the Battle of Cannae (216 BC). Marble, 1704. Photo by Sébastien Slodtz (French, 1655–1726) –

Hannibal, son of Hamilcar Barca was a Punic Carthaginian military commander, generally considered one of the greatest military commanders in history. His father, Hamilcar Barca, was the leading Carthaginian commander during the First Punic War, his younger brothers were Mago and Hasdrubal, and he was brother-in-law to Hasdrubal the Fair.

Hannibal lived during a period of great tension in the Mediterranean, when the Roman Republic established its supremacy over other great powers such as Carthage, the Hellenistic kingdoms of Macedon, Syracuse, and the Seleucid Empire.

One of his most famous achievements was at the outbreak of the Second Punic War when he marched an army, which included war elephants, from Iberia over the Pyrenees and the Alps into northern Italy.

In his first few years in Italy, he won three dramatic victories—Trebia, Trasimene, and Cannae, in which he distinguished himself for his ability to determine his and his opponent’s strengths and weaknesses and to play the battle to his strengths and the enemy’s weaknesses—and won over many allies of Rome.

Hannibal occupied much of Italy for 15 years, but a Roman counter-invasion of North Africa forced him to return to Carthage, where he was decisively defeated by Scipio Africanus at the Battle of Zama.

Scipio had studied Hannibal’s tactics and brilliantly devised some of his own, and finally defeated Rome’s nemesis at Zama, having previously driven Hasdrubal, Hannibal’s brother, out of the Iberian Peninsula.

2. Tertullian was a prolific early Christian author from Carthage

Tertullian. Photo unattributed –

Quintus Septimius Florens Tertullianus, anglicized as Tertullian, was a prolific early Christian author from Carthage in the Roman province of Africa. He is the first Christian author to produce an extensive corpus of Latin Christian literature.

He also was a notable early Christian apologist and a polemicist against heresy. Tertullian has been called “the father of Latin Christianity” and “the founder of Western theology.” Though conservative, he did originate and advance new theology to the early Church.

He is perhaps most famous for being the oldest extant Latin writer to use the term Trinity and for giving the oldest extant formal exposition of Trinitarian theology. Other Latin formulations that first appear in his work are “three Persons, one Substance” as the Latin “tres Personae, Una Substantia”.

He wrote his trinitarian formula after becoming a Montanist. However, unlike many Church fathers, he was never canonized by the Catholic Church, as several of his later teachings directly contradicted the actions and teachings of the apostles.

3. Zine El Abidine Ben Ali was the second President of Tunisia from 1987 to 2011

Zine El Abidine Ben Ali, President of Tunisia. Photo unattributed –

Zine El Abidine Ben Ali is a Tunisian political figure who was the second President of Tunisia from 1987 to 2011. Ben Ali was appointed Prime Minister in October 1987, and he assumed the Presidency on 7 November 1987 in a bloodless coup d’état that ousted President Habib Bourguiba, who was declared incompetent.

Ben Ali was subsequently reelected with enormous majorities, each time exceeding 90% of the vote; the final reelection was on 25 October 2009. On 14 January 2011, following a month of protests against his rule, he was forced to flee to Saudi Arabia along with his wife Leïla Ben Ali, and their three children.

4. Cyprian was an important Early Christian writer

Russian icon: Cyprian of Carthage. Photo by Bwag –

Cyprian was the bishop of Carthage and an important Early Christian writer, many of whose Latin works are extant. He was born around the beginning of the 3rd century in North Africa, perhaps in Carthage, where he received a classical education.

After converting to Christianity, he became a bishop in 249 and eventually died a martyr at Carthage.

5. Abdellatif Kechiche is a Tunisian-French actor, film director, and screenwriter

Abdellatif Kechiche au festival de Cannes. Photo by Georges Biard –

Abdellatif Kechiche is a Tunisian-French actor, film director, and screenwriter. He made his directorial debut in 2000 with La Faute à Voltaire, aka Poetical Refugee, which he also wrote.

6. Terence was a playwright of the Roman Republic

Portrait of Terence from Vaticana. Photo unattributed –

Publius Terentius Afer, better known in English as Terence, was a playwright of the Roman Republic, of North African descent.

His comedies were performed for the first time around 170–160 BC. Terentius Lucanus, a Roman senator, brought Terence to Rome as a slave, educated him, and later on, impressed by his abilities, freed him. Terence died young, probably in Greece or on his way back to Rome.

All of the six plays Terence wrote have survived. One famous quotation by Terence reads: “Homo sum, humani nihil me alienum puto”, or “I am a human being, I consider nothing that is human alien to me.” This appeared in his play Heauton Timorumenos.

7. Habib Bourguiba was a Tunisian statesman

Portrait of Tunisian President Habib Bourguiba (1903-2000). Photo by Habib Osman –

Habib Bourguiba was a Tunisian statesman, the Founder, and the first President of the Republic of Tunisia from July 25, 1957, to 7 November 1987.

8. Marc Gicquel is a professional male tennis player

Marc Gicquel at the Amicale de Tennis du Griffon (ATG), Saint-Brieuc, France, on 16th November 2006. Photo by Brieg at English Wikipedia –

Marc Gicquel is a professional male tennis player from France.

9. Mohamed Bouazizi was a Tunisian street vendor

Plaque de la place Mohamed Bouazizi, Paris. Photo by Chabe01 –

Tarek al-Tayeb Mohamed Bouazizi was a Tunisian street vendor who set himself on fire on 17 December 2010, in protest of the confiscation of his wares and the harassment and humiliation that he reported were inflicted on him by a municipal official and her aides.

His act became a catalyst for the Tunisian Revolution and the wider Arab Spring, inciting demonstrations and riots throughout Tunisia in protest of social and political issues in the country.

10. Oussama Mellouli is a Tunisian swimmer who competes in the freestyle and medley events

Tunisian swimmer Oussama Mellouli during the Doha leg of the 2013 FINA Swimming World Cup. Photo by Doha Stadium Plus Qatar –

Oussama “Ous” Mellouli is a Tunisian swimmer who competes in freestyle and medley events. He is a three-time Olympic medalist, is an African record holder, and trains with the USC Trojans team based at the University of Southern California, where he went to school and swam collegiately.

Oussama Mellouli became the 1500 m freestyle World champion at the 2009 World Aquatics Championships with a winning time of 14:37.28, then the second-best performance of all time.

11. Kais Saied is the President of Tunisia since 2019

This Tunisian politician is acclaimed as the seventh president of Tunisia elected in October 2019. He has also served as a jurist and he is a retired professor of law.

Before he assumed the presidential office, he was president of the Tunisian Association of Constitutional Law from 1995 to 2019. He ascended to office under an independent ticket during the 2019 presidential elections in Tunisia.

He appealed to the younger voters, pledging to combat corruption and improve the electoral system. He was sworn into office in October 2019. One of his presidential achievements was passing a new constitution in July 2022.

12. Leila Ben Ali is a former first lady of Tunisia

, , via Wikimedia Commons

Leila is the widow of Zine El Abidine Ben Ali who was President of Tunisia from 1987 to 2011. They got married in 1992. She has had an influence in her country as the president of the Arab Women Organization, centered on fighting for gender equality.

Furthermore, she is the chair of the BASMA Association, a charitable organization aimed at securing employment for the disabled. In 2010, she founded SAIDA to enhance care for cancer patients in Tunisia.

13. Youssef Seddik is a philosopher specializing in Ancient Greece

Seddik is a renowned philosopher noted for his interest in Ancient Greece. He is also an anthropologist with a focus on the anthropology of the Qur’an. He taught philosophy in Tunisian secondary schools and universities in the 1970s.

On top of that, he has authored books and translations about Ancient Greece and Islamic heritage. One of his famed writings is the 1999 release, Brins de Chicane. La vie quotidienne à Bagdad au Xe siècle.The book narrates daily life in Baghdad, Iraq in the tenth century. He has also directed Islamic religious documentaries.

14. Dhafer Youssef is a composer and singer

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Besides composing and singing, Youssef is known as an oud player. The oud is a stringed instrument common in the Middle Eastern region. The artist developed an interest in jazz during his childhood. Thus, he left Tunisia in 1990 to nurture his jazz passion in Europe. He is mostly linked to Paris and Vienna.

Youssef is most celebrated for works such as the Diwan of Beauty and Odd released in 2016. He has performed in prestigious jazz events like the Sligo Jazz Project. He was privileged to open the event in 2015.

15. Anouar Brahem is an oud player cum composer

Brahem is celebrated as an innovator in his field. His compositions fuse Arabic classical music, folk music, and jazz. He rose to the limelight in his country during the late 1980s. Following his acceptance in Tunisia, he has been recording since 1991.

To add on, one of his famed works was the 2017 release, Blue Maqams. This studio album was released with a band that consisted of American jazz drummer, Jack DeJohnette and British jazz musician Django Bates among others.

16. Latifa is a pop singer and former actress

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She is a Tunisian pop singer and former actress residing in Egypt. She is among the best singers in the Arab world known for her Egyptian Arabic genre.

One of her hit singles is Ew’ah Tegheer (Don’t Be Jealous). The album Ma Etrohsh Ba’ed (Don’t Go Away) secured her a World Music Award in 2004 for best-selling artist in the Middle East and North Africa category. As an actress, she had a guest appearance on Lahazat Harega in 2007. This is the Arabic version of the American medical drama ER or Emergency Room series.

17. Lotfi Dziri was an actor

Dziri was a Tunisian actor who featured in films such as Keswa, le fil perdu (Kiswa, the Lost Thread) in 1997. He appeared on Deadlines as Rahman in 2004. In 2010, he appeared in City of Shadows (La Cité) as Georges among many more roles.

His television appearances include the 2001 Dhafayer (Braids), and the 2004 Loutil (The Hostel) as Abed. In 2005 he was cast on Le Voyage de Louisa (Louisa’s Journey) as El Fransaoui. Further, in 2010 he played Baha on Dar Lekhlaa.

18. Sonia M’barek is a singer of classical Arabic music

, , via Wikimedia Commons

M’barek is a Tunisian songstress of classical Arabic music and its related genres. She also served as Minister of Culture for several months in 2016. She started singing as early as 9 years old.

Additionally, at 12 years she made her first television appearance. Her role was interpreting a children’s song, Ahkili Aliha ya Baba. The song gained prominence thrusting her into the limelight. Some of her successful albums include Tir el Minyiar in 2003 and Romances in 2004.

19. Hédi Jouini was a singer, oud player, and composer

Jouini is remembered for composing more than 1,070 songs and 56 operettas. He drew inspiration for his music from traditional Andalusian music. His music received popularity in Tunisia and the Arab World.

His most memorable recognitions include a 1938 live concert for the inauguration of Tunisian National Radio. Former Tunisia President Habib Bourguiba honored Jouini with several titles like the Order of the Republic in 1966. A documentary detailing his life The Man Behind the Microphone was released in 2017.

20. Ghalia Benali is a singer and songwriter

, , via Wikimedia Commons

Benali was born in Belgium but she was raised in Tunisia. She is an acclaimed singer, songwriter, writer, and graphic designer. She is known for blending different genres giving a new definition to contemporary Arabic music.

Her notable projects include Kafichanta, Wild Harissa, and Romeo and Leila. Also, Al Palna, and The Indian Hadra. She has collaborated with international bands like The Spy from Cairo, British musician Mad Professor, and the Netherlands-based The Metropole Orchestra.

These Tunisian figures have affected their country and the international space, making them worthy of recognition.