Dido, also known as Alyssa or Elissa, was the legendary foundress and first queen of the Phoenician city-state of Carthage, located in modern Tunisia. Known only through ancient Greek and Roman sources, most of which were written well after Carthage's founding, her historicity remains uncertain. In most accounts, she was the queen of the Phoenician city-state of Tyre, today Ṣūr in Lebanon, who flees tyranny to found her own city in northwest Africa.
Details about Dido's character, life, and role in the founding of Carthage are best known from the account given in Virgil's epic poem, the Aeneid, which tells the legendary story of the Trojan hero Aeneas. Dido is described as a clever and enterprising woman who flees her ruthless and autocratic brother, Pygmalion, after discovering that he was responsible for her husband's death. Through her wisdom and leadership, the city of Carthage is founded and made prosperous.
Dido remains an enduring figure in popular culture, featured in plays, artworks, and other media into the 21st century.