in the middle ages, following the vandal period, pupput became a part of the byzantine empire, and a citadel was built to defend it. after the arab conquest at the end of the seventh century, the whole of tunisia passed under arab domination and the city was renamed qasr zaid. the urban center then moved further north-east, to where the city of hammamet was founded, near the baths (as the name suggests), on the site of the medina. the ancient buildings of souk el-obiod seem to have been abandoned following this final relocation. pirates from the principality of catalonia captured and destroyed the city in 1303, leaving it in ruins. the pupput area was subsequently settled by charcoal burners from hammamet.