Sicily 2024

The island of Sicily, floating just off the shores of southern Italy, has a long, rich and multicultural history as one of the most coveted prizes in the Mediterranean Sea. For more than 3,000 years, myriad civilizations discovered, conquered, and made their mark on Sicily’s shores, from the Ancient Greeks and the Roman Empire to the Norman and Arabian rulers that thought to cultivate Sicily’s lands.

Before the Greeks colonized Sicily, the island was home to three indigenous tribes: the Elymians, the Sicani, and the Siculi. The Greeks invaded 413 BCE.

The temples in the Valley of the Temples in Sicily were built by the Greeks who founded the city of Agrigento in 580 BCE. The city was originally called Akragas and was one of the most important Greek colonies in Sicily in the 5th century BCE.

Then came the Romans. They built temples and colosseums. For example: On the northeast corner, Taormina is known for the Teatro Antico di Taormina, an ancient Greco-­Roman theater still used today. In the southeastern corner is Siracusa city is notable for its rich Greek and Roman history, culture, amphitheaters, architecture, and as the birthplace and home of the pre-eminent mathematician and engineer Archimedes. This 2,700-year-old city played a key role in ancient times, when it was one of the major powers of the Mediterranean world. On the west coast is Tempio di Segesta near Trapani. There are so many ruins throughout the island.

During the 1000’s the Normans brought a period of cultural harmony to Sicily, where Muslims, Jews, Christians, and Byzantines lived together. The Norman kings, such as Roger II, William I, and William II, patronized art and architecture that blended Byzantine, Islamic, and Romanesque styles. Palermo became the wealthiest city in Sicily Greeks and the Normans.