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Greek Period
The area of what is today Syracuse
was settled in ancient times, as showed by the findings in
the villages of Stentinello, Ognina, Plemmirio, Matrensa,
Cozzo Pantano and Thapsos,all of whom lready had links to
Mycenaean Greece.
Syracuse was founded in 734 or 733 BC by
Greek settlers from Corinth, led by the oecist Archias, who
called it Sirako, referring to a nearby swamp. The
nucleus of the ancient city was the small island of Ortygia.
The settlers found the land to be fertile and the native tribes
to be reasonably well-disposed to their presence. The city
grew and prospered, and for some time stood as the most powerful
Greek city anywhere in the Mediterranean. Colonies were founded
at Akrai (664 BC), Kasmenai (643 BC) and Kamarina (598 BC).
The descendants of the first colonist, named Gamoroi, held
power until they were expelled by the Killichiroi, the lower
class of the city. The former, however, returned to power
in 485 BC, thanks to the help of Gelo, ruler of Gela. Gelo
himself became the despot of the city, and moved numerous
inhabitants of Gela, Kamarina and Megera to Syracuse, building
the new quarters of Tyche and Neapolis outside the walls.
His program of new constructions included a new theater, designed
by Damocopos, which gave the city a flourishing cultural life:
this in turn attracted personalities such as Aeschylus, Ario
of Metimma, Eumelos of Corinth and Sappho, who had been exiled
here from Mytilene. The increased power of Syracuse made unavoidable
the clash against the Carthaginians, who ruled over the Western
part of Sicily. In the Battle of Himera, Gelo, who had allied
with Theron of Agrigento, decisively defeated the African
force led by Hamilcar. A temple, entitled to Athena (on the
site of the today's Cathedral), was erected in the city to
commemorate this battle.
Gelo was succedeed by his brother Hiero,
who fought against the Etruscans at Cumae in 474 BC. His rule
was eulogized by poets like Simonides of Ceos, Bacchylides
and Pindar, who visited his court. A democratic regime was
introduced by Thrasybulos (467 BC). The city continued to
expand into Sicily, fighting against the rebellious Siculi,
and on the Tyrrhenian Sea, making expeditions to Corsica and
Elba. In the late 5th century BC, Syracuse found itself at
war with Athens. The Syracusans enlisted the aid of a general
from Sparta, Athens' foe in the war, to defeat the Athenians,
destroy their ships, and leave them to starve on the island
(see Sicilian Expedition). In 401 BC, Syracuse contributed
a force of 3000 hoplites and a general to Cyrus the Younger's
Army of the Ten Thousand.
Not long after, in the early 4th century
BC, the tyrant Dionysius the Elder was again at war against
Carthage and, although losing Gela and Camarina, kept that
power from capturing the whole of Sicily. After the end of
the conflict Dionysius built a massive fortress on the island
of Otrigia, as well as another 13 miles (22 km) long wall
that encircled the whole of Syracuse. After another period
of expansion, which saw the destruction of Naxos, Catania
and Lentini, the city entered a new war against Carthage (397
BC). After various changes of fortune, the Africans managed
to besiege Syracuse itself, but were eventually pushed back
by a pestilence. A treaty in 392 BC allowed Syracuse to further
enlarge its possessions, founding the cities of Adrano, Ancona,
Adria, Tindari and Tauromenos, and conquering Reggio Calabria
on the continent. Apart his battle deeds, Dionysius was famous
as a patron of art, and Plato himself visited Syracuse several
times.
His successor was Dionysius the Younger,
who was eventually expelled by Dion in 356 BC. However, the
latter's despotic rule led in turn to his expulsion, and Dionysius
reclaimed his throne in 347 BC. A democratic government was
installed by Timoleon in 345 BC. The long series of inner
struggles had weakened Syracuse's power in the island, and
Timoleon tried to remedy this situation by defeating the Carthaginians
in 399 BC near the Krimisos river. The struggle among the
city's parties, however, restarted after his death and ended
with the rise of another tyrant, Agathocles, who seized the
power in 317 BC. He resumed the war against Carthage, with
alternate fortunes. He managed to score a moral success, bringing
the war to the Carthaginians' native African soil and inflicting
heavy losses to the enemy. The war ended with another treaty
of peace which did not prevent the Carthaginians from interfering
in the politics of Syracuse after the death of the tyrant
Agathocles (289 BC). The citizens therefore called Pyrrhus
of Epirus for help. After a brief period under the rule of
Epirus, Hiero II seized power in 275 BC.
Hiero inaugurated a period of fifty years
of peace and prosperity, in which Syracause became one of
the most renowned capitals of Antiquity. He issued the so-called
Lex Hieronica, which was later adopted by the Romans for their
administration of Sicily; he also had the theater enlarged
and a new immense altar, the "Hiero's Ara", built.
Under his rule lived the most famous Syracusan , the natural
philosopher Archimedes. Among his many inventions were various
military engines, including the claw of Archimedes which was
later used to resist a Roman siege. Literature figures included
Theocritus.
Hiero's successor, the young Hieronymus
(ruled from 215 BC), broke the peace with the Romans, who,
led by consul Marcus Claudius Marcellus, besieged the city
in 214 BC. The city held out for three years, but fell in
212 BC. It is believed to have fallen due to a peace party
opening a small door in the wall to negotiate peace, but instead,
the Romans charged through the door and took the city, killing
Archimedes in the process.
The City Under the Romans and
in the Middle Ages
Though in slow decline over the years,
Syracuse maintained the status of capital of the Roman government
of Sicily and seat of the praetor. It remained an important
port for the trades between the Eastern and Western parts
of the Empire. Christianity spread in the city through the
efforts of St. Paul and San Marziano, the first bishop of
the city, who made it one of the main centers of proselytism
in the West. It was during this time that the persecutions'
massive catacombs were carved, their size being only second
only to Rome's.
After a period of Vandal rule, in 535 AD,
Syracuse and the island was recovered by Belisarius for the
Byzantine Empire. From 663 to 668, Syracuse was the seat of
emperor Constans II, as well as metropolis of the whole Sicilian
Church.
Another siege in AD 878, which ended with
the fierce conquering of the city, inaugurated two centuries
of Muslim rule. Syracuse lost its capital status in favor
to Palermo. The Cathedral was turned into a mosque and the
quarter on the Ortygia island was gradually rebuilt according
to Islamic styles. The city, however, maintained important
trade relationships, and housed a relatively flourishing cultural
and artistical life: several Arab poets, including Ibn Hamdis,
the most important Sicilan poet of the 12th century, lived
here.
In 1038 the Byzantine general George Maniaces
reconquered the city, sending the relics of St. Lucy to Constantinople.
The eponymous castle on the cape of Ortygia bears his name,
although it was built under the Hohenstaufen rule. The Normans
entered Syracuse, one of the last Saracen strongpoints, in
1085 after a summer-long siege by Roger I of Sicily and his
son Jordan, who was given the city as count. New quarters
were built and the cathedral was restored, as well as other
churches.
In 1194, Henry VI of Swabia occupied Syracuse.
After a short period of Genoese rule (1205-1220), which favored
a rise of trades, Syracuse was reconquered back by emperor
Frederick II. He began the construction of the Castello Maniace,
the Bishops' Palace and the Bellomo Palace. Frederick's death
brought a period of unrest and feudal anarchy. In the struggle
between the Anjou and Aragonese monarchies, Syracuse sided
with the Aragonese and defeated the Anjou in 1298, receiving
from the Spanish sovereigns great privileges in reward from
the Spanish sovererigns. The preeminence of baronal families
is also showed by the construction of the palaces of Abela,
Chiaramonte, Nava, Montalto.
Modern Syracuse
The city in the following centuries
was struck by two damaging earthquakes in 1542 and 1693, and,
in 1729, by a plague. The 17th century destruction forever
changed the appearance of Syracuse, as well as the entire
Val di Noto. These cities were rebuilt along the typical lines
of Sicilian Baroque, which is still considered one of the
most typical expressions of art of Southern Italy. The spread
of cholera in 1837 led to a revolt against the Bourbon government.
Therepercussion was the move of the province capital seat
to Noto. But unrest had not been totally stopped, as the Syracusans
took part to the 1848 revolution.
After the unification of Italy of 1865,
Syracuse regained its status of provincial capital. In 1870,
the walls were demolished and a bridge connecting the mainland
to Ortygia island was built. In the following year, a railway
link was constructed.
Heavy destruction was caused by the Allied
and German bombings in 1943. After the end of World War II
the northern quarters of Syracuse experienced a heavy and
often chaotic expansion, favored by the quick process of industrialization.
Syracuse today has about 125,000 inhabitants
and numerous attractions for visitors interested in historical
sites, such as the Ear of Dionysius. A process of recovering
and restoring the historical center has been ongoing since
the 1990s. Nearby places include Catania,
Noto, Modica and Ragusa.
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buildings
- The Temple of Apollo, converted
to a church in Byzantine times and to a mosque under Arab
rule.
- The Fount of Arethusa, in the Ortygia
island. According to a legend, the nymph Arethusa, hunted
by Alpheus, took shelter here. This locale recently served
as a checkpoint for the 9th season of CBS's The Amazing
Race.
- The Theater, whose cavea is one of the
largest ever built by the ancient Greeks has 67 rows, divided
into 9 sections with 8 aisles. Only traces of the scene
and the orchestra remain. The edifice (still used today)
was modified by the Romans, who adapted it to their different
style of spectacles, including circus games. Near the theater
are the latomìe (stone quarries) also used as prisons
in ancient times.
- The most famous latomìa is the
Orecchio di Dionisio ("Ear of Dionysius").
- The Roman amphitheater of Roman Imperial
age was partly carved out from the rock. In the center of
the area is a rectangular space which was used for the scenic
machinery.
- The so-called Tomb of Archimede, in
the Grotticelli Nechropolis, is decorated with two Doric
columns. It was once a Roman tomb.
- The Temple of Olympian Zeus, about 1.863
miles (3 km) outside the city, was built around 6th century
BC.
Churches
- The Cathedral was built by Bishop Zosimo
in the 7th century over the great Temple of Athens (5th
century BC), on the Ortygia island. This was a Doric edifice
with 6 columns on the short sides and 14 on the long ones:
these can still be seen incorporated in the walls of the
current church. The base of the Greek edifice had three
steps. The interior of the church has a nave and two aisles.
The roof of the nave is from Norman times, as well as the
mosaics in the apses. The façade was rebuilt by Andrea
Palma in 1725-1753, with a double order of Corinthian columns
and statues by Ignazio Marabitti. The most interesting art
pieces of the interior are a fountain with marble basin
(12th-13th century), a silver statue of St. Lucy by Pietro
Rizzo (1599), a ciborium by Luigi Vanvitelli, and a statue
of the Madonna della Neve ("Madonna of the Snow",
1512) by Antonello Gagini.
- Basilica of Santa Lucia extra Moenia,
a Byzantine church built, according to tradition, in the
same place of the martyrdom of the saint in 303 AD. The
current appearance is from the 15th-16th centuries. The
most ancient parts preserved include the portal, the three
half-circular apses and the first two orders of the belfry.
Under the church lie the Catacombs of St. Lucy.
- Church of San Paolo (18th century)
- Church of San Cristoforo (14th century,
rebuilt in the 18th century)
- Church of Santa Lucìa alla Badìa,
a Baroque edifice built after the 1693 earthquake.
- Church of Santa Maria dei Miracoli (13th
century)
- Church of the Spirito Santo (18th century)
- Church of the Jesuite College, a majestic
Baroque building.
- Church of St. Benedict (16th century,
restored after 1693), houses a painting of the Death of
Saint Benedict by the Caravaggisti Mario Minniti.
- Chiesa della Concezione (14th century,
rebuilt in the 18th century) features the annexed Benedictine
convent.
- Church of San Francesco all'Immacolata
has a convex façade intermingled by columns and pilaster
strips. It housed an ancient celebration, the Svelata
("Revelation"), in which an image of the Madonna
was unveiled at dawn on November 29.
- Basilica of St. John the Evangelist
was built by the Normans and destroyed in 1693. Only partially
restored, it was erected over an ancient crypt of the martyr
San Marciano, later destroyed by the Arabs. The main altar
is Byzantine. It includes the Catacombs of San Giovanni,
featuring a maze of tunnels and passages with thousands
of tombs and several frescoes.
Other edifices and sites
- The Castello Maniace, constructed between
1232 and 1240, is an example of the military architecture
of Frederick II's reign. It is a square structure with circular
towers at each of the four corners. The most striking feature
is the pointed portal, decorated with polychrome marbles.
- The important Archaeological Museum,
with collections including findings from the mid-Bronze
Age to 5th century BC.
- Palazzo Lanza Buccheri (16th century)
- Palazzo Mergulese-Montalto (14th century)
conserves the old façade from the 14th century, with
a pointed portal.
- The Archbishop's Palace (17th century,
modified in the following century) houses the Alagonian
Library, founded in the late 18th century.
- The Palazzo Vermexio, the current Town
Hall, which includes fragments of an Ionic temple of the
5th century BC.
- Palazzo Francica Nava still has parts
of the original 16th century building intact.
- Palazzo Beneventano del Bosco, originally
built in the Middle Ages but extensively modified between
1779 and 1788 has a pleasant internal court.
- Palazzo Migliaccio (15th century) features
notable lava inlay decorations.
- The Senate Palacehouses an 18th century
coach in its court .
- The Castle of Euryalos, built nine kilometres
outside the city by Dionysius the Elder, was
one of the most powerful fortresses of ancient times. It
had three moats with a series of underground galleries,
allowing the defenders to remove the materials the attackers
could use to kill them.
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