Megara Hyblaea

Megara Hyblaea or Megara Hyblaia (perhaps identifiable with Hybla Major ) is an antique Greek colony on the east coast of the Sicily, close to the current town of Augusta, in the north of Syracuse. It is one of the oldest Greek colonies of Sicily.

History

Hyblaea was founded between 750 av. J.C and 728 av. J.C by colonists doriens come from Mégare, who had settled before close to Trôtilon (today Brucoli), with Leontinoi and Thapsos. Thucydide tells that it was founded by the oikist (chief of forwarding) Lamis and of the colonists come from Megara Nisea . According to the tradition the founder obtained the ground on which to establish the colony of the king Sicule Hyblon of the city close to Pantalica. The name of this city would come from the name of this king. The archaeological data confirm a foundation about the middle of eighth century BC

Megara Hyblaea forever seemed to be a city of importance notable and forever drawn from advantage of its geographical location, competed with by close and rival Greek colonies, Syracuse and Leontinoi, founded at the same time. Approximately a century after its foundation, from the inhabitants of Megara Hyblaea went to found Sélinonte, probably seeking new grounds for their expansion.

Megara Hyblaea was destroyed by the tyrant of Syracuse Gélon towards 483 av. J.C (or 481). The richest inhabitants were off-set and incorporated in the population of Syracuse, the others massacred or reduced in slavery, one hardly any more heard of it.

Strabon (towards -57, towards 25) evokes a sicilian city disappeared at its time, founded by of Doriens come from Mégare “Hybla, because it was there the primitive name of the establishment. Today, I repeat it, this city does not exist more; and, if the name of Hybla survived, it is thanks to the superiority of honey known as hybléen. ”

Megara Hyblaea was the birthplace of the poet and Greek actor Epicarme.

Archaeological vestiges

Many archaeological vestiges are still visible on the site. After first discovered in 1891, the Western northern part of the city was updated starting from 1949 by the French School of Rome, under the direction of the French archeologists Georges Vallet and François Villard, assisted Italian archeologists Luigi Bernabò Brea and Gino Vinicio Gentili.

The excavations made it possible to study the plan and the organization of the city about the middle of VIIe front century J.C., particularly interesting period because correspondent with that of antiquated Greek civilization, rather badly known. The city was bordered in north by its port and had a Nécropole approximately thousand of tombs. The archeologists noted that the layout of the streets followed a regular plan in checkerwork (Plan hippodamien), which constituted a revelation for the antiquated period.

Are still visible on the site:

the trapezoidal Agora (74 m out of 63 m) with on the sides north and is the vestiges of two Portique S
in the south of the agora, the doric foundations of two temples (antiquated time, VIe front century J.C.). The many votive objects which were discovered there are with the museum of Syracuse.
Greek baths
the Heroon
of the vestiges of the enclosing wall of the antiquated time, in square blocks, with semicircular turns and a door
vestiges of a temple of hellenistic time

The regional museum Paolo Orsi in Syracuse presents many found objects the excavation campaigns. Among most remarkable, let us quote:

an antiquated statue (VI dryness. front limestone J.C.), of manufacture local, representing the Goddess-Mother, sitting on a throne nursing two twins ( kourotrophos ), found by Gino Vinicio Gentili;
a chest of marble man ( Kouros ), of doric Style;
a fragment of mask of theater (VI century front J.C.).

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