Syracuse ( Siracusa in Italian, Sicilian Sarausa in ) is a Italian city of approximately: 123000 inhabitants located on the coast, in the South-east of the Sicily.

Syracuse was founded at eighth century BC by Greek colonists coming from Corinthe. It is today the main city of the Province of Syracuse. Cicéron presented it like largest and most beautiful of the cities Greek. Since 2005, its historical center belongs to the Liste of the world heritage of the humanity established by UNESCO.

History

Antiquity

The Greek colonists started from Corinthe based this city in 734 before the Christian era on the island of Ortygie. They baptized it Sirako which wants to say Greek marsh in . The city developed quickly thanks to the flat rich person of the area to become one of the most brilliant colony S Greek of occident. Syracuse essaima in Sicily and founded several cities: Akrai in -664, Camarina in -589…

Gélon, the tyrant of Gela was made main from Syracuse in 485 av. J. - C. It transferred its capacity to it, letting his brother Hiéron Ier order Géla. Under its reign, Syracuse became the dominant Hellenic power of the time; the Greeks of the large ground sought his assistance against the Perse, but desisted in front of its ambitions. Combined with Théron, tyrant of Acragas (Agrigente), it beat with Himère, in 480, a great Carthaginian forwarding , according to the tradition, the very same day where the Greeks beat Persians with Salamine.

After the death of Gélon, his/her brother Hiéron Ier succeeded and began a policy of patronage to him and invited at his court the Greek poets Simonide de Céos, Eschyle and Pindare. This last composes in its honor the First Pythique .

  • In -474, Syracuse beats the Etruscan with the Bataille of Cumes.
  • In -466, it was reversed and a democratic regime was installed for sixty years.
  • In -453, Syracuse again beats the Etruscan mining districts in Corsica and on the isle of Elba.

The forwarding of Sicily

With the O C, in the context of the Peloponnesian War, Athens wanted to counter the growing power of Syracuse and to take foot in Sicily to make sure total control of the sea. The forwarding of Sicily took the sea under the command of Nicias, Alcibiade and Lamachos in June 415. Syracusains sought the support of Sparte, the enemy city of Athens. In 413 av. J. - C., Syracuse was besieged by the Athenians who are demolished during a naval battle in the Rade, thanks to the tactical genius of Hermocratès.

In 409, Carthage benefits from this context to attack Agrigente, Gela and Syracuse, but it is stopped by a epidemic of Peste. Peace is signed in 405.

Under the reign of the Tyrant Denys Old the (-405 - -367), Syracuse sends Mercenaire S (Ten Thousand) to help Persian Cyrus the Young person in his revolt against the sovereign achéménide Artaxerxès II Mnèmon. The anecdotes on Denys Old the are innumerable and one can still see in the surroundings of the city, famous “the Ear of Denys”, an anfractuosity by which the tyrant could surprise the conversations of his prisoners locked up in a cave. Denys Old the conquered most of Sicily and raised tributes which enabled him to reinforce its Arsenal. In -384, Denys benefits from it to plunder the site of Pyrgi.

  • the tyrant Denys the Young person makes come Plato to Syracuse. The Greek philosopher ties friendship with his maternal uncle Dion. Dion is exiled by its nephew in 366, share food in Greece and takes the head of the opposition. It seizes the capacity in 357 then dies assassinated in 354.
Because of its geographical position between the Italian peninsula with the hands of the Romans and North Africa, controlled by Carthage, Sicily was a major stake between the two powers. In 269 av. J.C, Hiéron II, the tyrant of Syracuse, attacks the former mercenaries of Agathoclès who occupy Messine. Those call the Help! Rome and Carthage. In 264 av. J. - C., the Carthaginians take the town of Messine. The Roman general Appius Claudius Caudex crosses the strait of Messine and takes by surprised the punic garrison of Messine. Casus belli of the first Punic War. Hiéron II is combined in Rome against Carthage, which makes it possible the city to preserve its territory and its independence.

  • Second Punic War and Archimedes

At the time of the Second Punic War, after Syracuse is briefly allied with Hannibal, then positioned with Capoue, the Romain S, directed by the Consul Marcus Claudius Marcellus, besieges in 215 before the Christian era the city which resists during three years, grace in particular to the machines designed by its most famous inhabitant: Archimedes. The legend wants that it would have developed giant mirrors to reflect and concentrate the rays of the Sun in the veils of the Roman ships and thus to ignite them. The Roman historian Tite-Live (XXIV-34) described the big role of Archimedes as engineer in the defense of his city (installation of the ramparts, construction of loopholes, construction of small scorpions and various machines of war), but it does not say a word of these famous mirrors. In the same way, he tells the catch of Syracuse, organized during the night not by fear of the sun, but to benefit from the general relaxation at the time three days of festivities (liberally sprinkled) in the honor of the goddess Diane. (XXV-23) At all events, in 212, the Romans seize the city and put it at bag. This occasion, a soldier disobeys the orders and kills Archimedes in his house, while he contemplated geometrical figures.

  • At the beginning of the 4th century, martyrdom of the syracusaine holy Lucie (or holy Luce): the Romans made it burn sharp. The legend tells that she did not die and that it had to be transpierced with a sword. It is the owner of Syracuse.

(Since the years 1950, much of underwater excavations were also led in Sicily and in particular in the area of Syracuse. Excavations in the wearing of Syracuse revealed vestiges of the old small port, or lakkios, a mole, as well as walls of the port. In the isthmus, much of objects of the traditional time were found. Greek marble gutters of the traditional time, and marble columns were also found. Thucydide mentions the port in its Histoires (14.42). This port was known under the name `the port out of marble' in certain writings. The Roman historian Florus describes it to us in his book (Book II, CH. 6, section 34) and Cicéron in its fifth speech against Verres describes us the port (CH. 37, section 95)).

See http://gmsbc.blogspot.com

The Middle Ages

In front of the risk to see the Buckwheat S invading the Sicily, the Byzantine emperor Constant II takes in 663 the historic decision to transfer his capital to Syracuse. He dies assassinated in 668 in his Western retirement. The Musulman S conquered the city in 878. The dynasties of the Aghlabides and Kalbite reign on Sicily until in first half of the 11th century. In 1085 the Norman ones replace them and in 1194 Henri VI occupies Syracuse. Under Frederic II the city as well as the whole of the island find its prosperity. At the 13th century, Syracusains receive privileges on behalf of the Aragonese princes in reward of their support against Angevins.

Modern time

The city was several times destroyed by the earthquakes of 1542 and 1693. The epidemic of 1729 did not save Syracusains.

Contemporary time

  • Destruction during the bombardments of 1943.

Monuments and Inheritance

One can observe in the center of the city as in periphery of many ancient ruins, of which a theater.

Greek monuments

  • Temple of Apollo: built towards -565, it is the doric temple oldest of Sicily. Today, there remain only ruins about it.
  • Temple of Athéna (integrated into the cathedral today): built by Gélon into -480.
  • large furnace bridge of Hiéron II built towards -230, where oxen were sacrificed. Nearly 200 meters length.
  • Greek Theater: 15.000 spectators, it is vastest of the island; it is larger than the Théâtre of Épidaure in Greece. Its plan is allotted to Democopos at fifth century BC Diamètre: 138 meters. Plato, Pindare and Euripide attended it.
  • Citadel of Denys the mythological Young person
  • Fountain of Aréthuse: the legend tells that Alphée, god river, continued the nymph Aréthuse (which had bathed in its water) under the appearance of a hunter. Frightened, she flees until in Sicily, where she took refuge on the island of Ortygie, close to Syracuse. Artémis changed it into source. But Alphée, determined, spread its water under the sea as far as Sicily, and emerged in Ortygie in order to amalgamate with Aréthuse.

Roman monuments

  • Amphitheater of Syracuse cut in the rock (1st century/3rd century): capacity of 20.000 spectators; ellipse of 140 meters * 119 meters. Combat of deer and gladiators.
  • Catacombs of Midsummer's Day, 4th century

Other monuments

  • Church of the tear (Madolina beyond lacrime)
  • Church Norman San Nicolo
  • Palazzo Montalto (14th century)
  • Palazzo Lanza (15th century)
  • Palazzo Bellomo: XIIIe - XVe centuries; shelter the Regional Gallery today
  • Cathédrale ( Duomo ) built on the ruins of several places of worship, according to the plans of Andrea Palma as from 1693.
  • Église St Lucia (Santa Lucia)

List sovereigns of Syracuse

Administration

Hamlets

View-point, Cassibile Fontane Bianche, Insulated, Santa Teresa Longarini Scalo, Targia

Communes bordering

Avola, Canicattini Bagni, Floridia, Melilli, Noto, Palazzolo Acréide, Priolo Gargallo, Solarino

See too

  • List of the Italian cities of more than 25.000 inhabitants
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