Syracuse, Italy
Syracuse (
Italian Siracusa,
Sicilian Sarausa,
Greek ,
Latin Syracusa) is a city on the eastern coast of
Sicily and the capital of the
province of Syracuse,
Italy. Once described by
Cicero as "the greatest Greek city and the most beautiful of them all", the ancient core of Syracuse is part of the
UNESCO World Heritage List.
Greek Period
The area of what is today Syracuse has been inhabited since very ancient times, as shown by the findings in the villages of Stentinello, Ognina, Plemmirio, Matrensa, Cozzo Pantano and
Thapsos, which already had relationship with
Mycenaean Greece.
Syracuse was founded in 734 or 733 BC by
Greek settlers from
Corinth, led by the oecist (colonizer) 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, called
Gamoroi, held the 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 also a new theater, designed by Damocopos, which gave the city a flourishing cultural life: this in turn attracted personalities as
Aeschylus, Ario of Metimma, Eumelos of Corinth and
Sappho, who had been exiled here from
Mytilene. The enlarged 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 the event
|
The Greek theatre of Syracuse. |
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 in
Sicily, fighting against the rebellious
Siculi, and on the
Tyrrhenian Sea, making expeditions up to
Corsica and
Elba. In the late
5th century BC, Syracuse found itself at war with
Athens, which sought more resources to fight the
Peloponnesian War. 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 Otrigia island of the city, as well as another 22 km-long walls line that encircled the whole of Syracuse. After another period of expansion, which saw the destruction of Naxos,
Catania and
Lentini, the city entered again in 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 enlarge further 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 several times Syracuse.
His successor was
Dionysius the Younger, who was however 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, 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 with a coup in
317 BC. He resumed the war against Carthage, with alternate fortunes. He however scored a moral success, bringing the war to the Carthaginians' native African soil, inflicting heavy losses to the enemy. The war, however, ended with another treaty of peace which did not prevent the Carthaginians 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 the most famous Syracusan lived, the
natural philosopher Archimedes. Among his many inventions were various military engines including the
claw of Archimedes, later used to resist a
Roman siege. Literature figures included
Theocritus and others.
|
The siege of Syracuse in a 17th century engraving. |
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 a peace, but 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 declining slowly by 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 the 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 centres of proselytism in the West. In the age the persecutions massive
catacombs were carved, whose size is second only to Rome's ones.
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 sack of the city, inaugurated two centuries of
Muslim rule. Syracuse lost its capital status in favour of
Palermo. The Cathedral was turned into a
mosque and the quarter on the Ortygia island was gradually rebuilt along Islamic styles. The city, anyway, 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 favoured a rise of trades, Syracuse was conquered 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. The preeminence of baronal families is also showed by the construction of the palaces of Abela, Chiaramonte, Nava, Montalto.
|
The Cathedral of Syracuse. |
Modern Syracuse
The city in the following centuries was struck by two ruinous earthquakes in
1542 and
1693, and, in
1729, by a plague. The 17th century destruction changed forever the appearance of Syracuse, as well as the entire
Val di Noto, whose cities were rebuilt along the typical lines of
Sicilian Baroque, 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. The punishment was the move of the province capital seat to
Noto, but the unrest had not been totally choked, as the Siracusani 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 the German bombings in
1943. After the end of
World War 2 the northern quarters of Syracuse experienced a heavy, often chaotic, expansion, favoured by the quick process of industrialization.
Syracuse today has about 125,000 inhabitants and numerous attractions for the visitor interested in historical sites (such as the
Ear of Dionysius). A process of recovering and restoring the historical centre has been ongoing since the
1990s. Nearby places of note include
Catania,
Noto,
Modica and
Ragusa.
See also
*
List of Tyrants of Syracuse |
Detail of Palazzo Beneventano Del Bosco. |
|
View of Archimede Square. |
Ancient buildings
*The
Temple of Apollo, adapted 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
Theatre, whose
cavea is one of the largest ever built by the ancient Greeks: it 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 also circus games. Near the theatre 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 amphitheatre, of Roman Imperial age. It was partly carved out from the rock. In the centre of the area is a rectangular space which was used for the scenic machinery.
* The so-called
Tomb of Archimede, in the Grotticelli Nechropolis. Decorated with two Doric columns, it was a Roman tomb.
* The
Temple of Olympian Zeus, about 3 km outside the city, 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 artipieces of the interior are a font 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 still preserved include the portal, the three half-circular apses and the first two orders of the belfry. Under the church are 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). It houses a painting of the
Death of Saint Benedict by the
Caravaggisti Mario Minniti.
*
Chiesa della Concezione (14th century, rebuilt in the 18th century), with the annexed Benedictine convent.
*
Church of San Francesco all'Immacolata, with a convex façade intermingled by columns and pilaster strips. It housed and ancient celebration, the Svelata ("Revelation"), in which an image of the Madonna was unveiled at dawn of
November 29.
*Basilica of
St. John the Evangelist, 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 sights
*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), which conserves the old façade from the 14th century, with a pointed portal.
*The
Archbishop's Palace (
17th century, modified in the following century). It 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, with parts of the original 16th century building surviving.
*
Palazzo Beneventano del Bosco, originally built in the Middle Ages but extensively modified between 1779 and 1788. It has a pleasant internal court.
*
Palazzo Migliaccio (
15th century), with notable lava inlay decorations.
*The
Senate Palace, housing in the court an 18th century
coach.
*The
Castle of Euryalos, built nine kilometres outside the city by Dionysius the Elder and which was one of the most powerful fortresses of ancient times. It had three moats with a series of underground galleries which allowed the defenders to remove the materials the attackers could use to fill them.
One city and six small
municipalities in the
United States have been named after Syracuse:
*
Syracuse, New York*
Syracuse, Indiana *
Syracuse, Kansas *
Syracuse, Missouri *
Syracuse, Nebraska *
Syracuse, Ohio *
Syracuse, Utah*
Siracusa Family *
ItalianVisits.com
