GREEK CITIES IN SICILY

GREEK CITIES IN

• Magna Græcia (Latin meaning "Great Greece", Greek: Μεγάλη Ἑλλάς, Megálē Hellás) is the name of the coastal areas of Southern Italy on the Tarentine Gulf that were extensively colonized by Greek settlers; particularly the colonies of Tarentum, Croton, Sybaris and Syracuse, but also, more loosely, the cities of Cumae and Neapolis to the north. The colonists, who began arriving in the 8th century BC, brought with them their Hellenic civilization, which was to leave a lasting imprint in Italy, particularly on the culture of ancient Rome.

Syracuse

• Syracuse is a city of Italy on the east coast of Sicily. • Founded by the ancient Greeks in 734 BC or 733 . • It was the most important city of Magna Graecia and one of the most important ancient Greek cities. • The impressive ruins of the ancient city center is a UNESCO World Heritage. • In Southeastern Sicily, the ruins of Syracuse still survive today.

• In 485 BC Gelon the tyrant of Gela came to conquer them. • Gelon had created a powerful coalition of cities, which included the three most powerful cities of southwestern Sicily: Syracuse, Gela and the Agrigento.

• This powerful coalition eventually led to conflict with the Carthaginians • Gelon died in 478 BC and was succeeded by his brother Hieron.

• The Hieron died in 467 BC and was succeeded by his brother Thrasybulus. • Thrasybulus did not have the capabilities of his predecessors and was deposed by a revolution

• After the fall of tyranny, the city was dominated by the democratic party. Between 458 and 452 BC the indigenous inhabitants of Sicily, the Sicilians have created a powerful state within the island and occupied some Greek and Punic cities of the coast.

• Athens was involved in the events of Sicily in 427 BC by sending a small force to help Rhegium and Leontinous threatened by Syracuse.

• In 416 BC in response to the assistance requested by the city Egesta from Athens to protect against attacks from the neighboring Selinus, was organized in Athens by the great Sicilian expedition.

• The Egesta after the failure of Athens to offer aid turned to Carthage. They responded by sending a large army with General Hannibal. • The Syracusans elected General Dionysius.

• He became tyrant at 406 BC. • Dionysius then occupied towns of eastern Sicily managed to control most of the eastern part of the island. • In 398 BC campaigned against the bases of Punic Sicily and was able to conquer Punic city Motyi.

• Following these developments the Carthaginians sent troops to Sicily, conquered Messina and then besieged the same Syracuse. The Syracusans reinforcing with thirty ships of the Spartans defeated the Carthaginians and defeated them at sea.

• Dionysius died in 367 BC and was succeeded by his son Dionysius the Younger. • Dionysius the Younger was overthrown by General Dio. • Dio was assassinated a year later by the leader of his opponents, the Kallipo who was murdered two years later.

• Then followed in Syracuse a period of anarchy which resulted in 346 BC when the city's control was taken by Dionysius the Younger.

• In 339 BC the Carthaginians tried again campaign in Sicily. Timoleon Krimiso faced them. Then he turned against some tyrants Greek cities, some of whom were allied with the Carthaginians and executed or deposed.

• The Carthaginians after the defeat of the last allies in Sicily had to make peace with Timoleon. • Timoleon died in 337 BC having managed to repel the Carthaginians and to strengthen the city of Syracuse.

• The period of Agathocles • In 316 BC took over the tyrant Agathocles. • The Agathocles aimed at creating a strong statecentered Syracuse and soon turned against the Carthaginians who were the strongest obstacle to his ambitions.

• Having failed to defeat in Sicily decided to transfer the war in Africa. • Agathocles died in 289 BC having created a great state. • Syracusians called for help Pyrrhus

• Pyrrhus defeated the Carthaginians • After the departure of Pyrrhus as Syracuse went into a period of political instability, which ended in 275 BC by climbing to power of Hieron, who imposed a tyrannical regime. • The Romans then besieged Syracuse and conquered in 212 BC after a siege of a year.

GELA • Gela was founded in 688 BC on the south coast of Sicily, near the river Gela, from Cretan and Rhodian colonists 45 years after the founding of Syracuse.

• The name “Gela” prevailed, from the native name of the nearby river (Gelas).

• Gela flourished and, after only a century, a group of Gela’s people founded many other colonies (Agrigento) . Most of the colonies was completely independent from Gela.

• Hippocrates was the second tyrant of Gela and ruled from 498 BC to 491 BC. • Gela began its expansion phase .Hippocrates dreamed to conquer all of southeastern Sicily in order to build a great state with Gela as its capital.

• During his government, his city became the most powerful and flourishing among the Greek colonies in Sicily. • Hippocrates was killed during an attack on the Sicel city of Hybla .

• In two centuries the warlike spirit of the colonists of Gela achieved to control the most of Sicily.

• Most of the cities didn’t resist because they couldn’t or they would have profits in near feature by cooperating in realm of trading so they surrendered.

• The economy started flourishing for next two centuries because of trade and that gave the chance to arts to be enhanced

• In 480 BC, the metropolitan Greeks had to overcome the dangerous Persian invasion. • Greece asked Gelon for military aid. Gelon agreed to help the motherland, only under the condition that he would be the commander-in-chief of the Greek allied forces

• It was a way to deny the appeal of the metropolitan Greeks. Gelon couldn’t split his army because it wasn’t much populated so because the Sicilian Greeks were expecting at any moment the Punic invasion they chose not to help the metropolis.

• GREEK-PUNIC WARS • The Greek-Punic Wars or, the Sicilian Wars, were a series of conflicts fought between the Carthaginians and the Greeks, led by Syracusans , over control of Sicily and the western Mediterranean between 600 BC and 265 BC.

• They were the longest lasting wars of classical antiquity they were divided into three parts . Finally in the third part Romans captured and destroyed the city of Carthage in 146 B.C and dominated the sicilian region which entailed the end of the wars.

Messina • The Messina is the third largest city of Sicily and capital of the homonymous province. • The city's economy is mainly based on the port that serves both commercial and military purposes and has many shipyards. • The agricultural development of the region is in citrus production and then fruit, vegetables and wine.

• The city was founded during the 8th century BC. The original name of the city was Zanglis • In 397 BC Messina destroyed by the Carthaginians and defeated them in battle of Messina.

• The 288 was besieged and captured by the mercenaries Mamertinous.

• The Mamertini held the city for 20 years. Because they unleashed attacks against neighboring cities the tyrant Hieron of Syracuse marched against them defeated them in Mills and then besieged Messina.

• To help the Mamertini turned to Carthage and Rome leading to the outbreak of the first Punic War. The Romans prevailed and took control of the city remained Roman until the fall of the Roman Empire.

AGRIGENTO-AKRAGANTAS

• Agrigento was founded in 582 B.C , it is on the south coast of Sicily in Italy and is the capital of the homonymous province. • In ancient times, was known as Akragantas, one of the foremost cities of Magna Graecia.

• Agrigento developed rapidly and became one of the wealthiest Greek colonies. • The city remained neutral during the conflict in the cities of Athens and Syracuse.

• At the end of the war came into the hands of the Romans, who renamed the city to Agrigentum. • There were a lot of greek speaking people who at the the 44 B.C when Julius Ceasar died became roman citizens.

• The city was founded during the 8th century BC. The original name of the city was Zanglis • In 397 BC Messina destroyed by the Carthaginians and defeated them in battle of Messina. • The 288 was besieged and captured by the mercenaries Mamertinous.

• The Mamertini held the city for 20 years. Because they unleashed attacks against neighboring cities the tyrant Hieron of Syracuse marched against them defeated them in Mills and then besieged Messina.

• To help the Mamertini turned to Carthage and Rome leading to the outbreak of the first Punic War. The Romans prevailed and took control of the city remained Roman until the fall of the Roman Empire.

HIMERA • The Himera was the first Greek colony in the northern part of Sicily. • Himera was founded during the 7th century BC by settlers who came from Messina. • Diodorus Siculus puts the founding of the city 240 years before its destruction by the Carthaginians which means that was founded in 648 B.C. • Along with the first settlers Syracusans came to Himera that is why people’s language had like Chalkidaiki and Dorian dialect.

WAR OF HIMERA • The intervention of Amiklas led to the first major conflict between Greeks and Carthaginians in Sicily. • The Amiklas with a big army went to western Sicily and from there to Himera who defended the city. According to reports the Carthaginian army reached the 300,000 men.

• During the battle Amiklas was killed and Carthaginians retreated. The battle took place in 480 BC and according to the reports was the same day as the Battle of Salamis

Selinountas • The Selinountas was ancient Greek colony in Sicily. • The city was founded during the 7th century BC • From the information we have on the territory of the town seems to know prosperity and wealth during the 6th and 5th century BC • The main opponent was the town Egesta

• Selinountas asked the help of Syracuse Egesta the Athenians to turn for help. • After the failure of the Athenian mission to Sicily Egesta the left defenseless and fled to the Carthaginians for help. • The Carthaginians gathered a large army and led by Hannibal landed in Sicily, Punic city Lilyvaio and from there went to Selinus.

• Selinountas remained subordinate to the Carthaginians till 383 BC when it came under the control of Syracuse.

• During the first Punic war, Selinountas found in the heart of conflict in the region. Shortly before the end of the war, the Carthaginians totally destroyed and its inhabitants moved to Lilyvaio

• A project made by : • Lapatsanis Miltiades • Mitsopoulos Dimitris