Sicily

Greek Colonization.

This begins with the foundation in 735 B.C., of the Sicilian Naxos by Chalcidians of Euboea under Theocles. The next year Corinth began her system of settlement in the west: Corcyra, the path to Sicily, and Syracuse were planted as parts of one enterprise. From this time, for about 150 years, Greek settlement goes steadily on. The east coast, nearest to Greece and richest in good harbours, was occupied first. Here, between Naxos and Syracuse, arose the Ionian cities of Leontini and Catana (729 B.c.), and the Dorian Megara Hyblaea (726 B.C.). Settlement on the south-western coast began in 691-90 B.C. with the joint Cretan and Rhodian settlement of Gela, and went on in the foundations of Selinus (the most distant Greek city on this side), of Camarina (598 B.c.), and in 582 B.C. of the Geloan settlement of Acragas (Agrigentum, Girgenti), planted on a high hill, a little way from the sea, which became the second city of Hellenic Sicily. On the north coast the Ionian Himera (founded in 648 B.c.) was the only Greek city in Sicily itself, but the Cnidians founded Lipara in the Aeolian Islands. At the north-east corner, opposite to Italy, and commanding the strait, arose Zancle, a city of uncertain date (first quarter of the 8th century B.c.) and mixed origin, better known as Messana (Messene, Messina).

But there were also independent Sicel towns in the interior, and there was a strong religious intercommunion between the two races. Sicel Henna (Enna, Castrogiovanni) is the special seat of the worship of Demeter and her daughter.

In the 7th century B.C. and the early part of the 6th the Greek cities of Sicily had their full share in the general prosperity. Their political constitutions were aristocratic, but civil dissensions led very early to the rise of tyrants. The most famous if not the first is Phalaris (q.v.) of Acragas (Agrigentum). Under his rule the city at once sprang to the first place in Sicily, and he was the first Siceliot ruler who held dominion over two Greek cities, Acragas and Himera. This time of prosperity was also a time of intel lectual progress. Stesichorus of Himera (c. 632-556 B.c.) holds a great place among the lyric poets of Greece. The architecture and sculpture of this age have also left some of their most remarkable monuments among the Greek cities of Sicily, especially at Selinus. In this period, too, begins the fine series of Sicilian coins (see NUMISMATICS : Sicily).

Growth of Tyrannies.

A change began in the 6th century. The Phoenician settlements in Sicily became dependent on Carthage, whose growing power began to be dangerous to the Greeks of Sicily. Meanwhile the growth of tyrannies in the Greek cities was beginning to group several towns together under a single master, and thus to increase the greatness of particular cities at the expense of their freedom. Thus Theron of Acragas (488-472)7

acquired also, like Phalaris, the rule of Himera. Anaxilaus of Rhegium, occupied Zancle and changed its name to Messana.

The Deinomenid dynasty, began at Gela in 505, and was in 485 translated by Gelon (q.v.) to Syracuse. That city now became the centre of a greater dominion over both Greeks and Sicels than the island had ever before seen. But Gelon, like several later tyrants of Syracuse, takes his place—and it is the redeem ing point in the position of all of them—as the champion of Hellas against the barbarian. Gelon was followed by his brother Hieron (478-467), the special subject of the songs of Pindar, whose influence extended as far as Italy, where he supported Locri against Anaxilaus of Rhegium and Cumae against the Etruscans. Acragas meanwhile flourished under Theron; but a war between him and Hieron led to slaughter and new settlement at Himera.

None of these tyrannies was long-lived. The power of Theron fell to pieces under his son Thrasydaeus. When the power of Hieron passed in 467 B.C. to his brother Thrasybulus the freedom of Syracuse was won by a combined movement of Greeks and Sicels. About 5o years of great prosperity followed. Art, science, poetry had all been encouraged by the tyrants. Empedocles of Acragas is best known from the legends of his miracles and of his death in the fires of Aetna ; but he was not the less philosopher, poet and physician, besides his political career. Gorgias (q.v.) of Leontini had a still more direct influence on Greek culture, as father of the technical schools of rhetoric throughout Greece. Architecture, too, advanced, and the Doric style gradually lost somewhat of its ancient massiveness.

During this time of prosperity there was no dread of Car thaginian inroads. But now comes the great Sicel movement under Ducetius, who, between force and persuasion, came nearer towards uniting his people into one body than had ever been done before by founding the new city of Palicae in the plain. His power grew, and Acragas could withstand him only by the help of Syracuse.

But his work was cut short by his death in 44o, though his founda tion of Kale Akte lived on, and we presently hear of Sicel towns under kings and tyrants, all marking an approach to Greek life.

Interference of Athens.

Sicilian isolation was broken in upon by the great Peloponnesian War. The Siceliot cities were drawn into alliance with one side or the other, till the main interest of Greek history gathers for a while round the Athenian attack on Syracuse.