Sicily

Lying as it does between Europe and Africa, Sicily, the oft-called 'melting pot of the ancient world', has been touched, changed and marked by a myriad of cultures - first the Greeks and the Romans, then the Arabs and Normans, and finally, the French, Spanish and Italians, all of them contributing to an unparalleled historical legacy. This multi-faceted lineage is evidenced in the fascinating mix of art and architecture - including two of the best-preserved Greek temples in the world - as well as in the mixed appearances of the inhabitants, ranging from the red-haired and blonde and blue-eyed Norman descendants, to the dark-eyed Mediterranean natives.
A human skull found near Agrigento was dated to over half a million years old years old, and, at the time of its discovery, was the oldest complete human skull ever found in Europe. Cave paintings found in the Addaura Cavern, beneath the slopes of Mount Pellegrino near Palermo, have been dated to 8000 BC, and suggest that the Neolithic culture that eventually emerged here was quite similar to those of central and western Europe. At around 5000 BC, the Siculi and Sicani cultures (that gave the island its name) were developing, and, at around 900 BC the Phoenicians began to colonise the area, founding Carthage in North Africa and Mozia, Solunto and Palermo in Sicily.
Greek colonisation of Sicily probably began around 750 BC, and they founded cities such as Syracuse, Catania, Zancle (now Messina), Gela, and Selinus. In time, Sicily and the southern part of the Italian peninsula would be completely colonised by Greeks, becoming known as Magna Graecia (Greater Greece) as it boasted more Greeks (and probably more Greek temples) than Greece itself. Sicilian Magna Graecia was extremely fertile - olives and vines were introduced, and there was a great deal of very profitable trading. Rivalries developed, and internal battles were frequent and bloody. The Greek settlements, initially democratic in nature, became tyrannical, and war-time alliances were formed. In BC 480, at the battle of Himera, an alliance of Agrigento, Syracuse and Gela defeated the Carthaginians, heralding the beginning of a 'Golden Age'.
In time, however, Carthaginian invaders came to have control over more than half of the island. Interlopers from mainland Greece seized the bulk of what remained, and Sicily became a battleground for the rival empires. A century of antagonism between Greeks and Carthaginians was followed by strife between Romans and Carthaginians, which flared in 264 BC with the first of the Punic Wars. Syracuse fell during the second Punic War (BC 211), heralding the beginning of more than 500 years of Roman rule.
Under the Romans Sicily may have been prosperous, but her resources were depleted. Forests were destroyed for shipbuilding and the fields subsequently created filled the 'Breadbasket of Rome'. Economic development was throttled by the large estates (Latifundia) that were created by the Romans, whose rule was notoriously corrupt, with slave revolts being quashed without mercy. Despite the fact that many Greek temples were destroyed, the Greek culture and language retained their importance and influence.
Christianity began to seriously spread into Sicily sometime after 200 AD, and, in 313, the Emperor Constantine lifted the prohibition against Christians as the Roman Empire began to look eastwards towards Constantinople. Following the decline of the Roman Empire, Sicily was in turn invaded and occupied by Vandals from northern Africa, Ostrogoths and Byzantines. By the ninth century it was the turn of Arabs, Berbers and Spanish Muslims, classed collectively as Saracens.
In 832 AD Arabs conquer Palermo - it becomes their capital and transforms itself into one of the most flourishing cosmopolitan places in the world. It is at this time that oranges and lemons are grown commercially for the first time, and advanced irrigation were put in place. The previously swingeing taxes are reduced, and a period of relative religious tolerance is witnessed - roughly 50 years later Syracuse also falls to the Arabs.
The Arabs were eventually displaced by the Norman conquest of Sicily (1060–91). It was a Norman knight called Roger de Hauteville who took and held the fortress with his brothers and just a few hundred knights hailing from Normandy, Lombardy and southern Italy. This operation was to form the plan of action for the Battle of Hastings against the Saxons just a few years later - it is held that several knights were present at both clashes. The Norman presence was so slight that they were obliged to accept and adapt to the pre-existing administrative and judicial systems. Their embracing and use of Arabic and Byzantine methodology, architecture and craftsmen resulted in a unique fusion of styles, and a remarkable and enduring legacy of art and architecture.
Roger the Second became the first king of Sicily in 1130; he was invested by Pope Innocent II with the Kingdom of Sicily, including the Norman conquests of southern Italy. Roger ll exerted a strong influence over the Meditteranean region; he ruled most of Italy south of Rome, and the realm was the wealthiest in Europe.
Roger's last direct descendant, Constance, married the Holy Roman Emperor Henry VI; their son and heir, Holy Roman Emperor Frederick II von Hohenstaufen ascended to the throne in 1198. Frederick (known as Stupor Mundi) was an enlightened ruler, and oversaw Sicily at the height of its Golden Age. In truth, he ruled most of Italy and parts of Germany, and he was an admired and brilliant Emperor - his reign saw great advances in science, law and medicine. However, he had no children, and after his death, Sicily was sold by the Pope to the King of England, who in turn gifted it to his son, Edmund of Lancaster. As you do.
In 1266 the (French) Pope deposed Edmund, and proceeds to gift Sicily to the French in the person of Charles of Anjou, the brother of Louis 14th. Sicilian independence was at an end, and the Angevin dynasty of France proceeded to rule the island with such oppression and exploitation as it had never previously experienced. Crippling taxes were levied, and land and property were arbitrarily carved up among French aristocrats. There was a bloody revolt in 1282, when the War of the Sicilian Vespers saw Angevin troops and nobles expelled from Sicily, with thousands of French occupiers massacred.
The crown of Sicily was offered to Peter of Aragon, who gladly accepted. He lands at Trapani in 1282 and is acclaimed king at Palermo; excepting brief periods Sicily was ruled from Spain for the next four centuries, isolating her from both Sicily and the rest of Italy. During the 14th, 15th and 16th centuries there was corrupt and ineffectual government; power was held by the church and assorted noblemen, disease and poverty were rife, and the island was plundered to fuel Spanish expansionism. The Inquisition put an end to religious tolerance, and the people were ousted from their land as the feudal system was forcedly reintroduced.
The birth of the Mafia can perhaps be traced to the 16th century, when Sicilians adopted a code of silence - omerta - as a defence against prosecution. No respite during the 17th century, as repression continued apace and any attempt at protest was brutally slammed down, especially the revolts of Palermo and Messina. In 1713 the Treaty of Utrecht assigned Sicily to Savoy, which went on to exchange it for Sardinia with Emperor Charles VI.
During the War of Polish Succession, Don Carlos of Bourbon (later becoming Charles III of Spain) re-conquered the kingdoms of Naples and Sicily. The year 1815 sees the defeat of Napoleon and the British (administrators from 1806-1815) abandon Sicily to the Bourbons. Ferdinand IV of Naples (Ferdinand III of Sicily) officially merged the kingdoms of Sicily and Naples in 1816 and titled himself 'Ferdinand I of the Two Sicilies'. A popular uprising in 1820 forced Ferdinand to concede a constitution, but Austrian intervention in 1821, post the Congress of Laibach, saw his absolute power restored. Sicily and Naples were to fall to the forces of Garibaldi in 1860, and, in 1861, Gaeta, the 'Two Sicilies' became part of the Kingdom of Italy.
Post unification, Sicily continued to be largely ignored by central government, and economic and social problems remained unattended. New and important industries came to be developed in northern, not southern Italy, with a resultant inversion of emigration patterns. Northern Italy used to be an area from which people emigrated, but the 20th century reversed this trend, and the increasingly poor south of Italy saw millions leave for the Americas between 1890 and 1930. In 1943, after years of depression and poverty, Sicily welcomed the Allies as liberators.
Post war years saw an improvement in standards of living, but it also saw widespread corruption, with funds from the Marshall plan to reconstruct areas ruined by Allied bombing were misappropriated. What construction did occur during the 1960's boom was concrete, sprawling, unregulated and ugly.
The Sicilian people have a high level of awareness of their ancient and mediaeval past, and many of them study Latin and Greek at school. The islanders are increasingly aware of their unique heritage, and increased efforts are being made to preserve and to celebrate their artistic and cultural heritage.
La Sicilia è l'isula cchiù granni di lu mari Mediterraneu, ed è puru la riggioni Italiana cchiù granni. La Sicilia è un dodicesimu di lu tirritoriu Italianu. A Sicilia pigghiò u nomu da li Siculi, un populu ca accumincia la sô storia nta tempi luntani. Pi la sô furma triangulari, a Sicilia, prima di essiri chiamata accussì, fu chiamata da li Greci, Trinacria, chi veni a diri Terra a tri Punti, picchi la Sicilia effettivamentri è la terra di li tri promontori: Capu Faru,o Peloru, a Est, pressu Messina; Capu Boeo, o Lilibeu, a Ovest, pressu Marsala; e Capu Di l'Isula di li Currenti, a Sud, pressu Capu Passaru.
A Sicilia è bagnata da l'acqui tebbiti di tri mari: Mari Ioniu, a Nord, Mari di Sicilia, a Sud, e mari Egeu, a Est. Tutti tri sti mari, ni la giografia mundiali, hannu un nomu sulu: Mari Miditerraniu, chi significa "mari mmenzu li terri".
A Sicilia avi, nto lu Miditerraneu, na bonissima pusizioni stratigica, cu lu Strittu di Gibilterra a Ovest, lu canali di Suez a Sud e lu strittu di Messina a Est. Lu puntu cchiù vicinu a l'Italia, nni lu strittu di Missina, è di tri chilometri e mezzu. U puntu cchiù vicinu a lu Cuntinenti Africanu, nto Canali di Sicilia è di centucinquanta chilometri.
È nta la Sicilia chi avemu lu vulcanu cchiù granni d'Europa, cu n'artizza di 3263 metri, o quasi dudici mila pedi. La basi di lu vulcanu è di 200 chilometri. A stu vulcanu, duranti la dominazioni araba, ci fu datu, di l'Arabi, lu nomu di "mungibeddu", chi, comu viditi, sta parola, avi la radici latina Mons(munti), e chidda araba Gebel chi n arabu voli diri puru munti.
Ora, nun sacciu pirchì l'Arabi vosiru chiamari lu Munti Etna; "Munti-Munti", ammenocchì, lu ficiru pi maggiuri rispettu, comu diri ca lu Munti Etna è lu patri di tutti limunti.
La sicilia è bagnata di lu mari Ioniu a Est, di lu mari Tirrenu a Nord e di lu mari di Sicilia a Sud. Sti tri mari sunnu, naturalmenti, unu, cu lu nomu di Mari Mediterraneu, chi significa: "Mari mmenzu li terri". La Sicilia avi n'area di circa 10,000.00 migghia quatrati e na populazioni di 5,000,000.00 di pirsoni. Un quartu di la pupulazioni travagghia nta l'agricultura, e lu restu travagghianu cu lu cummerciu, servizio civili e avutri occupazioni di serviziu. La Sicilia produci citru, granu duru, vegetali, oliva e racina pi tavulu e pi vinu.
L'industri Siciliani producinu sali chimici, surfaru, materii chimichi, navi, midicinali, ogghiu crudu e raffinatu, e manciari processatu. L'economia di li cità costali è regulata di cchiù di l'industria di la pisca. La Sicilia avi na storia antica chi ci duna la prima luci a circa 3000 anni fa. Di li primi genti nta la Sicilia videmu l'Elymi ( forsi di la Libia), i Sicani (forsi di la pinisula iberica) e li Siculi (di lu Laziu). Finu dû principiu a Sicilia fu visitata di assai e diffirenti genti chi ficiru risidenza saltuaria nta l'Isula. Li Finici, ca fundaru Palermu, Li Greci chi chiamaru a Sicilia Trinacria e stabileru assai cità e paisi e li Cartaginisi, chi cummatteru assai guerri supra lu nostru territoriu.
Cu lu tempu a cità di Siracusa addivintò na granni putenza e lu tirannu Hiero II accupò la maggiuranza di la Sicilia, nclusi la putenza di Agrigentu, Gela, Himera, Catania e Messina. Versu lu 350 A.C. i Rumani, chiamati da li Mamertini di Messina, ntervinniru nta la Sicilia, contru Siracusa e Cartagini, pricipitannu la prima guerra punica chi durò 23 anni. Cu li Rumani chi vinceru la guerra contru li Cartaginesi, Roma occupò tutta la Sicilia, e, mentri Roma apparentimenti lassò li Siciliani libbiri di cuvirnarsi pi cuntu d'iddi, nni lu stissu tempu ci misi supra certi tassi, ma accussi pisanti, ca si diceva ca la Sicilia era lu granariu di Roma.
L'occupazioni rumana durò assai, e fici la Sicilia lu tiatru di l'avutri dui guerri punichi. Nta lu V seculu d.C. a Sicilia fu accupata da li Vandali e poi da li Goti, finu chi finalmenti cadiu nta li manu di l'Imperu Bizantinu. Nta lu IX seculu A.C., l'Arabi Musulmani, chi p'assai tempu avianu cuminciatu ad allargari lu sô imperu tra tutti li nazioni custeri di lu Mediterraneu, accuparu a Sicilia, e cuvirnaru l'Isola pi circa 250 anni. Li Mori, comu foru chiamati poi l'Arabi Musulmani, nsemi a la firocità c'avianu, purtaru puru grannissimi arricchimenti di littiratura, arti, filosofia ecc. di li quali lassaru un forti signali nta la nostra Isula.
Nta l'XI Seculu d.C., li Nurmanni, e n particulari Ruggeru I, assicutò fora di la Sicilia l'Arabi, e poi so figghiu Ruggeru II stabiliu lu regnu di Sicilia e Bassa Italia. Mentri la Sicilia avia statu economicamenti spussiduta di ogni accupazioni chi cci avia statu, sutta li Nurmanni l'Isula fioriu cu l'arti e cummerciu e divintò la nvidia di tutta l'Europa, pirchì lu modu di viviri di li Siciliani strapassò d'assai lu modu di viviri di lu regnu cchiù riccu di lu munnu canusciutu d'allura.
Di li Nurmanni, a fini di la dinastia, cu lu matrimoniu di Costanza (l'urtima eredi di li Nurmanni) cu Enrico VI, mpiraturi di lu Sacru Rumanu Imperu, lu putiri iiu nta li manu di la dinastia Astreca di li Hohenstaufen. Fediricu II, figghiu di Costanza, puru iddu mpiraturi di lu Sacru Rumanu Imperu, si adopirò, comu sô nannu Ruggeru II, pi lu migghiuramentu di la Sicilia, facennu, tra l'avutri cosi, assai riformi amministrativi. Sutta d'iddu a Sicilia raggiunsi l'apugiu di lu benessiri e prosperità dannu a la Sicilia lu titulu di "Paradisu di l'Europa".
Dopu d'iddu, lu Papatu misi nto tronu L'Angivinu Carlu I. Carlu fu accussì opprissivu finu a lu puntu di causari la rivuluzioni canusciuta comu li Vespri Siciliani(1282), e, doppu di chistu, li Siciliani si scelsiru comu re a Petru III d'Aragona, re di Spagna. Stu fattu spartiu lu regnu di li dui Sicili, lassannu l'angivini supra lu tronu di Napuli. Petru d'Aragona detti a la Sicilia libirtà quasi totali. Dopu d'iddu, cu l'unificazioni di la Spagna e cu l'avventu di la Dinastia Asburgu, a Sicilia cadiu di novu ni la tirannia. Nto 1713 a Sicilia fu data a la casa Savoia, ma sulu pi picca anni e poi riturnò a la Dinastia Asburgu. Nto 1734 a Sicilia e lu regnu di Napuli ieru nta li manu di li Burboni, e cu l'avventu a lu tronu di Spagna di Carlu re di lu dui Sicili, sô figghiu, Ferdinannu I, fu fattu re di li dui Sicili.
Nta lu 1806, li francisi ci livaru a Ferdinannu I lu regnu di Napuli, e iddu si ritirò 'n Sicilia, e dopu li guerri napolionichi, Ferdinannu I ancora na vota fu re di li dui Sicili. Nta lu 1860 Giuseppi Garibaldi, cu li sô ligindari 1000 Camici Rossi, sbarcò a Marsala, catturò a Siclia, chi poi divintò parti di l'Italia unita. Duranti la Secunna Guerra Mondiali, a Sicilia suffriu l'occupazioni Nazista, e a Sicilia, e precisamenti ni li campagni di Catania, fu novamenti tiatru di un cummattimentu firoci, unni cchiù di 10000 omini, tra Germanisi, Italiani e Alleati persiru la vita. A stu puntu eranu li cosi a lu 10 di Lugliu, 1943.