Photos of the Remains From Ancient Syracuse, Sicily

By N.S. Gill, About.com Guide

Syracuse, located on the east coast of Sicily, was a colony of Corinth, one of the Greek city-states. In 734 B.C. Archias of Corinth founded a settlement on the island of Ortygia. The colonists soon spread to the mainland at Achradina. Architectural remains from the 6th century B.C. include temples of Apollo, Zeus, and Athena (rebuilt in 480 B.C., and now located inside the cathedral), and an Ionic temple. Syracuse expanded to Tyche and Temenites (Neapolis).

In 415 B.C., during the Peloponnesian War, Athens launched a disastrous expedition to Syracuse: Athenians wound up as slaves working the limestone quarries.

In the early 4th century, Syracuse controlled most of Sicily and part of southern Italy. In the middle of the third century, Sicily became a Punic War battleground. Later, Rome annexed Sicily, following the siege, from 214-212, with the Romans led by Marcellus, during which Archimedes was accidentally killed.

Syracuse became home to the Roman praetor in Sicily.

• 1st Punic War
• Archimedes
• Causes of the Peloponnesian War
• Expansion of Rome

Sources:

• _{The Oxford Classical Dictionary. Simon Hornblower and Anthony Spawforth. © Oxford University Press 1949, 1970, 1996, 2005. Articles: Brian M. Caven "Hieron (2) II" and Arthur Geoffrey Woodhead, Roger J. A. Wilson "Syracuse".}

_{Map: From The Atlas of Ancient and Classical Geography, by Samuel Butler (1907/8).}

1. Syracuse Map
2. Theater
3. Quarries
4. Ear of Dionysius
5. Altar of Hieron
6. Amphitheater

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• Map of Syracuse, Sicily
• Theatre of Syracuse
• Quarries of Syracuse
• The Ear of Dionysius
• Altar of Hieron
• Roman Amphitheater of Syracuse

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