THE CITY OF SYRACUSE

(Detailed information at www.comune.siracusa.it)
Italian  Siracusa,  capital of the Sicilian provincia of Siracusa, Italy. It lies on the east coast of Sicily, 53 km (33 miles) south of Catania. It was the chief Greek city of ancient Sicily.

The Crest of the Community of Syracuse

Syracuse was settled about 734 BCE by Corinthians led by the aristocrat Archias, and the city soon dominated the coastal plain and hill country beyond. The original Greek settlers of the city formed an elite (gamoroi), while the Sicel natives ( Siculi) worked the land as an oppressed class. In the early 5th century BCE, the Syracusans were defeated by Hippocrates of Gela, a city lying to the west. The power of the gamoroi in Syracuse was subsequently ended by a democratic revolution, and in exile the gamoroi supported Hippocrates' successor, Gelon, who captured Syracuse and transferred his government there. Gelon ruled Syracuse from 485 to 478. His defeat of a great Carthaginian invasion in 480 at Himera confirmed his supremacy, and, under him and his brother Hieron, Syracuse attained a high point of power and cultural brilliance. A revolution in 466 overthrew Hieron's successor as tyrant, Thrasybulus, and under a democratic constitution the Syracusans survived wars against the neighbouring city of Acragas and the Siculi, although they had to abandon the territorial empire that Gelon had acquired. Most importantly, the Syracusans survived a long siege by the Athenians (415–413 BCE) that took place during the Peloponnesian War, ultimately destroying the Athenian invasion force in Sicily and weakening Athenian power in Greece itself.

Ruins of the Greek theatre of Hieron II and, above it, a nymphaeum (fountain), Syracuse, Italy (David J. Forbert/Shostal Assoc.)

A few years later Sicily faced a Carthaginian resurgence. But Syracuse was saved from the fate that overtook Acragas and other Sicilian cities by its general, Dionysius the Elder, who obtained autocratic power in 405 and ruled Syracuse as its tyrant until 367. Dionysius fought three wars against the Carthaginians, confining their territorial dominions to the western part of Sicily, and he extended Syracusean control to most of the “foot” of Italy. Under Dionysius, Syracuse became the most splendid and best fortified of all Greek cities. Its naval power was vastly increased, too, until its fleet was the most powerful in the Mediterranean. Dionysius' son Dionysius the Younger saw a decade of peace before his autocracy was challenged by his uncle Dion, who won a brief, bloody civil war but was himself assassinated in 354. The period of civil war that followed was ended by the Corinthian Timoleon, who defeated Carthage and reordered Sicilian affairs (344–336), introducing a moderate oligarchy in Syracuse. In 317 this was overthrown by the adventurer Agathocles, who became tyrant and later king. He established a Syracusan empire that broke up at his death in 289.
In the ensuing chaotic conditions Sicily was rescued by Pyrrhus of Epirus from further Carthaginian encroachments, but his mercenaries later seized Messana (now Messina). Their defeat by Syracuse under a new leader, Hieron II, caused the intervention of Rome, with whom Hieron came to terms. After Hieron's death in 215, the Syracusans became allies of Carthage and were besieged by the Romans in 213. After its fall to the Romans in 211, Syracuse became a provincial capital.
In AD 280 Syracuse was ravaged by Frankish invaders but soon recovered a prosperity that lasted until its capture by the Arabs in 878. During the late Roman and Byzantine periods and under Norman, Swabian, and Spanish rule, Syracuse shared the vicissitudes of the rest of the island. It was shattered by an earthquake in 1693 and owes some of its finest architecture to the ensuing reconstruction efforts. The Allied invasion of Sicily in 1943 during World War II caused Syracuse some damage that was swiftly repaired in a new and greater post-war prosperity. The city is now a centre for processing local agricultural produce and has several other light industries. The harbour, with its commerce and fishery, and tourism are further sources of income.

The Cathedral, built in an ancient temple, and Archimedes’ Square in Syracuse

Syracuse's nucleus is formed by the southward-projecting island of Ortygia, which half-encloses the bay known as the Great Harbour. The remains of antiquity on the continuously inhabited Ortygia are less striking than those in Neapolis, which was long a country district. Archaeological remains in Neapolis include the Greek theatre of Hieron II (3rd century BCE), a Roman amphitheatre (2nd century AD), and an altar of Hieron II, pillaged in 1526 to provide building materials for defensive walls. The nymphaeum (fountain) above the theatre was one of the ancient city's sources of water. Among the most imposing remains of ancient Syracuse are the fortifications of the Epipolae Plateau, which culminate in the Euryalus fort at their western end.
The cathedral on Ortygia, with a fine Baroque facade, incorporates the Doric columns of the temple of Athena that was built as a thanks offering by the Syracusans for their victory at Himera. Architectural reliefs in painted terra-cotta from earlier buildings in this area are preserved in the archaeological museum. The remains of the Temple of Apollo (c. 565 BCE) stand near the bridge from Ortygia to the mainland; another temple of the same period, that of Olympian Zeus, lies on the west side of the Great Harbour. The streets of Ortygia bear witness to the medieval and Renaissance contributions to the charm of Syracuse. The finest 14th-century facade is that of the Montalto Palace. The Bellomo and Parisio palaces incorporate elements of the 13th- to 15th-century Gothic styles. Giovanni Vermexio's Municipal Palace (1628) and Luciano Alì's Beneventano del Bosco Palace (1775) represent the best among many notable survivals of the 17th- and 18th-century city. Pop. (1991 prelim.) mun., 126,136.
(Encyclopaedia Britannica 2008 Ultimate Reference Suite, Chicago, 2008.)

Weather
The weather in June is normally warm in Sicily, the average temperature ranging between 20 and 25oC (68-77oF), while rain is hardly expected (precipitation less than 12 mm in June). At night, a light jacket or sweater may be necessary.

Travel to Syracuse
Syracuse is accessible by air and by car or train.

Out of the three airports of Sicily, closest to Syracuse is the Catania-Fontanarossa Airport, which is the busiest on the island (and one of the busiest in all of Italy). In addition, Palermo hosts the Palermo International Airport, which is also substantially large. The third airport on the island is the Trapani smaller -Birgi Airport.

By car from Central Europe, motorists may drive along the A3 Autostrada to Reggio (Villa San Giovani port) and cross the Straights of Messina by ferry. The follow the toll road A18 Messina-Catania and finally the *** road Catania-Syracuse.

Hotels
In Syracuse, hotels of all classes are available at reasonable prices. Special prices for the participants are obtained with the following hotels (in €) situated within walking distance from the Conference site. For information contact our local travel agent: ****

Book not later than *****, to avoid accommodation problems, using the attached Reservation Form.