Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
Greeks & Phoenicians
The acquisition of Sicily was an obvious step for the ever-expanding Greek city-states. Fol-
lowing the earlier lead of the Elymians, the Chalcidians landed on Sicily's Ionian Coast in
735 BC and founded a small settlement at Naxos. They were followed a year later by the
Corinthians, who built their colony on the southeastern island of Ortygia, calling it Syra-
coussai (Syracuse). The Chalcidians went further south from their own fort and founded a
second town called Katane (Catania) in 729 BC, and the two carried on stitching towns and
settlements together until three-quarters of the island was in Hellenic hands.
The growing Greek power in the south and east created tensions with the Phoenicians,
who had settled on the western side of the island around 850 BC; in turn, the Phoenicians'
alliance with the powerful city-state of Carthage (in modern-day Tunisia) was of serious
concern to the Greeks. By 480 BC the Carthaginians were mustering a huge invading force
of some 300,000 mercenaries. Commanded by one of their great generals, Hamilcar, the
force landed on Sicily and besieged Himera (near Termini Imerese), but the vast army was
defeated by the crafty Greek tyrant Gelon, whose troops breached Hamilcar's lines by pre-
tending to be Carthaginian reinforcements.
A much-needed period of peace followed in Sicily. The Greek colonies had lucrative
trade deals thanks to the island's rich resources, and the remains of their cities testify to
their wealth and sophistication.
With the advent of the Peloponnesian Wars, Syracuse decided to challenge the hege-
mony of mainland Greece. Athens, infuriated by the Sicilian 'upstart', decided to attack
Syracuse in 415 BC, mounting the 'Great Expedition' - the largest fleet ever assembled.
Despite the fleet's size and Athens' confidence, Syracuse fought back and the mainland
Greek army suffered a humiliating defeat.
Though Syracuse was celebrating its victory, the rest of Sicily was in a constant state of
civil war. This provided the perfect opportunity for Carthage to seek its revenge for
Himera, and in 409 BC a new army led by Hamilcar's bitter but brilliant nephew Hannibal
wreaked havoc in the Sicilian countryside, completely destroying Selinunte, Himera, Agri-
gento and Gela. The Syracusans were eventually forced to surrender everything except the
city of Syracuse itself to Carthage.
