Discover Sicily - a Roman treasure trove

Sicily's prime geographic location in the centre of thecolumns. While there is a small archaeological museum
Mediterranean Basin has meant that, over time,here, most of the original artifacts are in the
settlers and conquerors from the medieval Normans,Palermo's Regional Archaeological Museum.
Aragonese Spanish, Moorish North Africans, ancientTaormina
Greeks, Phoenicians, and Romans have come and,The Greek amphitheatre here, built in the third
except for the latter, mostly, gone. Today, Sicily'scentury BC, was expanded later by the Romans,
Roman ruins are rivaled only by those in Rome, andwho enlarged the stage. The view of Mount Etna and
lovers of Roman archaeology will find a treasurethe sea beyond the theatre is spectacular. During
trove of sites to explore.summer, the theatre stages dramatic performances.
To get an idea of the diversity of Sicily in ancientA much smaller Roman theatre, the odium, is near
times and particularly the range of artifacts from theSanta Caterina church.
Greek and Roman colonizations of the island, visit theTyndaris - Capo Tindari
Museo Archeologico Regionale in Palermo. One ofTyndaris, founded by Dionysius the Elder in 396 BC,
Italy's greatest archaeological museums, it is filledand later destroyed by pillaging conquerors, has been
with rare finds that put the multiple foreignexcavated to display the ruins of everything from a
occupations in perspective. As well, you'll have abasilica to a Roman theatre. Overlooking the sea, the
chance to compare priceless artifacts from thesetting here is magnificent.
island's different civilizations, including those from theVilla Romana del Casale - Piazza Armerina
Phoenician, Punic, Greek, Roman and Saracen periods.This Roman villa, a few kilometers outside town, and
Listed here are some of the best Roman ruins inbuilt between 330 and 360 AD, is one of the largest
Sicily:surviving classical-era Roman dwellings anywhere. The
Cape Boéo - Marsalavilla contains 40 rooms with western Europe's most
Roman ruins here include a villa with baths andmagnificent mosaics depicting scenes from daily life,
colourful mosaics, and the Church of San Giovanni,such as hunting, and one mosaic of ten young
built over a cave converted into a home in Romanwomen dressed in strapless two-piece swim suits
times. The Baglio Anselmi Archeological Museum onthat could be in fashion today.
Lungomare Boéo exhibits ship from the PunicNo archaeology lover's trip to Sicily would be
era.complete without visiting the Valley of the Temples,
Cataniathe largest and best collection of ancient Greek ruins
Catania has two Roman amphitheatres, onein the world. You'll also see necropoli, houses, streets
reminiscent of Rome's Colosseum. The smaller one,and everything else you would expect to find in an
off Via Vittorio Emanuele, built upon an earlier Greekancient city. Be sure to check out the small
theatre, accommodated 6,000 spectators, while aamphitheatre, the several auditoria, and the first-rate
larger amphitheatre, near the commercial centre inarcheological museum. You can't miss the Concord
Piazza Stesicoro, is completely Roman and was builtTemple with its with 13 tall, wind-eroded columns. Set
in the second century AD.outside the city of Agrigento, on the southern coast
Solunto - Palermoof Sicily, the temples look dramatic at night when
Seventeen kilometres east of Palermo, overlookingfloodlights accentuate their shape and form.
the coast, and on a site that was originally aAuthor Bio
Phoenician village that had been expanded by theRod Ritchie, a travel writer and editor, writes for
Greeks in 396 BC, are the ruins of a town that wasmany publishers including AA Publishing and Fodors.
rebuilt by the conquering Romans 50 years later. TheCottages to Castles offer a range of high quality
ruins mostly consist of floors, with some mosaics, therental villas in Sicily. Visit Cottages to Castles at for a
lower portions of walls, with some murals, and someselection of quality Sicily villas.