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1. Sicily - 3000 Years of History
As a bridge between Europe and the Arabian countries, between Occident and the Orient, Sicily
has been touched, changed and marked by a myriad of many different cultures who have taken
turns in occupying and colonizing this large Mediterranean island in the last 3000 years. It has
to be pointed out that all these occupations and invasions in the past were unfortunately
brought forth on the backs and at the cost of the traditional Sicilian population, who
nonetheless still possessed the tireless strength and passion to rise up again and again in
horrific violent rebellions against their invaders.
This multi-faceted historical development is the origin of Sicily’s enthrallingly unique mix of art
and architecture, and its status as a melting pot of cultures and races.
It is believed that the first culture to emerge in Sicily was Neolithic, and quite similar to the
early cultures of central and western Europe. Around 5000 BC, the Siculi and Sicani cultures
appeared, giving the island their name, and around 900 BC the Phoenicians began to colonize
the area, founding Carthage in North Africa and Mozia, Solunto and Palermo in Sicily.
Greek colonization of Sicily probably began around 750 BC. Soon Sicily and the southern part of
the Italian peninsula would be completely colonized by Greeks, becoming known as Magna
Graecia (Greater Greece). Sicily was highly prized for its fertile lands (olives and vines) enabling
very profitable trading, but unfortunately this also led to many internal battles that became
more frequent and more violent as manifold rivalries developed on the island. This caused the

2. Greek settlements, initially democratic in nature, to evolve into tyrannical groups, resulting in
the creation of many hostile fractions. In BC 480, at the battle of Himera, the Carthaginians
were defeated, heralding what would be known as ‘the Golden Age'. In time, however,
Carthaginian invaders gained a foothold in West Sicily from North Africa and attained control
over more than half of the island. Sicily became a battleground for these rival empires. A
century of fierce antagonism between Greeks and Carthaginians followed, but came to no
peaceful conclusion as the conflict between Romans and Carthaginians had just begun. The
Roman Empire was successful in driving out the Carthaginians, marking the beginning of more
than 500 years of Roman rule in Sicily.
Roman Sicily was supposed to become the ’grain chamber’ of the Roman Realm and, in realizing
its potential, should have been a very wealthy region, but corruption and mis-management
depleted and strained Sicily’s resources causing chaos for Sicily’s economy.
Around 313 AD, the Rise of Emperor Constantine’s influence and the rise of Christianity in the
region saw to the gradual decline of the Roman Empire. A brief Germanic Showdown occurred
as Sicily was invaded and fought over 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, to rule Sicily..
Under the Arab Kalbid dynasty, Palermo was made the Capital of what became known as the
‘Emirate of Sicily’. It is said that at its peak over 100 mosques stood in Palermo. Under Arab rule
Sicily experienced a large bloom in its economy and development owing to the more advanced
Arab culture. Literature, arts, philosophy and other achievements of Arabian civilization like
Arabic numerals spread from Palermo over Europe. It is during this time that oranges and
lemons are believed to have been introduced and grown commercially (as it still is today). An
advanced system of irrigation was put in place among many other improvements and a period
of relative religious tolerance is witnessed.
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