 |
| Mount Etna. |
Rising to prominence from 750 BC onwards when the Greeks began to inhabit the island, Sicily started to become profitable and thrive on the olive and grape importing and exporting businesses. From there, a significant part of Greek culture on the island included Greek religion (the Greek gods and goddesses residing on Mount Olympus), and many temples were built throughout Sicily, including several in the Valley of the Temples at Agrigento. Afterwards, Sicily was embroiled in three wars and military strategy as the claiming prize. Syracuse became desired by the Athenians, who set out on the Sicilian Expedition during the Peloponnesian War, which also became the Athenians downfall. Later on, in the Second Punic War, the Cathaginians attempted to take back Sicily, aided by the famous Greek mathematician Archimedes, who was killed by the Romans in 213 BC. 50 years before, Greece had begun to make peace with the Roman Repubilc, with the Roman's wishing to make Sicily its first province. In today's society, it can be compared to the Hobbit and Lord of the Rings, both written by JRR Tolkien, with the Hobbit being set 60 years before LotR. However, unlike these two classics, Sicily was in for another rough ride in the tides of war. Sicily served at a level of high importance for the Roman's as it acted as the empire's food pantry. The period of history during which Sicily was a Roman province lasted for around 700 years.
 |
| Official Flag of Sicily. |
 |
| Map of Sicily - showing the major towns and cities. |
Home to Europe's Mount Etna and Stromboli, Sicily also boasts the cities of Taormina and Catania. These two cities hold an importance in Sicily's vast history under the rules of the Romans, Greeks, Arabs and Spanish. Taormina is, in my opinion, the more exquisite of the two as it is the place to forget worries and stress but is a city that sticks in your mind from its raw magnificence. This major province of Italy is also the permanent residences of the seven UNESCO World Heritage Sites in the country, including Villa Romana del Casale and the Necropolis of Pantalica. These sites, coupled with these two cities shows the global stage that, despite its links with Italy, Sicily is not to be ignored and rated as second class to its older brother.
When I ventured to Sicily, ten years ago in 2008 with my parents, I was unsure that it would measure up to the likes of Italy only for me to be happily surprised. Sicily is very much its own country in its own right with its own political system, legal system and separate architectures and culture. To say it's copying Italy is an offence to the wonder that is the province of Sicily. The country has a raw wildness to it that Italy doesn't and couldn't have. During the break, I travelled to Taormina and everything I'd read beforehand couldn't hold a candle to the sheer scale and beauty of some of the archaeological and cultural sites. As a hemiplegic, the same acceptance I'd received on the mainland, seemed to have travelled to Sicily and their own views of what the words 'different' and 'disabled' mean. there was none of the hidden prejudice and discrimination I would later come face-to-face with in high school but open acknowledgement of: 'she sees the world from a different perspective and this makes her unique.' The place is a haven to try new things from another country but also incorporates that sense of belonging of home.
 |
| View of Taormina from the theatre on the high hill. |
No comments:
Post a Comment