Sicily: An Informal History - Softcover

This work covers the extensive and varied history of the island of Sicily from the prehistoric period to the present. Sicily is a microcosm of the whole of Western and Mediterranean history, a place where more than five thousand years of history can be seen in a concentrated and accessible area. All the diverse cultures that eventually came to make up Sicily are here: the early tribes who gave the island its name, the Greeks, Romans, Byzantines, Arabs, Normans, French, Spaniards, and others.
Also presented are the many leaders and rulers of Sicily, including Greek tyrants, Roman statesmen, Norman kings with their brilliant courts, the heroes of the many movements for freedom that took place on the island, the leading Sicilian thinkers of the eighteenth century, and such figures as Garibaldi and the Sicilian patriots of the Risorgimento.
Additionally, there are vivid descriptions of the island's varied historic sites, such as the prehistoric remains of the Neolithic Age, especially on the outlying islands; the dramatic ruins of the Greek temples and theaters of Agrigento, Segesta, Solinunte, and Syracuse; the early Cathaginian settlement and important archeological site of Motya; the Roman villas and amphitheaters; the Byzantine and Norman palaces and churches of Palermo, Monreale, and Cefalu with their distinct Arabic influence; the Baroque cities of Catania, Noto, and Ragusa; the monuments of Messina; and the breathtaking natural beauty of such sites as Taormina.
Retold are the details behind such events as the rise of the Greek cities on the island (Sicily was known in ancient times as "Magna Graecia" - "Greater Greece"), the Roman takeover, the arrival of the Byzantines and Arabs with their unique contributions, and the Norman conquest of the island that actually took place five years before that of England. This volume also gives a vivid presentation of the circumstances that led to the heroic uprising known as the "Sicilian Vespers" and the many subsequent efforts of the Sicilian people to gain the independence of their homeland. Finally, the dramatic periods of the Napoleonic Wars and the Risorgimento - the birth of the modern Italian nation - are described here in relation to the island's history as are the events that led to Sicily's emergence into the modern industrial world.
This book includes two appendices comprising a time-line outlining the long and varied course of Sicilian history and relating it to events taking place elsewhere in the world, and a travel itinerary covering the full extent of the island and noting the many historic cities and sites described in the chapters and how they can be easily reached by those eager to experience firsthand Sicily's intriguing and varied heritage.