Sicilia Mia
About
A Melting Pot of Different Cultures

Sicily is a rich land in history and traditions. Over the years Sicily has seen many dominations, which have left their heavy traces on the island: the Greeks. Romans, Byzantines, Arabs, Normans. Svevians, Angevins, Aragones, Spaniards, Austrians, to mention a few.


The Greeks landed on the Sicilian East coast, where they built colonies such as Catania, Siracusa, Gela and Agrigento. Siracusa’s tyrants tried to conquer the whole Island through a confrontation with the Phoenicians. The fights took place at Selinunte and Imera (480 a.C.) where beautiful Greek temples can be found nowadays.


The Roman subjected the Greek and Carthaginian colonies, during the famous Phoenician Wars. Sicily became an important province of the Roman Empire, both politically and economically. When the barbarian invasion hit Western Europe, Sicily experienced a great change. This period started in 440 and it ended in 535. The vandal domination subjected Sicily until 476. Then the island passed into the Gothics’ hand.


Later on the Byzantine expeditionary force conquered Sicily. The process of "Byzantinization" started: men of culture prospered in Sicily, such as the popes Agatone, Leone and Sergio. and Giorgio of Syracuse. Very famous was Gregorio from Agrigento (6th century) for his philosophical writings, and the same reputation was shared by other intellectuals such as Epifanio of Catania and Gregorio Bizantino.


In 827 the Muslim landed in Mazara del Vallo. This was the first step toward a complete conquest of Sicily by the Paisims. In 831 the city of Palermo fell, in 865 Siracusa fell too, and shortly after the Byzantines’ strongholds shared the same destiny. The emirate’s organization had its centre in Palermo, which became the new capital in place of Siracusa. Palermo. with its three hundred mosques. was in direct competition with the big cities, both in the East and in the West It s apparent that, especially in the West side of Sicily. there was a real "Arabization", which changed the island in a way that clearly shows up today in toponyms and agriculture, particularly regarding the techniques of irrigation and management of gardens.


The Normans made out of Sicily a Westem country again. During their expansion. there was a "precrociata" to drive the Muslims out of the Mediterranean Sea. The Norman kings linked politics to culture, art, literature and science. The wedding of Costanza of Altavilla with Enrico VI of Svevia, son of King Federico I Barbarossa, allowed Enrico’s descent in Sicily and his coronation at Palermo. But the Svevian Period (1194‐1250) had its great protagonist in Federico Il, who was the son of Costanza and Enrico, He made of Sicily the base of his diplomacy, though he didn’t stay there often because he was engaged in the fighting against the Northern Italy’s cities, When he died (1250), the Southern kingdom was governed by Conrado IV and after by his successor Manfredi. This period made the jurisprudence, the Latin literature, the experimental sciences and the vernacular poetry improve.


The Angevin domination was not very welcome by Sicilians, unable to adapt to the new lords’ Arrogance. The Vespro’s Revolution, broken out in Palermo in 1282, led to the escape of Angevins from the island and the begin of the Aragonese domination. In the meanwhile, the great Spain of the Catholic kings was ascending to its splendor, and a period of great geographical and scientific discovers was starting. Several events happened in Sicily in those years. until in 1535 Carlo V visited the island and entered Palermo in triumph. In the 17th century the economic situation in the Spanish Sicily got worse, because the famines made the countries deserted and the hunger spread in all big towns, until in 1647 a revolt blew up in Palermo.


According to Utrecht’s treaty (1713) Sicily was given to Vittorio An’iedeo Il duke of Savoia. After the Savoia, the Austrians continued Sicily’s exploitation. Filippo V of Spain appointed Carlo as the king of the Two Sicilies. Sicily hoped that the new king could solve its numerous problems. Carlo III. with a clever reforming politics, tiled to relieve his people from their condition of extreme poverty. He established the “Council for Sicily’s business and the “Council for the trade of the com. he even stipulated some trade agreements with African countries.


In 1759 Domenico Caracciolo made some reforms against the aristocracy’s privileges and later suppressed the notorious Inquisition’s Court But Sicilian were pressuring for autonomy, asking the detachment of Sicily from Naples. With the English support. Sicily was supposed to be given a Constitution based on the English model. But the approval of his Constitution was denied by Ferdinando, and as a consequence the malcontent of the people started showing up in the phenomenon of the penetration in Sicily of the so-called Carboneria. a secret congregation of revolutionary people. The risings of ‘20 were repressed by the military forces and the restoration of absolutism brought an intensification of Carbonari’s action The risings of ‘48 spreaded throughout Sicily. A temporary government was established and even an army was created, in order to face the Borboni invaders. Garibaldi’s expedition in 1860. with the landing at Marsala, the victory at Calatalimi, the entry into Palermo and the consequent liberation of the whole island, was a magic moment for the hopes of the Sicilians.


Since then the history of the island has been part of the wider history of Italy. After the Second World War and after the proclamation of the Italian Republic, in 1947 Sicily fulfilled its aspirations of partial independence: still a part of Italy. Sicily was granted a regional autonomy on the basis of a special Statute. The alternation, sometimes co-presence, of the major political forces operating in the Mediterranean area has animated Sicily’s history, creating for the island a unique and multifaceted development and interchange of civilization, which nowadays characterizes its society, culture, art and.. food