English Church Service in winter.
One Day. The chief sights in the modern town are the Cathedral, the Museum, and the Arethusa Fountain (p. [164]). The greater part of the day should be devoted to the ancient town. The most interesting places there (the Euryelus excepted) may be visited by carriage in 3–4 hrs.: Latomia dei Cappuccini (p. [165]), Catacombs of San Giovanni (p. [165]), Amphitheatre (p. [166]), Hiero’s Altar (p. [166]), Greek Theatre (p. [166]; best towards sunset for the sake of the view). Walkers should ferry direct from the Prigioni in the town to the N. bank of the Porto Piccolo (10 c.).
Syracuse, Ital. Siracusa, the most populous town in Sicily in ancient times, and indeed the most important of all the Hellenic cities, now a mere shadow of its glorious past, with 27,000 inhab. only, lies on an island separated from the mainland by a narrow strait. It was founded under the name of Syracusae by Corinthians, in 734 B. C., on the island then called Ortygia, where a Phœnician settlement had perhaps already existed. Endless party conflicts between the nobles and the townspeople led in 485 to the intervention of the tyrant Gelon of Gela, who made Syracuse his residence. In alliance with Theron of Acragas (Girgenti) he defeated the Carthaginians at the battle of Himera in 480, the same year in which the victory of Salamis (p. [506]) saved the mother-country from destruction. The Syracusans thereafter gradually extended their sway over the greater part of Sicily till the year 415 when to their dismay the Athenians, instigated by Alcibiades, intervened in Sicilian politics, and with the aid of the neighbouring towns of Catana and Leontinoi (p. [159]) proceeded to besiege the city. In 413 the might of Athens was for ever shattered before the walls of Syracuse, but the dread of being attacked anew by the Carthaginians induced the Syracusans to entrust their government to the tyrant Dionysius I. (406–367), next to the Persian monarchs the most powerful prince of his age, who refortified and embellished the city. The tyrant Agathocles (317–289) conducted a brilliant expedition against Carthage, but without permanent success. The last phase of the glory of Syracuse was witnessed in the long reign of Hiero II. (275–216). As the Syracusans, after his death, allied themselves with Hannibal, their city was besieged by Marcellus in 214–212, and after its capture was sacked and destroyed. Since then it has never again taken any part in political life, but in spite of its downfall it is still one of the most interesting places in the whole of Sicily, while the beauty of its environs is hardly less fascinating than the monuments of its glorious past.
a. The Modern Town.
From the harbour-station (p. [162]) the broad Corso Umberto Primo (p. [165]) crosses the strait to the island on which lies the Modern Town, whose narrow winding streets are still of mediæval type. A pleasant walk, with a view of Mt. Ætna, is by the Foro Vittorio Emanuele Secondo and Passeggio Aretusa, leading from the Piazza Mazzini and the landing-place (p. [162]) along the harbour.
In the grounds at the S. end of the promenade is a statue of the famous mathematician Archimedes, who defended his native city against Marcellus. Near it is the Fontana Aretusa, enclosed by papyrus-shrubs. From this point the Via Maniace leads to the S.E. to the Castello Maniace, a Hohenstaufen castle at the S. end of the island, completed under Emp. Frederick II. in 1239, but now modernized. To the N. of the Fontana lies the Piazza del Duomo.
The Cathedral is built into a Doric temple, probably of Minerva, the beauty of which was extolled by Cicero in his oration against Verres (p. [157]). It stood on a basement of three steps, about 61 yds. long and 24 yds. broad. The ancient columns with their entablature still project on the N. side, and in the interior nineteen columns also are visible.
The Archæological Museum, opposite the cathedral, to the N.W., contains valuable antiquities, mostly Sicilian, from the earliest ages down to the Christian period. Adm. on week-days, Oct.–June 9–3, July-Sept. 8–2, 1 fr.; Sun. (not all rooms accessible) 10–2, free.