Segesta (a History of Sicily)

If you've read our previous blog post - Sicily (Cultural Edition) - you know that the island has a long history of influence by different cultures. One visit to the ruins at Segesta and you get to experience most of the major cultural influences in one place! Segesta is situated on a small mountain surrounded by rolling hills, a high point in the area that was the perfect place to build temples.

It all started with cave-dwellers about 3000 years ago. The early Sicilians came from what is now mainland Italy and from Africa. In Segesta these early settlers built into the lower part of the hill living in homes that look like Native American cliff-dwellings in the southwest. The city that rose became one of the most important cities of the Elymian people (descendants of the Trojans) during the bronze age.


By 700 BC the Greeks had taken control of Sicily and began the task of building the many Greek temples found across the island. The Greeks built their city directly above the lower cave-dwellings of the Elymians. So as you walk up the trail at Segesta you quickly enter into a new world as if you had sailed across the Ionian Sea directly to Greece! This enormous Greek temple is one of the showpieces at Segesta.

A little bit further up the trail and it all changes again as quickly as the Greek temple rose above the cave-dwellings. By 260 BC the Romans had conquered Sicily and began building their own cities and temples, where else, directly above the Greek city at Segesta. It was fascinating watching the engravings in the stones along the trail change from Greek to Roman. A walk through history on one short trail up a small hill.

At the top of the hill, the Roman influence slams you in the face the way the Greek temple did further down the trail. At the summit stands a very well-preserved Roman amphitheater! Once again you're immediately transported to another time and place. Only in Sicily can you see such striking examples of these great ancient cultures in one place on a single hillside.

But it doesn't end here. Remember, the Normans and Arabs also conquered Sicily at different times in history and stamped their own influences on the developing Sicilian culture. Standing next to the Roman amphitheater at the top of Segesta is a Muslim mosque built directly on top of the Roman ruins. Well, technically, the Muslims built their mosque on top of the Norman city that was built on top of the Roman ruins.

So the entire history of Sicily can be experienced along a single trail up a small hill. A one hour walk through history. One of our favorite experiences in Italy so far!