Agrigento

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Agrigento
Girgenti / Giurgenti (Sicilian)
Comune di Agrigento
Agrigento as seen from the Valley of the Temples.
Agrigento as seen from the Valley of the Temples.
Flag of Agrigento
Coat of arms of Agrigento
Motto: 
Signat Agrigentum mirabilis aula gigantum
Location of Agrigento
Map
UTC+2 (CEST)
Postal code
92100
Dialing code0922
Patron saintSt. Gerland (Gerlando)
Saint day25 February
WebsiteOfficial website

Agrigento (Italian:

Arabic: كركنت, romanizedKirkant, or جرجنت Jirjant) is a city on the southern coast of Sicily, Italy and capital of the province of Agrigento
.

Founded around 582 BC by Greek colonists from Gela,[3] Agrigento, then known as Akragas, was one of the leading cities during the golden age of Ancient Greece.[4][5][6][7][8] The city flourished under Theron's leadership in the 5th century BC, marked by ambitious public works and the construction of renowned temples.[9]

Despite periods of dormancy during the Punic Wars, Agrigento emerged as one of Sicily's largest cities in the Republican era. During the Principate, Agrigento's strategic port and diverse economic ventures, including sulfur mining, trade and agriculture, sustained its importance throughout the high and late Empire. Economic prosperity persisted in the 3rd to 4th centuries AD, but excavations show decline in activity after the 7th century.[9]

History

Akragas was founded on a plateau overlooking the sea, with two nearby rivers, the

Hypsas and the Acragas, after which the settlement was originally named. A ridge, which offered a degree of natural fortification, links a hill to the north called Colle di Girgenti with another, called Rupe Atenea, to the east. According to Thucydides, it was founded around 582-580 BC by Greek colonists from Gela in eastern Sicily, with further colonists from Crete and Rhodes. The founders (oikistai) of the new city were Aristonous and Pystilus. It was the last of the major Greek colonies in Sicily to be founded.[10]

Archaic period

The territory under Akragas's control expanded to comprise the whole area between the

Straits of Sicily to the Tyrrhenian Sea and Acragas' control of it was a key factor in its economic prosperity in the sixth and fifth centuries BC, which became proverbial. Famously, Plato, upon seeing the living standard of the inhabitants, was said to have remarked that "they build like they intend to live forever, yet eat like this is their last day."[16]
Perhaps as a result of this wealth, Acragas was one of the first communities in Sicily to begin minting its own coinage, around 520 BC.

Around 570 BC, the city came under the control of

Selinus, the next Greek city to the west. The Selinuntines founded the city of Heraclea Minoa at the mouth of the Platani river, halfway between the two settlements, in the mid-sixth century BC, but the Acragantines conquered it around 500 BC.[19]

Emmenid period

Didrachm of Acragas, 490–483 BC.

Simonides commemorated victories by Theron and other Acragantines, which provide insights into Acragantine identity and ideology at this time.[24] Greek literary sources generally praise Theron as a good tyrant, but accuse his son Thrasydaeus, who succeeded him in 472 BC, of violence and oppression. Shortly after Theron's death, Hiero I of Syracuse (brother and successor of Gelon) invaded Acragas and overthrew Thrasydaeus. The literary sources say that Acragas then became a democracy, but in practice it seems to have been dominated by the civic aristocracy.[25]

Classical and Hellenistic periods

Tetradrachm of Acragas, ca. 410 BC.

The period after the fall of the Emmenids is not well-known. An

Sicel state opposed to the expansion of Syracuse and other Greeks into the interior of Sicily, invaded Acragantine territory and conquered an outpost called Motyum. The Syracusans defeated and captured Ducetius in 450, but subsequently allowed him to go into exile. Outraged by this comparatively light punishment, the Acragantines went to war with Syracuse. They were defeated in a battle on the Salso river, which left Syracuse the pre-eminent power in eastern Sicily. The defeat was serious enough that Acragas ceased to mint coinage for a number of years.[27]

Ancient sources considered Acragas to be a very large city at this time. Diodorus Siculus says that the population was 200,000 people, of which 20,000 were citizens. Diogenes Laertius put the population at an incredible 800,000. Some modern scholars have accepted Diodorus' numbers,[28][29] but they seem to be far too high. Jos de Waele suggests a population of 16,000-18,000 citizens,[30] while Franco de Angelis estimates a total population of around 30,000-40,000.[31]

When Athens undertook the Sicilian Expedition against Syracuse from 415-413 BC, Acragas remained neutral. However, it was sacked by the Carthaginians in 406 BC. Acragas never fully recovered its former status, though it revived following the invasion of Timoleon in the late fourth century onwards and large-scale construction took place in the Hellenistic period. During the early 3rd century BC, a tyrant called Phintias declared himself king in Akragas, also controlling a variety of other cities. His kingdom was however not long-lived.

Roman period

The city was disputed between the Romans and the Carthaginians during the First Punic War. The Romans laid siege to the city in 262 BC and captured it after defeating a Carthaginian relief force in 261 BC and sold the population into slavery. Although the Carthaginians recaptured the city in 255 BC the final peace settlement gave Punic Sicily and with it Akragas to Rome. It suffered badly during the Second Punic War (218–201 BC) when both Rome and Carthage fought to control it. The Romans eventually captured Akragas in 210 BC and renamed it Agrigentum, although it remained a largely Greek-speaking community for centuries thereafter. It became prosperous again under Roman rule.[citation needed] In the 2nd century BC, Scipio Africanus Minor bestowed upon the city a statue of Apollo by Myron, housed in the Temple of Asclepius as a symbol of their alliance during the Third Punic War.[32]

Cicero noted Agrigentum as a civitas decumana and socius, highlighting its loyal service in the Third Punic War. He ranked Agrigentum among Sicily's largest cities, emphasizing its pivotal port and role in Roman governance, including hosting the governor's assize circuit. Additionally, he mentioned a sizable population of Roman citizens coexisting harmoniously with the Greek populace, likely engaged in commerce linked to the port.[32]

The city's inhabitants received full Roman citizenship following the death of Julius Caesar in 44 BC.[citation needed]

An inscription shows that the city was promoted to the status of

colonia by Septimius Severus and renamed "Colonia Septimia Augusta Agrigentorum."[33]

A resilient Christian community endured into late antiquity, although archaeological evidence suggests a decline in activity after the 7th century, possibly due to disrupted trade routes following the Arab conquest of Carthage in AD 698.[32]

Middle Ages

After the

Saracens
and other peoples around this time. In 828 AD the Saracens captured the diminished remnant of the city; the Arabic form of its name became كِركَنت (Kirkant) or جِرجَنت (Jirjant).

Following the Norman conquest of Sicily, the city changed its name to the Norman version Girgenti.[34] In 1087, Norman Count Roger I established a Latin bishopric in the city. Normans built the Castello di Agrigento to control the area. The population declined during much of the medieval period but revived somewhat after the 18th century.

Modern period

Viaduct Akragas, opened in 1970.

In 1860, as in the rest of Sicily, the inhabitants supported the arrival of

Latin name.[38] The decision remains controversial as a symbol of Fascism and the eradication of local history. Following the suggestion of Andrea Camilleri, a Sicilian writer of Agrigentine origin, the historic city centre was renamed to the Sicilian name "Girgenti" in 2016.[39] The city suffered a number of destructive bombing raids during World War II
.

Government

Economy

Agrigento is a major tourist centre due to its extraordinarily rich archaeological legacy. It also serves as an agricultural centre for the surrounding region.

unemployment rate in Agrigento was 19.2%,[40]
almost twice the national average.

Main sights

Temple "D"
Temple of Concordia

Ancient Akragas covers a huge area—much of which is still unexcavated today—but is exemplified by the famous Valle dei Templi ("Valley of the Temples", a misnomer, as it is a ridge, rather than a valley). This comprises a large sacred area on the south side of the ancient city where seven monumental Greek temples in the

Doric style were constructed during the 6th and 5th centuries BC. Now excavated and partially restored, they constitute some of the largest and best-preserved ancient Greek buildings outside of Greece itself. They are listed as a World Heritage Site
.

The best-preserved of the temples are two very similar buildings traditionally attributed to the goddesses

catacomb
, with tombs hewn out of the rocky cliffs and outcrops.

The other temples are much more fragmentary, having been toppled by earthquakes long ago and quarried for their stones. The largest by far is the

Temple of Olympian Zeus, built to commemorate the Battle of Himera in 480 BC: it is believed to have been the largest Doric temple ever built.[citation needed] Although it was apparently used, it appears never to have been completed; construction was abandoned after the Carthaginian invasion of 406 BC.[citation needed
] The remains of the temple were extensively quarried in the 18th century to build the jetties of
Pollux); the marks of the fires set by the Carthaginians in 406 BC can still be seen on the sanctuary's stones.[citation needed
]

Many other Hellenistic and Roman sites can be found in and around the town. These include a pre-Hellenic cave sanctuary near a Temple of Demeter, over which the Church of San Biagio was built. A late Hellenistic funerary monument erroneously labelled the "Tomb of Theron" is situated just outside the sacred area, and a 1st-century AD

necropoleis and quarries are still extant.[citation needed
]

Much of present-day Agrigento is modern but it still retains a number of medieval and Baroque buildings. These include the 14th century cathedral and the 13th century Church of Santa Maria dei Greci ("St. Mary of the Greeks"), again standing on the site of an ancient Greek temple (hence the name).[citation needed] The town also has a notable archaeological museum displaying finds from the ancient city.[citation needed]

Notable people

  • pre-Socratic philosopher
    , was a citizen of ancient Akragas.
  • Tellias (
    Ancient Greek: Τελλίας) of Akragas, described in ancient sources as a hospitable man; when 500 horsemen were billeted with him during the winter, he gave each a tunic and cloak.[42][43]
  • Karkinos (
    Ancient Greek: Καρκίνος) of Akragas, a tragedian[44]
  • Scyllaceum in Southern Italy, where his father is supposed to have lived in exile.[45]
  • Paolo Girgenti (1767–1815), a painter active in Naples who served as president of the Accademia di Belle Arti di Napoli, was born in Agrigento.
  • Nobel prize
    winner for literature, was born at contrada u Càvusu in Agrigento.
  • Giovanni Leone (b. 1967), an Italian geophysicist and volcanologist, was born in Agrigento.
  • Vinnie Paz (b. 1977), the Italian-American rapper and lyricist behind Philadelphia underground hip-hop group Jedi Mind Tricks.
  • Frankie Carbo (b. 1904), the Italian-American New York City Mafia soldier in the Lucchese crime family and promoter in professional boxing.
  • Larry Page (b. 1973), co-founder of Google, became an honorary citizen of Agrigento on August 4, 2017.[46]

Twin towns – sister cities

Agrigento is twinned with:

Gallery

  • Central train station
    Central train station
  • Central post office
    Central post office
  • Archeological Museum
    Archeological Museum
  • The cathedral
    The cathedral
  • Prefecture's seat
    Prefecture's seat

Panoramic views

See also

References

  1. ^ "Superficie di Comuni Province e Regioni italiane al 9 ottobre 2011". Italian National Institute of Statistics. Retrieved 16 March 2019.
  2. ^ "Popolazione Residente al 1° Gennaio 2018". Italian National Institute of Statistics. Retrieved 16 March 2019.
  3. .
  4. ^ Hooke, N. (1818). The Roman history, from the building of Rome to the ruin of the commonwealth... New ed. Printed for F.C. and J. Rivington. p. 17. Retrieved 2014-10-10.
  5. ^ Lemprière, J. (1842). A Classical Dictionary: Containing a Full Account of All the Proper Names Mentioned in Ancient Authors, with Tables of Coins, Weights, and Measures, in Use Among the Greeks and Romans. To which is Now Prefixed, a Chronological Table. T. Allman. p. 26. Retrieved 2014-10-10.
  6. ^ Royal Institution of Great Britain (1828). Quarterly Journal of Science, Literature, and the Arts. James Eastburn. p. 98. Retrieved 2014-10-10.
  7. . Retrieved 2014-10-10.
  8. ^ Rollin, C.; Bell, J. (1870). The ancient history of the Egyptians, Carthaginians, Assyrians, Babylonians, Medes and Persians, Grecians and Macedonians: including a history of the arts and sciences of the ancients. Harper & Brothers. p. 286. Retrieved 2014-10-10.
  9. ^
    S2CID 241124857
    , retrieved 2024-02-08
  10. ^ de Angelis 2016, pp. 72–73.
  11. ^
    S2CID 190232495
    .
  12. ^ de Angelis 2016, pp. 94–101.
  13. ^ a b de Miro 1962, pp. 143–144.
  14. ^ de Angelis 2016, pp. 56–60.
  15. ^ de Waele 1971, p. 6.
  16. .
  17. ^ de Waele 1971, pp. 68–69, 77–78.
  18. ^ de Waele 1971, p. 166.
  19. ^ de Miro 1962, pp. 144–146.
  20. ^ de Waele 1971, pp. 52, 109–115.
  21. ^ Asheri, David (1988). "Carthaginians and Greeks". In Boardman, John; Hammond, N. G. L.; Lewis, D. M.; Ostwald, M. (eds.). The Cambridge Ancient History IV (2 ed.). Cambridge: Cambridge University Press. pp. 766–776.
  22. ^ de Angelis 2016, pp. 106–108.
  23. .
  24. .
  25. ^ Westermark 2018, pp. 14–15.
  26. ^ de Angelis 2016, pp. 210–211.
  27. ^ Westermark 2018, pp. 16–17.
  28. . Retrieved 19 September 2016 – via Google Books.
  29. . Retrieved 19 September 2016 – via Google Books.
  30. .
  31. ^ de Angelis 2016, p. 197.
  32. ^
    S2CID 241124857
    , retrieved 2024-02-08
  33. ^ Pfuntner, Laura (2016). "Celebrating the Severans Commemorative Politics and the Urban Landscape in High Imperial Sicily". Latomus. 75 (2): 437–438.
  34. ^ Sicilia, Esplora. "La Storia di Agrigento - Sicilia". Archived from the original on 16 October 2017. Retrieved 19 September 2016.
  35. ^ "Expedition of the Thousand: Italian campaign". Retrieved 19 September 2016.
  36. ^ "Garibaldi and the 1,000". The Economist. Retrieved 19 September 2016.
  37. ^ "Augusto - Automazione Gazzetta Ufficiale Storica". Archived from the original on 31 October 2016. Retrieved 19 September 2016.
  38. ^ "AGRIGENTO in "Enciclopedia Italiana"". Archived from the original on 26 October 2019. Retrieved 19 September 2016.
  39. ^ "Agrigento, ritorno al passatoIl sindaco: si chiamerà Girgenti (ma solo nel centro storico)". Corriere della Sera (in Italian). Retrieved 2018-12-03.
  40. ^ "Agrigento, investimenti al palo". Il Sole 24 ORE. 2 April 2011. Retrieved 2013-03-25.
  41. ^ "Archeologia – Parco Valle dei Templi Agrigento".
  42. ^ "Suda Encyclopedia, tau.272".
  43. ^ "Suda Encyclopedia, al.731".
  44. ^ "Suda, kappa, 394".
  45. ^ Ofonius Tigellinus Livius.org: [1]
  46. ^ "Larry Page di Google cittadino onorario di Agrigento - Tlc". ANSA.it (in Italian). 2017-08-04. Retrieved 2017-09-27.
  47. ^ "Agrigento partecipa alle celebrazioni per il 295esimo anniversario della fondazione di Perm". scrivolibero.it (in Italian). Scrivo Libero News. 2018-06-14. Retrieved 2021-03-23.
  48. ^ "Delegazione di Tampa in visita al Comune di Agrigento". comune.agrigento.it (in Italian). Agrigento. 2018-05-03. Archived from the original on 2019-12-16. Retrieved 2021-03-23.
  49. ^ "Valenciennes Les Italiens et leurs descendants sont ici chez eux". lavoixdunord.fr (in French). La Voix du Nord. 2019-06-18. Retrieved 2021-03-23.

Sources

External links