Salso

Salso
Salso
Location
Country	Italy
Region	Sicily
Physical characteristics
Mouth	Mediterranean Sea
• coordinates	37°06′05″N 13°56′50″E / 37.1013°N 13.9471°E
Length	132 km (82 mi)
Basin size	2,022 km2 (781 sq mi)

The Salso (

Mediterranean at the western end of the Gulf of Gela at the seaport of Licata, in the Province of Agrigento. Its small deltaic system there is dominated by marine processes rather than fluvial ones. It is a seasonal torrent, with brief but violent floods during the winter rains (from November to February), and all but dry in summer droughts. In November 1915 the iron bridge across the river's mouth collapsed during floods, and 119 people were swept away in the flood and lost.^[2] The Salso, which is the longest river of Sicily at 132 kilometres (82 mi), has a drainage basin area of 2,022 square kilometres (781 sq mi).^[3]

The river's historically changeable

debouching 5 kilometres (3 mi) to the west. The mouth of the Salso has been advancing during historical times, and wind and wave formerly distributed its sand and silt to the beaches of the Gulf of Gela.^[2]

Historical significance

Himera was the ancient name of two rivers in Sicily, the Imera Settentrionale flowing to the north into the Tyrrhenian Sea, and the Salso to the south coast of the island, but which, by a strange confusion, were regarded by many ancient writers as one and the same river, which is in consequence described as rising in the center of the island, and flowing in two different directions, so as completely to divide Sicily into two parts. According to Vibius Sequester, this idea dates back to the time of Stesichorus, who was himself a native of the city of Himera. Pomponius Mela is, however, the only ancient geographer who adopts it.^[4]

The Salso enters the sea at Licata (the ancient Phintias). In the upper part of its course it is composed of two branches, running nearly parallel with one another; the one now called the Imera Settentrionale rising near

Caltanisetta, that flows from the salt mines in that vicinity.^[8] Solinus erroneously ascribes this quality to the northern Himera;^[9] while Vitruvius rightly attributes it to the southern river only.^[10]

According to

Hanno and Epicydes of Syracuse followed, in which the latter were defeated and driven to take shelter within the walls of Agrigento.^[16]

As a result of the Roman victory the agreement between Carthage and Hieronymus was never carried into effect.

An inscription bearing the dedication "ΑΣΚΛΗΠΙΩ KAI IMEPA ΠΟΤΑΜΩ" ("To Asclepius and the Himera River"), must refer to the southern Himera (i.e., the Salso) since it was found at Caltanisetta.^[17]

The name Salso is also given to a tributary of the Simeto in eastern Sicily.

Notes

^ "Salso" refers to the river's salinity, from its mouth as far as Enna.
^ ^a ^b ^c C. Amore et al., "Historical evolution of the Salso River mouth, with respect to the Licata harbour system" in Eurocoast/EUCC,Littoral 2002 (on-line Archived 2007-09-27 at the Wayback Machine)
^ Bacino Idrografico del F. Imera Meridionale (072), Relazione, Regione Siciliana, p. 1
^ Pomponius Mela ii. 7. § 17; Gaius Julius Solinus v. § 17; Vib. Sequest. p. 12; Sil. Ital. xiv. 233; Antig. Caryst. 133; Vitruv. viii. 3. § 7.
^ Pol. vii. 4; Liv. xxiv. 6.
^ Strab. vi. p. 266.
^ Ptol. iii. 4. § 7.
^ Diod. xix. 109; William Henry Smyth, Sicily, p. 198.
^ Solin. v. § 17)
^ viii. 3. § 7
^ Diod., v.6.3-4
^ Diod. xii. 8
^ De Vincenzo, Tra Cartagine e Roma: I centri urbani dell’eparchia punica di Sicilia tra VI e I sec. a.C. (2012), pp. 21 & 24
^ Diod. xix. 107-10.
^ Polyb, vii. 4; Liv. xxiv. 6.
^ Liv. xxv. 40, 41.
^ Castell. Inscr. Sicil. p. 4; Boeckh. C. I. no. 5747.

References

This article incorporates text from a publication now in the public domain: Smith, William, ed. (1854–1857). "Himera". Dictionary of Greek and Roman Geography. London: John Murray.

[1] "Salso" refers to the river's salinity, from its mouth as far as Enna.

[amore-2] C. Amore et al., "Historical evolution of the Salso River mouth, with respect to the Licata harbour system" in Eurocoast/EUCC,Littoral 2002 (on-line Archived 2007-09-27 at the Wayback Machine)

[relazione-3] Bacino Idrografico del F. Imera Meridionale (072), Relazione, Regione Siciliana, p. 1

[4] Pomponius Mela ii. 7. § 17; Gaius Julius Solinus v. § 17; Vib. Sequest. p. 12; Sil. Ital. xiv. 233; Antig. Caryst. 133; Vitruv. viii. 3. § 7.

[5] Pol. vii. 4; Liv. xxiv. 6.

[6] Strab. vi. p. 266.

[7] Ptol. iii. 4. § 7.

[8] Diod. xix. 109; William Henry Smyth, Sicily, p. 198.

[9] Solin. v. § 17)

[10] viii. 3. § 7

[11] Diod., v.6.3-4

[12] Diod. xii. 8

[13] De Vincenzo, Tra Cartagine e Roma: I centri urbani dell’eparchia punica di Sicilia tra VI e I sec. a.C. (2012), pp. 21 & 24

[14] Diod. xix. 107-10.

[15] Polyb, vii. 4; Liv. xxiv. 6.

[16] Liv. xxv. 40, 41.

[17] Castell. Inscr. Sicil. p. 4; Boeckh. C. I. no. 5747.

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