Story of Syracuse, Sicily

Story of Syracuse, Sicily

The story of Syracuse begins in the era of ancient Greek myths and legends. Archaeological evidence shows that the site of Syracuse was inhabited from the ninth or tenth century BC. Jeremy Dummett’s book Syracuse, City of Legends – A Glory of Sicily tells the story of Syracuse from Greek city state to modern times, followed by a commentary on the monuments to be seen today. Many colourful and creative figures play a part in the story of Syracuse, including Archimedes, the greatest mathematician of the ancient world, Plato, Sappho, Scipio Africanus, the conqueror of Hannibal, and Caravaggio, who painted one of his last masterpieces in the city. They all made their contribution to the story of Syracuse and to the atmosphere of this beguiling and distinctive Sicilian city.

Find out more about the story of Syracuse

On this website, you will find lots of information about the city of Siracusa, both ancient and modern, and about other places in Sicily you can visit while staying in Syracuse.

Jeremy Dummett's book Syracuse, City of Legends is available from Amazon and all good bookshops, including the Libreria Gabò, 38 Corso Matteotti, Ortygia, Syracuse.