History of Sicily

A Sicilian historical overview

Index

• The ancient era: Phoenicians, Greeks and Romans
• Early middle age: the Golden Age of the Arab-Normans
• European Rulers between XII and XIX century
• Giuseppe Garibaldi and the unification of Italy
• A new golden age with the Florio dynasty
• Modern Sicily

Sicily, also known as the Greater Greece (“Magna Grecia”), was colonised by the Greeks in the 8th century bc, who shaped the character of the Sicilian people. Their footprints are everywhere, both culturally and architecturally speaking, with several archaeological sites and remains: from Segesta to Agrigento, from Taormina to Siracusa.

Before that though, it is worth mentioning that the Phoenicians landed in Sicily before the Greeks and funded various towns, like Palermo (in 734 bc), Solunto and Mozia, near Trapani.

Under the Roman Empire, from 241 bc, Sicily experienced a period of peace and prosperity, as it was considered an essential region in particular for wheat supplies. Romans built roads, theathers, as well as beautiful villas like the Villa Romana del Casale in the Sicilian hinterland until the fall of the western Roman empire.

Afterwads Sicily came under the Eastern Roman (Byzantine) Empire from 535 AD until the Islamic conquest in 827 AD.

The Arab Muslim conquest of Sicily in the 9th century AD was indeed a radical change for the island. The Arabs’ influence stood the test of time as names and toponyms still survive. They also brought literature, arts, as well as a sophisticated system of irrigation. The Arabs ruled until the Norman invasion, in the 11th century.

Thanks to his openess and tolerance Norman King Roger, accomplished what is today referred to the Arab-Norman culture, a perfect fusion of the two cultures, which managed to live and operate well together in the Sicilian society of that time.

After the Norman conquest, Sicily faced a series of new European rulers starting with the Swabians of the Hohenstaufen family at the end of the XII century. The pinnacle of this reign was with Frederick II, son of the Norman queen Constance of Altavilla and Henry VI of Swabia.

Frederick was famous for his love of philosophy, arts, mathematics and languages. He favored science and medicine and his court was populated by prominent cultural figures of the time.

Following the Swabians, Sicily was invaded by the French dinasty of the Angevins for a short period of time (XIII century) and then by the Spanish of Aragon (at the end of XIII century until the XVI century) who integrated the island in the Spanish monarchy, although after 1492 and the discovery of the Americas, their attention shifted to the new continent and Sicily became more and more isolated, falling under the power of the corrupted nobility.

The progressive discontent led to a series of revolts, with one of the most important in Palermo in 1647.

The Spanish misrule continued on and off until the XIX century, although the Sicilians were also ruled by the House of Savoy and the Habsburgs in the XVIII century, and there was a short window of British Administration in 1812.

In 1815 the famous ‘Regno delle due Sicilie’ (Naples and Sicily) was created under Ferdinand I of the Two Sicilies.

In 1860-61 Sicily was annexed to the rest of the Italian boot in a process called unification of the modern Italian territory. The expedition was led by Giuseppe Garibaldi following orders of the Savoy monachy.

After the unification, Sicily faced serious economic struggles and political discontent, due to the marginalisation carried out by the northern Piedmontese government, which led to waves of mass migration to the US, looking for better opportunities, shortly before the beginning of World War I.

Although the island, generally speaking, experienced a lot of difficulties soon after the unification, it is worth mentioning that some areas, in particular the city of Palermo was living a new golden age in architecture and arts at the beginning of the XX century.

The famous Art Nouveau style (also called Liberty) became one of the most recognisable styles in buildings and interior design. This is also a period of flourishing trade in Palermo, thanks to the rise of the Florio dynasty, brilliant businessmen that over the period of three generations changed the face of the Sicilian capital and western Sicily as they started trading spices and Marsala wine, then going to shipyards to tuna fisheries) so much so that were named ‘Kings without crown’.

After the two world wars and the birth of the Republic of Italy, Sicily gained its special autonomy status in 1946, which highlighted its distinct identity and history.