Ancient Phoenicians in Sicily

When I was in western Sicily last week, I was surprised to learn of all the layers of ancient civilizations that left their mark on the land. The strongest footprint of pre-Roman peoples were the Phoenicians.

Now, I don’t know where I thought the ancient Phoenicians were from, but Western Sicily and Tunisia? I did not know that. Beginning around 700 BC, their little empire covered much of northern Africa and part of Sicily for several hundred years, with the capitol city being Carthage on the coast of Tunisia. They fought constantly with the Greeks of Siracusa, were allied with the Persians, and it all came to an end around 270 BC when they finally fell to the Romans.

The Phoenicians, or Carthinagens as they’re also known, are the ones who started the salt flats on the western edge of Sicily, between Trapani and Marsala, and they’re the ones who founded the town of Marsala itself, after having been run off an island called Mozia by those dang Siracusans. They sacked the Greeks and rebuilt their temples on the southern coast in Selinunte.

I sort of felt sorry for the Phoenicians after my tour. They kind of got kicked around the Mediterannean and kept hanging on to come back and defend their territory another day. Until the Romans finished them off and sacked Carthage, on the tip of Tunisians. The Romans were apparently so fed up with them that they sowed the ground of Carthage with salt so that nothing would grow, finishing off the Phoenicians once and for all.

All that remains are the beautiful ruins and temples. And of course their salt flats.

All that remains are the beautiful ruins and temples. And of course their salt flats.