Megara Hyblaea

Augusta, Italy

Megara Hyblaea is an ancient Greek colony in Sicily It was founded about 728 BC by colonists from Megara in Attica. In 628 the city established a colony at Selinus but in 483 was destroyed by the Syracusan leader Gelon. The city had a brief independent existence in the 4th century BC, when it issued coinage, but is heard of mainly as a fortified place.

Excavations carried on in 1891 led to the discovery of the northern portion of the western town wall, which in one section served at the same time as an embankment against floods. There is also an extensive necropolis, about 1500 tombs of which have been explored, and of a deposit of votive objects from a temple. The harbour lay to the north of the town.

In the mid-seventh century, the city was organised according to a regularised plan. An agora emerged with stoas on its north and eastern sides. This is one of the earliest known agoras.

Comments

Your name



Address

Augusta, Italy
See all sites in Augusta

Details

Founded: 728 BCE
Category: Prehistoric and archaeological sites in Italy

Rating

4.1/5 (based on Google user reviews)

User Reviews

Sebastiano Mazzone (2 years ago)
Congratulations the visit to Megara Iblea and the show were very well organized and pleasant. With Archeoclub Augusta, Augusta Military Historical Study Center, La Ginestra Villasmundo, Legambiente Melilli
Rosaria Andolina (3 years ago)
Interesting archaeological site, in fact the urban fabric of the ancient city is still visible.
ant anto (5 years ago)
Archaeological site located in the industrial area between Augusta and Priolo.
Yami Yume (7 years ago)
Interesting, still full of ancient archeological relics, but abandonet to itself.
Powered by Google

Featured Historic Landmarks, Sites & Buildings

Historic Site of the week

Sigmaringen Castle

Sigmaringen Castle was first mentioned in the year 1077 in the chronicles of Petershausen monastery. The oldest parts of the castle are concealed beneath the alterations made during the 17th and the 19th centuries. The secret of the earliest settlement built on this defendable rock will never be fully revealed: large-scale excavation work would be necessary, which the extensive land development renders impossible. Judging from the many Roman remains unearthed in the area around Sigmaringen, the 12th century keep known as the 'Roman Tower' could be traced back to a Roman predecessor.

The castle remains that have been preserved (gate, great hall and keep) date back to the Staufer period around 1200. The castle remains were integrated into subsequent buildings. The foundations of the castle buildings are to a large extent identical to the surrounding castle wall.

These remains give us a good idea of how the castle might have looked during the 12th century.