Akrillai
Encyclopedia
Akrillai was an ancient Greek colony located in the modern province of Ragusa
where the
Sicilian
town of Chiaramonte Gulfi
stands today. The ruins of the old colony can be found in the contrada Piano del Conte-Morana and Piano Grillo. A necropolis
dating from the 6th-5th century BC has been identified in the contrada Paraspola-Pirruna.
The name appears in different forms among different authors: Akrilla, Akrille; in ancient sources: Akrillaiu; the name is variously written by Latin writers Acrilla and Acrille.
ian-Syracusan at the same time of Kamarina
(598 B.C.), overlooking the Valley of the Hipparis
to establish their power against the city of Gela
founded by the Greek Cretan
-Rhodian
. Akrillai was also a road-station on the route from Syracuse to
Gela
and Akragas. By passing via Akrai and Kasmenai
,
the road avoided the low Hyblaean Mountains
and Hybla Heraea
.
The city based its economy on trade, thanks to its strategic position along the Via Selinuntina.
Near to Akrillai was the Hellenistic settlement of Scornavacche, where recent excavations have found several clay ovens.
Throughout its existence Akrillai remained under the influence of the mother-city Syracuse, with which it
was allied. According to the Roman historian Titus Livius, the city was used as a fortress and military
base during the Carthaginians’
second Sicilian campaign. In 406 BC, after the fall of Akragas and
Gela
, the city was destroyed for the first time, as the Carthaginians passed on their way to attack and besiege Syracuse.
:
With the defeat of Hippokrates’ Syracusans, the city of Akrillai became part of the Roman province
of Sicily
and its name was changed to Acrillae.
Asad ibn al-Furat
. The name
Acrillae disappeared and the rebuilt centre was known by the Arab name of Gulfi, which means "the rose-garden" and "place rich with vegetation". The nearby river Dirillo
also takes its name from
Acrillae: called Achates (agate
) during the Greek-Roman era
and
said to be where agates were first found, in Arab
times the river was called Wadi Ikrilu (River of
Acrille).
and identified by the archaeologist Antonio Di Vita,
an academic of the Lincei
, who conducted several campaigns of excavation. The many findings are housed
in the Hyblean Archaeological Museum of Ragusa
and in the Regional Archeological Museum of Syracuse.
Province of Ragusa
The Province of Ragusa is a province in the autonomous region of Sicily in Italy, located in the south-east of the island. Its capital is the city of Ragusa, which is the most southerly provincial capital in Italy.-Geography:...
where the
Sicilian
Sicily
Sicily is a region of Italy, and is the largest island in the Mediterranean Sea. Along with the surrounding minor islands, it constitutes an autonomous region of Italy, the Regione Autonoma Siciliana Sicily has a rich and unique culture, especially with regard to the arts, music, literature,...
town of Chiaramonte Gulfi
Chiaramonte Gulfi
Chiaramonte Gulfi is a town and comune in the province of Ragusa, Sicilia, Italy. As of 2007 Chiaramonte Gulfi had an estimated population of 8,035.-Geography:...
stands today. The ruins of the old colony can be found in the contrada Piano del Conte-Morana and Piano Grillo. A necropolis
Necropolis
A necropolis is a large cemetery or burial ground, usually including structural tombs. The word comes from the Greek νεκρόπολις - nekropolis, literally meaning "city of the dead"...
dating from the 6th-5th century BC has been identified in the contrada Paraspola-Pirruna.
The name appears in different forms among different authors: Akrilla, Akrille; in ancient sources: Akrillaiu; the name is variously written by Latin writers Acrilla and Acrille.
Hellenic era
The city was founded by the Greek CorinthCorinth
Corinth is a city and former municipality in Corinthia, Peloponnese, Greece. Since the 2011 local government reform it is part of the municipality Corinth, of which it is the seat and a municipal unit...
ian-Syracusan at the same time of Kamarina
Kamarina
Kamarina is a village of Preveza Prefecture, in the periphery of Epirus, in western Greece. It is located about 25 kilometres north of the town of Preveza, at an elevation of 400 metres. Kamarina belongs to the Zalongo municipality. Nowadays, its population is around 400 citizens....
(598 B.C.), overlooking the Valley of the Hipparis
Ippari
The Ippari is a 28km long river located in the province of Ragusa in south-eastern Sicily.The river rises in the Mount Serra Brugio area of the Hyblaean Mountains, just below Chiaramonte Gulfi at a height of about 800m a.s.l. and "drains" into the Mediterranean Sea south of the fishing town of...
to establish their power against the city of Gela
Gela
Gela is a town and comune in the province of Caltanissetta in the south of Sicily, Italy. The city is at about 84 kilometers distance from the city of Caltanissetta, on the Mediterranean Sea. The city has a larger population than the provincial capital, and ranks second in land area.Gela is an...
founded by the Greek Cretan
Crete
Crete is the largest and most populous of the Greek islands, the fifth largest island in the Mediterranean Sea, and one of the thirteen administrative regions of Greece. It forms a significant part of the economy and cultural heritage of Greece while retaining its own local cultural traits...
-Rhodian
Rhodos
In Greek mythology, Rhodos or Rhodus also known as Rhode was the goddess of the island of Rhodes and wife of Helios, she was the daughter of Aphrodite and Poseidon. -References:* Grimal, Pierre, , Wiley-Blackwell, 1996, ISBN 9780631201021....
. Akrillai was also a road-station on the route from Syracuse to
Gela
Gela
Gela is a town and comune in the province of Caltanissetta in the south of Sicily, Italy. The city is at about 84 kilometers distance from the city of Caltanissetta, on the Mediterranean Sea. The city has a larger population than the provincial capital, and ranks second in land area.Gela is an...
and Akragas. By passing via Akrai and Kasmenai
Casmene
Casmene was an ancient Greek colony located on the Hyblaean Mountains, founded in 644 BC by the Syracusans at a strategic position for the control of central Sicily...
,
the road avoided the low Hyblaean Mountains
Hyblaean Mountains
The Hyblaean Mountains are a mountain range in south-eastern Sicily, Italy. They are included in the provinces of Ragusa, Syracuse and Catania, and reaches the highest altitude with Monte Lauro, at 986 m.-Geology:...
and Hybla Heraea
Hybla Heraea
Hybla Heraea or Hybla Hera was an ancient city of Sicily; its site is at the modern località of Ibla, in the comune of Ragusa...
.
The city based its economy on trade, thanks to its strategic position along the Via Selinuntina.
Near to Akrillai was the Hellenistic settlement of Scornavacche, where recent excavations have found several clay ovens.
Throughout its existence Akrillai remained under the influence of the mother-city Syracuse, with which it
was allied. According to the Roman historian Titus Livius, the city was used as a fortress and military
base during the Carthaginians’
Carthage
Carthage , implying it was a 'new Tyre') is a major urban centre that has existed for nearly 3,000 years on the Gulf of Tunis, developing from a Phoenician colony of the 1st millennium BC...
second Sicilian campaign. In 406 BC, after the fall of Akragas and
Gela
Gela
Gela is a town and comune in the province of Caltanissetta in the south of Sicily, Italy. The city is at about 84 kilometers distance from the city of Caltanissetta, on the Mediterranean Sea. The city has a larger population than the provincial capital, and ranks second in land area.Gela is an...
, the city was destroyed for the first time, as the Carthaginians passed on their way to attack and besiege Syracuse.
Roman Acrillae
The Latin historian Titus Livius also recounts the battle fought at Akrillai in 213 BC between Syracusan forces guided by the strategist Hippokrates, and the Roman army led by the Consul Marcus Claudius MarcellusMarcus Claudius Marcellus
Marcus Claudius Marcellus , five times elected as consul of the Roman Republic, was an important Roman military leader during the Gallic War of 225 BC and the Second Punic War...
:
With the defeat of Hippokrates’ Syracusans, the city of Akrillai became part of the Roman province
Roman province
In Ancient Rome, a province was the basic, and, until the Tetrarchy , largest territorial and administrative unit of the empire's territorial possessions outside of Italy...
of Sicily
Sicily
Sicily is a region of Italy, and is the largest island in the Mediterranean Sea. Along with the surrounding minor islands, it constitutes an autonomous region of Italy, the Regione Autonoma Siciliana Sicily has a rich and unique culture, especially with regard to the arts, music, literature,...
and its name was changed to Acrillae.
Arab Gulfi
In 827 AD the town was destroyed again, this time by the Arabs of the CaliphCaliph
The Caliph is the head of state in a Caliphate, and the title for the ruler of the Islamic Ummah, an Islamic community ruled by the Shari'ah. It is a transcribed version of the Arabic word which means "successor" or "representative"...
Asad ibn al-Furat
Asad ibn al-Furat
Asad ibn al-Furat was a jurist and theologian in Ifriqiya, who began the Muslim conquest of Sicily.His family, originally from Harran in Mesopotamia, emigrated with him to Ifriqiya. Asad studied in Medina with Malik ibn Anas, the founder of the Malikite school, and in Kufa with a disciple of Abu...
. The name
Acrillae disappeared and the rebuilt centre was known by the Arab name of Gulfi, which means "the rose-garden" and "place rich with vegetation". The nearby river Dirillo
Dirillo
The Dirillo, or Acate, is a river in Sicily which springs from the Hyblaean Mountains and flows through the areas of Vizzini, Licodia Eubea, Mazzarrone, Chiaramonte Gulfi, Acate, Vittoria, Gela. It enters the Strait of Sicily south-east of the town of Gela...
also takes its name from
Acrillae: called Achates (agate
Agate
Agate is a microcrystalline variety of silica, chiefly chalcedony, characterised by its fineness of grain and brightness of color. Although agates may be found in various kinds of rock, they are classically associated with volcanic rocks and can be common in certain metamorphic rocks.-Etymology...
) during the Greek-Roman era
Roman Republic
The Roman Republic was the period of the ancient Roman civilization where the government operated as a republic. It began with the overthrow of the Roman monarchy, traditionally dated around 508 BC, and its replacement by a government headed by two consuls, elected annually by the citizens and...
and
said to be where agates were first found, in Arab
times the river was called Wadi Ikrilu (River of
Acrille).
Excavations
Akrillai was discovered by the historian, the Baron Corrado MelfiCorrado Melfi
Corrado Melfi, Baron of St. John was an Italian historian and archaeologist. At the end of XIX century he discovered the archeological site of Akrillai and the minor site of Scornavacche, not far from Akrillai...
and identified by the archaeologist Antonio Di Vita,
an academic of the Lincei
Accademia dei Lincei
The Accademia dei Lincei, , is an Italian science academy, located at the Palazzo Corsini on the Via della Lungara in Rome, Italy....
, who conducted several campaigns of excavation. The many findings are housed
in the Hyblean Archaeological Museum of Ragusa
Ragusa, Italy
Ragusa is a city and comune in southern Italy. It is the capital of the province of Ragusa, on the island of Sicily, with around 75,000 inhabitants. It is built on a wide limestone hill between two deep valleys, Cava San Leonardo and Cava Santa Domenica...
and in the Regional Archeological Museum of Syracuse.