Europe: Ancient cities СЕГЕСТА / Segesta

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Древний город Сегеста был одним из крупнейших центров расселения элимов, народности загадочного происхождения, каким-то образом имеющей отношение к троянцам. Город, расположенный в северо-западной части Сицилии, в провинции Трапани, был защищен с нескольких сторон крутыми холмами и стенами на более пологом склоне по направлению к храму. Город держал под контролем несколько крупных маршрутов между северным побережьем и районами, удаленными от прибрежной полосы. Будучи крупным городом западной Сицилии, с 6 по 5 века до н.э. Сегеста постоянно участвовала в военных действиях и вела постоянную борьбу с соседними греческими колониями, особенно с Селинунтом. В 4 в до н.э. Сегеста была дважды осаждена и завоевана, сначала Дионисием, а затем Агафоклом. Во времена Древнего Рима Сегеста, как и все греческие города, перешла во власть римлян.

Греческий театр в Сегесте

 

 

Segesta 's ancient Greek temple can make a valid claim to being the best preserved in the world, and its amphitheatre boasts a hilltop position on Mount Barbaro second to none. The archeological site, about seventy kilometers southwest of Palermo, reflects the presence of several ancient civilizations, beginning with the elusive Elymians. While the magnificent Doric temple, though (strictly speaking) never completed --as the roof was never added and the pillars never fluted-- is impressive, it is just the highlight of a large archeological park. For its remote rural setting, Segesta in springtime is a magical place, nothing like Agrigento, which lies at the edge of a modern city. And what of the Elymians? Truth be told, precious little is known of the Elymians (or Elymi), founders of the place initially called "Egesta." Originally from Asia Minor (possibly Anatolia), they arrived in Sicily to settle some of the island's western regions around 1200 BC (BCE), during more-or-less the same period that the Sicels, migrating from peninsular Italy, colonised the northeastern part of the island. Both coexisted with the indigenous Sicanians. During the Greek domination which began circa 600 BC most of the Elymians, including those of Egesta, Entella and other settlements, readily assimilated with Greek culture. Evidence suggests that the Elymians of Eryx, however, assimilated more with Punic (Carthaginian) culture. This all seems rather arcane, but inscriptions in what is presumed to be the Elymian language, written in Phoenician and Greek characters, have been found at Segesta, along with pieces of pottery bearing script similar to that of a specific region of Asia Minor. The Greeks freely intermarried with the Elymians, but initially prohibited marriage with the Sicanians, who they considered barbarians.

Геоглифы Сахары

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