Taormina’s Ancient Theater, or Teatro Antico, is the inspiration for the logo of the 2017 meeting of the G7, happening now in Sicily. To give you some background, and put things into perspective (We are here for so little time.), the theater was built in phases, starting in the 3rd century BC by the Greek…
Tag: magna grecia
Sing Out at Segesta’s Theater
The amphitheater at Segesta sits on top of Monte Bàrbaro at an elevation of 400 meters above sea level, facing North and therefore, the sea. It dates to the middle of the 3rd century B.C. Excavations of the area are taking place sporadically. Some have revealed the existence of structures dating back to the 9th…
The First Time Ever I Saw Your Vase
The detail of the face painted on this terracotta jar that is associated with weddings (called lebes gamikos) is extraordinary, considering it is from the 3rd century B.C. It is from the ancient town of Centuripe in Enna province, which was, at one time, one of Sicily’s biggest producers of ceramic objects. This vase illustrates…
Splurge in Agrigento
This is the view from our hotel room tonight. On your trip, this is where you splurge on a 5-star hotel … in Agrigento! Here’s what you are looking at: The Temple of Concordia is named for a Latin inscription that was found on a dedication marker unearthed in the vicinity of the archaeological site–i.e.,…
A Bride and A Drum
When I learn how old an object like this vase from Sicily is, it puts things into perspective. I was thrilled to see this in person at The Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York a couple of weeks ago. Dated to have been made between 300 and 200 B.C.E., this polychrome terracotta jar associated…
I’m a Magnet
Yesterday my friend Renee and I went to the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York City. Last week, I thought, “I love museums, and I always go when I travel: Why not in my own town?” It had been a while since I’d been to The Met, so I proposed it. Of course, I…
Persephone’s Guidance
As the seasons change where I live in the northeastern United States, and the days are darker longer, I turn to Persephone for assistance during the transition to winter. Part of the “Queen of the Underworld’s” responsibilities, once she descends into Hades each autumn, is the role of psychopomp–a guide for new souls crossing over;…
Selinunte’s Graceful Temple E
Selinunte was a Greek city built on the southwestern coast of Sicily by colonists from the eastern Sicilian Greek outpost of Megara Hyblea. Founded around 651 BC, it displayed its power by building massive temples to dedicated to the gods, like this one pictured, Temple E, which scholars believe was dedicated to Hera. The Doric-style…
Ageless Beauty
Pictured are terracotta female figurines from the 3rd century BC, from Sicily, yet specific origins are unknown. Photographed in Palermo’s Palazzo Branciforte museum and cultural center.
In Just 9 Days
In the late part of the 7th century BC, the city of Selinunte was founded by colonists from the eastern Sicilian Greek colony of Megara Hyblea. Being the western-most Greek town in an area that was generally occupied by Carthaginian peoples, Selinunte faced a number of destructive episodes that finally ended in 409 BC. Carthage,…