The layers of history in Sicily are complicated at best. Like most every country in the world that has ever been “conquered” the architecture, art, language, and culture learn, adapt and integrate, but to understand the layers one must have a grasp of the historic timeline.
20,000-750 BCE Pre Greek History
Paleolithic
Neolithic – farming, animal husbandry, and pottery. This, in particular, fascinates me if you compare it to the people of Malta that had one of the most advanced civilizations during this period. The interest here lies in the fact that most likely the settlers of Malta were from Sicily. This is partly based on the fact that the Maltese had obsidian and that is only found naturally on the North coast of Sicily, in Pantelleria, the bay of Naples and western Sardinia.
Copper Age
Bronze Age
Carthinigians (Phoenicians from what is now Tunisia)
750-215 BCE – The Greeks
Greeks begin to arrive in search of land in the development of “Magna Graecia”.
264-211 BCE – The Punic Wars
264-241 First Punic War: Romans use the Sicilians to fight against Carthage, but its a draw. This unresolved strategic competition between Rome and Carthage would lead to the eruption of the Second Punic War in 218 BC.218-201 Second Punic war: Syracuse falls in 211 giving way to Roman rule
218 BC – 468 CA – The Romans
468-476 – The Vandals
468-476 Vandals (of Germanic origins) invade from North Africa
476-535 – The Ostrogoths
476-535 Ostrogoths rule Sicily
535-827 – The Byzantines
663 – Syracuse briefly replaces Constantinople as the capital of the Byzantine empire.
827-1061 – The Arabs
Arab rule in Sicily passed through three North African dynasties: the Aghlabids, the Fatimids, whose power base was in Cairo, and then the Kalbids. In 948 Hassan al-Kalbi declared himself Emir of Sicily, though soon rival “emirates” were established in Enna and Syracuse. The island was divided into three administrative districts, whose names survive still today: Val di Mazara, Val di Noto, and Val di Demone. Val is the Arabic word for province.
827 – Beginning of Arab invasion with the landing of 10,000 Arabs, Berbers and Spanish Muslims (collective term Saracens) at Mazara del Vallo.
832 – Arabs conquer Palermo making it their capital. Palermo becomes one of the most populous and cosmopolitan centers in the world.
878 – Arabs conquer the city of Syracuse.
1060-1194 – The Normans
1059 – Pope Nicolo’ II authorizes the Hauteville family of Normans (present in Calabria and Puglia) to occupy any area of Southern Italy as long as they don’t recognize the power of Constantinople.
1071 onwards – the Normans take possession of Sicily, but they are few so they have to accept and integrate Arab administration and justice systems. They make use of Arab and Byzantine craftsmen and architects leaving an incredible legacy of art and architecture. Arabic is replaced by French and Italian and the clerical hierarchy is Latinised bringing 1,500 years of Greek influence to an end.
1194-1266 – The Hohenstaufen – a dynasty of German kings during the Middle Ages also known as Swabians
1194 – The Hohenstaufen arrive to find little opposition and Henry VI is crowned King of Sicily. He is succeeded by Frederick II (Stupor Mundi) under whose reign poetry, science, law, and medicine advance. After his death, the Pope sells Sicily to the King of England, who gives it to his 8-year-old son Edmund of Lancaster.
1266-1282 – The Angevin French
1266 – The French Pope deposes Edmund and gives Sicily to Charles of Anjou (brother of Louis IX). The Angevins oppress Sicily with high taxes and division of baronial fiefs among French aristocrats they are generally detested by the Sicilians.
1282 – The Sicilian Vespers, a successful rebellion that broke out on Easter 1282 at evening prayer (vespers) against the French
1282-1516 – The Aragonese
1282 – Peter of Aragon lands in Trapani and is named king at Palermo. The arrival of the Aragonese means the beginning of five centuries of Spanish domination and isolation from Italy and consequently from Europe. 1282-1302
1516-1713 – The Spanish Habsburgs
1720-1734 – The Austrian Habsburgs
1720 – The House of Savoy trades Sicily with the Austrians for Sardinia.
1734-1806 – The Bourbons
18th Century The continuation of indirect Spanish rule through a pampered, parasitic and corrupt nobility
1806-1815 – British Administration
1815-1860 – The Bourbons
1815 Ferdinand returns to Naples and declares himself Ferdinand I of the Two Sicilies.
1860-1946 – The unification of Italy (Monarchy)
1860 – Garibaldi begins the unification of Italy. Vittorio Emanuele of Savoy declared King.
1946-Today – The Italian Republic
1946 Sicily becomes an autonomous region of Italy 1951-1971 Italy joins the European Union and then the Common Market in 1968.