Siracusa, Syracuse, in Eastern Sicily was the wold's most important city and it was actually the downfall of any dreams of empire that the Athens had. Their failed attempt in 414 BC, to try to wage war on Syracuse led to their slow demise. A series of wars with Carthage led to the slow erosion of it's powers. The emerging Romans, then actually barbarians when compared to the Hellenic Sicilians, made Sicily the first Roman province after they defeated the Carthaginians in the third Punic War. Syracuse then became part of the Roman empire along with the rest of Sicily and it's problems began. But enough history. These photos were shot in Ortigia, the oldest part of Syracuse and actually an island. I may be prejudiced but Syracuse is one of the most beautiful city in Italy and it's cuisine based mostly on sea food is probably Italy's best. No one who comes to Sicily can afford to miss this glorious city where Archimedes worked and formulated his many ideas on physics and mathematics.
