Rocco Galatioto, nice photos and good food

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

The Aretusa fountain in Ortigia, the original and oldest  part of Siracusa is a fresh water fed pool right next to the sea.  Papyrus grows there in abundance. It has fascinated for centuries. This is of Course the original Syracuse that once was more important than Rome and challenged Athens for supremacy in the Greek world. The decline of the Peloponnese dominance began when Athens, the most powerful Greek city state unsuccessfully waged war to Syracuse at around 440 BC. Syracuse victory and supremacy was short lived as after the Punic wars and with  the intrigues with Carthage that led to these, Sicily became the first Province of Rome. It was the beginning of a period of brutal and barbaric treatment at the  hands of the Romans who robbed, pillages and exploited the Island making it it's main source of grain. Being not a Hellenized  people these conquerors can be called barbarians using the Greek origins and usage of the term. The Romans still rule today but instead of barbari