大英博物館のインスタグラム(britishmuseum) - 5月5日 18時59分

Ancient #Sicily attracted the attention of the most powerful cities in the Mediterranean, who envied its fertility and riches. Ancient writers describe the lavish parties held by the elite of Akragas, who amassed great fortunes by trading the olive oil produced on their fertile estates with Carthage. Throughout Greek Sicily, wealth was displayed through sumptuously decorated homes, gold jewellery and large silver coins.
Sicily’s economic success was largely due to its dark, fertile soil, regularly fed by ash and lava from Etna, one of the world’s most active volcanos - shown in this photo. Sicily’s fertile landscape also featured in ancient Greek myths. The god of the underworld, Hades was said to have abducted the fertility goddess Persephone near Enna, in central Sicily. The cult of Demeter and Persephone, earth mother and daughter, thrived on Sicily with sanctuaries built to honour the goddesses and to give offerings back to the earth.

In 241 BC, Rome defeated the Carthaginians and Greeks to conquer Sicily, making it the empire’s first province. To the new victors, Sicily’s primary importance lay in its abundant supply of grain, which they used to feed the ever-growing populace back in Rome. Sicily was aptly dubbed ‘Rome’s granary’. The island’s fertility was exploited by its Roman governors, and large agricultural estates dominated the landscape. Otherwise the capital cared little for its first province, and the island’s language and culture remained Greek. It was only from the Emperor Augustus’ reign (27 BC to AD 14) that Sicily adopted the Latin language and Roman way of life.
Learn more about the importance of Sicily in the ancient and medieval world in our #SicilyExhibition, until 14 August 2016.

#Etna #volcano #history

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