Sicily

This book delves into the fascinating and diverse history and culture of Sicily. With settlers from early tribes to the Greeks and Romans, through the Arabs, Normans, French, Spanish and finally Italians, the island's culture has been changed dramatically by each of the foreign powers. In this book, Jeremy Dummett concludes his trilogy on Sicily with an engrossing history of the entire island, through excess of power, a wealth of cultural prosperity and flourishing art, to extreme poverty and oppression in times of war and invasion. The geography of this Mediterranean island is full of huge variations, from coastal plains with natural harbors to a volcano and a mountainous interior--a decentralized state for most of the past. Dummett delves into the stories and personalities that make up this extraordinary island, with power struggles developing a great cathedral and temples built to impress but never finished; Sicily uncovers the hidden background behind the island's rich culture.

Jeremy Dummett

Foreword PART I: History 1. Introduction 2. The Castle of Dionysius 3. Sicily under the Roman Republic 4. The Arabs in Sicily 5. The Cathedral at Monreale 6. Frederick II and the Sicilian Poets 7. Domenico Caracciolo, the Reforming Viceroy 8. The British Wine Merchants 9. The Revolution of 1848 PART II: Cities 10. Introduction 11. Catania, Sicily's commercial capital, and Mount Etna 12. Taormina, Sicily's top international resort 13. Messina, port with connections to mainland Italy 14. Cefalù, seaside town with a Norman cathedral 15. Noto, baroque hill town 16. Ragusa and Modica, baroque hill towns 17. Palazzolo Acreide, baroque hill town 18. Marsala, ancient Lilybaeum, port city famous for its wine PART III: Ancient Sites 19. Introduction 20. Pantàlica, a pre-historic site 21. Segesta, an Elymian city, with a Greek temple 22. Selinunte, ancient Selinus, a Greek city 23. Agrigento, ancient Akragas, a Greek city 24. Mozia, ancient Motya, a Punic city 25. Villa Casale at Piazza Armerina, a Roman villa PART IV: Artists 26. Introduction 27. Antonello da Messina, Renaissance painter 28. Antonello Gagini, Renaissance sculptor 29. Caravaggio, baroque painter 30. Pietro Novelli, baroque painter 31. Giacomo Serpotta, baroque sculptor 32. Rosario Gagliardi, baroque architect 33. Ernesto Basile, architect of the late nineteenth and early twentieth centuries 34. Renato Guttuso, twentieth century painter Notes Bibliography Acknowledgements Maps Index