Roman Vestiges in the Benedictine Monastery - Catania, Italy
N 37° 30.207 E 015° 04.816
33S E 507094 N 4150727
An entire Roman neighbourhood with the two main axes the Cardum and the Decumanus Maximus has been found under the monastery. It is possible to see the remains in the main court.
Waymark Code: WMVDCJ
Location: Sicilia, Italy
Date Posted: 04/04/2017
Views: 1
In the First Punic War, Catania was one of the first among the cities of Sicily, which made their submission to the Roman Republic, after the first successes of their arms in 263 BC.
It appears to have continued afterwards steadily to maintain its friendly relations with Rome, and though it did not enjoy the advantages of a confederate city (foederata civitas), like its neighbors Tauromenium (modern Taormina) and Messana (modern Messina), it rose to a position of great prosperity under the Roman rule.
Cicero repeatedly mentions it as, in his time, a wealthy and flourishing city; it retained its ancient municipal institutions, its chief magistrate bearing the title of Proagorus; and appears to have been one of the principal ports of Sicily for the export of corn.
It subsequently suffered severely from the ravages of Sextus Pompeius, and was in consequence one of the cities to which a colony was sent by Augustus; a measure that appears to have in a great degree restored its prosperity, so that in Strabo's time it was one of the few cities in the island that was in a flourishing condition.
It retained its colonial rank, as well as its prosperity, throughout the period of the Roman Empire; so that in the 4th century Ausonius in his Ordo Nobilium Urbium, notices Catania and Syracuse alone among the cities of Sicily.
The port of Catania also, which was in great part filled up by the eruption of 1669, appears to have been in ancient times much frequented, and was the chief place of export for the corn of the rich neighboring plains.
Most Relevant Historical Period: Roman Republic 509 B.C. - 27 B.C.
Admission Fee: Free
Opening days/times:
9:00AM - 5:00PM
Web Site: [Web Link]
Condition: Some remaining traces (ruins) or pieces
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