Back to the Greeks and Romans

Reminders of the glories of the ancient Greeks and Romans seem to be everywhere in Sicily. After leaving Mazara del Vallo, we saw some of the finest Greek temples and Roman mosaics in all of Europe. 

First, we travelled southeast along the Mediterranean coast to a site known as the Valley of the Temples in the province of Agrigento. The route took us through a fertile agricultural area, where fields of green and groves of lemon trees were illuminated by the morning sun. The gently swelling contours of the land gradually become hillier. Mountainous peaks and wind turbines appeared on the horizon.

After quick break for espresso and gelato (this efficient caffeine and sugar delivery system was becoming a morning ritual), we arrived at the Valley of the Temples. We quickly saw that the site, which is now a sprawling archaeological park, is not actually a valley but a ridge about a mile from the coast. It was here that the Greeks established the independent city state of Akragas in the early 6^th century BCE. It became one of the most advanced cities in the ancient world, with a population approaching 50,000 people at its height. 

In addition to building fortifications along the ridge, the Greeks erected 28 temples where they would be visible to all who arrived by sea. The intent was to make a strong announcement of Greek power.

Of the 28 original Greek temples, archaeologists have excavated the remains of seven temples, all of which are in the Doric style and date back to the 5^th century BCE. Our hyper-enthusiastic local guide, Marco, who hails from the adjacent modern city of Agrigento, clambered over rocks as he led us through the site. It’s hard to imagine growing up with all of this tangible evidence of ancient history literally in your backyard. 

Temple of Hera in Agrigento  

Marco pointed out that the monochromatic stones of the temples would have been covered with red and blue painted plaster during Greek times. Stopping beside a temple generally thought to be dedicated to Hera (the Roman Juno), he noted that in the absence of inscriptions, archaeologists have difficulty dating and identifying many of the structures. Instead, they must rely on artifacts such as fragments of pottery and glass. To show us how the site is littered with centuries-old debris, Marco reached down and picked up a chunk of cut sandstone and a piece of an ancient roof tile, both of which could provide useful information. 

One of the best preserved temples in Agrigento is a temple known today as the Temple of Concordia, built around 440 BCE. As we gazed up at the impressive structure, Marco reminded us that the Greeks built their temples to face east so that first morning light would shine on the statues inside. 

Temple of Concordia in Agrigento

Nearly all of us were struck by the resemblance between this temple and the Parthenon in Athens. Both are Doric-style temples dating back to the same time period. One difference, however, is that the pediment (the triangular portion above the columns) of the Temple of Concordia is almost completely intact, unlike the pediment of the Parthenon. 

Taking a photo of the Temple of Concordia was a challenge because of the hordes of tourists posing in front of the temple. Eventually, my patience paid off. In front of the temple is a modern statue of the fallen Icarus, a monumental bronze sculpture by the late Polish artist Igor Mitoraj. 

Just a short distance away from the Temple of Concordia, we viewed the eight remaining columns of the Temple of Herakles. This is the oldest temple on the site, and the closest to the ancient Greek port, commercial road, and the agora square, which was the center of trade. If you look carefully, you’ll notice that these columns, while also Doric, are taller and wider and the capitals are more shallow than those of the Temple of Concordia. 

Temple of Herakles in Agrigento 

The city was later occupied by the Romans, and then by the Byzantines, who relocated the city to the top of the hill where the modern city of Agrigento stands today. When the Byzantines build their new city, they “recycled” blocks of stone from the older Greek structures. The area where the temples stood became farmland. In addition, they turned some of the early Greek fortifications into a Christian necropolis by carving niches into the stone. 

Marco pointing out the burial niches

Stone blocks from Agrigento’s ancient ruins continued to be taken for building materials during Middle Ages. This practice continued until reconstruction of the site began in the late 1700s.

Excavations are currently going on to uncover ruins from Roman times, but most of the ancient city, including roads and aqueducts, remains underground. Who knows what treasures may lie beneath the groves of olive trees and almond trees we walked past. 

After a couple of hours in the Valley of the Temples, we took a break for lunch at the home of the La Scala family on the outskirts of Agrigento. In their diningroom, we sat down at a long table laden with the usual frittata, tomatoes, olives, bread, eggplant, bruschetta, pasta, and wine. Dessert was the familiar fruit salad and sorbetto accompanied by Moka coffee. But there was a surprise in store for us when we finished our meal.  

The late patriarch of the family was Rafaele La Scala, a renowned maker of traditional Sicilian carts. For centuries the carts were used throughout the island to transport people and goods. Each cart was pulled by a single horse or donkey, and was perfectly balanced so that it wouldn’t tip forwards or backwards. In addition to being functional, the carts were also beautiful pieces of folk art. They were adorned with lavishly painted religious and historical scenes (to educate the illiterate populace) as well as decorative wood carving and ironwork. In order to make such a cart, several different types of experts were needed, including a woodworker, a blacksmith, a painter, and an engineer to put all the pieces all together. 

In Rafaele’s workshop in the La Scala residence, we saw some examples of the master craftsman’s handiwork. I thought the most interesting was a cart he made in 1992 to commemorate the “discovery” of America by the Genoese explorer Christopher Columbus, of whom the Italians are inordinately proud. 

Rafaele’s granddaughter demonstrated the use of some of the woodworking and ironworking tools. She also explained that the family hopes to open a small museum to showcase this disappearing artistic tradition. 

Leaving Agrigento , we passed near Gela, the point on the coast where American GIs landed in 1943 to begin their drive onto the European mainland from the south. It was quite bizarre to see hulking World War II bunkers in the middle of fields of artichokes and prickly pears. 

Soon afterwards, our bus turned northeast, towards the mountainous interior for our overnight stay at Vecchia Masseria, a 4-star agriturismo located outside the hillside city of Piazza Armerina in Enna province. 

Piazza Armerina in Enna province

As we turned off the main road, we were suddenly enveloped in a eucalyptus forest. Our bus climbed higher and higher on a narrow and deeply rutted road, negotiating a series of switchbacks until we reached the farm resort’s rustic low-slung buildings. One look at the red tile roofs, antique farm equipment, and pots of flowering plants and I was captivated. 

While it was still daylight, I set out to explore the family-friendly property on foot. I didn’t find the farm’s donkeys or horses, but I had no trouble locating the quacking ducks. I glanced at the swimming pool in its beautifully landscaped setting, and then strolled through a grove of orange trees as the sun was setting. 

Our dinner that night included fresh produce from the farm (olives, peppers) as well as a typical pasta dish made with locally grown pistachios. The ubiquitous prickly pears (already peeled) made an appearance the following morning at breakfast. 

I could easily have settled into Vecchia Masseria for a couple of days. However, we only spent a single night at the agriturismo, and we departed right after breakfast the next morning so that we could arrive early at the nearby ruins of the Villa Romana del Casale. This private residence, now designated a UNESCO World Heritage site, dates back to the late 3^rd and early 4^th century CE. Located deep in the woods, the villa was used as a hunting lodge for the elite of Roman society. The original columns, with Ionic capitals, stand in front of the entrance. 

The word “villa” doesn’t really convey the size and scope of the single-story complex, which includes thermal baths, a spa, courtyard, multiple reception rooms, guest rooms, service rooms, storage areas, and the private apartments of the villa’s owner (thought to be a high-level Roman administrator). 

A 12^th century landslide buried the villa and helped preserve the mosaics. The site wasn’t uncovered until the 20^thcentury. Excavations revealed over 4000 square meters of Roman mosaics, most of which were in excellent condition. In addition to being one of the finest examples of this art form, the villa’s mosaics provide a fascinating insight into the daily life of the patrician class. 

In the baths and spa, the mosaics were geometric. This was also true of the rooms used primarily by servants. The designs of the mosaics in the reception areas were more representational. And in the owner's private apartments, one particular mosaic was quite risqué. 

Look closely and you'll see the X-rated scene. 

In a small chamber, we saw an unusual floor mosaic that depicted several young women who appeared to be dressed in bikinis. Until our guide enlightened us, I assumed I was looking at an ancient Roman pool party, or perhaps even a  beauty contest! On closer examination, these figures turned out to be female athletes engaged in weightlifting, discus throwing, running, and other sports.

 

Clearly, the villa’s most impressive mosaic is in the Corridor of the Great Hunt. The floor of this long hallway shows the landscape, people, and wild animals of the entire known world, extending from the west to the east, with Rome at the center. To view the entire scene, visitors file from left to right on an elevated walkway set alongside the mosaic floor. 

I was curious about how the mosaics were created. Our guide explained that there are three layers. The first is a layer of sand. This layer is topped with a mixture of Roman concrete, sand, crushed terra cotta tile, white marble powder, and lava ash. Finally, on top of all this, the marble tesserae (pieces of colored stone) are set into wet concrete. 

Arriving early at the Villa Romana was a good strategy. By the time we finished our visit, the parking lot was filled with mammoth buses disgorging masses of tourists. It wasn’t quite noon when we set out for our next destination, Caltagirone, up in the hills. Sicily’s enchanting hill towns will be the subject of my next post.