When Virgil published the Aeneid, Syracuse and its shores were a name already well known to the Greek and Roman world. As a matter of fact, Ortygia, gathered in the embrace of the "Plemmyrium ondosum" gulf, is mentioned by the Latin poet, who provides this immortal caption of the place: "Across the...

In a wealth of detail, the Siceliot historian Diodorus Siculus recounted the epochal undertaking of the construction of the Dionysian Walls and the Euryalus Fortress, describing the various phases of construction. As reported by the Agira-born writer, 70,000 slaves and 6,000 oxen divided into teams...

Damokopos was a Greek architect who lived around the 5th century BC. As reported in the chronicles, he was responsible for the construction of the theatre of Syracuse, described by the historian Diodorus as "the most beautiful theatre in Sicily" (XVI, 83.3). It is said that Damokopos was given the ...

A cubiculum, from the Latin verb cubare meaning "to lie, to rest", was a burial chamber in the catacombs. This term was exclusively Christian; pagans used it to refer to secondary bedrooms, children's or guest bedrooms. The shape of this space varied: it could be circular, semi-circular, square, t...

An architectural element typical of Roman and Gothic architecture; they are formed of small drums in carved stone that form an ogive that makes up the structure of a vault, and divides its surface into several parts. Its function is to make the thrusts from the weight of the structure unload onto ...

The Solomonic column is a spiral twisted column already in use in the early Christian period. It is said that the original symbolic model of this element derives from the columns that adorned Solomon's Temple in Jerusalem. Particular importance was attributed to the Solomonic columns in St. Peter's...

The Latin poet Cicero was particularly impressed by this gloomy place, which he described in the fifth oration of his work In Verrem (Against Verres), as a stone prison with no way out, a place deep and closed in on itself: "You have all heard of the Syracusan stone-quarries. Many of you are acquai...

The cella (shrine), in Greek naos, is the heart of a Greek or Roman temple: the innermost room that housed the deity's statue and symbolically represented that god's house. For this reason it was forbidden to enter it except during particular festivities; only a few priests had regular access....

The orchestra is a circular-shaped part of an ancient theatre located at the base of the cavea, between the spectators on the steps and the stage. This space was dedicated to the choir performance. The choir members, called choralists, walked or danced together, commented using song on what was ha...

The Cavea, koilon in greek, is the set of steps, divided into areas called "wedges", an amphitheater or a classical theater, where they took their seats for the spectators attend performances, games and other entertainment. [dettaglio_immagine id="18790"]...