Volume V THE MYSTERIOUS UNFINISHED TEMPLE AT SEGESTA, SICILY...AND BEYOND The archaeological site of Segesta lies in the midst of lush green agricultural lands and rolling
hills in the northwestern corner of Sicily. It is typically reached by car from Palermo, a pleasant drive though groves of
olive, fruit and nut trees, and vines as this corner of Sicily is a major wine producing area. From Palermo the drive is just
over an hour. The site may also be reached from the port of Trapani. Segesta
was not one of the better known Greek colonies in Sicily in spite of having most of the accoutrements of a Greek city, including
a Greek-style temple and amphitheatre, and adopting both Greek and Phoenician alphabets for their inscriptions. In fact, its
population was Elymian, an apparent hybrid of indigenous Sicanians and immigrants from other non-Greek localities, and later
including Greeks who intermarried with the locals. The great "mystery" of Segesta is why the City's magnificent
Doric temple was left unfinished.
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Segesta Temple, view from the northeast
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Segesta Temple, view from the southeast
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Unlike most other indigenous settlements in Sicily, Segesta readily adopted Greek influences.
The city's main commercial and political rival was the Greek colony of Selinunte, ultimately destroyed by the Carthaginians,
with whom Segesta had allied itself. At various times, Segesta allied itself with both Athens and Carthage and was briefly
conquered Syracuse on two occasions before finally allying itself to the rising power of Rome in 260 BC.It is this complex series of relationships that is at the heart of the most popular explanation for the temple's
unfinished condition. As the story goes, Selinunte had allied itself with Syracuse. In a bid to counter this alliance and
make a play for a leadership role among the cities of Sicily, Segesta sent envoys to Athens seeking aid. The Athenians approached
this request with caution and sent ambassadors to Segesta to investigate. The temple, intended to awe the Athenian delegation
into believing Segesta worthy of aid, was nearly finished. When the Athenians left, construction on the temple came to an
end. The temple, built around 430-420 BC, is missing many key features.
The Doric columns lack fluting. Most blocks used in the lower courses of the building still retain projections, normally cut
away upon completion, used in transporting and placing them. Most obviously, the cella (the internal walled building housing
the cult image) is missing entirely. Yet it is this emptiness, in a quiet pastoral setting, so different from many urban archaeological
sites, that lends a calm grandeur to the structure. Excavations in the residential core of Segesta are ongoing so much more
may be learned about this curious ancient city of hybrid culture.
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Segesta Temple showing projections used in transporting construction
blocks
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Segesta Temple, view from the southwest
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The country around Segesta offers many worthwhile stops for the traveler. From a purely
historical standpoint, it is worth viewing the modern town of Trapani from above. This port, with its adjacent salt pans,
sits at the northwestern corner of the triangle that is Sicily. It is claimed that on a particularly clear day one may see
the Tunisian coast, just 160 kilometers (100 miles) away from the high ground at Erice (750 meters above sea level). True
or not, this claim underscores the easily navigable distances between ancient Carthage (today's Tunisia) and western Sicily.
The lush nature of the surrounding country helps explain the intense competition among local and regional powers for control
of the area in antiquity.
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Trapani, looking west from Erice
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The nearby charming town of Erice may be reached by a funicular in Trapani (though this
does not run on windy days) or by driving up a road consisting of hair raising twists and turns. The town was known as Eryx
in antiquity and had an Elymian population heavily influenced by Carthage. It contains fleeting traces of its Greek, Roman,
Byzantine, Arab and Norman past. Much of the year the town is only sparsely populated and is entirely dependent on tourism
for its continued survival. One architectural highlight of the town is the 14th Century "Mother Church" and its
much older tower.
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Medieval church tower, Erice
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For this traveler, the main attractions were the incredible pasticcerias (pastry shops)
and the local enoteca (wine shop). The intensity of flavors produced by the multi-colored marzipans, exquisitely rich crèmes
and heavenly pastry dough were beyond description! Erice is also quite close to Marsala, an important wine growing region.There are countless marvels to experience in this part of Sicily, especially
for the archaeological traveler. These include the Greek site of Selinunte, the Arab-Norman monuments of Palermo and the Byzantine-style
monuments of Monreale. And, of course, no shortage of excellent food and wine! This writer encourages all readers to visit
the region and experience this for themselves.
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