Short History of Greek Sicily
Dates and events of particular importance
This map of modern Sicily clearly shows the triangular form of the island. The ancient name Trinacria was derived from this triangular shape. The modern name Sicilia is derived from that of its ancient inhabitants, the Siculi. Physically it is a continuation of the chain of the Apennines on the one hand, and of the Atlas mountains on the other.

Sicily is the largest and most important of the Mediterranean islands (25,708 sq km). Sicily numbers more than 5,000,000 inhabitants.
From the mid-VIII century onwards a number of Greek colonies were founded from parent cities in Greece and subsequently from expanding colonies in Sicily itself. The next few hundred years witnessed a period of vigorous growth and of great cultural achievement among these colonies - a cultural achievement whose progress was continually interrupted by warfare, either between the Greeks and Carthaginians, or between one Greek city and another. The men who rose to power in these cities were known as 'tyrants', a word which, in Greek, does not carry so pejorative a sense as in English, and in fact some of these men such as Timoleon, Dion, or Hieron II of Syracuse were motivated far more by idealistic and democratic ambitions than by the desire for personal advancement which inspired many others for whom the English word tyrant would by no means be too strong.

The colonists came from many parts of the Greek world. Corinthians settled at Syracuse, Camarina and Akrai, Chalcidians at Himera, Mylai, Zancle, Catane, and Leontinoi, Megarians at Megara Hyblaea and Selinus, and Rhodians, Cretans and Cnidians at Gela, Akragas and Lipara.

Trade contacts between Greeks and natives led to gradual Hellenization of the indigenous areas, so that, in time, the Greek tongue became widespread, and continued to be used for common parlance throughout the Roman period as well.
The first of the Greek colonies, including Naxos, Megara Hyblaea and Syracuse, were founded around the middle of the VIII century. Others, nearly all sited near the coast, followed at intervals.
Foundation of the earliest colonies
491-478 B.C.
 Gelon in power in Syracuse.
480 B.C.
 The Battle of Himera. The Carthaginian forces defeated by the combined armies of Theron of Akragas, and Gelon.
478-466 B.C.
 Hieron I at Syracuse.
456 B.C.
 Aeschylus dies at Gela.
415-413 B.C.
 Defeat of the Athenian expedition at Syracuse.
409 B.C.
 Carthaginians land expeditionary force and sack Selinus, and then Himera, Akragas and Gela.
Dionysius I of Syracuse. Syracuse becomes the most powerful city in Europe. Wars against the Carthaginians.
405-367 B.C.
Motya sacked. Plato visits Syracuse.
397 B.C.
Timoleon takes power in Syracuse and initiates plan for rebuilding many destroyed or damaged cities in Sicily.
345-336 B.C.
Hellenistic Period
 (about 325-30 B.C.)
315-289 B.C.
 Agathocles of Syracuse. Wars against the Carthaginians.
278-276 B.C.
 Pyrrhus in Sicily.
Hieron II of Syracuse. During his long and prosperous reign the first Roman-Punic war was fought. Until his death Syracuse remained an ally of Rome, and during his life Sicily became a Roman Province.
265-215 B.C.
213-211 B.C.
 Syracuse, having broken her alliance with Rome after Hieron's death, was besieged and taken by Marcellus. Archimedes accidentally killed.
During the Roman period Sicily was exploited for everything she had to offer, particularly for grain for the Roman armies. The land was divided into huge corn-growing estates and conditions were so harsh that two major revolts broke out, the so-called Slave Wars of 135-132 and 104-101 B.C.
The Roman Period