Camarina
Communications
SS 115 Gela-Cómiso, turning off at Vittória, about 17km/11mi southwest via the fishing village of Scoglitti and the River Ippari.
Location
The ruins of the ancient town of Kamarina/Camarina lie on the south coast on a terrace between the River Ippari (in ancient times Hipparis) and the Cava di Randello.
History
The town was founded from Syracuse at the beginning of the sixth century B.C. (traditionally supposed to be 599 B.C.) at the close of the era of Doric-Syracusan expansion into the southwestern hinterland.
SS 115 Gela-Cómiso, turning off at Vittória, about 17km/11mi southwest via the fishing village of Scoglitti and the River Ippari.
Location
The ruins of the ancient town of Kamarina/Camarina lie on the south coast on a terrace between the River Ippari (in ancient times Hipparis) and the Cava di Randello.
History
The town was founded from Syracuse at the beginning of the sixth century B.C. (traditionally supposed to be 599 B.C.) at the close of the era of Doric-Syracusan expansion into the southwestern hinterland.
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Must-see attractions nearby:
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Kamarina devoted itself to peaceful economic expansion as far as the Sikel town of Hybla Heraia, with which it united in 533 against its parent city. Syracuse remained victorious and destroyed Kamarina. The town was subsequently to lie in the field of conflict between Gela and Syracuse. It was rebuilt after 492 by Hippocrates of Gela, but only a few years later in 484 B.C. the inhabitants were forced to resettle in Syracuse by Gelon, ruler of that city. Subsequently Kamarina was founded by Gela for the third time in its troubled existence and from 460 went through a period of prosperity. At that time its sphere of influence included distant Morgantina. In 405 B.C. the town and its surroundings were laid waste by Carthage; the people fled to Leontinoi but were subsequently able to return. In the later conflict between Carthage and Rome the latter took the town in 258 B.C., it was destroyed and the population enslaved.
Related Attractions
Excavations
During excavations (1896, 1905 and since 1958) parts of the town walls (once 7km/4mi long), the remains of a temple to Athene and former dwelling-places have been uncovered.
In the Temple of Athene an extraordinary document has recently been discovered: 167 lead plates (pinàkis), in the form of strips, which it is thought were used as personal identity documents. Those finds which have not found their way to the Archeological Museum in Ragusa can be seen in the antiquarium by the temple.
In the Temple of Athene an extraordinary document has recently been discovered: 167 lead plates (pinàkis), in the form of strips, which it is thought were used as personal identity documents. Those finds which have not found their way to the Archeological Museum in Ragusa can be seen in the antiquarium by the temple.
Passo Marinaro
The great necropolis of Passo Marinaro is to be found to the southeast, beyond the Cava di Randello.
