Il circuito difensivo di Palermo punica tra vecchie e nuove ricerche

Abstract

The ancient Panormos, although protected on three sides by sea and rivers, was soon bounded by a mighty fortification, of which we have useful information thanks to a long historiographical tradition. Despite the discreet knowledge of the entire route, the question of the chronology of its installation is still suspended.
The original route of the Punic age, in fact, was adapted several times: changes were made in the Byzantine period and, later, during the Islamic period, when the ancient ring of the Cassaro was still preserved. Since 2000, some excavations have been carried out on the ancient defensive system, bringing some important innovations that, however, did not allow to establish on a stratigraphic basis the dating of the first installation of the boundary wall.
Keywords: Sicily, Punic archaeology, Panormos, fortification, urban excavation