PRODUZIONI DI ECCELLENZA NELLE CITTÀ GRECHE DI SICILIA

Abstract

Products of excellence in Sicilian Greek cities
Ancient sources agree in giving a clear and concordant description of Greek Sicily as a
rich and opulent land. They are particularly valuable for the identification of some important
items and productive activities that we could define as the island’s products of ‘excellence’.
References to these productions are numerous, ranging from canning products to
perfumes, furnishings and textile handicrafts. The collection and the examination of these
sources, moreover, give the image of a very lively and profitable economy. Athenaeus’s long
and detailed description of the Syrakosia, the famous ship of Hieron II, attests to this
opulence. Between reality and fiction, this is an example of the excellent craftsmanship of
Sicily.
elena