While the eastern part of Sicily was thickly settled by Greeks in the 8th century BCE, the west was in Phoenician hands, with cities at Mozia, Palermo and Solunto. People from the Levant had already been visiting the island in the Bronze Age, when their principal destination seems to have been the metalrich parts of Sardinia, and these contacts may conceivably have survived the disruptions of the end of the Bronze Age.

The Phoenician cities were major players in the politics and warfare of the island from the 6th century BCE onwards, sometimes allied with Greek cities but more often opposed to them, with Carthage only 150 km to the south offering support. Punic armies devastated much of the island between 409 and 405 BCE, burning a number of Greek cities (Selinus, Agrigento, Himera) and establishing a dominance that lasted until the Romans began their conquest of Italy. The site of one of the major naval battles of Rome’s wars against Carthage has recently been discovered of the coast of western Sicily, with a number of weapons and the rams of Roman and Phoenician ships brought to the surface.

Dr Ted Robinson has worked at Pella and Torone, and has directed survey and excavation projects at I Fani, Alezio and Chiaramonte (all in South Italy). His specialty is the archaeology of South Italy and especially the interplay between the indigenous populations and Greek settlers.