SICILIAN HISTORY AND

CULTURE
By: Kailey McSteen
CAPITAL AND GEOGRAPHICAL
LOCATION
Sicily is located on the European continent, and it is a
large fertile island at the pivotal point in the
Mediterranean.
It lies about 100 miles northeast of Tunisia.
The capital of Sicily is Palermo.
Sicily was colonized by the Greeks and the Phoenicians.
Sicily is a melting pot for more than a dozen ethnic
groups.
Many warriors or merchants sought shelter on the
shores of Sicily for protection throughout the islands
history. http://tropical-island-
getaways.com/wp-
NAMING OF SICILY

Sicily was originally called Sicania because the

Sicani people originated there.
This group of people was exterminated by the
Carthaginese around 1,ooo B.C.
During the same time period, a Pelasgic tribe
called the Siculi began to civilize the eastern
part of the island.
The local populations melted together, and
therefore, the island was called Siculi.
http://www.travelonline.com/ital
The spelling of the name later changed to Sicily. y/sicily/attractions/bay-in-cefalu-
sicily-33733.jpg
A MIX OF RELIGIONS

In the 8th century, invasions by the Slavs in

Greece caused many immigrants to move to
Sicily.
Also, the Byzantine empire fell to the Arabs,
and the Arabs slowly began moving to Sicily.
Muslim culture came with the Arabs.
Over two centuries, most of the population of
Sicily converted from Christianity to Islam.
Sicily was a melting pot of Greek Christians http://www.scherminator.com/i
and Arab Muslims by the 11th century. taly/sicily/cefalu/cefalu5.jpg
CULTURE
Sicily is known for its sightseeing,
culture, and dining.
Sicily is bordered by crystal clear blue
water on all sides of the island.
One negative thing about Sicily is that it
is the birthplace of the Mafia.
Some famous Sicilian dishes are arancini,
pasta con le sarde, and sfincione. https://oiprestaurant.com/
wp-
content/uploads/2011/06/s
icilian.jpg
BIBLIOGRAPHY

https://www.bbcgoodfood.com/howto/guide/top-10-foods-try-si
cily
https://www.britannica.com/place/Sicily
http://www.gentracer.com/history.html
http://www.historyfiles.co.uk/KingListsEurope/ItalySicily.htm
http://www.historyworld.net/wrldhis/PlainTextHistories.asp?hi
storyid=ab60
https://www.tripadvisor.com/Travel-g187886-s202/Sicily:Italy:C
ulture.html
http://www.world-guides.com/europe/italy/sicily/sicily_attracti
ons.html