Syracuse consisted at this time of two parts, an inner and outer
city. The former was comprised in the island of Ortygia, the original
settlement founded by Archias, and within which the modern city is
at this moment included: the latter or outer city, afterwards known
by the name of Achradina, occupied the high ground of the peninsula
north of Ortygia, but does not seem to have joined the inner city, or
to have been comprised in the same fortification. This outer city was
defended, on the north and east, by the sea, with rocks presenting
great difficulties of landing, and by a sea-wall; so that on these
sides it was out of the reach of attack. Its wall on the land-side,
beginning from the sea somewhat eastward of the entrance of the cleft
now called Santa Bonagia, or Panagia, ran in a direction westward of
south as far as the termination of the high ground of Achradina, and
then turned eastward along the stone quarries now known as those of
the Capucins and Novanteris, where the ground is in part so steep,
that probably little fortification was needed. This fortified high
land of Achradina thus constituted the outer city; while the lower
ground, situated between it and the inner city, or Ortygia, seems at
this time not to have been included in the fortifications of either,
but was employed (and probably had been employed even from the first
settlement in the island), partly for religious processions, games,
and other multitudinous ceremonies; partly for the burial of the
dead, which, according to invariable Grecian custom, was performed
without the walls of the city. Extensive catacombs yet remain to mark
the length of time during which this ancient Nekropolis served its
purpose.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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