Sicily: Three Thousand Years of Human History

The rich recorded history of Sicily reaches back for more than three thousand years. Greeks Romans Vandals Goths Byzantines Muslims Normans Hohenstaufens Spaniards Bourbons the Savoy Kingdom of Italy and the modern era have all held sway and left lasting influences on the islands culture and architecture. And yet no contemporary book tells the story of Sicily in a single volume for the general reader. Tourists armchair travelers and historians will all delight in this fluid narrative that can be read straight through dipped into over time or used as a reference guide to each period in Sicilys fascinating tale. It is a general history an account of welfare and warfare. Emigration of people from Sicily often overshadows the importance of the people who immigrated to the island through the centuries. Immigrants have included several who became Sicilys rulers along with Jews Ligurians and Albanians. All are ancestors of modern Sicilians. Sicilys character has also been determined by what passed it by: events that affected Europe generally namely the Crusades and Columbuss discovery of the Americas had remarkably little influence on Italys most famous island. Maps biographical notes suggestions for further reading a glossary pronunciation keys and much more make this book as essential as it is enjoyable.