Sicily: Latin, Greek and Arab Cultures in Harmony
World Monuments Fund - Morgan Library
The stepping stone between Europe and Africa, the gateway between the East and the West, at once a stronghold, clearinghouse, and observation post, Sicily has been invaded and fought over by Phoenicians and Greeks, Carthaginians and Romans, Goths and Byzantines, Arabs and Normans, Germans, Spaniards, and French for thousands of years. It has belonged to them all- and yet has properly been part of none.
John Julius Norwich was inspired to become a writer by his first visit, in 1961, and his recent book, upon which this lecture is based, traces the history of the island. The lecture covers everything from erupting volcanoes to the assassination of Byzantine emperors, from Lord Nelson's affair with Emma Hamilton to Garibaldi and the rise of the Mafia. It takes in the key buildings and towns, and is packed with unforgettable stories and characters.
