Adranon
Adranon panorama with Etna
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 Shown within Italy
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| Location | Province of Catania |
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| Region | Sicily |
| Coordinates | 37°40′N 14°50′E / 37.667°N 14.833°ECoordinates: 37°40′N 14°50′E / 37.667°N 14.833°E |
| Type | Human settlement |
| History | |
| Founded | Neolithic, Greek colonization |
| Site notes | |
| Website | regione.sicilia.it (Museo di Adranon) |
Adranon (present day Adrano) is ancient polis and archaeological site on the southwestern slopes of Mount Etna, near Simeto River, known for the "simetite" variety of amber" northwest of Catania. The ancient city was founded by the ancient Greek ruler Dionysius I of Syracuse around 400 BCE upon a pre-Hellenic neolithic settlement, near a temple dedicated to the god Adranus, worshiped throughout Sicily. Adranus was associated with volcanoes and equated eventually with Hephaestus. The city was conquered by Timoleon at 343-342 BCE and subjugated to Rome in 263 BCE. Romans declared it a civitas stipendiaria (city that had to pay tribute to Rome).
The area of the archaeological site has been explored at the beginning of this century, but the first excavations took place in 1959. The perimeter of the walls is delimiting the ancient city in the East-West axis. On the south side of town, along the river, a steep ravine strengthened the defense of the city. The north side of the site is buried under modern buildings and constructions. The walls were built of ashlar stones of basalt and are in good condition on the east side. In the northeastern edge of the wall the existing rectangular tower is incorporated in St. Francis Church.
It seems that the Adranon region was inhabited in prehistoric times, as shown by recent findings of the Neolithic period in districts of the modern city. Traces also have been found of indigenous peoples human settlements during historic era. Not yet excavated, except for a small part, there is a native town of Mendolito region, connected to Adranon's topography, whose name remains unknown to date. According to Α. Franco this anonymous settlement of Contrada Mendolito is identified as Piakos, (Ancient Greek: Πίακος). G. K. Jenkins who published a coin with the obverse legend ΠΙΑΚΙΝΟΣ (PIAKINOS) and ΑΔΡΑΝ (ADRAN) on the reverse, recognized ΑΔΡΑΝ as ΑΔΡΑΝΟΝ (ADRANON), a numismatic evidence of connection between Piakos and Adranon. Other researches identify ΑΔΡΑΝ[...] as ΑΔΡΑΝΙΤΩΝ, the ethnic in the genitive case.
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