Alaesa

Halaesa

View of Halaesa
Shown within Sicily
Location	Tusa, Italy
Coordinates	37°59′52.76″N 14°15′46.43″E / 37.9979889°N 14.2628972°E / 37.9979889; 14.2628972Coordinates: 37°59′52.76″N 14°15′46.43″E / 37.9979889°N 14.2628972°E / 37.9979889; 14.2628972
Type	Settlement
History
Periods	Archaic Greek to Byzantine period
Cultures	Ancient Greece

Halaesa was an ancient city of Sicily, situated near the north coast of the island, between Cephaloedium (modern Cefalù) and Calacte (modern Caronia).

The city was of Siculian origin, and its foundation is related by Diodorus, who informs us that in 403 BCE the inhabitants of Herbita (a Siculian city), having concluded peace with Dionysius I of Syracuse, their ruler or chief magistrate Archonides determined to quit the city and found a new colony, which he settled partly with citizens of Herbita, and partly with mercenaries and other strangers who collected around him through enmity towards Dionysius. He gave to this new colony the name of Halaesa, to which the epithet Archonidea was frequently added for the purpose of distinction. Others attributed the foundation of the city, but erroneously, to the Carthaginians. It quickly rose to prosperity by maritime commerce: and at the commencement of the First Punic War was one of the first of the Sicilian cities to make its submission to the Romans, to whose alliance it continued steadily faithful. It was doubtless to its conduct in this respect, and to the services that it was able to render to the Romans during their wars in Sicily, that it was indebted for the peculiar privilege of retaining its own laws and independence, exempt from all taxation: an advantage enjoyed by only five cities of Sicily. In consequence of this advantageous position it rose rapidly in wealth and prosperity, and became one of the most flourishing cities of Sicily. On one occasion its citizens, having been involved in disputes among themselves concerning the choice of the senate, C. Claudius Pulcher was sent, at their own request in 95 BCE, to regulate the matter by a law, which he did to the satisfaction of all parties. But their privileges did not protect them from the exactions of Verres, who imposed on them an enormous contribution both in corn and money. The city appears to have subsequently declined, and had sunk in the time of Augustus to the condition of an ordinary municipal town: but was still one of the few places on the north coast of Sicily which Strabo deemed worthy of mention.Pliny also enumerates it among the stipendiariae civitates of Sicily. Halaesa is the only place in Sicily where an inscription to a Roman governor of the republican period (perhaps in 93 BC) has come to light.