Heraclea Minoa

Heraclea Minoa

Ἡράκλεια Μινῴα (Ancient Greek) Eraclea Minoa (Italian)
The remains of a house in Heraclea Minoa
Shown within Italy
Location	Cattolica Eraclea, Province of Agrigento, Sicily, Italy
Coordinates	37°23′38″N 13°16′51″E / 37.39389°N 13.28083°E / 37.39389; 13.28083Coordinates: 37°23′38″N 13°16′51″E / 37.39389°N 13.28083°E / 37.39389; 13.28083
Type	Settlement
History
Founded	Middle of the 6th century BC
Abandoned	Beginning of 1st century AD
Periods	Archaic Greek to Roman Imperial
Cultures	Greek, Roman
Site notes
Condition	Ruined
Ownership	Public
Management	Soprintendenza BB.CC.AA. di Agrigento
Public access	Yes
Website	Area Archeologia e Antiquarium Eraclea Minoa (Italian)

Heraclea Minoa (Ancient Greek: Ἡράκλεια Μινῴα; Italian: Eraclea Minoa; Hêrakleia Minôia: Eth. Rhachlôtês, Heracliensis) was an ancient Greek city, situated on the southern coast of Sicily at the mouth of the river Halycus (modern Platani), 25 km west of Agrigentum (Acragas, modern Agrigento). Its ruins are now found near a modern town of the same name in the comune Cattolica Eraclea in Italy. Archaeological finds suggest that it was founded in the middle of the 6th century BC, and was abandoned around the beginning of the 1st century AD.

It was at first an outpost of the Greek colony of Selinus (modern Selinunte), then overthrown by Carthage, later a border town of Agrigentum. It passed into Carthaginian hands by the treaty of 405 BC, was won back in 397 BC by Dionysius in his first Punic war, but recovered by Carthage in 383 BC. It was here that Dion landed in 357 BC, when he attacked Syracuse. The Agrigentines won it back in 309 BC, but it soon fell under the power of Agathocles. It was temporarily recovered for Greece by Pyrrhus in 277 BC.

Its two names were connected with two separate mythological legends in regard to its origin. The first of these related that Heracles, having vanquished the local hero Eryx in a wrestling match, obtained thereby the right to the whole western portion of Sicily, which he expressly reserved for his descendants. He did not, however, found a town or settlement; but, somewhat later, Minos, king of Crete, having come to Sicily in pursuit of Daedalus, landed at the mouth of the river Halycus, and founded there a city, to which he gave the name of Minoa; or, according to another version of the story, the city was first established by his followers, after the death of Minos himself. Heraclides Ponticus adds, that there was previously a native city on the spot, the name of which was Macara. The two legends are so distinct that no intimation is given by Diodorus of their relating to the same spot, and we only learn their connection from the combination in later times of the two names.