Messina, Italy

History

Founded by Greek colonists in the 8th century BCE, Messina was originally called Zancle (scythe) because of the shape of its natural harbour. (The stairs leading to the harbour are to this day called 'Scaletta Zanclea'.) In the early 5th century, Anaxilas of Rhegium renamed it Messene in honor of the Greek city Messene. See also List of traditional Greek place names.

Related Topics:
Greek - 8th century BCE - 5th century - Anaxilas of Rhegium - Messene - List of traditional Greek place names

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The city was sacked in 396 BCE by the Carthaginians, then reconquered by Dionysius I of Syracuse. At the end of the first Punic War it was a free city allied with Rome. In Roman times Messina, then known as Messana, had an important pharos (lighthouse). Messana was the base of Sextus Pompeius, during his war against Octavian.

Related Topics:
396 BCE - Carthaginians - Dionysius I of Syracuse - First Punic War - Pharos - Sextus Pompeius - Octavian

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After the fall of the Roman Empire, the city was successively conquered by the Goths, then by the Byzantine Empire in 535, by the Arabs in 842, and in 1061 by the Norman brothers Robert Guiscard and Roger Guiscard (later count Roger I of Sicily).

Related Topics:
Roman Empire - Goth - Byzantine Empire - 535 - 842 - 1061 - Norman - Robert Guiscard - Roger Guiscard

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Messina was most likely the harbor at which the Black Death entered Europe in the Middle Ages.

Related Topics:
Black Death - Europe - Middle Ages

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The city was almost entirely destroyed by an earthquake and associated tsunami on the morning of December 28, 1908, killing over 75,000 people and destroying most of the ancient architecture.

Related Topics:
Earthquake - Tsunami - December 28 - 1908

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In June 1955, Messina was the location of the conference of western European foreign ministers which led to the creation of the European Economic Community.

Related Topics:
1955 - Europe - European Economic Community

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