Syracuse, Sicily

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Syracuse is a city and comune (municipality), capital of the free municipal consortium of the same name, located in the autonomous island region of Sicily in southern Italy. As of 2026, with a population of 115,515, it is the 4th-largest city in Sicily, following Palermo, Catania, and Messina. Situated on the southeastern coast of the island, Syracuse boasts a millennia-long history: counted among the largest metropolises of the classical age, it rivaled Athens in power and splendor, and Athens unsuccessfully attempted to subjugate it. It was the birthplace of the mathematician Archimedes, who led its defense during the Roman siege in 212 BC. Syracuse became the de facto capital of the Byzantine Empire under Constans II from 663 to 668. For centuries, it served as the capital of Sicily, until the Muslim invasion of 878, which led to its decline in favor of Palermo. With the Christian reconquest, it became a Norman county within the Kingdom of Sicily. During the Spanish era, it transformed...

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