Places of the Myth of Hercules: Sources of Hot Water of Segesta
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Places of the Myth of Hercules: Sources of Hot Water of Segesta

The site is part of the Places of the Myth of Hercules  included in the Register of the Region of Sicily LIM (Places of heroes and heroic legends)

Heracles in Sicily

In his tenth effort, once the oxen had been stolen from Geryon, Heracles set out on the way back which took him to Sicily, where he swam along with his herd. As soon as he arrived he had to collide with the voracity of Charybdis, daughter of the earth and of Poseidon, who stole some of Heracles' sacred oxen and devoured them. Zeus did not like Charybdis' gesture very much, who struck her with a thunderbolt causing her to fall into the sea in the guise of a monster that swallowed the ships that passed at that point.

Heracles decided to circumnavigate the island, then headed towards the region of Erice but, having arrived near Imera, he was welcomed by the nymphs, who caused sources of hot water to flow, so that he could refresh himself from the fatigue of the journey. After being the first guest of what became the baths of Termini Imerese, left for Erice, where he faced and won in combat Erice, the son of Aphrodite who had founded the city of the same name. Arrived in Syracuse, he took one of the most beautiful bulls, placed it in the font of Cyane and he sacrificed it in honor of Persephone, ordering the inhabitants to perform annual ceremonies and sacrifices in honor of Persephone and Cyane. After SIRACUSA, Heracles headed towards the interior of the island where he had to face in battle a group of Sican natives who opposed him. He defeated them by killing many of them, among them some important strategists who later received the honors attributed to heroes from the Sicans. It was also a Lentini and to Agira (called Agirio by Diodoro Siculo and Argira by Tommaso Fazello), where near the city, his oxen passing through a stony road, left footprints as if the road had been made of wax[9].

In Agira Heracles, together with Iolao his faithful comrade in arms, were worshiped as gods[10]. The hero, who until then had not accepted sacrifices in his honor, "since the divine will suggested that he was close to immortality", gave permission to celebrate in his honor[11]. As a sign of gratitude to the people of Agira, Heracles built a lake in front of the city ordering that it be called with a name derived from him, as well as he gave his name to the footprints left by his oxen in the rocky road mentioned above.

Places indicated in the IWB register of the Sicily Region (Places of Identity and Memory) - Sector "Places of gods and minor divinities:

  • Erice (province of Trapani)
  • Sources of Hot Water of Imera (Termini Imerese - province of Palermo)
  • Sources of Hot Water of Segesta (Calatafimi - province of Trapani)
  •  Case del biviere (Lentini - province of Syracuse)
  • Scilla and Cariddi (Strait of Messina)

To view the places of the Myth on an Interactive Map, see the following web page: The places of Hercules

Card insertion: Ignazio Caloggero

Photo: web

Information contributions: Ignazio Caloggero, Region of Sicily

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