Ancient Paths and Historical Itineraries of Sicily: X Via Valeria (Palermo Trapani – Lillibeo stretch) 

Phase B: Rev 1.0 (edited by Ignazio Caloggero) 

UPDATING

Interactive map updated in real time. For a global view of all the historical itineraries of Sicily, for the presentation of the project, the "zoomable" historical maps taken as reference and the relative methodological notes, please refer to the project page: Ancient paths and historical itineraries of Sicily. For a view of all the routes in one web page, see: Ancient Paths and Historical Itineraries of Sicily: All the routes live.

The map shows the main "stations" and the archaeological sites encountered along the way. Under the map further details and technical notes. In order to allow a global view, the routes relating to the following streets are also shown: Via Valeria (Palermo – Trapani section) Via Selinuntina (Agrigento – Trapani section) and Palermo – Agrigento.

The route of the Via Valeria, from Messina to Lillibeo is mentioned by B. Pace (3.466-469) who reports a comparative table which reconstructs the route from various historical sources.  

Antonino's itinerary indicates the following route

  • panorama
  • Hyccara
  • Parthenic
    • Variant for Segestanis 
    • Variant for Pincianic
  • Drepanis
  • Lilybaeum

 

From G. Uggeri:  Itineraries and roads, routes, ports and ports of call of late ancient Sicilyin  Proceedings IX Ancient Sicily Congress (Palermo 1997), «Kokalos» 43-44 (1997-1998), Rome 2000, p 301.

In this phase, following the figure presented by Uggeri which also indicates a direct route from Palermo to Parthenicum, we will try to set the route on three main variants. 

UPDATING

The three main variants of the Via Valeria  

  • IBA Via Valeria (Palermo – Lillibeo section, via Trapani) 
    • Section IBA.1 (Palermo – Villagrazia di Carini)
    • Section IBA.2 (Villagrazia di Carini – Sirignano)
    • Section IBA.3 (Sirignano – Calatubo)
    • Section IBA.4 (Calatubo – Trapani)
    • Variant  IBA.4.a: (Calatubo – Trapani, via Castellammare)
    • Variant  IBA.4.b: (Calatubo – Trapani, via Segesta)
    • Section IBA.5 (Trapani – Lillibeo)
  • IBB Via Valeria (Palermo – Longaricum? – Lillibeo section) 
    •      Section IBB.1 (Palermo – Alcamo)
    •     Section IBB.2 (Alcamo – Lillibeo )
  • TV1: Variant of Via Valeria (Palermo – Montelepre – Parthenicum)
  • TV1A: Palermo section – Piano dell'Occhio
    • TV1A.1: Possible Variation: Palermo – Bellolampo – Piano dell'Occhio
    • TV1A.2: Possible Variant: Palermo – Boccadifalco – Piano dell'Occhio
  • TV1B: Flat section of the Eye – Montelepre
  • TV1C: Montelepre – Parthenicum stretch
  • TV2: Variant of Via Valeria (Palermo – Villagrazia – Montelepre – Parthenicum)

 

Description of the routes

Below is the reconstruction carried out relating to the Palermo – Trapani section

 

IBA Via Valeria (Palermo – Lillibeo section via Trapani)

Section IBA.1 (Palermo – Villagrazia di Carini)

  • Palermo 
  • IBA.1.1: Lorenzo (C22) (C26) (C27)
  • IBA.1.2: Tommaso Natale (C2) (C7) (C22) (C26)
  • IBA.1.3: Sferracavallo (C2) (C22) (C26) (C27)
  • IBA.1.4: Isola delle Femmine (CAMS) (C2) (C27) (C26)
  • IBA.1.5: Capable (C2) (C22) (C25) (C27) (C26)
  • IBA.1.6: Pizzo Muletta (CAMS)
  • IBA.1.7: Contrada Foresta (99) (67.133) (C26)
  • IBA.1.8: Contrada Le Serre (CAMS) (67.133)
  • IBA.1.9: Franco Tower (CAMS)
  • IBA.1.10: Villagrazia di Carini (CAMS) (67.133)

Section IBA.2 (Villagrazia di Carini – Sirignano)

  • IBA.2.1: Muzza Tower (CAMS)
  • IBA.2.2: Baglio di Carini (Wall of Carini) (Landing of Hyccara?) (36) (40, VI, 62) (13.301) (3.469) (C2) (C12) (C22) (C7) (C27) (C28) (C29) (CAMS) (see note on Hyccara) (Hyccara 1 )
  • IBA.2.3: Homo Morto – (3.469) (C2) (C27) (C26) (C7)
  • IBA.2.4: Torre Mulinazzo – Cinisi (C2) (C7) (C27) (C20) (C26)
  • IBA.2.5: Torre Alba (C26) (CAMS) (67.136)
  • IBA.2.6: Terrasini (C26) (C27) (67.135)
  • IBA.2.7: Contrada Agliandrone (Palazolo) (C26) (99)
  • IBA.2.8: Paternella (CAMS) (C26) (67.136)
  • IBA.2.9: San Cataldo (Parthenicum Landing?) (CAMS) (C26) (C5) (C7) (C20)
  • IBA.2.10: Sirignano (Parthenicum?) (C7?) C12?) (C20) (CAMS) (C28?) (C26) 

Section IBA.3 (Sirignano – Calatubo)

  • IBA.3.1: Contrada Colonna (C26)
  • IBA.3.2: Fico Plan (C26)
  • IBA.3.3: Madonna del Ponte (C26) (CAMS) (68) (67)
  • IBA.3.4: Contrada Giudeo (C26)
  • IBA.3.5: Wolf Valley (C26)
  • IBA.3.6: Contrada Manostalla (C26) (CAMS) (67.136)
  • IBA.3.7: Contrada Calatubo (C26) (CAMS) (C26), (C11), (C5), (C2), (C20), (C7), (C27)

Variant  IBA.4.a: (Calatubo – Trapani, via Castellammare)

  • IBA.4.a1: Contrada Foggia (CAMS)
  • IBA.4.a2: Castellammare del Golfo (C4-C7) (C27) (C16) (C26)
  • IBA.4.a3: Borgo Castellazzo (C26)
  • IBA.4.a4: Contrada Grotticelle (CAMS) (C26)
  • IBA.4.a5: Contrada Baida (CAMS) (C5) (C7) (C27) (C26)
  • IBA.4.a6: Contrada Roccarossa (C26)
  • IBA.4.a7: Contrada Bellanova (CAMS) (C26)
  • IBA.4.a8: Contrada Falluca (C26)
  • IBA.4.a9: Valderice (CAMS) (C26)
  • IBA.4.a10: Contrada Marotta (CAMS) (C26)
  • IBA.4.a11: Silverware Lace (CAMS) (C26)
  • Trapani 

Variant  IBA.4.b: (Calatubo – Trapani, via Segesta)

  • IBA.4.b1: Contrada Palma (C26) (CAMS)
  • IBA.4.b2: Contrada Rimi (C26)
  • IBA.4.b3: Alcamo (C26)
  • IBA.4.b4: Ponte Bagni (CAMS) (C26) (3.469) (6.136) 
  • IBA.4.b5: Contrada Mendola (CAMS) (C11) (C5) (C20) (C26) (67.134) (C28) (C29) (CAMS)
  • IBA.4.b6: Contrada Pispisa (Pispisca) (CAMS) (C5) (C11) (C20) (CAMS)
  • IBA.4.b7: Baglio Ragoleo (CAMS)
  • IBA.4.b8: Baglio Murfi (CAMS)
  • IBA.4.b9: Contrada Luziano (CAMS)
  • IBA.4.b10: Contrada Stella (CAMS)
  • Drills (4-C28) (5-C14) (8 C4-C7) (7) (C28)

Section IBA.5 (Trapani – Lillibeo)

  • Same route as Trapani for Agrigento

IBB Via Valeria (Palermo – Longaricum? – Lillibeo section) 

   Section IBB.1 (Palermo – Alcamo)

      Same stretch as IBA.1, IBA.2, IBA.3, 

UPDATING

Section IBB.2 (Alcamo – Lillibeo )

  • Alcamo
  • Contrada Triolo
  • Contrada Mezzatesta
  • Contrada del Bosco
  • Calatafimi
  • Contrada Mandra (Life)   (to Olivam?)
  • Contrada San Giorgio
  • Contrada Al Corvo
  • Contrada Borrania (to Olivam?)
  • Contrada Musciuleo
  • Lillibaeus

 

TV1: Transversal (or variant of Via Valeria?) Palermo – Partinico (C2) (C5) (C11) (C4) (C7) (C27) (C26) (13) (68)

TV1A: Palermo section – Piano dell'Occhio

TV1A.1: Possible Variation: Palermo – Bellolampo – Piano dell'Occhio

  • Palermo
  • Rigano Pass (C26)
  • Lightning Bellow (C26)
  • Cozzo San Nicola (nearby) (C26)
  • Plan of the Eye

TV1A.2: Possible Variant: Palermo – Boccadifalco – Piano dell'Occhio

  • Palermo
  • Hawkmouth (C26)
  • Valley of Paradise (C26)
  • xx
  • Door of St. Anna (C26)
  • Plan of the Eye 

TV1B: Flat section of the Eye – Montelepre

  • Plan of San Nicolò (C26)
  • memorial stones (C26)
  • Monte d'Oro (Montelepre) (hyccara ?) (CAMS) (C2) (C5) (C11) (C4) (C7) (C7) C26) (C27) (see note on Hyccara) (Hyccara 2)

TV1C: Montelepre – Parthenicum stretch

  • Montelepre
  • Garden (C26)
  • Guardiola Tower (C26)
  • Contrada Namome
  • Collect (Partinico) (Parthenicum?)
  • Parrini (C26) (68)
  • Milioti (C26)
  • Sirignano (Parthenicum?) (C7?) C12?) (C20) (CAMS) (C28?) (C26)

TV2: Variant of Via Valeria (Palermo – Villagrazia – Montelepre – Parthenicum)

    • Villagrazia di Carini (CAMS) (67.133)
    • IBB.a.2.1: Carini (Hyccara?) (67.133) (C20) (C27) (C7) C26) (CAMS) (see note on Hyccara) (Hyccara 2)
    • IBB.a.2.2: Contrada Moscala (CAMS) C26)
    • IBB.a.2.3: Contrada Manico di Quarara (CAMS) C26) 
    • IBB.a.2.4: Monte d'Oro (hyccara ?) (CAMS) (C2) (C5) (C11) (C4) (C7) (C7) C26) (C27) (see note on Hyccara) (Hyccara 3)
    • IBB.a.2.5: Montelepre (99)

Insights

Note on Hyccara: Hyccara has been placed in at least three places, although the first is probably to be considered the landing place of the ancient city.: 

  • Baglio del Carini (Hyccara Landing) (Hyccara 1)
  • Contrada San Nicola (Carini) (Hyccara 2)
  • Mount of Gold (Hyccara 2)

……. being processed…. 

IBA Via Valeria (Palermo – Trapani – Lillibeo section) (Coastal road)

Detail from C29: La Sicile Pour l' Histoire Romaine de M. Rollin Author: Anville, Jean-Baptiste Bourguignon – Publisher : [sn] (Paris) 1740 . Source of the Charter: Biblioteque Nationale de France    

Detail from C29: Comparative Map of Modern Sicily - with Sicily in the XII century according to Edrisi and other Arab geographers published by AH Dufour Geographer and Michele Amari - Paris 1859 . Source of the Charter: Biblioteque Nationale de France    

Detail from C2: Regni & Insvlae Siciliae Tabula geographica ex Archetypo gradiori in hoc compendium redacta (1747) 

C12: Siciliae Antiquae quae et Sicania et Trinacria dicta tabula geographica (1714)  

From C26: Europe in the XIX. century (with the Third Military Survey) – Piano del Fico – Manostella stretch  

 

Transversal (or variant of Via Valeria?) Palermo – Partinico

Detail from C29: Comparative Map of Modern Sicily - with Sicily in the XII century according to Edrisi and other Arab geographers published by AH Dufour Geographer and Michele Amari - Paris 1859 . Source of the Charter: Biblioteque Nationale de France – Tratti Palermo – Montelepre via Torretta

From C7: Sicily (1799) (C7) Sicily. Publisher: Robert Laurie & James Whittle - London (1799). Improved card taken from the card of Samuel von Schmettau of 1721. Section Palermo - Partinico - Alcamo)

From C26: Europe in the XIX. century (with the Third Military Survey) – Tratto Boccadifalco – Portella S. Anna

Bibliography and Reference Cartography.

(1) (3) (6) (13) (14) (15) (17) (22) (36) (40) (67) (68) (99) (CAMS) (C1) (C2) (C4 ) (C5) (C6) (C7) (C11) (C12) (C14) (C16) (C18) (C20) (C22) (C25) (C26) (C27) (C28) (C29) (C30)

  • [1] Giovanni Uggeri: The formation of the Roman road system in Sicily 
  • [3] Biagio Pace: Art and Civilization of Ancient Sicily Vol. 1 pag. 453-488
  • [6] Description of Sicily extracted from an Arabic book (re. Anas. 1764) by Al-Idrisi (Author), Nuccio Cannarella (Editor), Domenico Macrì (Translator) Published in 2019
  • [13]: G. Uggeri:  Itineraries and roads, routes, ports and ports of call of late ancient Sicilyin  Proceedings IX Ancient Sicily Congress (Palermo 1997), "Kokalos" 43-44 (1997-1998), Rome 2000, pp. 299-364.
  • [14]: The Roman road system in Sicily and the medieval remains. Extract from: ROCK SICILY IN THE CONTEXT OF MEDITERRANEAN CIVILIZATIONS Proceedings of the sixth International Study Conference on Medieval Rock Civilization in Southern Italy (Catania - Pantalica - lspica, 7-12 September 1981) - Congedo Editore Galatina - 1986
  • [15]: G. Uggeri: The Roman road system in Sicily with particular regard to the third and fourth centuries. In Kokalos XXVIII-XXIX 1982-1983
  • [16] G. Uggeri. Road system and rock settlement between antiquity and the Middle Ages. Extract from the volume HABITAT - STRUCTURES - TERRITORY Congedo Editore Galatina - 1978 
  • [17]: G. Uggeri: Sicily in the "Tabula Peutingeriana" - Editore Loffredo - Naples 1968
  • [22] Adolfo Holm History of Sicily Antiquity Vol. III Chap IV
  • [36] Tommaso Fazello - History of Sicily Volume I. Palermo
  • [40] Thucydides - The Peloponnesian War Vol. VI
  • [67] From Parthenicum to Hykkara in Early Christianity in Roman Africa in Sicily - four notes - Archeology Studies - Department of Cultural Heritage. Archeology Section University of Palermo (2011)
  • [68] Leonardo D'Asaro: Hyccara and Parthenicum in the Itinerarium Antonini. Document downloadable from ACADEMIA.EDU LINK: https://www.academia.edu/93268569
  • [99] Ignazio Caloggero: The Project Ancient Paths and Historical Itineraries of Sicily
  • CAMS: Multimedia Archaeological Map of Sicily - Link: https://www.lasiciliainrete.it/archivio-patrimonio-archeologico-di-sicilia/
  • C1: Road and rail communications - 1943 Author: Great Britain. Army. Royal Engineers. Field Survey Company, 514th.
  • C2: Regni & Insvlae Siciliae Tabula geographica ex Archetypo gradiori in hoc compendium redacta - 1747 author: Homann, Johann Baptist
  • C4: Nova et accurate Siciliae Regionum, Urbium, Castellorum, Pagorum Montium, Sylvarum, Planitierum, Viarum Situum ac Singularium quorumque locorum et rerum ad Geographiam Partinentium Descriptio Universalis - 1721 author Schmettau, Samuel von
  • C5: Carte de l'Isle et Royaume de Sicile Autor: Delisle, Guillaume, 1675-1726
  • C6: Siciliae Insulae - Autor: Covens, Johannes, 1722-1794
  • C7: Sicily. Publisher: Robert Laurie & James Whittle (1799) (always referable to Schmettau's paper))
  • C11: Geographical map totius Insulae et Regni Siciliae Autor: Seutter, Matthäus, 1678-1757
  • C12: Siciliae Antiquae quae et Sicania et Trinacria dicta tabula geographic. Publisher: L'Isle, Guillaume de, 1675-1726
  • C14: [5] Itinerarium Antonini
  •  C16: Guidelines of the regional landscape plan - historical viability
  • C18: Sicily Trazzerale Network (1929). Published in the Journal of the Land Registry and Tax Services in 1941 and circulating on the web
  • C20: The island of Sicily divided into its valleys. Chamber chalcography (1792) (Rome, Italy) - Author: Ram, de Johannes 1648-1693
  • C22: Central and south Italy: to accompany the handbooks for travelers (1858) Author: Murray, John, 1808-1892
  • C25: South Italy (1860) Publication: Illustrated Times (London)
  • C26: Europe in the XNUMXth century. century (with the Third Military Survey)  
  • C27: Comparative Map of Modern Sicily - with Sicily of the XII century - AH Dufour Geographer and Michele Amari - Paris 1859   
  • C28: Siciliae Antiquae Tabula (1834) (Sicily Tabulae Peutingerianae)
  • C29: La Sicile Pour l'Histoire Romaine (1740) 
  • C30: Cartography of the Landscape Plans of the Region which can be consulted online (for the trazzere and historical routes)

For the bibliography and general cartography see the page: Methodological Notes and Bibliography 

Technical and methodological note 

The Multimedia Map of the Ancient Historical Routes is created in two sub-phases (not necessarily sequential):

  • Phase A (Basic Path): in the first sub-phase the paths are identified in the form of a first draft divided into segments and sections (taking into account the bibliography, the historical maps analyzed and the Multimedia Archaeological Map of Sicily (CAMS) and only partially the paths on the ground). The basic route is the starting point proposed to the scientific community, preparatory to the subsequent phase of detailed analysis of the individual segments that make up the entire identified path
  • Phase B (Advanced Path): in the second phase, an incremental refinement process will begin by adapting, as faithfully as possible, the individual components that make up the route to the historical routes and to the tracks on the ground and where the ancient traces have been lost, adapt them to the current routes that are closest to the ancient paths (keeping track of the historical paths, where identified). The incremental refinement process will also take into account historical roads, natural roads and further studies and contributions from the scientific community and scholars in the sector.
  • Phase C (Subdivision of the paths): When fully operational, the project envisages the drafting of two routes which may diverge in some points: a route as faithful as possible to the ancient route regardless of its current practicability and another which could form the basis for proposing itineraries that take into account the actual practicability and the possibility of enjoying the historical, artistic and naturalistic beauties close to the historical route. 

Note: In the individual sub-tracts that connect one locality identified with another, in cases where the ancient layout is no longer identifiable or has been completely replaced by fast-flowing roads, or obstructed by industrial plants or other types of impediment, tried to identify a stretch that in some way comes closest to the characteristics of a naturalistic path or in any case a substitute for the fast-flowing path. Furthermore, in some cases, in case of doubt between two possible routes, the route that allows passing in the immediate vicinity of landscapes or cultural heritage deemed interesting from a cultural tourism point of view was taken into consideration.  

 

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