Thomas Ashby

“ The view from the theatre is of exceptional beauty, Mount Etna being clearly seen from the summit to the base on the S.W., while to the N. the rugged outlines of the coast immediately below, and the mountains of Calabria across the sea to the N.E. make up one of the most famous views in the world. ”

“ There are also remains of a much smaller theatre (the so-called Odeum) , and some large cisterns; a large bath or tank which was apparently open, known as the Naumachia, measures 4261⁄2 ft. in length and 391⁄2 in width: only one of its long sides is now visible, and serves as a foundation for several houses in the main street of the modern town. The aqueducts which supplied these cisterns may be traced above the town. There are remains of houses, tombs, &c., of the Roman period, and fine specimens of Romanesque and Gothic architecture in the modern town. ”

“ It was one of the strongholds of Sextus Pompeius, and after defeating him Augustus made it into a colonia as a measure of precaution, expelling some of the older inhabitants. In the time of Strabo it was inferior in population, as we should expect, to Messana and Catana ”