Ἀδρανόν / Ἀδρανός | |
 Adranon panorama withEtna | |
  Adranon / Adranos Shown within Italy | |
| Location | Province of Catania |
|---|---|
| Region | Sicily |
| Coordinates | 37°40′N14°50′E / 37.667°N 14.833°E /37.667; 14.833 |
| Type | Human settlement |
| History | |
| Founded | Neolithic,Greek colonization |
| Site notes | |
| Website | regione.sicilia.it (Museo di Adranon) |
Adranon (Ancient Greek:Ἀδρανόν)[1] orAdranos (Ancient Greek:Ἀδρανός),[2] present dayAdrano, was an ancientpolis[3] ofMagna Graecia on the southwestern slopes ofMount Etna, nearSimeto River.
It was known for the "simetite" variety of amber.[4]
The ancient city was founded by the ancient Greek rulerDionysius I of Syracuse around 400 BC[5] upon a pre-Hellenicneolithicsettlement, near atemple dedicated to the godAdranus, worshiped throughoutSicily. Adranus was associated withvolcanoes and equated eventually withHephaestus.[6] The city was conquered byTimoleon at 343-342 BC[7] and subjugated toRome in 263 BC.[8] Romans declared it acivitas stipendiaria (city that had to pay tribute to Rome).[9]
The archaeological site has been explored at the beginning of thiscentury, but the first excavations took place in 1959. The north side of the site is buried under modern buildings. The perimeter walls delimit the ancient city on the East and West sides. On the south side, along the river, a steep ravine was used for the defense of the city. The walls were built of basalt ashlar and are in good condition on the east side. In the northeastern edge of the wall the existing rectangulartower is incorporated in St. Francis Church.[8]
It seems that the Adranon region was inhabited in prehistoric times, as shown by recent findings of the Neolithic period in districts of the moderncity. Traces also have been found of indigenous peoples human settlements during historic era. Not yet excavated, except for a small part, there is a native town of Mendolito region, connected to Adranon'stopography, whose name remains unknown to date. According to Α. Franco this anonymous settlement of Contrada Mendolito is identified as Piakos,[10] (Ancient Greek:Πίακος).[11] G. K. Jenkins who published a coin with the obverse legendΠΙΑΚΙΝΟΣ (PIAKINOS) andΑΔΡΑΝ (ADRAN) on the reverse, recognized ΑΔΡΑΝ as ΑΔΡΑΝΟΝ (ADRANON), a numismatic evidence of connection between Piakos and Adranon.[12] Other researches identifyΑΔΡΑΝ[...] asΑΔΡΑΝΙΤΩΝ, the ethnic in the genitive case.[13]
Important are the findings of the eighth or seventh century BC, which include among others a treasure-trove of bronzeartefacts and a gate of the city of 6th century BC, with aSicel inscription not yet deciphered. Several other finds in the area are now in the Archaeological Museum of Ardano.[14]
The exact location of the Temple of Adranus, whose cult probably linked to the activity of Etna, is still unknown. Sixteenbasalticpillars are now part of the internalstructure of contemporary temple Chiesa Madre, standing next to the Norman castle in Umberto I Square. Therefore, it has been hypothesized that the temple of the Adranus is in the same area.[15] Among other finds, the settlement of Politselo region yielded a wonderful sample of Sicilian art of the fifth century BC, the bronze figure of a naked athlete (exhibit at the Syracuse Museum).[citation needed]
Excavations of classical strata revealed so far residences of the 4th century BC, withItaliotepotteryred-figure of good style,[16] and interesting treasure of modern currencies. No other monument of the city is yet known. The polis mintedcoins during Timoleon's rule with the figure of Adranus the riverdeity. Two successive excavations have investigated thewalls and part of the ancientcemetery lying southeast of the city (Sciare Manganelli). The graves belong to a type uncommon in Sicily, consisting of small circular structures in the lava stone that are vaguely reminiscent of Mycenaean domes (tholoi).[8]