Selinunte Archaeological Park
Selinus · Selinous · Marinella Selinunte
Archaeic-Classical 651–409 BCE·Greek (Megaran colonists)·🇮🇹 Sicily, Italy
About
About Selinunte Archaeological Park
Largest archaeological park in Europe (270 ha) – Greek colony Selinus (651 BCE) with 8 Doric temples on two hills, including Temple C (550 BCE, earliest) and colossal Temple G (113x54 m, one of largest Greek temples ever attempted, unfinished due to Carthaginian sack 409 BCE). Eastern Hill retains processional avenue; acropolis on promontory above sea.
Why it mattersLargest Greek temple footprint in west and most dramatic siege-destruction frozen abandonment layer
Open questions
Mysteries & theories
Mysteries
- 01Temple G 8x17 vs 8x17 debate; column height reconstruction 16 vs 14 m
- 02West hill vs east hill settlement phasing
Theories
- 01Giganticism as Western Greek competitive display
- 02Punic-Greek frontier economics
Theories are interpretations, not findings. The seal above tells you how much scholarly weight the place carries.
History
How it came to be
- Built
- 560–409 BCE temples, G begun 530 BCE never finished
- Period
- Archaeic-Classical 651–409 BCE
- Culture
- Greek (Megaran colonists)
- Purpose
- Colonial urban sanctuary and agora of powerful west Sicilian polis
- Abandoned
- 409 BCE Carthaginian destruction Hannibal (?)
- Excavation
- Excavation ongoing
651 BCE
Megara Hyblaea founds Selinus
560 BCE
Temple C early Doric
530 BCE
Temple G mega-project starts
409 BCE
Carthage sacks; Temple G left unfinished
On the ground
Structures & features
37.5836° N · 12.8258° E · 30 m · 3 mapped features
Temple G (colossal unfinished)
temple113 m unfinished dipteral 8x17 with fallen drums and column drums quarry-cut
37.5839° N · 12.8255° ETemple E (east hill)
temple465 BCE 6x15, reconstructed 1956-58
37.5845° N · 12.8302° EAcropolis Temples C&D
sanctuaryHilltop temples C (570 BCE) and D with acropolis fortifications
37.5840° N · 12.8243° E
Gallery