Greek Fortifications of Capo Soprano in Gela
The Greek Fortifications of Caposoprano in Gela , also known as Mura Timoleontee , also given the excellent state of conservation, represent one of the most exceptional testimonies of military architecture ancient .
They were discovered following excavations carried out in 1948-54 which freed from high sand dunes a long stretch of the fortifications that circled the hill and included the entire Greek city in the period of maximum expansion.
The fortification system developed for kilometers around the city of Gela, one of the largest Greek colonies in Sicily, founded in 689 - 688 BC. by settlers from Rhodes and Crete. They were built after 339 BC, following the recolonization and renewal of the city under the power of Timoleonte.
The stretch of walls extends for a length of 300 meters and reaches a height, in some sections, of 13 meters. The wall is made up of sandstone blocks in the lower part, of raw bricks in the upper part. The presence of delicate clay bricks dried in the sun, which came to us because they were preserved by the sand and today protected by crystal plates, give this monument a unique value.
