Segesta and Selinunte Temples

A journey through time among the ruins and remains of two of antiquities most glorious towns. Segesta and Selinunte, fascinating destinations in the province of Trapani, with some of the best preserved temples and ruins in the world. Once two of the most powerful towns in the Mediterranean, they were bitter enemies from their very foundation. Segesta, the main town of the Elymians, a people originally, it is believed, from Troy, was under constant threat from the expansionist policies of Selinunte, the most western of the Greek colonies, founded in around 628 B.C. A series of wars ultimately led to the destruction in 408 B.C., of Selinunte in the hands of the Carthaginians whose assistance had been sought by the Segestans. Nearly a century later, Segesta was itself destroyed by Greeks from Syracuse and subsequently became part of the Roman empire. The large archeological site of Selinunte, and the main monuments of Segesta date back to the time of their maximum splendour. The theatre of Segesta, in a breathtaking setting (2nd century B.C.), hosts classical performances and important cultural events every summer and the magnificent Doric style temple has dominated the surrounding area for more than 2500 years.