Agrigento (Greek: Akragas, Latin: Agrigentum) was a Greek-founded city-state located on the south coast of Sicily near the river Akragas (now S. Biagio) just 5 km from the sea. At its peak, the city may have had as many as 300,000 inhabitants, and it was enclosed by over 12 km of fortification walls which included nine gates. The prosperity of Agrigento is attested by the magnificent 5th-century BCE architecture which survives today and which makes it one of the most impressive archaeological sites in the Mediterranean. Agrigento is listed by UNESCO as a World Heritage Site.
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Definition
Timeline
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c. 580 BCEAgrigento in Sicily is founded by colonists from Gela, Crete and Rhodes.
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c. 570 BCE - c. 549 BCEThe tyrant Phalaris rules Agrigento, expanding its territory.
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c. 510 BCEThe temple of Hercules is built at Agrigento.
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492 BCE - 432 BCELife of the philosopher Empidocles of Agrigento.
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c. 489 BCE - c. 473 BCEThe tyrant Theron rules Agrigento.
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480 BCEAgrigento defeats Carthage at the battle of Himera.
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c. 480 BCEThe huge temple of Zeus is built at Agrigento.
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450 BCE - 430 BCEThe Temple of Concordia is built at Agrigento.
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c. 430 BCEThe temple of Hephaistos is built at Agrigento.
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413 BCEAgrigento remains neutral in the war between Athens and Syracuse.
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406 BCEAgrigento is attacked and destroyed by Carthage.
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400 BCE - 390 BCEA sanctuary to Asclepius is built at Agrigento.
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282 BCEGela, on Sicily, is destroyed by Phintias, the tyrant of Agrigento.
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262 BCERome besieges and sacks Agrigento on Sicily in one of the first actions of the First Punic War.
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210 BCERome attacks Agrigento.
