History

The name Erice appears for the first time in 510 BC, mentioned by Herodotus (284-425 BC), who talks about it in broad terms, saying it not as a "polis" (town), but simply as a "Chora" or "Ghe" (Earth). On the contrary, Erice is cited as a "polis" by Thucydides (460-395 BC); at the time of the Greek historian, the "polis" of Erice seems already a city of great importance, not only as a sacred Centre, but because it was surrounded by powerful walls, minted its coins and was faithful ally of Segesta (of which Erice kept the "treasure" in the Temple).

For the 6th century BC, there was a dual Greek and Carthaginian influence on the town; with regard to Greek influence, the monuments seem to refer to the style of Selinunte, especially for the imitation of the so-called " Selinon leaf" ("flower in bud"), while the Carthaginian influence felt in the walls, that "[…] is partly marked by the Punic letters for assembling blocks, evidencing Carthaginian contribution to reorganization of the walls of centre […]" (See: 288).

Also in the 5th century BC the business and social relations of Erice with Segesta was very strong, especially because, as previously mentioned, the sanctuary of Erice was "the sacred deposit of the wealth of Segesta" (See: 289); Erice itself followed political and military events of the powerful Segesta, and was its ally against the city of Mozia. Towards the 4th century BC Erice entered the sphere of domain of Carthage, and little by little we are witnessing a fusion of the Elymians with the Carthaginians, as demonstrated by the funerary remains; so, "in the necropolis of Erice, between the 4th and 3rd centuries BC, we note the presence of Punic amphorae used in cremation"

Another aspect of assimilation with the Carthaginians in Erice was the affirmation of the cult of Aphrodite. Towards the end of IV century BC Erice escaped the influence of Carthage, but entered that of Syracuse, and after the defeat of Agathocles (361-289 BC), it returned Carthaginian orbit.

In 247 BC, the city was occupied by the Romans, and decayed as fortress and town, and followed the adventures of the whole island: it was Byzantine before; and Arabic from 831, with the name of  "Gabal Hamid", becoming in the 12th century a Norman Town.

The Normans repopulated the city and built the Castle, which was also called the "Castello di Venere"). The city was also named by the Count Ruggero (1031-1101): "Monte San Giuliano". In the Middle Ages were built churches and convents but, since then the Castle has remained the same, with its characteristic almost of equilateral triangle plan, retaking, in 1934, the ancient name of Erice. It held today its modern and prestigious role of residential and tourist centre, which has now attained large international notoriety and especially also for the dynamic presence of the highly qualified scientific and cultural centre dedicated to Ettore Majorana (1906-1938).

Etymology and research

Anciently Erice was not identified as a veritable "Polis" (“Town”), and indeed neither by Pausanias (110-180 AD) nor by Diodorus (1st century BC), but presumably it was only a “Sacred Centre”, although of some importance.

About the history of Erice many volumes have been written, but a decade ago came the "Proceedings" of an important study of Professor Consolo Langher, which has the advantage of a remarkable scientific rigour.  Having said that it is very difficult to reconstruct the ancient history of Erice, Consolo Langher stresses that it can be said with certainty that the city connects to the history of the " Elymians ", a people ("Ethnos") of probable Sicanian origin, who was mixed, around the 10-9th century BC, with people coming from the Eastern Mediterranean. According to another theory  by some scholars, it would appear that the Elymians came from southern Italy (see S. N. Consolo Langher, "Erice and the ' Koinon ' of the Elymians in the history of Western Sicily", in "Scuola Normale Superiore di Pisa", "Third International days of Studies in the Elymian Area, Proceeding, 1, Pisa-Gibellina, 2000: 302, note 1). The etymology of the city seems to also be linked to the language of the Elymians, so "Eryx" according to G.B. Pellegrini, should mean "Ilex" (Latin "elex"-"ilex"), but the thing is very uncertain (See, G.B. Pellegrini, “Italian Toponymy”, Hoepli, 1990: 54).

According to some traditional etymologies, very imaginative, the name "Eryx" derives from "Eryx", the mythical companion of Aeneas who allegedly founded the city; another legend narrates that the founder of it had been Erice, a son of Venus. On top of Mount Erice was built a temple to Aphrodite (Venus), that was called, precisely, "Venus Ericinia"; but, as it was rightly pointed out, there was not in Erice a temple dedicated  explicitly to the son of the goddess; as writes E. Manni “until now, at least, they told us that the Temple was of Aphrodite,  not of Eryx” (See E. Manni, "Sikelikà Kaì Italikà", 1990, p. 69). The Sicilian people calls Erice simply as "lu munti" (" the mount"), and some writers, presenting the city, refer to this popular etymology, which, however, is precisely "popular", and therefore lacks the necessary scientific value. Among so many doubts, perhaps we should reconsider what G.A. Massa wrote in the 18th century, according to which the town's name: "[…] derives from the Greek word ' Eryx ', which was translated into Latin with ' Propugnaculum ', and in Italian “Fortezza” (“Fortress”), name that can be matched to the city [...]" (See G.A. Massa, “Perspective in Sicily”, Palermo, 1709: 245). Which is perfectly true, considering the  defensive structures of the city.