Foundation Ancient writers agree that Naxos was the most ancient of all the Greek colonies in Sicily; it was founded in 734/5 BC, a year before
Syracusae, by colonists from
Naxos The memory of Naxos as the earliest of all the Greek settlements in Sicily was preserved by the dedication of an altar outside the town to
Apollo Archegetes, the divine patron under whose authority the colony had sailed; and it was a custom (still retained long after the destruction of Naxos itself) that all Theori or envoys proceeding on sacred missions to
Greece, or returning from thence to Sicily, should offer sacrifice on this altar. The new colony must have been speedily joined by fresh settlers from Greece, as within six years after its first establishment the Chalcidians at Naxos were able to send out a fresh colony, which founded the city of Leontini (modern
Lentini) in 730 BC; and this was speedily followed by that of
Catana. Theocles himself became the Oekist, or recognised founder, of the former and Euarchus, probably a Chalcidic citizen, of the latter. Strabo and
Scymnus Chius both represent
Zancle (modern Messina) also as a colony from Naxos, but no allusion to this is found in Thucydides. But, as it was certainly a Chalcidic colony, it is probable that some settlers from Naxos joined those from the parent country. Callipolis was a colony of Naxos and also ceased to exist at an early period. Notwithstanding this evidence of its early prosperity, there is very little information as to the early history of Naxos. Archaeology shows that the city walls were built in the mid 6th c. BC.
5th century BC The 5th century BC was very turbulent for the city as confirmed by the archaeological record. It was one of the cities besieged and taken by
Hippocrates, despot of
Gela, in 492/1 BC. It passed under the authority of
Gelon of Syracuse then his brother
Hieron in 476 BC. Hieron, with a view to strengthen his own power, removed the inhabitants of Naxos at the same time with those of Catana, and settled them together at Leontini, while he repeopled the two cities with fresh colonists from other quarters. The city was completely rebuilt in about 470 BC probably by Hieron. The new classical town grid was preceded by a systematic levelling of the archaic buildings: excavations have found two superimposed urban layouts. The name of Naxos is not specifically mentioned during the revolutions that ensued in Sicily after the death of Hieron; but there seems no doubt that the city was restored to the old Chalcidic citizens at the same time as these were reinstated at Catana, 461 BC; and hence we find, during the ensuing period, the three Chalcidic cities, Naxos, Leontini, and Catana, generally united by the bonds of amity, and maintaining a close alliance, as opposed to Syracuse and the other
Doric cities of Sicily Thus, in 427 BC, when the Leontini were hard pressed by their neighbours of Syracuse, their Chalcidic brethren afforded them all the assistance in their power; and when the first Athenian expedition arrived in Sicily under
Laches and
Charoeades, the Naxians immediately joined their alliance. With them, as well as with the
Rhegians on the opposite side of the straits, it is probable that enmity to their neighbours at Messana was a strong motive in inducing them to join the Athenians; during the hostilities that ensued, the Messanians having on one occasion, in 425 BC, made a sudden attack upon Naxos both by land and sea, the Naxians vigorously repulsed them, and in their turn inflicted heavy loss on the assailants. Naxos never recovered from this blow. For the great Athenian expedition to Sicily (415 BC), the Naxians immediately announced their alliance, even though their related cities of Rhegium (modern
Reggio di Calabria) and Catana held aloof; they not only furnished the Athenians with supplies, but received them freely into their city. Hence it was at Naxos that the Athenian fleet first touched after crossing the straits; and at a later period the Naxians and Catanaeans are enumerated by Thucydides as the only Greek cities in Sicily which sided with the Athenians. After the failure of this expedition the Chalcidic cities were naturally involved for a time in hostilities with Syracuse; but these were suspended in 409 BC, by the danger which seemed to threaten all the Greek cities alike from the
Carthaginians. Their position on this occasion preserved the Naxians from the fate which befell Agrigentum (modern
Agrigento), Gela, and
Camarina; but they did not long enjoy this immunity. In 403 BC,
Dionysius of Syracuse, deeming himself secure from the power of Carthage as well as from domestic sedition, determined to turn his arms against the Chalcidic cities of Sicily; and having made himself master of Naxos by the treachery of their general Procles, he sold all the inhabitants as slaves and destroyed both the walls and buildings of the city, while he bestowed its territory upon the neighbouring Siculi.
Tauromenium The
Siculi soon formed a new settlement on the nearby Mount Taurus and this gradually grew up into the city of
Tauromenium, (modern
Taormina). This took place about 396 BC and the Siculi were still in possession of this stronghold some years later. Meanwhile, the exiled inhabitants of Naxos and Catana formed a considerable body that kept together. An attempt was made in 394 BC by the Rhegians to settle them again at Mylae (modern
Milazzo), but without success for they were expelled by the Messanians and from this time appear to have been dispersed in various parts of Sicily. In 358 BC
Andromachus, the father of the historian
Timaeus, collected the Naxian exiles together again from all parts of the island and established them at Tauromenium which became the successor of the ancient Naxos. Hence
Pliny the Elder speaks of Tauromenium as having been formerly called Naxos which is not strictly correct. The new city quickly rose in importance. The site of Naxos itself seems to have been never again inhabited in antiquity; but the altar and shrine of Apollo Archegetes continued to mark the spot where it had stood, and are mentioned in the war between
Octavian and
Sextus Pompey in Sicily, 36 BC.
Roman Some late Roman construction over the Greek ruins includes a
mansio and streets found on the bedrock continuing the general line of the ancient
stenopos. ==The site==