A.
Sicca Veneria (mod. Le Kef; 36 ̊ 11 ’ N, 08 ̊ 43 ’ E): on the inland road between Carthage
and Cirta; under Carthage from 241 BCE (P 1.66–67) to 201 BCE. Early colonia
of Rome in Africa, temporarily part of Mauretania, and possibly briefly the capital of
the province Africa Noua. Episcopal see from the mid-3rd c. CE; substantially fortified in the
4th–5th centuries CE; under the Vandals 430– 534 CE. OCD3 1401, B.H. Warmington and
R.J.A. Wilson; PECS 834, A. Ennabli; BAGRW 32-C4; NP 11.502–503, W. Huß.
C A, L.
Sicily/Sikelia/Sicilia: largest Mediterranean island; inhabited by three indigenous
peoples: Sikeli (east), Sikani (central), Elumi (west), with influence from Italy in the north-
east. Colonized by Greeks and Phoenicians in the 8th c. BCE, its cities prospered through
trade, and from its fertility. Carthage attacked Himera, 480 BCE; Athens twice attempted
to dominate the island, 427–424 and 415– 413 BCE; Carthage again attempted to establish
dominance from 409 BCE (now destroying Himera) to 405 BCE. Agathokle ̄s of Surakousai
ruled much of the island 317– 289 BCE; and Carthage and Rome warred for 20 years
(264– 241 BCE), after which all but Surakousai was a Roman province. After Surakousai
sided with Hannibal in 215 BCE, and was taken by Rome 212 BCE, the whole island was
under Rome. Although Rome generally respected the autonomy of local poleis, Verres
(73– 71 BCE) notoriously exploited Sicily’s wealth. A founded coloniae at Katane ̄,
Surakousai, Tauromenion, and elsewhere. Sicily continued to prosper well into
the Roman imperial period. OCD3 1401 – 1403, A. Momigliano et al.; NP 11.505–512,
E. Olshausen and G. Falco, 512–513, I. Toral-Niehoff.
Sites: Agurion, Akragas, Centuripae, Gela, Himera, Katane ̄, Leontinoi,
Surakousai, Tauromenion.
People: A, C, E, E, O, S.
Side ̄ (mod. Selimiye; 36 ̊ 46 ’ N, 31 ̊ 23 ’ E): city on Pamphulian coast, east of Perge ̄ and west
of Aphrodisias ( Kilikia), long occupied, colonized by Kume ̄ in the 7th or 6th c. BCE.
The city’s good harbor long rendered it a commercial hub of the eastern Mediterranean,
a center of the Anatolian slave trade, and a naval base. Under Persians until Alexander of
Macedon; Ptolemaic 301– 218 BCE, then Seleukid until 188 BCE; then autonomous until
102 BCE. Provided quarter and markets to pirates from Kilikia. The city was under Rome
from 78 BCE, but semi-autonomous until Hadrian, when it became the capital of the
province of Pamphylia. Attacked by Goths 268 CE, after which defenses were augmented;
poor in the 4th c., and again prosperous in the 5th–6th centuries. PECS 835 – 836, G.E.
Bean; ODB 1892, C.F.W. Foss; OCD3 1404, G.E. Bean and S. Hornblower; BAGRW 65-F4;
NP 11.517–519, W. Martini. (Contrast Malian Side ̄, BAGRW 55-C3, Side ̄ of Lako ̄nika,
BAGRW 58-E5, and Pontic Side ̄, BAGRW 87-C3.)
A, M, M, T.
Sido ̄n (mod. Saida; 33 ̊ 34 ’ N, 35 ̊ 24 ’ E): ancient fishing port of Phoenicia, south of Be ̄rutos
and north of Tu ro s; founder of the colony Kition; prosperous until 677 BCE, when des-
troyed by Esarhaddon of Assyria. Rebuilt and autonomous under the Persians; destroyed
351 BCE and its people deported, after a failed revolt. Submitted to Alexander of
Macedon 322 BCE; republic from ca 250 BCE; regional center of Ptolemaic operations
from 218 BCE; surrendered to Antiokhos III 198 BCE; again autonomous from 111 BCE.
Under Rome from 20 BCE. PECS 837, J.P. Rey-Coquais; OCD3 1404, A.H.M. Jones
and J.-F. Salles; BAGRW 69-B2; NP 11.520–521, R. Liwak and J. Wagner; EJ2 18.549–551,
E. Ashtor and Sh. Gibson.
GAZETTEER