Il Plemmyrion nell’assedio ateniese di Siracusa e il cosiddetto poliandro

Abstract

At the end of the nineteenth century the archaeologist Paolo Orsi investigated a peculiar ancient monument, unfortunately damaged, on the Plemmirio promontory near Syracuse. However, the site was already known to scholars of previous centuries, some of which believed it was the castle built by the Athenians during the siege of Syracuse (415-413 B.C.). Through a series of observations, Paolo Orsi came to the conclusion that it must be a polyandrion for the Syracusans who sacrificed their lives in the clashes against the Athenian besiegers. This paper aims to focus attention on the role of Plemmirio during the siege and on the monument, which is too often ignored or mentioned marginally in the archaeological literature and in some local guidebooks, also on the basis of an updated bibliography and some personal considerations.

Keywords

• plemmyrion
• siracusa