Sicily , Italian Sicilia, Island, Italy. Sicily is separated from the mainland by the Strait of Messina. The largest island in the Mediterranean Sea, it is also the site of Europe’s highest active volcano, Mount Etna. The capital is Palermo. Sicily’s strategic location at the centre of the Mediterranean has made the island a crossroads of history. The Greeks colonized it and after it became the first Roman province. It came under Byzantine rule and fell in 965 to Arabs from North Africa. It was taken in 1060 by the Normans. In the 12th–13th centuries and again in the 18th century it formed part of the Kingdom of the Two Sicilies. During the 19th century it was a major centre of revolutionary movements; in 1860 it was liberated from the Bourbons, and in 1861 it was incorporated into the Kingdom of Italy. Agriculture is its economic mainstay; industries include oil refining, food processing, wine making, and shipbuilding. Sicily has a rich and unique culture, especially with regard to the arts, music, literature, cuisine, and architecture. It is also home to important archaeological and ancient sites, such as the Necropolis of Pantalica, the Valley of the Temples, Erice and Selinunte.
Sicily
