Motya

One of the three principal centers of Carthaginian Sicily (the other two were at Panorums (Palermo) and Soloeis (Soluntum). It was a Phoenician harbor town on a tiny island off the extreme west of Sicily. The settlement was founded in the 8th century BC and was joined to the mainland by a causeway. Excavations have revealed stretches of walls with gates and towers, and artificial dock (cothon), a temple, a sanctuary (tophet), houses, and cemeteries. Much Greek pottery has also been found at Motya. After the destruction of the city by Dionysius the Elder of Syracuse in 397 BC, the inhabitants left to colonize nearby Lilybaeum.

[modern San Pantaleo]. One of the three principal centres of Carthaginian Sicily (the other two were at Panormus [Palermo] and Soloeis [Soluntum]). The site lay on a tiny island off the extreme west of Sicily, on the north side of the bay of Stagnone. The settlement was founded as a Phoenician colony, probably early in the 7th century bc, and joined to the mainland by a causeway. Excavations since 1906 have revealed stretches of island/ city wall with gates and towers, an artificial dock, a temple, houses, and the earlier of two cemeteries. A tophet (shrine) has been found. From the beginning of the 6th century, probably at the time of the construction of the walls, a second cemetery was established on the mainland of Sicily at Birgi, and the presentday underwater causeway between the two probably dates from the same period. After the destruction of the city by Dionysius of Syracuse in 397 bc, the inhabitants seem to have moved to colonize nearby Lilybaeum, although excavation has shown that a reduced level of occupation continued on the island.