Editing Catania (section)

===Greek Catania===
Catania was associated with the ancient legend of Amphinomos and Anapias, who, on occasion of a great eruption of Etna, abandoned all their property and carried off their aged parents on their shoulders. The stream of lava itself was said to have parted, and flowed aside so as not to harm them. Statues were erected to their honour, and the place of their burial was known as the ''Campus Piorum''; the Catanaeans even introduced the figures of the youths on their coins, and the legend became a favorite subject of allusion and declamation among the [[List of Latin language poets|Latin poets]], of whom the younger [[Lucilius]] and [[Claudian]] have dwelt upon it at considerable length.<ref>Strabo vi. p. 269</ref><ref>[[Pausanias (geographer)|Pausanias]] x. 28. § 4</ref><ref>Conon, ''Narr''. 43</ref><ref>Philostr. ''Vit. Apoll.'' v. 17</ref><ref>[[Gaius Julius Solinus]] 5. § 15</ref><ref>Gaius Julius Hyginus 25</ref><ref>[[Valerius Maximus]] v. 4. Ext. § 4</ref><ref>Lucil. ''Aetn''. 602-40</ref><ref>Claudian. ''Idyll''. 7</ref><ref>[[Silius Italicus]] xiv. 196</ref><ref>Auson. ''Ordo Nob. Urb.'' 11.</ref>

The Greek polis of Catania appears to have been a local center of learning. The philosopher and legislator [[Charondas]] (late 6th c. BC), born in Catania, putatively wrote program of laws used here and in other Chalcidic cities, both in Sicily and through [[Magna Graecia]].<ref>[[Aristotle]], ''Pol''. ii. 9.</ref> suggesting a link between Catania and other cities during this time. The poets [[Ibycus]] and [[Stesichorus]] ({{circa|630}}–555 BC) lived in Catania. The latter putatively was buried in a magnificent sepulchre outside one of the gates, therefore named ''Porta Stesichoreia''. [[Xenophanes]] ({{circa|570}}-475 BC), one of the founders of the [[Velia (town)|Eleatic]] school of philosophy, also spent the latter years of his life in the city.<ref>Diog. Laert. ix. 2. § 1.</ref> The first introduction of dancing to accompany the flute was also ascribed to [[Andron of Catania|Andron]], a citizen of Catania.<ref>Athen. i. p.&nbsp;22, c.</ref>

Catania appears to have remained independent until the conquest by the despot [[Hiero I of Syracuse|Hieron of Syracuse]]; in 476 BC, he expelled all the original inhabitants of Catania and replaced them with his subjects from the town of Leontini – said to have numbered no less than 10,000, consisting partly of [[Syracuse, Sicily|Syracusans]] and [[Peloponnese|Peloponnesians]]. Hieron changed the city's name to '''{{lang|grc|Αἴτνη}}''' (''Aítnē'', Aetna or Ætna, after the nearby [[Mount Etna]], and proclaimed himself the [[Oekist]] or founder of the new city. For this he was celebrated by [[Pindar]], and after his death he received heroic honours from the citizens of his new colony.<ref>[[Diodorus Siculus|Diodorus]] xi. 49, in 66; Strabo l.c.; Pind. ''Pyth''. i., and Schol. ''ad loc.''</ref>

A few years after the death of Hieron and the expulsion of [[Thrasybulus of Syracuse]], the Syracusans combined with [[Ducetius]], king of the [[Sicels]], to expel the newly settled inhabitants of Catania, who went on to settle in the fortress of [[Aetna (city)|Inessa]] (to which they gave the name Aetna). The old Chalcidic citizens returned to the city in 461 BC.<ref>Diod. xi. 76; Strabo ''l. c.'')</ref>

The period that followed appears to have been one of great prosperity for Catania, as well as for the Sicilian cities in general.

In 415 BC, Catania became involved with the [[Sicilian Expedition|expedition to Sicily]] pursued by the [[Classical Athens|Athenians]] to punish Syracuse. Initially the Catanaeans refused to allow the Athenians into their city, but after the latter had forced an entrance, the Athenian leader [[Alcibiades]] made a famous speech in front of the assembly. Catania became an ally, and the headquarters of the Athenian army for the first year of the expedition, and a base of their subsequent operations against Syracuse.<ref>Thuc. vi. 50–52, 63, 71, 89; Diod. xiii. 4, 6, 7; [[Plutarch|Plut.]] ''Nic''. 15, 16.</ref> After the defeat of the Athenians, Catania was again threatened by Syracuse. In 403 BC, [[Dionysius I of Syracuse]] plundered the city, sold its citizens as slaves, and repopulated the town with [[Campania]]n mercenaries. However, the [[Carthage|Carthaginians]] would take possession of Catania under [[Himilco (general)|Himilco]] and [[Mago (fleet commander)|Mago]], after the nearby great naval [[Battle of Catana (397 BC)]] where they defeated [[Leptines of Syracuse]], and in 396 BC forcing the local Campanian mercenaries to relocate to [[Aetna (city)|Aetna]].<ref>Diod. xiv. 15, 58, 60.</ref>

[[Calippus of Syracuse|Calippus]], the assassin of [[Dion of Syracuse]], held Catania for a time (Plut. ''Dion.'' 58); and when [[Timoleon]] landed in Sicily in 344 BC Catania was subject to the despot [[Mamercus of Catane|Mamercus]] who at first joined the [[Ancient Corinth|Corinthian]] leader, but afterwards abandoned this allegiance for that of the Carthaginians. As a consequence he was attacked and expelled by Timoleon in 338 BC.<ref>Diod. xvi. 69; Plut. ''Timol''. 13, 30–34.</ref>

Catania was now restored to a fragile independence; changing sides during the wars starting in 311 BC of [[Agathocles of Syracuse]] with the Carthaginians. When [[Pyrrhus of Epirus|Pyrrhus]] landed in Sicily in 278 BC, Catania was the first to open its gates to him, and welcomed him with great splendor.<ref>Diod. xix. 110, xxii. 8, Exc. Hoesch. p. 496.</ref>