Corinth and the making of Syracuse : new evidence at stake

Based on recent discoveries, this paper provides an updated overview of the earliest settlement of Syracuse, compared to its mother city, Corinth (late 8th - early 6th century BCE). We have a fairly good knowledge of the early Greek settlement in Ortygia, even though much remains still unpublished, but we know very little of the mainland area, now called Achradina. This paper focuses on the archaeological complex of Via Tevere, located in the peripheral northern part of Achradina. Despite its relevance to the foundational period of Syracuse, this site has never been published since its discovery in 1968. The investigation of this site sheds new light on the formation process of the apoikia, intended as a varied and adaptable process. At the same time, a brief overview of the settlement of Corinth in the age of ‘colonisation’ offers a possible basis for comparison, providing new insights to the conceptual framework of the apoikoi in terms of urban landscape and use of space.