Ortygia (; it, Ortigia; grc-gre, Ὀρτυγία) is a small
island
An island (or isle) is an isolated piece of habitat that is surrounded by a dramatically different habitat, such as water. Very small islands such as emergent land features on atolls can be called islets, skerries, cays or keys. An isla ...
which is the historical centre of the city of
Syracuse
Syracuse may refer to:
Places Italy
* Syracuse, Sicily, or spelled as ''Siracusa''
* Province of Syracuse
United States
*Syracuse, New York
**East Syracuse, New York
** North Syracuse, New York
* Syracuse, Indiana
*Syracuse, Kansas
*Syracuse, M ...
,
Sicily
(man) it, Siciliana (woman)
, population_note =
, population_blank1_title =
, population_blank1 =
, demographics_type1 = Ethnicity
, demographics1_footnotes =
, demographi ...
. The island, also known as the ''Città Vecchia'' (Old City), contains many historical landmarks. The name originates from the
ancient Greek
Ancient Greek includes the forms of the Greek language used in ancient Greece and the ancient world from around 1500 BC to 300 BC. It is often roughly divided into the following periods: Mycenaean Greek (), Dark Ages (), the Archaic pe ...
''ortyx'' (ὄρτυξ), which means "Quail".
Overview
The
Homeric Hymn to
Delian Apollo has it that the goddess
Leto
In ancient Greek mythology and religion, Leto (; grc-gre, Λητώ , ''Lētṓ'', or , ''Lātṓ'' in Doric Greek) is a goddess and the mother of Apollo, the god of music, and Artemis, the goddess of the hunt.Hesiod, ''Theogony'404–409/ref> ...
stopped at Ortygia to give birth to
Artemis
In ancient Greek mythology and religion, Artemis (; grc-gre, Ἄρτεμις) is the goddess of the hunt, the wilderness, wild animals, nature, vegetation, childbirth, care of children, and chastity. She was heavily identified with ...
, the firstborn of her twins. Artemis then helped Leto across the sea to the island of
Delos
The island of Delos (; el, Δήλος ; Attic: , Doric: ), near Mykonos, near the centre of the Cyclades archipelago, is one of the most important mythological, historical, and archaeological sites in Greece. The excavations in the island ar ...
, where Leto gave birth to
Apollo
Apollo, grc, Ἀπόλλωνος, Apóllōnos, label=genitive , ; , grc-dor, Ἀπέλλων, Apéllōn, ; grc, Ἀπείλων, Apeílōn, label=Arcadocypriot Greek, ; grc-aeo, Ἄπλουν, Áploun, la, Apollō, la, Apollinis, label= ...
. Other ancient sources state that the twins were born in the same place – which was either
Delos
The island of Delos (; el, Δήλος ; Attic: , Doric: ), near Mykonos, near the centre of the Cyclades archipelago, is one of the most important mythological, historical, and archaeological sites in Greece. The excavations in the island ar ...
or Ortygia – but Ortygia, according to Strabo was an old name of Delos. Further, there were perhaps a half-dozen other places called Ortygia, so that the identification is uncertain.
[Hammond and Scullard (editors). ''The Oxford Classical Dictionary'' (Oxford: Clarendon Press, 1970), 760.]
It was also said that
Asteria, the sister of Leto, metamorphosed into a quail (Ortyx), threw herself into the sea, and was metamorphosed into the island of Ortygia. Another myth suggested that it was Delos, rather than Ortygia.
Eos, the
goddess of the dawn, fell in love with the mortal hunter
Orion and abducted him to Ortygia, where he met Artemis and joined her retinue.
He was slain by the goddess either for because the gods did not approve of goddesses taking mortal men to lovers,
Homer
Homer (; grc, Ὅμηρος , ''Hómēros'') (born ) was a Greek poet who is credited as the author of the ''Iliad'' and the ''Odyssey'', two epic poems that are foundational works of ancient Greek literature. Homer is considered one of the ...
, ''Odyssey
The ''Odyssey'' (; grc, Ὀδύσσεια, Odýsseia, ) is one of two major ancient Greek epic poems attributed to Homer. It is one of the oldest extant works of literature still widely read by modern audiences. As with the '' Iliad'', ...
'
5.121–124
/ref> or for challenging her in an archery contest, or trying to force himself upon one of her maids.[Pseudo-Apollodorus, '' Bibliotheca']
1.4.4
/ref>
Ortygia was the mythological home of Arethusa, a chaste nymph
A nymph ( grc, νύμφη, nýmphē, el, script=Latn, nímfi, label=Modern Greek; , ) in ancient Greek folklore is a minor female nature deity. Different from Greek goddesses, nymphs are generally regarded as personifications of nature, are ...
who, while fleeing a river god, was transformed by Artemis
In ancient Greek mythology and religion, Artemis (; grc-gre, Ἄρτεμις) is the goddess of the hunt, the wilderness, wild animals, nature, vegetation, childbirth, care of children, and chastity. She was heavily identified with ...
into a spring, traversed underground and appeared here, thus providing water for the city. Arethusa and her pursuer, the river god Alpheus, came from Arcadia in Greece.
History
Ortygia, being an island just off the coast, was easily transformed into a natural fortress with harbors and was big enough that it could hold a significant population in ancient times. Therefore, the history of Ortygia is synonymous with the early history of Syracuse.
Location
Ortygia is located at the eastern end of Syracuse and is separated from it by a narrow channel. Two bridges connect the island to mainland Sicily. The island is a popular location for tourists, shopping, entertainment and is also a residential area.
Subdistricts
*Graziella ( scn, Razziedda)
*Bottari ( scn, 'Uttari)
*Mastrarua ( scn, Masciarrò)
*Spirduta ( scn, Spidduta)
*Maestranza ( scn, Mascianza)
*Duomo ( scn, Domu)
*Giudecca ( scn, Jureca)
*Turba ( scn, Tubba)
*Castello Maniace ( scn, Casteddu)
Landmarks
*Cathedral of Syracuse
The Cathedral of Syracuse (''Duomo di Siracusa''), formally the ''Cattedrale metropolitana della Natività di Maria Santissima'', is an ancient Catholic Church, Catholic church in Syracuse, Sicily, the seat of the Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Si ...
*Piazza
A town square (or square, plaza, public square, city square, urban square, or ''piazza'') is an open public space, commonly found in the heart of a traditional town but not necessarily a true geometric square, used for community gatherings. ...
del Duomo, Syracuse
*Piazza Archimede
* Fountain of Arethusa
See also
* Two Brothers Rocks
References
External links
Levinson Travel Guides
Google Satellite Imagery
Ortigia Island Website
Ortigia Island Photos
Official Fan Page
{{authority control
Locations in Greek mythology
Ancient Syracuse
Islands of Sicily
Syracuse, Sicily
Leto
he:סירקוזה#אורטיג'יה