Agrigentum - Definition and Overview

Map of central Mediterranean Sea, showing location of Agrigentum (modern Agrigento). Map also shows Italy and Tunisia and the islands Sardinia and Corsica.

Agrigentum is an ancient Greek city on the island Sicily, also known as Agrigento, Acragas or Akragas. The city was built on a cliff on the south-coast of Sicily, surrounded by two rivers (the Hypsas and the Akragas). This position meant that the city was easy to defend in times of war. The remains of the ancient city, such as the temple of Concordia, the temple of Zeus (or Olympaeon), the temple of Heracles and "Juno Lacinia", are all dated back to the 5th century BC. Especially the temple of Concordia is one of the finest examples of Greek Classicism.