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Narrowly situated between the sea and Mount Erice, the ancient
Drepanon developed around its port. Originally it was a
Sicanian village and it then became a small, fortified town
where traders, fishermen and craftsmen from diverse
populations lived for centuries, such as the Elyminians who
populated Erice and a small group of Ionians. It was a small
seaside town founded by the Phoenicians who sailed across the
Mediterranean seas and made Trapani a trading Empire. From the
IX Century BC the Phoenicians lost their independence and
settled in the western Mediterranean. They founded Carthage
and reinforced Trapani, transforming the latter into an
important port for the control of various trading goods. In
this period the history of Trapani is indissolubly linked to
that of Carthage. The town assisted in the great naval battles
between the Carthaginians and the Romans: the battle of 249 BC
that witnessed the defeat of the Roman float, and the battle
of the Egadi in 241 BC which allowed the Romans to occupy
Trapani. The Roman period notably penalized the town which
lost its political autonomy, land ownership and endured new
taxes and impositions. In 395 Sicily, and Trapani itself, were
taken over by the Western Roman Emperor. These were difficult
years, also because of the numerous Barbaric invasions. The
town was reborn under the domination of the Arabs who began
their occupation of Sicily in 827.
The Arabs called Trapani Itrabinis, Tarabanis, Trapanesch and
their presence significantly marked the town: in architecture,
agriculture, art, language and culture. The port was enlarged,
new districts were built and small ownership was reintroduced.
The Arabs also introduced new productions; they built
hydraulic-engineering works; revolutionised the fishing
techniques, and brought the port back to its original
splendour. In 1097 Trapani was conquered by the Norman
Ruggero. This was yet another period of great prosperity for
the land. The port enjoyed duty free trade, and the town began
hosting consulates of the most important traders from Geneva,
Pisa, Venice, Florence, Amalfi and Catalonia. The Roman
Catholic religion became the official religion under the
Normans. In the Suevian period, beginning from 1194, the
importance of Trapani’s port was confirmed. Under the reign of
Carlo d’Angio’, Trapani endured a period of difficulty due to
heavy tax pressures. The Sicilian Vespri of 1282, in which
numerous notables from Trapani participated, brought the
Angionian domination in Sicily to an end. This is when the
Aragonese domination began. The town experienced a new
urbanisation under Giacomo II of Aragon. Carlo V further
developed the activities of traders and craftsmen. The Spanish
domination ended in 1713. After the brief Sabaudian and
Austrian dominations, from the second half of the seventh
century, the Bourbonist reign began and governed Sicily until
1860. In this period the people of Trapani dedicated
themselves to commerce and industry. Naval activity flourished,
as well as the tuna and salt industries. While it proved to be
disinterested in the 1820 insurrection, Trapani participated
in the 1848 revolts. In 1899 King Umberto I bestowed the town
with a gold medal for the events of 1848.
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town made an important contribution to the unification
of Italy and confirmed its importance in the sectors of
agriculture and food. However the geographical distance
from the big markets brought an inexorable decline which
was accentuated even more in the first years of the
twentieth century and during the First World War. Yet
the cultural and political activities remained
particularly vivacious. During the twenty years of
fascism the economy of the area marginally improved. The
Second World War severely affected the town with the
destruction of the entire district of San Pietro, the
oldest part of Trapani, and of Garibaldi Theatre which
was built in 1849. The town suffered twenty-eight air
raids and was thus the ninth most bombarded town in the
country. On 22 July 1943 the allied troops arrived in
Trapani’s Square and found a population enduring
dramatic living conditions. The difficult reconstruction
period between 1950 and 1965 brought the town to
re-establish industrial and commercial activities.
The earthquake of the Valley of Belice in January 1968
once again provoked repercussions and damage to the town
of Trapani.
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