The Dovecot : historical notes The archaeologists think that the birth of Trapani took place during the punic period, around the natural port that worked as a basis for the Carthaginians. At the entrance of the harbour there is an isle that is considered very important both for civil and military reasons because of its position. The building of the first fortification, called peliade is attributed to the Carthaginian Hamilcar Barca and dates back to the first punic war (264-241), then it fell down under the Roman siege. Numerius Fabius consul conquered Peliade in one night destroying the Carthaginian garnison. We know little about the site, we can only think that it was used by all the characters of the historical scene as : tank of raining water for the ships, arsenal, guard station, lighthouse and signalling tower. The name of Dovecot comes from the fact that the doves were often used as air postmen; they also say that in Spring the doves flew towards Erice where the temple of Venus was located. Many historians have written about it : Thucydid, Plinius, Virgilius, Diodore of Sicily, etc (the list would be too long). Carthaginians, Phenicians, Troyans, Romans, Berberians, Byzantines, Spanish and French lived there.
|
