Ancient and classical culture have left such profound and indelible traces in Sicily that no other civilization or domination that has taken place in the course of history has ever succeeded in erasing or making people forget. The ancient historical accounts, often seasoned with legendary aspects and geographical inaccuracies, have helped to enrich the mythical aura that surrounds the island. So Hybla, legendary city-state of the Sicilian king Hyblon, proud opponent of the Greek Syracuse, is today sought by Paternò in Ragusa, from Piazza Armerina to Pantalica, in relation to clues historical and archaeological. For example, Thucydides (460 a.C.-404 a.C.) mentions three distinct cities; instead, Herodotus (484 BC-430 BC) and Tito Livio (59 BC-17) speak of a single Hybla. It is historically probable that several "Hybla" in the eastern part of the island have cyclically risen, fallen into ruin (or destroyed by the invaders) and rebuilt over the centuries between the advent of Šekeleš (population of hypothetical Anatolian origin, in conflict with the Egyptians), presumed colonizers of the eastern part of Sicily, then called Sicani, and the Romans. So it's no coincidence if Macrobius (384-480), has probably made confusion and inverted Lilibeo leader with Pachino leader , persevering in the error of the Greek Pausanias (110-180), writing that when the Libici (the Carthaginians), invaded the promontory of Pachino, the inhabitants of Mozia, invoked the help of Apollo who, listening to their prayers, sent a pestilence to the invaders.
The facts narrated probably concern the third Greek-Punic war, with the Phoenician colony temporarily in the hands of the Greeks of Syracuse. Thus, according to Cluverio (1580-1622), the pachinesi (Greek alias of Mozia) built and dedicated a temple to Apolline Libistino (ie Apollo the Libyan). Well, despite the historical and geographical defect, in the territory of Pachino, of temples dedicated to Apollo, god of wisdom, they were actually built, as evidenced for example the probable vestiges in Contrada Cugni.
After the fall of the Western Roman Empire, it was the Christian Byzantium who tore Sicily from the Goths, and brought classical culture back to the island. Between Vendicari and Capo Passero were erected several trigone, a particular type of Byzantine church, often on the remains of Greek temples.


Triona (from trigona) is the district where the Sophia Agricamping is located. Among the old people of Pachino it was said that once, in a neighboring district called Fondo San Pietro, there stood a small Greek temple on whose remains was built a trigona, dedicated probably in San Pietro (hence the name of the district).
In any case, roughly in the San Lorenzo district, about a kilometer as the crow flies from the campsite, a structure with strong similarities to the Byzantine architecture of the Trigona di Vendicari is clearly visible, in an evident state of abandonment. Too bad, but the Italian law on this, as we shall see, does not help.


In short, we are immersed in a territory that is full of archaeological wealth, of historical references: it seemed natural to call attention to that Greek culture that for centuries has impregnated in every stone, in every clod of earth, calling our structure Sophia. And certainly we are pleased to be able to visit for free the Villa Romana del Tellaro, very bitter in the mouth when we are told that the entry would be free because when it was paid some idiot came to claim the lace. We hope that it is a sonorous sound, an unfounded voice of corridor... In any case it is an archaeological site, which is coupled with the most famous Villa Romana del Casale, run mostly by volunteers, without funds, which tells that when the sirocco blows a bit 'more than usual, sometimes a mosaic tile, after a nice flight, is lost in the surrounding countryside. Unfortunately, the negligence is a common trait from Palazzolo to Noto Antica: little would be enough, but at the same time that it is said that in particular in Sicily we could live on tourism, it is also said that funds are lacking. A bit like when a dog bites its own tail. In the archaeological site of Eloro, within the reserve of Vendicari, beyond the umpteenth testimony of how pleasant it was for the Greeks to found colonies on the eastern coast of Sicily, you can also observe how the tombaroli are busy looting the lootable even equipped with scrapers.


A ray of sun breaks through the bleak sky of "the way things go" when looking for information on the archaeological area of ​​Cugni, we discover that a group of kids under the aegis of Movimento Cittadino "Yes to the Archaeological Park of the Cugni" has tried to move the conscience on the umbiloldisecurable (euphemistically) semiabbandonato, when certain Paleolithic caves, like that of Calafarina are not used for illegal brick landfills. There are many archaeological finds that Paolo Orsi "saved" from Contrada Cugni to the homonymous museum of Syracuse.
We heard of some farmers in the area, who plowed the land and came across archaeological finds that were quick to cover or hide. After an initial blameworthy judgment for such behavior, easily attributable to ignorance and cultural insensitivity, we deepened the question by discovering that the Italian law does not help. In fact for the Italian law, not only all that is found belongs entirely to the State, but who finds an archaeological find has the obligation to assure its integrity and report it immediately to the police or to the supervisory authority. A discovery prize is foreseen for the finder and for the owner of the land where the find was found, amounting to a quarter of the value estimated by the Superintendent. However, the practice is a bit 'different and also generates hasty poured concrete, the proliferation of the black market of Triads Capitoline and, when all right, an elegant furnishings of the living room of the finder... In fact, the finder must not only prove the randomness of the find, but if this find happens during the construction of your house or while you are plowing your land, the Superintendence can (rightfully...) block any activity in the building where the discovery was made in order to make new excavations and insights. To aggravate the situation is the frequent underestimation of the value of the findings and of the indemnities in case of eventual expropriation of properties by the Superintendency. Obviously it is theoretically just and very beautiful that the State protects its archaeological heritage, but on the other side of the barricade there are people who could find themselves strongly damaged by a find. Urgent solutions are urgent.
A solution to this hemorrhaging of archaeological resources could be the involvement of property owners in the management of sites and findings for tourism purposes. In other words, if I found a Greek temple in my camping, I would be very happy to take care of it and share the resulting income with the State. However considering the possibility of expropriation, I would think about it several times before denouncing the find: cast the first stone who would have no doubts about it...