{{Short description|Ancient polis of Magna Graecia}} {{Use dmy dates|date=January 2026}} {{Infobox historic site | name = Adranon / Adranos | native_names = {{native name|grc|Ἀδρανόν / Ἀδρανός}} | alternate_name = | image = Adrano-Panorama.JPG | alt = | caption = Adranon panorama with Etna | map_type = Italy | map_alt = | map_relief = | coordinates = {{coord|37|40|N|14|50|E|display=inline,title}} | location = Province of Catania | region = Sicily | type = Human settlement | built = Neolithic, Greek colonization | abandoned = | website = [https://web.archive.org/web/20160304232152/http://www.regione.sicilia.it/beniculturali/museoadrano/ita/pagina.aspx?i=64 regione.sicilia.it] (Museo di Adranon) | notes = }}
'''Adranon''' ({{langx|grc|Ἀδρανόν}})<ref>{{Citation |title=A28.1 Stephanus of Byzantium, Ethnica, § A28.1 |url=https://topostext.org/work/241#§}}</ref> or '''Adranos''' ({{langx|grc|Ἀδρανός|links=no}}),<ref>{{Citation |title=Aelian, Characteristics of Animals, §11.20 |url=https://www.perseus.tufts.edu/hopper/text?doc=urn:cts:greekLit:tlg0545.tlg001.perseus-grc1:11.20}}</ref> present day Adrano, was an ancient polis<ref>{{cite book |title=Paradoxographi scriptores rerum mirabilium Graeci |publisher=Apud Black et Armstrong |year=1839 |editor=Antonius Westerman |location=Londini |page=178}}</ref> of Magna Graecia on the southwestern slopes of Mount Etna, near Simeto River.
It was known for the "simetite" variety of amber.<ref>{{cite web |date=26 January 2015 |title=Simeto River, Catania, Sicily, Italy |url=http://www.mindat.org/loc-246810.html |accessdate=31 March 2016}}</ref>
The ancient city was founded by the ancient Greek ruler Dionysius I of Syracuse around 400 BC<ref>Manganaro, Giacomo (Sant' Agata li Battiata). "Adranum (Hadranum)." ''Brill's New Pauly''. Antiquity volumes edited by: Hubert Cancik and, Helmuth Schneider. Brill Online, 2016. Reference. 1 April 2016 <http://referenceworks.brillonline.com/entries/brill-s-new-pauly/adranum-hadranum-e103860> First appeared online: 2006</ref> upon a pre-Hellenic neolithic settlement, near a temple dedicated to the god Adranus, worshiped throughout Sicily. Adranus was associated with volcanoes and equated eventually with Hephaestus.<ref>{{cite book |last=Leighton |first=Robert |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=eDGzCV_F2IsC&q=Adranon++prehistoric+settlement&pg=PA268 |title=Sicily Before History |publisher=Cornell University Press |year=1999 |isbn=978-0-8014-8585-5 |location=Ithaca |page=268}}</ref> The city was conquered by Timoleon at 343-342 BC<ref>{{cite book |last=Berger |first=Shlomo |title=Revolution and Society in Greek Sicily and Southern Italy |publisher=Franz Steiner Verlag |year=1992 |isbn=978-3-515-05959-6 |location=Stuttgart |page=78}}</ref> and subjugated to Rome in 263 BC.<ref name="princeton">{{cite encyclopedia |year=1976 |title=Adranon |encyclopedia=The Princeton encyclopedia of classical sites |publisher=Princeton University Press |location=Princeton, N.J. |url=https://www.perseus.tufts.edu/hopper/text?doc=Perseus%3Atext%3A1999.04.0006%3Aentry%3Dadranon |editor=Stillwell, Richard |display-editors=etal}}</ref> Romans declared it a {{lang|la|civitas stipendiaria}} (city that had to pay tribute to Rome).<ref>Plin. 3,91.</ref>
== The archaeological site == The archaeological site has been explored at the beginning of this century, but the first excavations took place in 1959. The north side of the site is buried under modern buildings. The perimeter walls delimit the ancient city on the East and West sides. On the south side, along the river, a steep ravine was used for the defense of the city. The walls were built of basalt ashlar and are in good condition on the east side. In the northeastern edge of the wall the existing rectangular tower is incorporated in St. Francis Church.<ref name="princeton"/>
== From prehistory to the Classical Era == It seems that the Adranon region was inhabited in prehistoric times, as shown by recent findings of the Neolithic period in districts of the modern city. Traces also have been found of indigenous peoples human settlements during historic era. Not yet excavated, except for a small part, there is a native town of Mendolito region, connected to Adranon's topography, whose name remains unknown to date. According to Α. Franco this anonymous settlement of Contrada Mendolito is identified as Piakos,<ref>{{cite journal |last=Franco |first=A. |year=1999 |title=La città del Mendolito: Τρινακίη? |journal=Sicilia Archeologica |issue=32 |pages=199–210}}</ref> ({{langx|grc|Πίακος}}).<ref>{{cite book |last1=Byzantinus |first1=Stephanus |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=sZs-AAAAcAAJ&q=Piakos&pg=PA522 |title=Ethnica |last2=Meineke |first2=August |publisher=Reimer |year=1849 |volume=1 |location=Berlin |page=522}}</ref> G. K. Jenkins who published a coin with the obverse legend ''ΠΙΑΚΙΝΟΣ'' (PIAKINOS) and ''ΑΔΡΑΝ'' (ADRAN) on the reverse, recognized ΑΔΡΑΝ as ΑΔΡΑΝΟΝ (ADRANON), a numismatic evidence of connection between Piakos and Adranon.<ref>{{cite journal |last=Jenkins |first=G. K. |year=1962 |title=Piakos |journal=Schweizer Münzblätter |issue=46 |pages=17–20}}</ref> Other researches identify ''ΑΔΡΑΝ[...]'' as ''ΑΔΡΑΝΙΤΩΝ'', the ethnic in the genitive case.<ref>{{cite book |last=Pope |first=Spencer |title=KOINE Mediterranean Studies in Honor of R. Ross Holloway |publisher=Oxbow Books |year=2009 |isbn=978-1-84217-379-4 |editor=Derek B. Counts and Anthony S. Tuck |location=Oxford and Oakville |pages=135–136 |chapter=New Coin Types in Late Fifth-Century Sicily}}</ref>
Important are the findings of the eighth or seventh century BC, which include among others a treasure-trove of bronze artefacts and a gate of the city of 6th century BC, with a Sicel inscription not yet deciphered. Several other finds in the area are now in the Archaeological Museum of Ardano.<ref>{{cite book |last1=Facaros |first1=Dana |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=xsgPxL4b8GsC&q=treasure-trove+of+bronze+artefacts+%22Adranon%22&pg=PA319 |title=Sicily |last2=Pauls |first2=Michael |publisher=New Holland Publishers |year=2008 |isbn=978-1-86011-397-0 |location=London |page=319 |access-date=1 April 2016 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160411052022/https://books.google.gr/books?id=xsgPxL4b8GsC&pg=PA319&dq=treasure-trove+of+bronze+artefacts+%22Adranon%22&hl=el&sa=X&ved=0ahUKEwi--rDdkuzLAhXHOBoKHf2kAyoQ6AEIGjAA#v=onepage&q=treasure-trove%20of%20bronze%20artefacts%20%22Adranon%22&f=false |archive-date=11 April 2016 |url-status=dead}}</ref>
The exact location of the Temple of Adranus, whose cult probably linked to the activity of Etna, is still unknown. Sixteen basaltic pillars are now part of the internal structure of contemporary temple Chiesa Madre, standing next to the Norman castle in Umberto I Square. Therefore, it has been hypothesized that the temple of the Adranus is in the same area.<ref>{{cite book |author=Babel Translations (Firm) |title=Italy, a Phaidon Cultural Guide |publisher=Prentice-Hall |year=1985 |isbn=9780135067345 |location=New Jersey |page=13}}</ref> Among other finds, the settlement of Politselo region yielded a wonderful sample of Sicilian art of the fifth century BC, the bronze figure of a naked athlete (exhibit at the Syracuse Museum).{{citation needed|date=April 2016}}
Excavations of classical strata revealed so far residences of the 4th century BC, with Italiote pottery red-figure of good style,<ref>{{cite book |last=Birch |first=Samuel |title=History of ancient pottery |publisher=John Murray |year=1858 |volume=II |location=London |page=173}}</ref> and interesting treasure of modern currencies. No other monument of the city is yet known. The polis minted coins during Timoleon's rule with the figure of Adranus the river deity. Two successive excavations have investigated the walls and part of the ancient cemetery lying southeast of the city (Sciare Manganelli). The graves belong to a type uncommon in Sicily, consisting of small circular structures in the lava stone that are vaguely reminiscent of Mycenaean domes (tholoi).<ref name="princeton"/>
== References == {{reflist}}
== External links == * {{cite web |title=The center of indigenous Mendolito |url=http://www.regione.sicilia.it/beniculturali/museoadrano/en/pagina.aspx?i=63 |url-status=dead |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20160415142821/http://www.regione.sicilia.it/beniculturali/museoadrano/en/pagina.aspx?i=63 |archivedate=15 April 2016 |accessdate=1 April 2016 |publisher=Museo di Adrano}}. * {{cite web |title=Ancient Coinage of Sicily, Adranon |url=http://www.wildwinds.com/coins/greece/sicily/adranon/i.html |accessdate=1 April 2016}}.
Category:Populated places established in the 4th century BC Category:Archaeological sites in Sicily Category:Metropolitan City of Catania Category:Ancient Greek archaeological sites in Italy Category:Mount Etna