Noto: A City Rebuilt

On January 11th, 1693, eastern Sicily was shaken by one of the earthquakes that recurrently plague this region. Almost 60,000 people lost their lives, either immediately or in one of the many epidemics that followed. Sixty small towns and villages were largely destroyed. Parts of Catania and of many smaller inland towns including Ragusa Ibla, Modica and Comiso were razed to the ground. At the centre of the upheaval was the ancient town of Noto, whose turrets and spires formerly destroyed. Parts of Catania and of many smaller inland towns included Ragusa Ibla, Modica and Comiso were razed to the ground. At the centre of the fall of Troy. Proud of its Latin origins, the town regards the Greek period in its history as a regrettable interlude and its first popular hero, Ducezio Re dei Siculi, is still honoured for his valiance in resisting the Greek invaders. The fact that his Netinese birth is now disputed by historians is not generally mentioned in Noto. Latin rule was re-established with the Romans in 263 BC and under their more acceptable authority the Netinese soon acquired a certain degree of autonomy.