SYRACUSE, on the E. coast of Sicily, was the principal city in the island. It was originally a Greek colony of ancient date, which was powerful enough to defeat the famous Athenian Sicilian expedition (415-412 BC). Its kings were often men of distinction, even in literature, of which they were noted patrons. The city had a varied career, being sometimes a kingdom, sometimes a democracy. In 241 BC the Romans took the western half of Sicily from the Carthaginians, but remained in alliance with the kings of Syracuse. The last king of Syracuse intrigued with the Carthaginians ; the city was besieged and captured by Marcellus in 212, and the whole island was henceforth under a praetor, who had two quaestors, one residing at Lilybaeum in the W., the other at Syracuse. The city continued prosperous till about the end of the 2nd cent. BC. After that date it declined in importance, though it remained the capital of the eastern half of the island. In NT times a large number of the inhabitants were Roman citizens.
St. Paul's ship lay at anchor in the harbour for three days, when he was on his way from Malta to Rome (Ac.28.12). He did not preach there. Christian memorials at Syracuse are not specially early. [Article: Dictionary of the Bible, J.Hastings, 2nd Ed., T&T.Clark, 1963 - A.So.]
