Trapani (US: TRAH-pə-nee; Italian: [ˈtraːpani] ; Sicilian: Tràpani [ˈʈɽaːpanɪ]) is a city and municipality (comune) with 54,887 inhabitants, on the west coast of Sicily, in Italy. It is the capital of the Province of Trapani. Founded by Elymians, the city is still an important fishing port and the main gateway to the nearby Egadi Islands. Historically, Trapani developed a thriving economy based on the extraction and trade of salt, benefiting from its strategic position projecting into the Mediterranean Sea, and from its port, which was once the commercial gateway for the ancient city of Eryx (modern-day Erice), situated atop the mountain that overlooks it. Today, its economy relies primarily on the service sector, fishing (historically tuna fishing using traditional methods known as mattanza), marble quarrying and exportation, commercial activities, and tourism. The urban agglomeration includes approximately 80,000 residents, as it also encompasses the populous district of Casa Santa, administratively belonging to the municipality of Erice.
History
Etymology The city was originally named Drépanon from the Greek word for "sickle", because of the curving shape of its harbour. Two ancient legends relate supposed mythical origins for the city and its name. In the first legend, Trapani stemmed from the sickle which fell from the hands of the goddess Demeter while she was seeking for her daughter Persephone, who had been kidnapped by Hades. The second myth features Kronos, who eviscerated his father Ouranos, god of the sky, with a sickle which, falling into the sea, created the city. In ancient times, Saturn (i.e., the Punic god Baal Hammon) was the patron god of Trapani. Today, Saturn's statue stands in a piazza in the centre of the city. In Virgil's Aeneid, Anchises, father of Aeneas, died in Drepanum, and after fleeing from Dido, the Trojan hero returned there to hold funeral games in his honor, known as the ludi novendiales.
Foundation
The founders of the earliest settlement of Drepana were likely the Elymians, a people who inhabited western Sicily during the protohistoric era, with Eryx (modern-day Erice), one of their main centers, overlooking it from Monte Erice. The foundation of Trapani almost certainly predates the fall of Troy (1184 BC). The original village of Trapani probably arose on an island separated from the marshy mainland by a navigable channel, serving as the commercial port for Erice. Due to its favorable geographical location, Trapani quickly developed into a thriving emporium-city.
Carthaginian influence
Between the 9th and 8th centuries BC, Trapani came under Punic influence. Throughout the subsequent wars against the Greeks and Syracuse, Trapani fortified itself and remained a steadfast ally of Carthage. In 260 BC, Hamilcar arrived in Sicily, reinforced the city's defensive walls, and constructed the Castello di Terra, the Torre Pali, and the Torre Peliade (also known as Colombaia). He also relocated part of Erice's population to Trapani. The Carthaginian general Adherbal, who had established his military headquarters in the city, defeated the Romans in the Battle of Drepana. Together with Lilybaeum (modern-day Marsala), Drepana was among the last Carthaginian strongholds in Sicily.
From Roman times to Spanish domination Trapani's strategic location played a significant role during the First Punic War, notably in 249 BC, when the Carthaginians defeated the Roman fleet in the Battle of Drepana. However, a few years later, in 241 BC, the Romans under Gaius Lutatius Catulus decisively defeated the Carthaginian fleet at the Battle of the Aegates, marking the end of the war. Rome subsequently captured the city, Latinizing its name to Drepanum. The Romans treated Sicilian cities according to their behavior during the Punic Wars. Drepanum was categorized among the 26 "censorial cities" (civitates censoriae), known for their steadfast resistance against Roman forces. Consequently, Rome penalized the city for its loyalty to Carthage, leading Trapani into a period of decline and depopulation. After Roman rule, the Vandals and later the Byzantines dominated the city. However, significant growth occurred in the 9th century under Arab rule (from 827), who called the city Itràbinis, Taràbanis, or Tràpanesch, and subsequently under the Normans, who captured Trapani in 1077 under Roger I. In these periods, Trapani flourished commercially and culturally, becoming an essential harbor during the Crusades. Throughout the Middle Ages, Trapani's port was among the most prominent in the Mediterranean; all major maritime republics (Genoa, Pisa, Venice, Amalfi) maintained consulates there. The city notably served as a strategic stopover, especially for Genoa and Pisa, en route to their North African territories. In 1266, during the War of Saint Sabas, Venetian and Genoese fleets clashed in front of Trapani's harbor, with the Venetians capturing the entire Genoese fleet.
In 1282, after a brief period under Angevin control, Trapani played an active role in the Sicilian Vespers rebellion led by Palmiero Abate, subsequently coming under Aragonese rule. Throughout the 14th and 15th centuries, Trapani expanded, becoming the economic and political center of Western Sicily. In 1478, King Ferdinand II of Aragon honored Trapani with the title Invittissima ("Most Invincible"), acknowledging its steadfast resistance to the kingdom's enemies. In 1516, Trapani was among the Sicilian cities that rebelled against Hugo de Moncada. The revolt was led by Don Simone Sanclemente, who briefly established himself as Capitano di giustizia (Chief Justice), effectively becoming the city's ruler for several months.
On August 20, 1535, Emperor Charles V arrived in Trapani after conquering Tunis. Recognizing the city's strategic importance, Charles V described Trapani as the "Key to the Kingdom" and swore to uphold its privileges, including the authority granted to the Senate of Trapani to confer university degrees in medicine, physics, theology, mathematics, fine arts, and law. In 1589, Trapani was formally elevated from Terra (land) to Civitas (city). The 17th century was marked by decline, driven by famine-induced uprisings in 1647 and 1670–1673, and a severe plague outbreak in 1624. However, in the 18th century, the city's population significantly increased, growing from approximately 16,000 to 25,000 inhabitants.
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