Selinunte is an ancient Greek archaeological site in the south province of Trapani, in the island of Sicily. Selinunte is the modern Italian name for the ancient Selinus.

The archaeological site contains five temples centered around an acropolis.

History

According to Thucydides, Selinus was founded by people from Megara Hyblaea, a city on the east coast of Sicily, in the 7th century BC. The city had a very short life (about 200 years). During this time its population grew to a total of about 25,000. A wealthy trade center, Selinus was envied by the Carthaginians.

Selinus became an ally of Carthage mainly to gain support against Segesta. However, Diodorus Siculus wrote about Hannibal, who in 409 BC destroyed Selinus after a war that counted about 16,000 deaths and 5,000 prisoners. The city was beseiged for nine days by an army of 100,000 Carthaginians.

Roman Emperor Trajan died near Selinus while en route to Rome in AD 117