\paperw3090 \margr0\margl0 \plain \fs20 \f1 \fs22 Founded in the first twenty years of the sixth century BC by colonists from the nearby city of Gela, who were joined b
y other Greeks originally from Crete and Rhodes, it reached the peak of its splendor in the first half of the fifth century, a time when it was able to extend its rule as far as the northern coast of Sicily. This situation of political dominance and econ
omic prosperity was undermined by conflict with \b \cf4 \ATXht1124 Syracuse\b0 \cf0 \ATXht0 , in which Agrigento came off worse. Later, in 406 BC, the city was subjected to terrible pillage by \b \cf4 \ATXht97 Carthaginian troops\b0 \cf0 \ATXht0 . This m
arked its end as a great political and military power on the island. From that time on, in fact, and up until the Roman conquest of Sicily, Agrigento remained under the political sway of Carthage.\par
