ABSTRACT
The orthogonal grid plans of the cities of Hellenistic Sicily have long been an object of inquiry. In many cases, however, there are serious doubts about their dating, resulting in diverging reconstructions of their historical and cultural context. In the past, those city plans were analyzed primarily based on their architectural design, their metrology, and insular proportions. Re-examination of the available stratigraphic data has recently allowed scholars to establish that at least Tyndaris, Soluntum, and Phintias were planned by the mid-third century BCE, during the early phases of the organization of Provincia Sicilia. In all three cases, the regular urban grid was superimposed over an earlier settlement, which necessarily required drastic changes of the prior land allotments and ownership. This chapter presents a reflection on the social and economic implications of these transformations and the actors involved, with special attention to the role played by Rome.
