In May and June of 2012, Profs Beck, Serrati, Russell (John Abbott College), Covino (Tennessee-Chattanooga) and nineteen McGill undergraduate and graduate students journeyed to Sicily to experience some of the greatest and most extensive archaeological sites in the Mediterranean. Over sixteen days the travellers constructed a narrative that began at the native site of Segesta; through the major Carthaginian settlement at Lilybaion (Marsala); thence deep into the era of Greek colonisation at Selinos (Selinunte) and Akragas (Agrigento); before reaching Syracuse (Siracousa), one of the great cities of the Hellenistic world, scene of the final Roman capture of the island, and the later provincial capital. Beyond the history of Sicily and the Greek world in general, the journey focussed on topography and urban space, as well as the relationship between city and chora within the polis. As such, we also had the chance to divert from the main roads in order to explore lesser known sites such as Morgantina and Megara Hyblaia. The trip also served as a course, HIST 413, in which participating students received credit for written analyses of archaeological monuments. A number of students from Concordia University and John Abbott College also came along, giving the participants from McGill an excellent opportunity to interact with people in other classics programs. By all accounts, the trip was a smashing success, with extensive exploration by day and beautiful surroundings at night, as students and professors alike fell in love with Sicilia bellissima, a place that is usually far off the map of the average traveler.
