Posted by carolineh on Saturday, May 13, 2017 in 2017 Blog post.

One of my most memorable experiences in Sicily so far has been our trip to Segesta. The Elymian temple was stunning and so unlike any building or structure in America. Since America is such a young country, we really don’t have any ruins. It’s hard to conceptualize the longevity of the structure because I am so used to learning American history (which, as Vittoria said, took place practically yesterday from a European’s point of view). I really enjoyed learning about why and how the temple was built, as well as how it differed from traditional Greek temples. The Elymians obviously made a great effort to appeal to the Greeks, as demonstrated by their construction of the temple in the same style as traditional Greek temples with the sole objective of impressing visitors from Athens. When Vittoria showed us the methods that the Elymians used to transport the stone and the distance of the stone quarry from the temple, I realized that building this structure was a larger task than I ever could have imagined (which is also probably why they never finished it). The fact that they put in all of the work that they did with no intention to actually use the building for religious purposes was shocking to me. This temple provided me with a concrete example of the lengths that groups like these would go to in order to protect and/or facilitate relationships with other groups on the island. In those days, it seems as though relationships were of utmost importance because they determined the fate of both groups: having peaceful relationships with those in power could mean the difference between life and death, and maintaining functional relationships with native groups on the island maximized trading potential by reducing combat. The stakes seemed so much higher in those days; it is hard for me to imagine someone putting in the effort that the Elymians did to impress another country in modern times. I know, however, that despite all of the technological, cultural, and social advances in the time between the Elymian’s existence and our own, the struggle to create purposeful, functional connections across countries endures. We still struggle as an international community, and even on national and local levels, to reach agreements about power. Disputes take place daily about issues such as laws, rights, and borders all over the world. Although it does not seem as drastic as constructing a fake temple, countries still take steps to foster healthy relationships with other powers in order to further their own ambitions today. Groups such as the United Nations and the G7 (meeting in Sicily this month!!) promote the necessary discussions to cultivate these connections between nations. We live in a global community, so international relationships have been and always will be imperative.