Gela

In ancient times, a very important city on the southern coast of Sicily. It was founded by a Rhodian and Cretan colony, in 690 B.C. In 505 B.C. , Clean der made himself tyrant, and the colony reached its highest pitch of power under his brother Hippo crates, who subdued almost the whole of Sicily, with the exception of Syracuse. Gelon, the succe or of Hippo crates, pursued the same career of conquest, and Syracuse itself fell into his hands, and was even made his principal residence, Gela being committed to the government of his brother Hiero. After many vici itudes during the Cart hag in i an war in Sicily, it ultimately fell into decay. Its ruin was completed by Phintias, tyrant of Agrigentum, who, a little before 280 B.C. , removed the inhabitants to a town in the neighborhood which he had founded, and to which he gave his own name. It occupied what is now the site of Terra Nova.