Concordiae Agrigentinorum sacrum res publica Lilybitanorum. Nessi reali e presunti tra Agrigentum e Lilybaeum, a proposito di Iside. Parte I. Agrigentum

Abstract

The discovery of a temple at Agrigento in the neinties of the last Century and the recent detection of a sacred building at Lilibeo should contribute, according with their discoverers, to fill the lack of evidences concerning the Isis cult between the East and West part of Sicily. In order to re-consider the data that should confirm these two interpretations, the aim of this contribution is to take in exam the first of these two cases, Agrigento, suggesting, with the necessary prudence, a different lecture. Rather than an alternative hypothesis this lecture would offer a contribution to the debate. Some considerations on the sacred building and its location next to the Forum as well as on the finds, especially the sculptural ones, are based on the previous works. This review seems to legitimate a different interpretation. This new proposal takes into account the topographical, religious and historical context concerning the temple as well as some other religious complexes from the provinciae, since they show significant analogies with the two cases study (including the debate on their dedication).