History of Sicily
Osher Online | Available (Membership Required)
Sicily has been a mythic crossroads of heroes, conquerors, and culture for over 3,000 years. From Odysseus and the Arabo-Norman Golden Age to the Mafia and modern mythmakers like Garibaldi and Coppola, Sicily’s story is rich, complex, and central to Western history. This course explores its pivotal role in shaping civilization—and why Goethe famously said, “To have seen Italy without having seen Sicily is not to have seen Italy at all.”
Douglas Kenning, PhD (University of Edinburgh), is a writer, lecturer, and former professor of literature and history. He has taught in the U.S., Tunisia, Japan, and Italy. Now based in the San Francisco Bay Area and Sicily, he offers dynamic lectures on Mediterranean civilizations and leads small-group tours exploring history, myth, and culture.
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