Show I I Catania History Marked by Quakes Levy Based on Total Assessed Value Of Millions By United Press Catania Sicily's second city with a population of and tenth in size in alt all Italy has suffered sut- sut more from Mount lount Etnas Etna's volcanic volcanic volcanic vol vol- canic outbursts and earthquakes than she ever has from war Located in the thes the's southern f foothills bf the towering mountain and midway along the eastern coast of Sicily Catania was almost completely completely com corn wipe t by an earthquake in 1693 and nd ev several ral tim times s has been partly destroyed or threatened by toy streams of lava It was a a. prosperous town more than 2600 years ago Under the Romans it became a lavish city even though torn periodically by wars WUL I Founded by Grecian colonists Catania first figured historically in B B. B C. C when Hiero I conquered conquered conquered con con- it and depopulated it replacing replacing replacing re re- re- re placing its citizens with S sans and Peloponnesians Later it served as an Athenian base as one of the first Sicilian bases taken by the Romans in wars with Carthage and was overrun overrun overrun over over- run periodically by Goths Saracens Saracens Saracens Sara Sara- cens and Normans As long ago as B. B C. C it suffered heavily from one of Mount Etnas Etna's eruptions At that time a avol avol vol volcanic anic disturbance damaged the city so heavily that the Romans relieved it of taxes for 10 years In A. A D. D a lava stream enI entered entered en en- I the town itself reaching the amphitheater which was once the third largest in the Roman empire The Norman fortifications at Catania Ca Ca- I. I tania were wrecked by an earthquake earthquake earthquake earth earth- quake in 1169 A legend legend of the Mount Etna eruption of 1169 says that lava rolled from the summit to threaten threat threat- en Catania tatania but the pious inhabitants inhabitants ta tants ts walked toward the boiling stream waving the veil of St. St Agatha before it The stream turned into the sea partly filling the h harbor but sparing the city |