An entire issue of Agoghè, the archaeology journal of the Specialisation School in Archaeological Heritage at the University of Pisa, published by Pisa University Press, has been dedicated to Agrigento, the City of Temples. The initiative marks the city’s designation as Italian Capital of Culture 2025 and carries symbolic weight: some 2,500 years ago, the poet Pindar had already praised Akragas as “the most beautiful city of mortals”— a tribute that still echoes today. The volume, edited by archaeologists Valentina Caminneci, Maria Concetta Parello and Maria Serena Rizzo, brings together essays that span over 2,600 years of history, weaving together archaeology, philosophy, art history, and contemporary memory.
The opening essay, by philosopher Alfonso Maurizio Iacono, long-standing professor at the University of Pisa, entitled Empedocles, Plato and the Cave, connects ancient thought with the cultural project The Self, the Other, and Nature, the guiding theme of Agrigento’s candidacy.
A substantial section is dedicated to research in the Valley of the Temples. Maria Concetta Parello presents previously unpublished data on the archaic and classical city, ranging from excavations of houses destroyed by fire in the 5th century BCE to a monumental archaic fountain that expands our understanding of Akragas’s water system. Maria Serena Rizzo reports on findings from Insula IV, which revealed Late Antique and medieval remains, providing evidence of Christian continuity even after the Islamic conquest. Valentina Caminneci presents an original study in Conflict Archaeology, focusing on the World War II bunkers and casemates still visible in the Valley—a layer of recent memory intertwined with ancient heritage. Additional essays trace the transformation of Girgenti from the Middle Ages to the contemporary city.
This special issue of Agoghè is more than just a scientific tribute; it is a collective narrative of Agrigento, from its Greek foundation to the present day. Recent discoveries, the voices of archaeologists and scholars, and the philosophical thread connecting past and present
together shape a portrait of a city in constant renewal. With this volume, the City of Temples reaffirms its identity not only as a capital of culture, but also as a capital of memory, knowledge, and shared heritage.
Agoghè is edited by Professor Anna Anguissola, Director of the Specialisation School in Archaeological Heritage at the University of Pisa, and co-edited by Salvatore Vitale, Deputy Director of the same School. The editorial manager is Professor Maria Letizia Gualandi.
The digital edition of the journal is available for free download on the publisher’s website Pisa University Press and on the platforms Torrossa e Simplicissimus Book Farm. A print-on-demand version is also available for purchase from Pisa University Press.
Photo: Agrigento, Archaeological and Landscape Park of the Valley of the Temples, the so-called Temple of Juno (Photo: Park Archive). The image appears on the journal’s cover.
