Segesta was one of the main cities of the Elymians , a population which, according to ancient tradition came from Troy.
The city, profoundly Greek in appearance and culture, reached such an important position amongst the Sicilian towns and the Mediterranean basin that it was able to involve Athens and Carthage in its century old feud with Selinunte. After destroying Selinunte with the help of the Carthage in 408 BC, Segesta had its ups and downs until it was beaten and destroyed by Agatocle of Syracuse (307 BC) who gave it the name of Diceòpoli, City of Justice.

Later, having re-taken its original name, it passed under Roman rule after the first Punic War. The Romans, taking into consideration their common legendary Trojan origins , gave them tax exemption, a vast territory and left them to a new phase of prosperity. Segesta was totally re-planned using micro-Asian cities as models making it very picturesque.

For a long time it was thought that Segesta was abandoned after the invasion of the Vandals but recent studies revealed a large village in the Muslim period, followed by a Norman-Swabian settlement dominated by a large castle on the top of Mount Barbaro.

Already famous for its two principal monuments, the Doric temple and the amphitheatre , Segesta is now going through a new period of discoveries thanks to the scientific digs which are trying to restore a comprehensive image of the city.
The map shows the archaeological park: the city was situated on the top of Mount Barbaro ( two acropolises separated by a saddle) naturally defended by steep rock walls to the east and to the south while, in the classical period, the weakest side was protected by a wall with monumental gates which was later substituted by a second wall, in a higher position, during the first imperial age.

Outside the walls, along the entrance roads, two important sacred monuments can be found; The Doric Temple (430-420 BC) and the Sanctuary of Contrada Mango (VI –V century BC) and there is also a Hellenistic necropolis.

The urbanity of Segesta is still being studied- some signs of old roads , the area of the agora and some houses have been traced.
On the north acropolis, where the theatre is, the more recent remains of Segesta can be seen; the castle, the mosque and the church founded in 1442 on this multi-layered territory.