Taormina was founded anciently by the Siculians, who merged with the Greek population of Naxos in the 4th century BC. Under the control of Syracuse, the city experienced a long period of prosperity before being conquered by the Romans. As temporary capital of the Byzantine province of Taormina, it was the last Sicilian city to fall to the Arabs. After decades of turmoil during the Middle Ages and a slow decline of the city, Taormina was rediscovered as a tourist center in the 19th century, leading the city to increase its fame to the present day.
