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Sicula

Sicula is a Latin term most commonly used as an adjective meaning “of Sicily” or “Sicilian,” and it is sometimes used as a noun to denote a Sicilian person in ancient texts. In classical writings, Sicula appears to describe things associated with the island of Sicily (Sicilia) or its inhabitants, reflecting the island’s importance in Roman geography, ethnography, and culture. The form is the feminine singular of the adjective, with other endings used to match gender and number of the noun it modifies.

Etymology and context: the word derives from Sicilia, the Latin name for the island in the central

Usage and significance: beyond linguistic notes, Sicula is primarily encountered in discussions of ancient Sicily—its geography,

See also: Sicily; Sicani; Sicels; Elymi; Sicilian language.

Mediterranean.
The
name
Sicilia
itself
is
linked
to
the
island’s
ancient
peoples
and
exonyms,
including
the
Sicani,
Sicels,
and
Elymi,
and
to
the
Greek
name
Sikéleia/Sikéllía
for
the
region.
The
exact
linguistic
origin
remains
uncertain.
In
modern
languages,
the
descendant
term
is
Siciliano
in
Italian,
while
the
historical
Latin
form
Sicula
is
mainly
of
scholarly
interest.
culture,
and
ethnography—rather
than
as
a
political
designation.
Sicily
in
antiquity
consisted
of
various
city-states
and
polities,
such
as
Syracuse,
Gela,
and
Agrigentum,
before
becoming
part
of
the
Roman
Republic.
The
term
helps
distinguish
Sicilian
aspects
from
those
of
mainland
Italy
in
historical
and
linguistic
studies.