Capture of Syracuse, Sicily

Date: May 21, 878 • Location: Siracusa, Italy

This milestone marked the outbreak and beginning of this historic period, which spanned 878–879.

Syracuse, Sicily, is captured by the Muslim Aghlabids after a nine-month siege.

Syracuse is a city and comune (municipality), capital of the free municipal consortium of the same name, located in the autonomous island region of Sicily in southern Italy. As of 2026, with a population of 115,515, it is the 4th-largest city in Sicily, following Palermo, Catania, and Messina.