Ancient historians refer to two contiguous or nearby cities of Sican origin: Hybla Gereatis and Inessa (later renamed Aetna).

Most modern scholars regard the place called Castro as the site of Aetna, about 4 km northeast from Paternò, on a hill projecting from the foot of the mountain.

Hybla and Inessa fell into Greek hands around 460 BC, when they were besieged by the Syracusans led by the tyrant Hieron I and the two centres were thus Hellenised.

The situation worsened further when Gaius Verres, praetor in Sicily in 73 BC, ordered extortion, robbery and violence of all kinds on the two towns, forcing them to deliver of 300 000 bushels of wheat and the payment of 50 000 sesterces.

[11] The longest aqueduct in Roman Sicily at 24 km length passed through the territory close to the city on its route to Catania.

[12] The silverware was sold for little money to two dealers from Catania, who divided it so that most ended up in Naples and was bought by the Parisian merchants Cesare and Ercole Canessa.

They had the silverware restored by Alfred André, and in 1911 in Paris they sold seven pieces to Robert Zahn, curator of the antiquarium of the Royal Museums of Berlin.

Recently the shell-shaped pyx equipped with hinge and ring and decorated on the outside with an octopus has been attributed rather to Alexandrian-inspired artists of the 3rd century BC.