The flag of Sicily (Sicilian: Bannera dâ Sicilia) (Italian: Bandiera siciliana) was first adopted in 1282, after the successful Sicilian Vespers revolt against Charles I of Sicily. It is characterized by the presence of the triskelion (trinacria) in its middle, the (winged) head of Medusa and three wheat ears. The three bent legs allegedly represent the three points of the triangular shape of the island of Sicily itself. The present design became the official public flag of the Autonomous Region of Sicily on 4 January 2000, after the passing of an apposite law which advocates its use on public buildings, schools, city halls, and all the other places in which Sicily is represented.
The flag is bisected diagonally into regions colored red and yellow, red representing the municipality of Palermo, yellow representing Corleone, which in medieval times was an agricultural city of renown. Palermo and Corleone were the first two cities to found a confederation against the Angevin rule.
The flag looks somewhat similar to the flag of the Isle of Man, especially for the use of the triskelion in both of these; today, the triskelion (or trisceli) is also widely considered the actual symbol of Sicily. The symbol is also known as the trinacria, which is also an ancient name of Sicily. The name was also revived and used during the Aragonese period of the Kingdom of Sicily immediately after the Sicilian Vespers (1282) which ended Angevin rule.
During the period of Muslim rule under Emirate of Sicily Sicily used a pure green flag, similar to the former national Flag of Libya under Muammar Gaddafi.
Famous quotes containing the words flag and/or sicily:
“What is Americanism? Every one has a different answer. Some people say it is never to submit to the dictation of a King. Others say Americanism is the pride of liberty and the defence of an insult to the flag with their gore. When some half-developed person tramples on that flag, we should be ready to pour out the blood of the nation, they say. But do we not sit in silence when that flag waves over living conditions which should be an insult to all patriotism?”
—Anna Howard Shaw (1847–1919)
“One usually dies because one is alone, or because one has got into something over one’s head. One often dies because one does not have the right alliances, because one is not given support. In Sicily the Mafia kills the servants of the State that the State has not been able to protect.”
—Giovanni Falcone (1939–1992)