Motya, situated on a littoral island less than half a mile from the western shore, in Lat.

38ｺ nearly, has the remains of a wall built of large stones, uncemented, in the Phoenician manner,[5107] and carried, like the western wall of Aradus, so close to the coast as to be washed by the waves.

It is said by Diodorus to have been at one time a most flourishing town.[5108] The coins have Phoenician legends.[5109] Eryx lay about seven miles to the north-east of Motya, in a very strong position.

Mount Eryx (now Mount Giuliano), on which it was mainly built, rises to the height of two thousand feet above the plain,[5110] and, being encircled by a strong wall, was rendered almost impregnable.

The summit was levelled and turned into a platform, on which was raised the temple of Astarte or Venus.[5111] An excellent harbour, formed by Cape Drepanum (now Trapani), lay at its base.