218 BC to 468 AD
Romans

44 Sextus Pompey seizes Sicily, interrupting grain exports and resulting in harsh retributions at his overthrow. Roman rule: forests destroyed for shipbuilding and resulting fields become “The Granary of Rome” or “the nurse at whose breast the Roman people is fed”. Relative calm, but many Greek temples despoiled. Greek culture and language remain strong. Villa del Casale at Piazza Armerina.

Taormina. Roman theatre and amphitheatre in Catania.

The cultivable land was gradually ammassed by the Roman nobility, and the economic base became the latifundia, large estates producing mostly grain for export, based on slave labour. Sicily played a central role as a supplier of grain for the city of Rome, but the ruthless exploitation of the agricultural slaves led to several rebellions, the most important in 139-132 BCE and 104-100 BCE. They were drowned in blood. Slavery was essential to the Roman economy and the institution could not be questioned.

Roman domination did not influence the common culture of the people much, as the Romans normally didn't try to romanise people of Greek culture. Most people spoke Greek rather than Latin, Greek traditions and customs were maintained, and Greek culture was generally predominant.