HYBLA is the name of several cities in Sicily. A Sicilian goddess was named Hyblaea (Paus. v. 23. 6); hence doubtless the name was so common. The Hybla of which we hear most was founded by the Megarians, about the year 726 b.c., and is probably the same as Megara Hyblaea. For some time it was a flourishing city; a century after its foundation it founded in its turn the colony of Selinus. But about the year 481 b.c. it was completely destroyed by Gelon, tyrant of Syracuse. The mass of the inhabitants were sold as slaves; the richer were transported to Syracuse and there admitted as citizens. Among these was Epicharmus of Cos, who had been brought up in Megara. During the Athenian expedition to Sicily, Lamachus urged that they should occupy the deserted site. It must therefore have had a fine harbour, whence we may consider that it probably lay beside the modern city of Agosta. A small settlement seems afterwards to have grown up on the site. An older city called Hybla, belonging to the native Siculi, lay not far off on the southern slope of Mount Etna, near the river Symaethus. It is mentioned in the history of the Second Punic War; and in the time of Cicero ( Fern, iii. 43) it was a flourishing place. It is exceedingly difficult to separate the history of these two cities; and no doubt the ancient writers themselves often do not clearly distinguish between them. The Hyblaean honey, which was produced on the hills beside them, is often celebrated by the Latin poets. There was a third city of the same name on the road from Syracuse to Agrigentum.