Lilybaeum

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Lilybaeum (lĬlĬbē´əm), ancient city of Sicily, on the extreme western coast. It is the modern Marsala. It was founded (396 BC) by Carthage and became a stronghold. In the First Punic War it resisted a long Roman siege (250–242 BC). Rome finally won (241 BC) the city and used it as a base for the African campaign of Scipio Africanus Major. The city was famous for its harbor.