Lo sguardo di Anassila: Reggio Calabria e Messina nella prospettiva di città metropolitana sovraregionale, tra prossimità e integrazioni

The gaze of Anaxilas: Reggio Calabria and Messina in the perspective of a supraregional Metropolitan City. Between proximity and integration. – The Agreement for the Integrated Area of the Strait of Messina (2019) and the establishment of the Port System Authority of the Strait (2019) are two of the most recent steps in a complex process of integration involving the Metropolitan Cities of Reggio Calabria and Messina. Both feature low population density, are sparsely populated and with often common historical experiences and their positions are far from the centre of the regional reference areas but also from their former provincial territory. Reggio and Messina in fact develop interdependencies and exchanges which leave room for the idea of a supra-regional metropolitan city. In this work, we analyze similarities and differences between the two cities, trying to show how mobility and maritime transport can represent new factors of integration, leading to a development commensurate with the resources of the territory. This strategy would require a new legislative framework, but would also enable the rediscovery of the ancient spirit of common government in the Strait Area: as if once again under the gaze of Anaxilas, the first ruler who attempted to bring the two cities under one government in the 5th century B.C.