Somewhere between the 8th and 6th Centuries BC, the Phoenicians colonized the area of what would become Palermo in Sicily. The area had been previously inhabited by Sicans, Cretans, and Elimi. In 254, the city, then known as Paleopolis, was conquered by the Romans during the 1st Punic War. After centuries of peaceful Roman rule, the area was ravaged by barbarian invasions starting in the fifth century. The city was conquered by the Byzantine Empire, which governed it for about three centuries, until 831.

The Arabs took the city from the Byzantines and under their rule, Palermo enjoyed a period of splendor and prosperity. Art and commerce were developed immensely, the first thanks to the influence of Arab culture and the latter through intense trading with Italian ports such as Pisa, Genoa, and Venice. Palermo increased its prestige by building mosques, luxurious palaces and wonderful gardens. Normans succeeded in gaining possession of the city after a long siege in 1072. Under Norman rule, Palermo was allowed a fair amount of autonomy, while in the city, palaces and monuments that were the symbols of this crossroads of culture, such as the Cappella Palatina (Palatine Chapel) and the Cathedral - Duomo in Monreale were built. Subsequently, the city fell under the rule of the Swabians, the French, and finally the Spaniards.

Under Spanish rule, Palermo was made the capital of Sicily. Various religious orders, which were increasingly powerful, set up a large number of churches and convents. This was a period of pomp and opulence for the clergy and the aristocracy, but was also one of poverty and pestilence for the people, whose rebellions were often bloodily put down. By the 18th Century, Palermo had become part of the Kingdom of the Naples, comprising Sicily and southern Italy. There were more rebellions in the 19th Century, ending with the landing on the island by the great Italian liberator, Garibaldi, who took the city as part of his campaign to make all of Italy a new country. This was achieved by 1870 when Palermo became part of the newly formed Kingdom of Italy. Finally, in World War II, Palermo was liberated from Fascist rule by the 7th Army under General George S. Patton.