The town of Colonia Iulia Clipea was founded by the Carthaginians as the fortified town of Aspis in the 5th century BC The very first sources give us news that goes back to the end of the 4th century. BC. During the expedition of Agatocle (361–289 BC), the city was a Sicilian stronghold. After the fall of Carthage in146 BC, it was destroyed but shortly was rebuilt.
See:
- J. Ferron, sv. Clupea: in Dictionnaire d'Histoire et de Géographie ecclésiastiques, vol. XIII, Paris 1956, coll. 174-176
- http://www.treccani.it/enciclopedia/clupea_%28Enciclopedia-dell%27-Arte-Antica%29/