In the Latomia del Paradiso, an old quarry in the Parco Archeologico of Siracusa, can be found a cave of 65 meters depth, 23 meter height and 11 meters width in the shape of an S. This cave was made in the Greek antiquity and has a curious acoustic characteristic. Even very softly spoken words can be heard by a person standing at the entrance of the cave. Sounds are amplified by a factor of 16.

Since the 16th century Italian painter Michelangelo da Caravaggio compared during his visit the form of the cave with a human ear, it is called the Ear of Dionysios, L'Orecchio di Dionigi and it is reported, the Greek tyrant Dionysios would have eavesdroped there on the talks of prisoners.