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Agathocles ( 361- 289 BC), tyrant of Syracuse, was born at Thermae Himeraeae (modern name Termini Imerese) in Sicily.The son of a potter who had removed to Syracuse, he learned his father's trade, but afterwards entered the army. In 333 he married the widow of his patron Damas, a distinguished and wealthy citizen. He was twice banished for attempting to overthrow the oligarchical party in Syracuse; in 317 he returned with an army of mercenaries under a solemn oath to observe the democratic constitution which
was then set up. Having banished or murdered some 10,000 citizens, and thus made himself master of Syracuse, he created a strong army and fleet and subdued the greater part of Sicily.
War with Carthage followed. In 310Centuries: 5th century BC 4th century BC 3rd century BC Decades: 360s BC 350s BC 340s BC 330s BC 320s BC 310s BC 300s BC 290s BC 280s BC 270s BC 260s BC Years: 315 BC 314 BC 313 BC 312 BC 311 BC 310 BC 309 BC 308 BC 307 BC 306 BC 305 BC Events Battle of L Agathocles, besiegedA siege is a prolonged military blockade and assault of a city or fortress with the intent of conquering by force or attrition. A siege occurs when an attacker encounters a city or fortress that refuses to surrender and cannot be easily taken by a frontal and defeated in Syracuse, took the desperate resolve of breaking through the blockade and attacking the enemy in AfricaAfrica is the world's second-largest continent in both area and population, after Asia. 30,244,050 km2 (11,677,240 mi2) including the islands, it covers 20. 3% of the total land area on Earth, and with over 800 million human inhabitants it accounts for ar. After several victories he was at last completely defeated ( 306Centuries: 5th century BC 4th century BC 3rd century BC Decades: 350s BC 340s BC 330s BC 320s BC 310s BC 300s BC 290s BC 280s BC 270s BC 260s BC 250s BC 311 BC 310 BC 309 BC 308 BC 307 BC 306 BC 305 BC 304 BC 303 BC 302 BC 301 BC Events After a series of) and fled secretly to Sicily. After concluding peace with Carthage, Agathocles styled himself king of Sicily, and established his rule over the GreekGreece formally called the Hellenic Republic (in Greek: ) Hellenike Demokratia , is a country in the southeast of Europe on the southern tip of the Balkan peninsula. It is bounded on land by Bulgaria, the Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia and Albania cities of the island more firmly than ever. Even in his old age he displayed the same restless energy, and is said to have been contemplating a fresh attack on Carthage at the time of his death.
His last years were harassed by ill-health and the turbulence of his grandson Archagathus , at whose instigation he is said to have been poisonThis article is about the dangerous substance. For the band see Poison. skull and crossbones symbol traditionally used to label a poisonous substance. In the context of biology, poisons are substances that cause injury, illness, or death to organisms, usued; according to others, he died a natural death. He was a born leader of mercenaries, and, although he did not shrink from cruelty to gain his ends, he afterwards showed himself a mild and popular "tyrant."
Recommended reading
- JustinJustin or M. Junianus Justinus or Justinus Frontinus 3rd century Roman historian. Of his personal history nothing is known. He is the author of Historiarum Philippicarum libri XLIV a work described by himself in his preface as a collection of the most imp
- Diodorus SiculusDiodorus Siculus was a Greek historian, born at Agyrium in Sicily (now called Agira, in the province of Enna). Jerome dates Diodorus' floruit to 49 BC Chronica s. Abraham 1968), which is supported by Diodorus' own statements. The earliest date Diodorus me xix., xxi., xxii. (follows generally Timaeus who had a special grudge against Agathocles)
- Polybius ix. 23
- Schubert, (1887) Geschichte des Agathokles
- Grote, History of Greece, ch. 97;
This article incorporates text from the public domain 1911 Encyclopędia Britannica. 1911 Britannica
Ancient Greeks
Natives of Sicily
