Agathocles (361-289 BC), (Greek name Αγαθοκλής (Agathokles): derived from αγαθός (agathos) good and κλέος (kleos) glory), was tyrant of Syracuse (317-289 BC) and king of Sicily (304-289 BC). Events By Place Persian Empire With the Persian empire weakening revolts occur in many parts of the empire including Sidon, Events By place Sicily The Tyrant of Syracuse, Agathocles, dies after restoring the Syracusan democracy on his death Greek (el ελληνική γλώσσα or simply el ελληνικά — "Hellenic" is an Indo-European language, spoken today by 15-22 million people mainly In modern usage a tyrant is a single ruler holding absolute power over a State or within an Organization. Syracuse (Siracusa Sicilian: Sarausa, Classical Greek: / transliterated Syrakousai) is a historic City in Events By place Macedonian Empire Seleucus joins Antigonus against Eumenes and recaptures Babylon. Events By place Sicily The Tyrant of Syracuse, Agathocles, dies after restoring the Syracusan democracy on his death Sicily ( Italian and Sicilian: Sicilia) is an autonomous region of Italy. Events By place Greece The siege of Rhodes ends after a year as Demetrius Poliorcetes meets with obstinate resistance from the Events By place Sicily The Tyrant of Syracuse, Agathocles, dies after restoring the Syracusan democracy on his death
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Biography
Agathocles was born at Thermae Himeraeae (modern name Termini Imerese) in Sicily. Termini Imerese ( Greek: Thermae Himeraeae -;, Pol;, Ptol;,, Diod The son of a potter who had moved to Syracuse in about 343 BC, he learned his father's trade, but afterwards entered the army. Pottery is the Ceramic ware made by potters It also refers to a group of materials that includes Earthenware, Stoneware Events By place Persian Empire The King of Persia, Artaxerxes III, personally leads the Persian forces invading Egypt In 333 BC he married the widow of his patron Damas, a distinguished and wealthy citizen. Events By place Macedonia King Alexander of Macedonia conquers western Asia Minor, subduing the hill tribes of WIDOW is a full-length Album recorded by British rock band Ritual released in 1983 He was twice banished for attempting to overthrow the oligarchical party in Syracuse. Exile means to be away from one's home (ie city state or country while either being explicitly refused permission to return and/or being threatened by prison or death upon return Oligarchy' ( Greek, Oligarkhía) is a Form of government where Political power effectively rests with a small elite segment
In 317 BC he returned with an army of mercenaries under a solemn oath to observe the democratic constitution which was then set up. Events By place Macedonian Empire Seleucus joins Antigonus against Eumenes and recaptures Babylon. A mercenary is a person who takes part in an armed conflict who is not a national or a party to the conflict and is "motivated to take part in the hostilities essentially by Democracy is a form of government in which the supreme power is held completely by the people under a free electoral system A constitution is a system for government often Codified as a written document that establishes the rules and principles of an autonomous political entity 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. Carthage (Καρχηδών Karkhēdōn, Carthago from the Phoenician קרת חדשת phn-Latn Qart-ḥadašt meaning new town) refers In 311 BC Agathocles was besieged and defeated in Syracuse in the battle of Himera. Events By place Seleucid Empire Seleucus reestablishes himself as Satrap of Babylonia and asserts control over The Battle of Himera was fought in 311 BC between Carthage and a Greek force After defeat in 310 BC he took the desperate resolve of breaking through the blockade and attacking the enemy in Africa. Events By place Seleucid Empire Antigonus orders Nicanor, one of his generals to invade Babylonia from the east and A blockade is any effort to prevent supplies Troops information or aid from reaching an opposing force In Africa he concluded the treaty with Ophellas, ruler of Cyrenaica. After several victories he was at last completely defeated (307 BC) and fled secretly to Sicily. Events By place Babylonia Antigonus makes peace with Seleucus, who is left free to consolidate his kingdom
After concluding peace with Carthage in 306 BC, Agathocles styled himself king of Sicily in 304 BC, and established his rule over the Greek cities of the island more firmly than ever. Events By place Cyprus Menelaus brother of Egypt's ruler Ptolemy I Soter, is defeated and captured by Demetrius Poliorcetes Events By place Greece The siege of Rhodes ends after a year as Demetrius Poliorcetes meets with obstinate resistance from the Greece (Ελλάδα transliterated: Elláda, historically, Ellás,) officially the Hellenic Republic (Ελληνική Δημοκρατία A peace treaty with Carthage left him in control of Sicily east of the Halycus River. 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 plagued by ill-health and the turbulence of his grandson Archagathus, at whose instigation he is said to have been poisoned; according to others, he died a natural death. Caecilius, of Calacte in Sicily, Greek Rhetorician flourished at Rome during the reign of Augustus. In the context of Biology, poisons are substances that can cause damage, Illness, or Death to Organisms usually by 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. " Agathocles restored the Syracusan democracy on his death bed and did not want his sons to succeed him as king.
Agathocles married Theoxena, stepdaughter of Ptolemy I of Egypt. Theoxena was the daughter of prince Herodicus a well respected person of Thessaly and one of there main leaders For the astronomer see Ptolemy; for others named "Ptolemy" or "Ptolemaeus" see Ptolemy (disambiguation. His daughter Lanassa married King Pyrrhus of Epirus. Pyrrhus (318-272 BC ( Greek: Πύρρος Aιακιδης Pyrros Aiakides was one of the most successful ancient Greek generals of the Hellenistic
Legacy
Agathocles was cited as an example of “those who by their crimes come to be princes” in Chapter VIII of Niccolò Machiavelli’s treatise on politics, The Prince (1513). Il Principe ( The Prince) is a political Treatise by the Florentine public servant and political theorist
Primary sources
- Justin
- Diodorus Siculus xix. Justin (Latin Marcus Junianius (or Junianus) Justinus) was a Latin historian who lived under the Roman Empire. , xxi. , xxii. (follows generally Timaeus who had a special grudge against Agathocles)
- Polybius ix. Polybius (ca 203 &ndash 120 BC, Greek) was a Greek historian of the Hellenistic Period noted for his book called The Histories 23
References
- Schubert, (1887) Geschichte des Agathokles
- Grote, History of Greece, ch. 97.
This article incorporates text from the Encyclopædia Britannica Eleventh Edition, a publication now in the public domain. The Encyclopædia Britannica Eleventh Edition (1910–1911 is a 29-volume reference work that marked the beginning of the Encyclopædia Britannica The public domain is a range of abstract materials &ndash commonly referred to as Intellectual property &ndash which are not owned or controlled by anyone
| Preceded by: oligarchy position previously held by Timoleon in 337 BC |
Tyrant of Syracuse 317 BC– 289 BC |
Succeeded by: Icetas |
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