Agathokles of Syrakus

Agathokles (* 361 v. Chr. in Thermae Himeraeae [today terms Imerese on Sicilies]; † 289 v. Chr.) was Tyrann of Syrakus.

Agathokles was the son of a Töpfers, who had moved after Syrakus, learned the trade its father, joined then however the army. 333 v. Chr. he married the widow of the Damas, a distinguished and rich of citizen. It two times banished, because he had tried to fall the oligarchische system into Syrakus turned however 317 v. Chr. with a mercenary army ( the Mamertinern) back. It banished or murdered about 10,000 citizens, made themselves the Mr. von Syrakus, set up a strong army and fleet and subjected the largest part of Siziliens.

A war with Karthago followed. Struck and in Syrakus besieged, Agathokles seized 310 v. Chr. the desperate resolution to break through the blockade and to attack the enemy in Africa. After several victories it became 306 v. Chr. but fled completely struck and secretly back to Sicilies. It closed peace with Karthago, made themselves the king of Sicilies and restored his rule over the Greek cities of the island harder as ever before. Even at the age it showed a restless energy. It is even maintained that it planned a new attack on Karthago at the time of its death.

Its last years were overshadowed by illness and the impetuous of its grandchild Archagathos, on whose causing it was to have been poisoned; other according to sources it died a natural death. Agathokles was the born mercenary leader. Although it did not back-frighten before cruelties, in order to achieve its goals, it appeared afterwards as if moderate and more popular „Tyrann “.

literature

sources

• Junianus Justinus 22-23
• Diodorus Siculus 19; 21-22 (follows generally Timaios, which preserved a special Groll against Agathokles)
• Polybios 9.23

secondary literature

• Caroline Lehmler: Syrakus under Agathokles and Hieron II. The connection of culture and power in a brightistic metropolis, Frankfurt/M. 2005, ISBN 3-938032-07-3.