Downloaded by [New York University] at 23:12 03 December 2016 ANCIENT SYRACUSE

Downloaded by [New York University] at 23:12 03 December 2016 ANCIENT SYRACUSE Syracuse possesses a unique place in the history of the ancient Mediterranean because of its contribution to Greek culture and political thought and practice. Even in the fi rst century BC Cicero could still declare, ‘You have oft en heard that of all the Greek cities Syracuse is the greatest and most beautiful.’ Sicily’s strategic location in the Mediterranean brought the city prosperity and power, placing it in the fi rst rank of states in the ancient world. The history and governance of the city were recorded from the fi ft h century BC and the volume of literary sources comes close to matching the records of Athens or Rome. Combining literary and material evidence this monograph traces the history of Syracuse, off ering new arguments about the date of the city’s foundation, and continues through the fi ft h century when, as a democracy, Syracuse’s military strength grew to equal that of Athens or Sparta, surpassing them in the early fourth century under the tyrant Dionysius I. From ca. 350 BC, however, the city’s fortunes declined as the state was wracked with civil strife as the tyranny lost control. Th e result was a collapse so serious that the city faced complete and imminent destruction. Richard Evans is currently Senior Visiting Research Fellow in the Department of Biblical and Ancient Studies, University of South Africa. He has previously lectured at the University of South Africa and at Cardiff University, UK. His research interests include Roman republican politics; the urban topography of city-states; and the historians Herodotus, Th ucydides, Diodorus and Livy. His publications include studies on Roman republican political fi gures of the fi rst century BC (2003); a study of the topography of Syracuse (2009); Rome’s conquest of Asia Minor, Syria and Armenia (2011); a history of Pergamum (2012); and seminal sieges in Greek and Roman military history (2013). Downloaded by [New York University] at 23:12 03 December 2016 This page intentionally left blank Downloaded by [New York University] at 23:12 03 December 2016 Ancient Syracuse From Foundation to Fourth Century Collapse RICHARD EVANS University of South Afr ica Downloaded by [New York University] at 23:12 03 December 2016 First published 2016 by Routledge 2 Park Square, Milton Park, Abingdon, Oxon OX14 4RN and by Routledge 711 Th ird Avenue, New York, NY 10017 Routledge is an imprint of the Taylor & Francis Group, an informa business © 2016 Richard Evans Th e right of Richard Evans to be identifi ed as author of this work has been asserted by him in accordance with sections 77 and 78 of the Copyright, Designs and Patents Act 1988. All rights reserved. No part of this book may be reprinted or reproduced or utilised in any form or by any electronic, mechanical, or other means, now known or hereaft er invented, including photocopying and recording, or in any information storage or retrieval system, without permission in writing from the publishers. Trademark notice: Product or corporate names may be trademarks or registered trademarks, and are used only for identifi cation and explanation without intent to infringe. British Library Cataloguing in Publication Data A catalogue record for this book is available from the British Library Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data Evans, Richard J., 1954– author. Ancient Syracuse : from foundation to fourth century collapse / by Richard Evans. pages cm Includes bibliographical references and index. 1. Syracuse (Italy)—History. I. Title. DG975.S9E93 2016 937'.8141—dc23 2015024569 ISBN: 978-1-4724-1937-8 (hbk) ISBN: 978-1-315-56699-3 (ebk) Typeset in Garamond Premier Pro by Apex CoVantage, LLC Downloaded by [New York University] at 23:12 03 December 2016 Contents Acknowledgements vii List of Maps and Figures xiii Preface xv 1 Th e Myths and the Reality of the Foundation 1 2 Th e Deinomenid Tyranny (ca. 700–466 BC) 19 3 Th e Fift h Century Collapse (466–460 BC) 57 4 Democracy and Ducetius (460–427 BC) 79 5 Th e First Athenian Expedition (427–424 BC) 93 6 Th e Second Athenian Expedition (415–413 BC) 107 7 Th e Rise of the Tyrant Dionysius I 147 8 Th e Fourth Century Collapse 163 Epilogue 189 A Chronology of Syracuse 191 Appendices 1 Literary Sources for the Earliest History of Syracuse 197 2 Th e Deinomenid Rulers in Fift h Century BC Literature 201 3 Ancient Literary Sources for the Deinomenid Tyranny 205 4 Th e Dating of the Damareteion Coinage 209 Downloaded by [New York University] at 23:12 03 December 2016 5 Extraordinary Trophies: Syracusan Exhibitionism aft er Victory over the Athenians 213 6 Th e Chief Sources for the Life and Death of Dion 219 Bibliography 223 Index 231 This page intentionally left blank Downloaded by [New York University] at 23:12 03 December 2016 Acknowledgements I should like to thank Michael Greenwood of Ashgate Publishing and his colleagues for all their kind advice and help during the preparation of this volume. Moreover, thanks are due to the anonymous readers of the initial proposal and the fi nal manuscript for their constructive advice and illuminating comments. I should also like to thank my colleagues in the Department of Biblical and Ancient Studies at the University of South Africa, Pretoria, for their generous support and friendship. Th ere I held the position of Visiting Researcher between 2013 and 2015, a post that allowed me the unfettered time to pursue my research and to bring this project to a timely and, I hope, successful conclusion. Downloaded by [New York University] at 23:12 03 December 2016 This page intentionally left blank Downloaded by [New York University] at 23:12 03 December 2016 Downloaded by [New York University] at 23:12 03 December 2016 Map 1 Greece, Magna Graecia and Sicily in the Classical Period Map 2 Central and Eastern Sicily in the fi ft h and fourth centuries BC, showing the extent of Syracusan territory in this period Note: Th e shaded area illustrates the actual extent of Syracusan territory. Th e relationship between the various urban communities within the territory of Syracuse remains unclear due to a lack of evidence. Acrae, Casmenae, Notum and Elorus must all have been self-governing, but somehow they were represented at Syracuse during the periods of democratic government. Presumably, during periods of tyranny, a sole ruler was installed. Th e smaller communities such as Polichne must also have had some link in the political hierarchy, but this Downloaded by [New York University] at 23:12 03 December 2016 too is not attested in the earlier history of Syracuse. It was only during the rule of Hieron II and provincial administration by Rome that clarifi cation of legal positions occurred. Map 3 Th e main topographical features in and around Syracuse (500–344 BC) Note: Th e shaded area represents the city inside the fortifi cations in the fi ft h century, while the area inside the dots is the additional area fortifi ed by Dionysius I aft er 405. The jagged lines represent the Athenian siege works of 414–413. Th e double wall within which Nicias collected his entire army and fl eet and which may be found in Freeman’s map (1892) facing 167, and which has oft en been reproduced, Smith (1923) for example, encloses much too small an area for so large a force, and especially fails to take account of the number of triremes and other ships for which room had to Downloaded by [New York University] at 23:12 03 December 2016 be made for beaching there. Th e length of beach required for the Athenian fl eet must have extended for as much as 2 kilometres, see Evans (2009) 146–7; Evans (2013) 86 and 88. This page intentionally left blank Downloaded by [New York University] at 23:12 03 December 2016 Maps and Figures Maps 1 Greece, Magna Graecia and Sicily in the Classical Period ix 2 Central and Eastern Sicily in the fi ft h and fourth centuries BC, showing the extent of Syracusan territory in this period x 3 Th e main topographical features in and around Syracuse (500–344 BC) xi Figures 1.1 Th e temple of Apollo at Delphi visited by Myscellus and Archias before they sailed across the Ionian Sea (Strabo, 6.1.12, 6.2.4). 4 1.2 Th e temple of Apollo at Corinth with the Acrocorinth in the background. Th e Bacchiadae were expelled from the city at roughly the same time as the foundation of Syracuse. 15 2.1 Th e Island from Epipolai. Note the distinctive ‘kidney-shaped’ bay, which became the Great Harbour. See also Map 3. 39 2.2 Th e tomb of Th eron, tyrant of Acragas, who died in 473/2 (Diod. 11.53.1), with the temple of Heracles in the background. 48 4.1 Th e Acropolis at Leontini. Th e citizens of Catane returned to their former homes in 460 (Diod. 11.76.3). 81 6.1 Th e unfi nished temple at Segesta. ‘Th e Segestaeans reminded the Athenians about the alliance that they had made with the people of Leontini from the time of Laches and the last war’ (Th uc. 6.6.2). 111 6.2 Epipolai, the site of the sole night battle of the Peloponnesian War (Th uc. 7.44.1). 141 Downloaded by [New York University] at 23:12 03 December 2016 7.1 Th e temple of Apollo in the acropolis of Selinous.

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