The tyrannies in the Greek cities of Sicily, 505-466 BC
This thesis will examine the tyrants that ruled Gela and Syracuse during the early fifth century BC. It will approach the subject in a thematic manner, considering several aspects of the tyrants' rule which warrant particular attention. The first chapter will be concerned with our sources of information on the subject, with particular focus on the Bibliotheke of Diodorus Siculus. Being our main source of information, it is crucial that we understand Diodorus' work, especially since it has provoked much criticism in modern scholarship. Chapter two will be concerned with the tyrants' foreign policy, in particular we will examine the tyrants' relationship with other Greeks in Sicily and Southern Italy, and then their brief encounter with the Carthaginians. Chapter three is concerned with the tyrants' recruitment of mercenaries, an important subject given the militaristic nature of the tyranny, as well as a dominant theme in Classical Sicilian history. Next, the unusual subject of the 'refounding' of already existing cities will be discussed. A phenomenon peculiar to Sicily, the four case studies give many clues regarding the nature of the tyranny in general. The way in which the tyrants, particularly Hieron,
Griffin, Michael John
The tyrannies in the Greek cities of Sicily, 505-466 BC. This thesis will examine the tyrants that ruled Gela and Syracuse during the early fifth century BC. It will approach the subject in a thematic manner, considering several aspects of the tyrants' rule which warrant particular attention. The first chapter will be concerned with our sources of information on the subject, with particular focus on the Bibliotheke of Diodorus Siculus. Being our main source of information, it is crucial that we understand Diodorus' work, especially since it has provoked much criticism in modern scholarship. Chapter two will be concerned with the tyrants' foreign policy, in particular we will examine the tyrants' relationship with other Greeks in Sicily and Southern Italy, and then their brief encounter with the Carthaginians. Chapter three is concerned with the tyrants' recruitment of mercenaries, an important subject given the militaristic nature of the tyranny, as well as a dominant theme in Classical Sicilian history. Next, the unusual subject of the 'refounding' of already existing cities will be discussed. A phenomenon peculiar to Sicily, the four case studies give many clues regarding the nature of the tyranny in general. The way in which the tyrants, particularly Hieron,
tyranny greek_city sicily examine tyrant rule subject thematic manner consider_several aspect tyrant rule warrant particular_attention first concerned source_information subject particular_focus diodorus main_source information crucial diodorus work especially_since provoke much criticism modern_scholarship concerned tyrant foreign_policy particular examine tyrant relationship greeks sicily southern_italy brief encounter three_concerned tyrant recruitment mercenary important subject give nature tyranny well dominant_theme classical sicilian history next unusual subject already_exist city discuss phenomenon peculiar sicily four_case study give many clue regard_nature tyranny general way tyrant particularly