Dionysius the Younger
Dionysius the Younger was the son of Dionysius I, the tyrant of Syracuse, and succeeded his father in 367 BCE. Unlike his father, Dionysius the Younger was not seen as particularly talented in governance. His early influences included his uncle Dion, a follower of Plato, who encouraged intellectual pursuits at the Syracusan court. Plato's attempts to instill philosophical and mathematical studies in Dionysius were ultimately unsuccessful and led to a rift, resulting in the banishment of both Plato and Dion when suspicions arose about their intentions regarding Syracuse. In 357 BCE, Dion briefly defeated Dionysius, yet the Syracusan assembly reinstated his rule out of fear of Dion's strength. Following further political turmoil, Dion was assassinated, and Dionysius returned to power, becoming increasingly cruel. His reign ultimately ended when the Corinthian hero Timoleon liberated Syracuse, leading to Dionysius's exile to Corinth, where he lived his remaining years in obscurity. Dionysius the Younger’s life serves as a poignant reminder of the unpredictability of fortune and the limitations of philosophical influence in political realms.
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Subject Terms
Dionysius the Younger
Related civilizations:Classical Greece, Sicily
Major role/position: Tyrant
Life
Son of Dionysius I the Elder, the militarily successful tyrant of Syracuse, Dionysius the Younger (di-uh-NISH-ee-uhs) succeeded his father in 367 b.c.e. Not as gifted as his father, he was greatly influenced by his uncle Dion, a devoted follower of Plato, and by the historian Philistius. Dion persuaded his nephew to invite Plato to the Syracusan court, no doubt in the hope that Plato would carry out some of his political dreams there. Plato imposed a course of mathematical and philosophical studies on Dionysius, studies perhaps not suited to the young man’s nature, and when Plato was rumored to be plotting to turn Syracuse over to Athens, Dionysius banished both Plato and Dion. In 357 b.c.e., Dion defeated his nephew in battle, but the Syracusan assembly, perhaps frightened at the prospect of a strong leader, removed Dion from command. After more turmoil, Dion was murdered, and Dionysius resumed his despotism, now hardened or jaded into cruelty. The Corinthian hero Timoleon organized an army of volunteers and liberated Syracuse from Dionysius, sending the deposed tyrant to Corinth, where he lived the remainder of his life teaching and begging for a living.
Influence
Dionysius made his mark on history as a cautionary example of the folly of philosophers who think that they can change the world by influencing a prince and as an example of the power of a capricious fortune that could change a man from a tyrant to a beggar to a tyrant and again to a poor man.
Bibliography
Caven, Brian. Dionysius I: War-Lord of Sicily. New Haven, Conn.: Yale University Press, 1990.