Dionysius I the Elder of Syracuse
Dionysius I the Elder of Syracuse was a prominent Greek tyrant who rose to power in 406 BCE in the ancient city of Syracuse, located on the island of Sicily. Born into the local aristocracy, he faced opposition from his peers but ultimately established himself as a significant military leader. Dionysius is known for his campaigns to expel the Carthaginians from Sicily and for his ambition to build a Syracusan empire. He engaged with the wider Greek world, forming alliances with powerful city-states like Sparta and Corinth, though his political maneuvers were often met with suspicion.
His cultural contributions included poetry and participation in the Olympic Games, though he faced criticism when his chariot teams did not succeed. Notably, he was granted Athenian citizenship and a crown in recognition of his antagonism towards the Boeotians. Dionysius's legacy also includes a lost play, "The Ransom of Hector," which won acclaim at the Lenaea festival shortly before his death. His influence is often compared to earlier tyrants like Pisistratus and Polycrates, marking him as a multifaceted figure skilled in both military strategy and the arts, leaving a lasting impression on ancient literature and philosophy.
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Dionysius I the Elder of Syracuse
Related civilizations: Sicily, Classical Greece
Major role/position: Tyrant of Syracuse
Life
Born into the aristocracy of the Sicilian Greek polis of Syracuse, Dionysius I the Elder (di-uh-NISH-ee-uhs) brushed aside the opposition of his peers to become tyrant of the city in 406 b.c.e. Throughout his life, he fought a series of campaigns aimed at driving the Carthaginians from Sicily and constructing a Syracusan empire on the island. He also took an active interest in the affairs of the Greek mainland and eastern Aegean, forming ties with Sparta and Corinth, although he was often viewed with suspicion. In 388 or 384 b.c.e., he sent chariot teams and orators to the Olympic Games, but the teams lost, and Dionysius’s poetry was ridiculed. In 368 b.c.e., in gratitude for his hostility to the Boeotians, the Athenians granted him citizenship and a crown. His play The Ransom of Hector (367 b.c.e.; now lost) defeated its competitors at the Lenaea festival in Athens the following year, shortly before his death.
Influence
Dionysius I can be seen as the fourth century b.c.e. version of Archaic Greek tyrants such as Pisistratus and Polycrates of Samos, skilled not only in military tactics but also in diplomacy and the arts. Many ancient philosophers (that is, at Plato’s Academy) and other authors (Ephorus, Polyaenus) devoted space in their works to him. Although not responsible for large-scale conquests, he occupies a position among the great military leaders of world history.
Bibliography
Caven, Brian. Dionysius I: War-Lord of Sicily. New Haven, Conn.: Yale University Press, 1990.
Sanders, L. J. Dionysius I of Syracuse and Greek Tyranny. New York: Croom Helm, 1987.