TIMO'LEON, a great Greek general, and the liberator of Sicily from the dominion of tyrants," belonged to one of the noblest families of Corinth, and was born there about 394 n.c. Timoleon's brother, Tiraophanes, having made himself tyrant of his native city- Timeleon either killed him with his own hand, or caused him to be killed. Opinion was divided in Corinth as to the merit of this deed, one party extolling it as an act of the noblest patriotism, while the other demanded Timoleon's death as a murderer. The difficulty was got over by appointing him leader of a small band of mercenaries sent (344 n.c.) to Syracuse, the exiled citizens of which had begged assistance from Corinth, the mother-city. against the "tyrant" Dionysius and the Carthaginians. Outwitting the Carthaginians, Timoleon arrived safely at Tauromenium, where he was welcomed by the Syracusan exiles. Hicetas, "tyrant" of Leontini, was then striving to dispossess Diony sius, and secure the tyranny of Syracuse for himself, and had succeeded in getting possession of the whole city except the island citadel. Timoleon, with only a fifth of the number defeated him at Adranum; and marching to Syracuse made himself master of two quarters of the city. From this time onward Timoleon's career in Sicily was one of complete victory over all opponents. Dionysius the younger (q.v.), in 343 B.c. sur rendered in despair the citadel of Syracuse, and was sent to Corinth. Hicetas having failed in the attempt to assassinate Tiinoleon, called in the assistance of a Carthaginian force of 50,000 men, which, however, was shortly after withdrawn by Mago, who had become suspicious of treachery. Hicetas at last fled to Leontini, leaving Timoleon sole master of Syracuse. After repeopling the almost desolate city by recalling exiles, and inviting new colonists from Greece, Italy, and Sicily, lie spent the next years in enacting laws and organizing a constitution, which he put on a completely democratic footing. The Carthaginians, alarmed at the reviving power of Syracuse, and the pros
pect of union among the Sicilian Greeks, now sent an army of 80,000, under Hasdrubal and Hamilcar, to subdue the whole island. Timoleon, with only 12,000, encountered them (339 B.c.) on the Crimissus, and gained one of the greatest victories ever won by Greeks over barbarians. He now proceeded with his great project of expelling the tyrants of the other Greek cities, who, however, again called in the aid of the Cartha ginians; but the successes of Timoleon soon made the Carthaginians glad to conclude a treaty, fixing the river Halycus as the boundary between their dominions and those of the Greeks. Hicetas, tyrant of Leontini, being now captured, was put to death with his wife and daughters; and shortly after Mamercus of Catana suffered the seine fate. Timoleon thus in about six years freed Sicily from nearly all its tyrants, and conferred upon the cities free constitutions, himself all the time taking no advantage of the immense influence which he thus obtained. After his great work was accomplished he lived among the Syracusans as a private citizen, receiving from them and from all the Greek world the greatest honor and respect: his advice was had recourse to by all the Sicilian cities in any emergency. He died in 337 or 335 B.C., having been blind for a considerable time previously, and was buried in the market-place of Syracuse, where a gymnasium, called the Titnoleonteum, was afterward erected over his tomb. Timoleon was undoubtedly one of the greatest generals and noblest characters produced by Greece; he appears to have been thoroughly unselfish, and to have set before him as his great aim the abolition of tyranny, and the establishment of freedom.