HIERO II., King of Syracuse (269-214 B. C.), was the son of a noble Syracusae named Hierocles. During the troubles which prevailed in Sicily, after the retreat of king Pyrrhus, 275 mc., Hiero greatly distinguished himself, atu) was first appointed com mander-in-chief and then elected king. He joined the Carthaginians in besieging Messana, which had surrendered to the Romans, but he was beaten by Appius Claudius the Roman consul, and obliged to retire to Syracuse, where he was soon blockaded. In 263, seeing himself threatened by a large army under Manins Valerius Maximus, he concluded a peace with the Romans for 15 years, during which he proved so faithful to his engagements that. in 248 peace Aims permanently established. Iliero himself visited ,Rome in 237, on which occasion he presented the Roman people with 200,000 bushels of corn. In the second Punic war he likewise proved himself the faithful ally of the Romans. and supported them with money and, troops, especially after their defeat at
the lake of Thfasythene, when the statOes of The goddess of Victory, weighing.
320 lbs., which he sent to Rome, were welcomed as a good omen. He died about the year 216, in the 92d year of his age. His son Gelon having died before him, he was succeeded by his grandson Hieronymus. Hiero, by his clemency, wisdom, and sim plicity, had gained the affections of the Syracusans, who refused on several occasions to accept his resignation of the kingly office. He devoted great attention to the improve ment of agriculture, and his laws respecting the tithe of corn, etc. (leges were still in force in the country in Cicero's time. He was likewise a patron of the arts, particularly architecture. In these pursuits, as well as in the construction of warlike machines, he was assisted by his friend and relative Archimedes.