DION YSIUS THE ELDER was born at Syracuse about n.c. 430. In the civil troubles of Syracuse, between the party of Diodes and that of Hermocrates, who was accused of aspiring to the supreme power, Dionyaiva took part with the latter, and waa wounded in an attempt which Hermocrates made to take possesaion of Syracuse. He afterwards married the daughter of Hermocrates. Meantime the Carthaginians had effected their second invasion of Sicily, and had taken Selinus, Iiimcra, and Agrigentum. (Xenophon, liellenika,' ii. 2.) All Sicily was in danger of falling into the bands of the con querors. In the assembly of the people of Syracuse, convoked after the fall of Agrigentum, Dionysius accused the commanders and the magistrates of neglect and treachery. In 'consequence of this charge he was condemned to a heavy fine, which Philistus, the historian, paid for him, and he then repeated his charges against those who were at the head of the commonwealth, until ho persuaded the people to change the military commanders, and appoint new ones, among whom himself was one. His next measure was to obtain the recall of the exiles, to whom ho gave arms. Being sent to the relief of Gela, then besieged by the Carthaginians, he effected nothing against the enemy, pretending that he was not seconded by the other commanders, and his friends suggested that in order to save the state the supreme power onght to be confided to one man, reminding the people of the times of Gelon, who had defeated the Carthaginian host and given peace to Sicily. The general assembly proclaimed Dionysius supreme chief of the republic about lam 405, when he wag twenty-five years of ago. He increased the pay of the soldiers, enlisted new ones, and under pretence of a conspiracy against his person, formed a guard of mercenaries. He then proceeded to the relief of Gala, but failed in his attack on the Carthaginian camp ; he however penetrated into the town, the inhabitants of which he advised to leave it quietly in the night under the escort of his troops. On his retreat he persuaded those of Camarina to do the same. This raised suspicions among his troops, and a party of horsemen, riding on before the rest, on their arrival at Syracuse raised an insurrection against Dionysius, plundered his house, and treated his wife so cruelly that she died in conse quence. Dionysius, with a chosen body, followed close after, set fire to the gate of Acradina, forced his way into the city, put to death the leaders of the revolt, and remained undisputed possessor of the supreme power. The Carthaginians, being afflicted by a pestilence, made proposals of peace, which were accepted by Dionysius, on con dition that they should retain, besides their old colonies, the territories of Agrigentum, Selinus, and Illmera ; that Gela and Camariaa should be restored to the inhabitants, who were to pay tribute to the Carthaginians, and that Measana, Syracuse, Leontmi, and the whole eastern division of the island as well as the towns of the Siculi, in the interior, should remain independent. Himilco with the Cartha
ginian army returned to Africa, and Dionysius applied himself to fortify Syracuse, and especially the island Ortygia, which he made his stronghold, and which he peopled entirely with his trusty partisans and mercenaries, by the aid of whom he put down several revolts which broke out against him. He took, partly by stratagem and partly by force, the towns of Leontini, Catana, and Naxua, and sub jected them to Syracuse. He next prepared for a new w ir against Carthage by collecting men from every quarter, manufacturing a large quantity of arms, and inventing new engines for besieging towns. The termination of the Peloponnesian war (B.c. 404) had filled the Greek towns of Sicily with emigrants and disbanded mer cenaries, many of whom Dionysiva enlisted in his service. In the year Ex. 397, he convoked a general assembly of the people and proposed the war, which was unanimously voted, and which was begun by the people plundering the houses and vessels of the Cartha ginian traders. Dionysius sent a herald to Carthage, which was then afflicted by the plague, to declare war, unless all the Greek towns in Sicily were evacuated. He 'next laid siege to Motya, one of the prin cipal Carthaginian colonies in Sicily, which his brother Leptines attacked by sea. In this siege he tried his new engines, which battered down the walla, and the town being taken, the inhabitants were either killed or sold, and an immense booty was made by the Syracusans. Dionyaiva reduced also the other towns belonging to the Carthaginians, except Panormoa, Soloeia, and Egeste. Meantime the Carthaginius collected a large force under Himilco, who landed at Panortnea, while his fleet took the island of Lipara ; he then marched against Messana, which he took and destroyed; and thence advanced towards Syracuse. Most of the towns inhabited by the Siculi joined the Carthaginians. On arriving at Tauromenium Himilco found his way along the sea-coast, but was stopped by a great eruption of lava from 2Etna, and was obliged to march round by the western base of the mountain. Meantime Mago with the Carthaginian fleet attacked the Syracusan fleet off Catana, and completely defeated it. Himilco encamped nnder the walls of Syracuse, while his victorious fleet entered the great harbour. Dieuysius, on his side, received ships and men from Sparta. A dreadful pestilence breaking out in Himilco's camp, Dionysius availed himself of it to attack the Carthaginians, defeated them, and burnt most of their ships. Himilco with the remainder escaped to Carthage, having paid secretly a large sum to Dionysiva for his forbearance.