Ἐπικύδης

Epikydes, Epicydes

Translated by Andrea Consogno18 Jun 2005Vetting: high3 revisions

2 notes · 102 words

Epikydes and Hippocrates,¹ brothers of each other and both generals of [the] Syracusans, had long-standing grievances against the Romans. Since they lacked the power to provoke Syracuse to war, they fled to Leontinoi, which was at odds with the Syracusans, and denounced their homeland, [claiming] that although Hieron² had made peace-terms in respect of the whole of Sicily, only the Syracusans would communicate with themselves. The Syracusans were provoked and announced that, if someone brought them the head of Hippokrates or Epikydes, they would give him in return gold equal to it in weight. But the Leontinians chose Hippokrates as their general.

Notes (2)

Appian, Sikelika fr. 3, on Sicilian affairs in 215/214 BCE.

1Hippokrates was born at Carthage into an exiled Syracusan family. During the Second Punic War he returned to Syracuse and urged the city to war against Rome. When Syracuse was besieged by Marcellus’ legions, he crossed to the Punic side, seeking to disrupt the Roman siege; but he died of the pestilence that destroyed the Punic troops. See Polybius 7.2: "after the plot against king Hieronymos of Syracuse [iota 200] ... Zoippos and Andranodoros persuaded Hieronymos to lose no time in sending ambassadors to Hannibal. He accordingly selected Polykleitos of Kyrene and Philodemos of Argos [Myth, Place] for the purpose, and sent them into Italy, with a commission to discuss the subject of an alliance with the Carthaginians; and at the same time he sent his brothers to Alexandria. Hannibal received Polykleitos and Philodemos with warmth, held out great prospects to the young king, and sent the ambassadors back without delay, accompanied by the commander of his triremes, a Carthaginian also named Hannibal, and the Syracusan Hippokrates and his younger brother Epikydes. These men had been for some time serving in Hannibal's army, being domiciled at Carthage, owing to their grandfather having been banished from Syracuse because he was believed to have assassinated Agatharchos, one of the sons of Agathokles. On the arrival of these commissioners at Syracuse, Polykleitos and his colleague reported the result of their embassy, and the Carthaginian delivered the message given by Hannibal: whereupon the king without hesitation expressed his willingness to make a treaty with the Carthaginians; and, begging the Hannibal who had come to him to go with all speed to Carthage, promised that he also would send commissioners from his own court, to settle matters with the Carthaginians". See also Pausanias 6.12.4: "[Hieron] met his end at the hands of Deinomenes, a Syracusan by birth and an inveterate enemy of tyranny, who afterwards, when Hippokrates the brother of Epikydes had just come from Erbessos to Syracuse and was beginning to harangue the multitude, rushed at him with intent to kill him. But Hippokrates withstood him, and certain of the bodyguard overpowered and slew Deinomenes. The statues of Hieron at Olympia, one on horseback and the other on foot, were dedicated by the sons of Hieron, the artist being Mikon, a Syracusan, the son of Nikeratos". ↩

2Hieron II of Syracuse (iota 199). He was born c.306 BCE of unknown lineage. He served as an officer under Pyrrhos, a Greek adventurer who briefly controlled Syracuse c.278-276. Hieron's ascent to power began when he was elected co-commander of Syracusan armed forces driven from Syracuse by the civil authorities. He executed a military coup at Syracuse c.275 after "he used some of his family connections to gain entry to the city," as Polybius writes. He consolidated his power by marrying Philistis, the daughter of a popular and influential Syracusan named Leptines. When veteran mercenaries who helped him seize power became unruly and disruptive, he led them into a battle in which they were cut to pieces by the enemy after he held back his reserves of Syracusan citizens. In 265 Hieron won a decisive victory over the Mamertines, a gang of Italic mercenaries who ran a pirate empire from the Sicilian city of Messana which they had captured. As a result, Hieron was proclaimed King of Syracuse by his grateful subjects. Hieron's defeat of the Mamertines upset the delicate balance of power among the Greeks, Romans, and Carthaginians, all of whom sought the control of Sicily. Rome's support of the defeated Mamertines precipitated the First Punic War in 264, in which Carthage and Syracuse were initially allied against Rome. The Romans gained early victories over the Greco-Punic forces and prepared to lay siege to Syracuse. Hieron reconsidered his position and decided that it would be wiser to be an ally of Rome than of Carthage. He negotiated a treaty with Rome in 263 under whose terms he agreed to pay tribute and provide supplies and grain to the Romans. Hieron honored this treaty the rest of his life and became a loyal ally of Rome. The treaty guaranteed him a peaceful and prosperous reign as long as the Romans and Carthaginians were occupied in fighting each other. Hieron and Philistis had one son, Gelon, and two daughters, Damarata and Herakleia. Gelo co-ruled with Hieron for many years and married Nereis, a daughter of Hieron's old mentor Pyrrhos. Gelon died about a year before Hiero while in his fifties. Hieron died in 215 at about the age of ninety and was succeeded by Gelon's fifteen-year-old son Hieronymos (n.1 above).

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