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[German version] (Θήρων/ Thḗrōn). Tyrant of Acragas from the line of the Emmenids; he lived c. 540/530-472 BC. His children from his first marriage were Thrasydaeus and Demarete, the consort of Gelo [1]; from c. 485 BC T. was married a second time to a daughter of Polyzalus (Timaeus FGrH 566 F 93; scholium Pind. Ol. 2,29b-d; see stemma in Deinomenids). T. gained control of Acragas in 488 BC (Diod. Sic. 11,53,1) and in 483 BC took the town of Himera by driving out Terillus (Hdt. 7,165); he entrusted the town to his son Thrasydaeus. The cry for help fro…

[German version] (Ξενομήδης/ Xenomḗdēs) of Ceos. Logographer of the 5th cent. BC (Dion. Hal. de Thucydide 5). Author of a history of his home island (title unknown!), from which Callimachus [3] (Aetia 3, fr. 75 Pfeiffer) took the famous story of Acontius and Cydippe [1]. Other themes treated by X. are mentioned by Callimachus (fr. 75,54-77, also [1]). X. may also have been used by Aristotle [6] for his Keíōn politeía (fr. 511 Rose, cf. also 611,26-29). Logographos Meister, Klaus (Berlin) Bibliography 1 G. Huxley, Xenomedes of Keos, in: GRBS 6, 1965, 235-245. FGrH 442 with comm.

[German version] (Σωσύλος; Sōsýlus). Greek historian, from Laconia, like Silenus [1] in Hannibal's retinue, "as long as fate allowed"; he was also Hannibal's Greek teacher (Nep. Hann. 13,3 = FGrH 176 T 1). Author of an 'official' history of Hannibal in 7 books (Diod. 26,4 = FGrH 176 T 2): S. is sharply criticised by Polybius (3,20,5 = FGrH 176 T 3) for factual errors, but his description, preserved in one of the Würzburg papyri (PGraec. 1), of a complex nautical manoeuvre from a sea battle gives a far more favourable view of his historical writing. Meister, Klaus (Berlin) Bibliography FGrH 176…

[German version] (Δίνων; Dínōn) of Colophon, the 4th cent. BC, father of Cleitarchus, a historian of Alexander (FGrH 690 T 2), and the author of the Persiká in at least three parts ( syntáxeis) with several books each (F 3) from Semiramis (at least) to the reconquest of Egypt by Artaxerxes [3] III (343/2). The often novel-like and sensationalist representation (cf. F 10; 17; 22) was influenced by Ctesias and was used, e.g., by Pompeius Trogus and Plutarch (Artaxerxes). FGrH 690. Meister, Klaus (Berlin) Bibliography O. Lendle, Einführung in die griech. Geschichtsschreibung, 1992, 271 H. …

[German version] The Anagraphé of Lindus (on Rhodes), discovered in 1904, is an outstanding example of a local history work with a special topic. The inscription was set up upon application by Hagesitimus, the son of Timachidas, through a decision of the council at the sanctuary of Athena Lindia in 99 BC: it contains the wording of this decision (= A), an inventory of 45 votive offerings that were set up (allegedly) in the temple (= B and C), and the description of four epiphanies (‘manifestations…

[German version] (Φιλίστις/ Philístis, in Hesychius s.v. Φιλιστίδ(ε)ιον/ Philistíd(e)ion). Consort of Hieron [2] II of Syracuse from c. 270 BC. As is evidenced by her name - which derives from Philistus - and that of her father Leptines [5], P. belonged to the descendants of the family of the elder Dionysius [1]. She does not appear in literary sources [1], but in one epigraphical document (Syll.3 429) and on several silver coins minted after 241 bearing her image on the obverse and her name, royal title and a carriage and pair (or four) on the reverse [2]. …

(Δαίμαχος; Daímachos). [German version] [1] Historian from Plataeae, 4th cent. BC from Plataeae, Greek historian in the 4th cent. BC. He was the author of a contemporary history and was regarded by Jacoby, who can hardly have been correct in this regard, as the author of the Hellenica of Oxyrhynchus. FGrH 65 (with comm.). Meister, Klaus (Berlin) Bibliography F. Jacoby, The Autorship of the Hellenica of Oxyrhynchus, in: CQ 44, 1950, 1-11 S. Hornblower, in: Proc. of the Second Internat. Congr. of Boiotian Studies (1995; defends Jacoby) K. Meister, Die griech. Geschichtsschreibung,…

[German version] (Ἄθανις; Áthanis). A. from Syracuse, name form Áthanis in Ath. 3,98d and Plut. Timol. 23,6; Athánas in Diod. Sic. 15,94,4; Áthenis in Theopomp. FGrH 115 F 194. He took part in the expedition of  Dion to Sicily and was together with  Heraclides and Archelaus of Dyme prostátēs tês póleōs (‘Director of the City’) in Syracuse in 356. A. continued the work of  Philistus (FGrH 556), which reached as far as 363/2, and described in 13 books the further destinies of the younger  Dionysius, the events around Dion as well as the history of Timoleo…

[German version] (Τηλίνης; Tēlínēs) from Gela, hierophant ( Mystḗria D.) of the chthonic deities, who shortly after the founding of the city in 688 BC led the Gelans, who had been defeated in a civil war and had fled to Mactorium, back to Gela under the protection of the cult apparatus of these deities. This happened under the condition that his descendants, which included Gelon [1], should retain this priestly status (Hdt. 7,153). Meister, Klaus (Berlin)

(Ἱππαρῖνος; Hipparînos). [German version] [1] Syracusan, father of Dion, commander 406/5 BC Syracusan, father of  Dion [I 1], elected commander in 406/5 BC, together with  Dionysius [1] l. (Plut. Dion 3). Supported the coup of Dionysius and gave him his daughter Aristomache to wed (Aristot. Pol. 5,5,6). Praised by Plato (Ep. 8, 353b). Meister, Klaus (Berlin) Bibliography H. Berve, Die Tyrannis bei den Griechen, 1967, 1, 222f.; 2, 638f. [German version] [2] Syracusan, son of Dionysius, grandson of H. [1] Syracusan, son of Dionysius [1] and Aristomache, grandson of H. [1]. …

[German version] (Τιμολέων/ Timoléōn). General and ruler in Sicily, originally from Corinth, son of Timodemus and Demariste. In 365 BC, T. approved of the assassination of his brother Timophanes, the tyrant of Corinth (Plut. T. 2 f.; Nep. T. 1; Diod. Sic. 16,65,2-9), retiring after that from the public life for almost 20 years. At the request of the Syracusans, who were threatened by Dionysius [2] II and Carthage, he was sent by the Corinthians as a general in 345, landing with 10 ships and 700 mer…

[German version] (Δίυλλος; Díyllos) of Athens. Greek historian of the first half of the 3rd cent. BC, son of the atthidographer Phanodemus. Author of Historíai in 27 bks., a universal history in two parts (cf. FGrH 73 T 1 and 2), which continued  Ephorus and covered the period from the 3rd Sacred War (357/6) to the death of Cassander's son Philip. D. was continued in his turn by Psaon of Plataeae (FGrH 78 T 1). According to Plutarch, D., who wrote entirely in the ‘tragic’ manner (Plut. Mor. 345E and F), was ‘not insignificant in historiography’ (Plut. Mor. 862B = T4). …

[German version] (Ἀτθίς; Atthís). Atthís, plural Atthídes, refers to Athenian local histories; Atthidographers are the authors of these works. The Atthides were antiquarian rather than historically oriented; in an annalistic and chronicle-like representation they provided information about myths, religion, history, culture and literature, as well as the topography of Athens and Attica. In general they treated the entire span of time of their respective authors from the mythic beginnings up to the present. The Atthidographers often functioned as Exegetaí, interpreters of r…

[German version] (Ξενίων; Xeníōn). Author of an historical treatise on Crete, Κρητικά ( Krētiká ) or Περὶ Κρήτης ( Perì Krḗtēs ). Pol. 6,45,1, where X. should probably be read instead of Xenophon [2] as the informant on the Cretan constitution, can probably be added to the fragments in FGrH 460 cf. [1]. It would result in X.'s being dated 'before Polybius', i.e. before the end of the 3rd cent. BC. Meister, Klaus (Berlin) Bibliography 1 K. Ziegler, Ein neues Fragment des Historikers X., in: Hermes 82, 1954, 498 f.

[German version] (Ἡρέας; Hēréas). From Megara, author of Megariká, evidently more recent than Dieuchidas. The current view is that the fragments in Plutarch's Theseus and Solon derive ultimately from the Megariká (via Ister and Hermippus!) or another (anti-Athenian) work by H. He is probably identical with the theoros mentioned in IG VII 39 (beginning of 3 BC), but highly unlikely to be Heragoras, another author of Megariká as has been commonly assumed since [1.8]. Meister, Klaus (Berlin) Bibliography 1 U. von Wilamowitz-Moellendorff, Comm. gramm. 1880/1881. Fragments: FGrH 486…

[German version] (Πασίφιλος; Pasíphilos). General of Agathocles [2], for whom he took Messana in 312/11 BC (Diod. Sic. 19,102,1-3). When Deinocrates [1] and Philonides occupied Galeria at Exiles' Point, P. retook the castle (Diod. Sic. 19,104,1-2). At the end of the African campaign in 306/5 he desserted to Deinocrates [2] (Diod. Sic. 20,77,1-2), and was murdered but a year later in Gela (Diod. Sic. 20,90,2). Meister, Klaus (Berlin) Bibliography K. Meister, Agathokles, in: CAH 7,1, 1984, 384-405.

[German version] (Ἔφορος; Éphoros) from Cyme in Asia Minor; Greek universal historian, lived c. 400-330. On the basis of his style, in antiquity he was held to be a student of Isocrates. He was a contemporary of Theopompus (FGrH 70 T 3-5; 8; 28), and was said to have refused Alexander's invitation to accompany him on his campaign in 334 BC (T 6). Works: Epichṓrios lógos (‘History of our homeland’): an encomium to Cyme, which E. even made the homeland of Homer (F 1). ‘On inventions’: to be assigned to the realm of ‘sophist polyhistory’ (cf. Ed. Schwartz), it c…

[German version] (Ζώιππος/ Zṓippos) from Syracuse. Husband of Heraclea, the daughter of Hieron [2] II. On the latter's initiative he, Adranodorus and others were appointed guardians of the young king Hieronymus [3] (Liv. 24,4-5). By turning towards Carthage he brought about a reorientation of Syracuse's former Rome-friendly policy (Pol. 7,2,1). At the report of the death of Hieronymus in 214 BC, while he was on a diplomatic mission to Ptolemaeus [I 7] IV Philopator in Alexandria [1], he never again returned to Syracuse (Liv. 24,26,1). Meister, Klaus (Berlin) Bibliography G. de Sens…

[German version] ( tò tōn hexakosíōn synédrion). From the death of Timoleon in 337 BC until Agathocles' [2] coup d'état in 316 the oligarchy of the Six Hundred played a prominent part in the politics of Syracusae. Owing to the disparate sources, the origins, competence, composition and statutory status of the SH are unclear (cf. summary in [1]). Diodorus [18] (19,5,6), for instance, describes the SH sometimes as a regular constitutional body and sometimes as a political faction (Hetairia [2]), which h…

[German version] (Ἀριστόκριτος; Aristókritos, of Miletus?). Dating uncertain but before Parthenius (1st cent. BC). Wrote 1 book Peri Miletou: urban history or periegesis. Identification with the author of the book ‘Against Heracleodorus’ according to Jacoby is ‘entirely doubtful’ (FGrH 493 with commentary). Meister, Klaus (Berlin)