Syracuse Timeline

Definition

The city of Syracuse is located on the east coast of Sicily and was originally a Greek colony founded by Corinth in 734 BCE. The city enjoyed a period of expansion and prosperity under the tyrant Gelon in the 5th century BCE, survived a two-year siege by Athenian forces from 415 to 413 BCE, and again prospered under the tyrant Dionysius in the 4th century BCE when the city controlled much of Sicily and large portions of southern Italy.

More about: Syracuse

Timeline

733 BCE
Corinth founds the colony of Syracuse in Sicily.
491 BCE - 478 BCE
Gelon is tyrant of Syracuse.
480 BCE
Tyrant of Syracuse Gelon defeats the Carthaginians at the battle of Himera.
478 BCE - 467 BCE
Hiero I is tyrant of Syracuse.
474 BCE
An Etruscan fleet is defeated by the navy of Syracuse at the Battle of Cumae.
415 BCE - 413 BCE
Athenian expedition to attack Syracuse.
405 BCE
Dionysius becomes tyrant in Syracuse, Sicily.
c. 398 BCE - c. 380 BCE
Plato travels in Egypt, Cyrene, Italy, Syracuse and Sicily.
397 BCE
Dionysius I of Syracuse employs wheeled seige towers and bolt throwers for the first time in Greek warfare at the seige of Motya.
384 BCE
Syracuse attacks the ports of the Etruscan city of Cerveteri.
367 BCE
Dionysius II becomes tyrant of Syracuse, Sicily.
361 BCE - 360 BCE
Plato's second trip to Syracuse.
360 BCE
Final attempt by Plato to make Syracusan king a philosopher-king.
356 BCE
Dion becomes tyrant of Syracuse.
346 BCE
Dionysius II is once again tyrant of Syracuse.
344 BCE
Corcyra contributes two ships to Timoleon's fleet which attacked Syracuse.
344 BCE
Timoleon defeats Dionysius II of Syracuse and establishes an oligarchy government.
c. 330 BCE
Agathocles is exiled from Syracuse.
319 BCE
Agathocles of Syracuse declares himself strategos auotkrator.
317 BCE
Agathocles takes power in Syracuse.
311 BCE
A Carthaginian army defeats Agathocles of Syracuse near Gela, Sicily.
310 BCE
Agathocles of Syracuse lands an army of 14,000 in North Africa.
309 BCE
Syracuse defeats a Carthaginian army in Sicily and kills their general Hamilcar.
309 BCE - 308 BCE
Agathocles of Syracuse successfuly campaigns in North Africa defeating Carthaginian armies and taking Utica and Hippacra.
307 BCE
Syracusan tyrant Agathocles sacks the city of Segesta.
307 BCE
Carthage defeats the army of Agathocles of Syracuse led by Archagathus while Agathocles is in Sicily.
306 BCE
Agathocles declares himself king of Syracuse.
306 BCE
Carthage and Agathocles of Syracuse sign a peace treaty and divide Sicily between them.
300 BCE
Agathocles of Syracuse campaigns in Italy and captures Bruttium.
295 BCE
Agathocles of Syracuse captures Croton in southern Italy.
289 BCE
Agathocles of Syracuse dies from poison or illness.
288 BCE
Hicetus becomes tyrant of Syracuse.
270 BCE - 215 BCE
Hiero II is tyrant of Syracuse.
214 BCE
Syracuse joins the side of Carthage in the Second Punic War.
213 BCE - 212 BCE
Roman commander Marcus Claudius Marcellus lays seige to and ultimately sacks Syracuse.
211 BCE
Marcus Claudius Marcellus is given a triumph for his capture of Syracuse and victories in Sicily.
201 BCE
Syracuse joins the Roman Republic, province of Sicily is formed.