Agathocles of Syracuse (c. 361 - 289 BCE) ruled as tyrant of the Sicilian city for over 25 years. Ambitious, unprincipled, and seeing himself as a new Alexander, he famously attacked Carthage in a three-year campaign and made conquests in southern Italy, but ultimately his quest for a lasting Sicilian-Italian empire failed. On Agathocles' death, his lack of a recognised successor caused chaos at Syracuse and his memory was officially obliterated with a damnatio memoriae. His greatest legacy was perhaps that he had shown Carthage could be defeated in Africa, a lesson the Romans would later use to devastating effect in the Punic Wars.
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Definition
Timeline
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c. 361 BCE - 289 BCELife of Agathocles of Syracuse.
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c. 330 BCEAgathocles is exiled from Syracuse.
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319 BCEAgathocles of Syracuse declares himself strategos auotkrator.
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317 BCEAgathocles takes power in Syracuse.
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311 BCEA Carthaginian army defeats Agathocles of Syracuse near Gela, Sicily.
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310 BCEAgathocles of Syracuse lands an army of 14,000 in North Africa.
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309 BCESyracuse defeats a Carthaginian army in Sicily and kills their general Hamilcar.
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309 BCE - 308 BCEAgathocles of Syracuse successfuly campaigns in North Africa defeating Carthaginian armies and taking Utica and Hippacra.
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307 BCESyracusan tyrant Agathocles sacks the city of Segesta.
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307 BCECarthage defeats the army of Agathocles of Syracuse led by Archagathus while Agathocles is in Sicily.
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306 BCEAgathocles declares himself king of Syracuse.
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306 BCECarthage and Agathocles of Syracuse sign a peace treaty and divide Sicily between them.
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300 BCEAgathocles of Syracuse campaigns in Italy and captures Bruttium.
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295 BCEAgathocles of Syracuse captures Croton in southern Italy.
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289 BCEAgathocles of Syracuse dies from poison or illness.
