Dionysius the elder biography of rory and ryan

Dionysius I or Dionysius the Elder c. He conquered several cities in Sicily and southern Italy, opposed Carthage 's influence in Sicily and made Syracuse the most powerful of the Western Greek colonies. He was regarded by the ancients as an example of the worst kind of despot—cruel, suspicious and vindictive.

869,000 italians choose to live in…

Dionysius began his working life as a clerk in a public office. Because of his achievements in the war against Carthage that began in BC, he was elected supreme military commander in BC. In the following year he seized total power and became tyrant. He was married to Aristomache, and had a daughter by her, Arete. Dionysius seized power with the help of a personal group of mercenaries, likely recruited from among the Sileraioi.

This force, initially men and later raised to 1,, was granted to him as a bodyguard after he faked an attack on his own life. Having consolidated his position, Dionysius imposed the mercenaries on all parts of the polis community, signaling that democracy had ended in Syracuse. His rule was "unconstitutional and illegitimate and could not fail to provoke rebellions among the partisans of democratic government".