Ancient Coin Stories

Syracuse is founded by settlers from Corinth.

Settlers from Syracuse found Akrai.

The remaining Bacchiads in Corinth are expelled by the tyrant Kypselos. They flee throughout Magnia Grecia and found Syracuse and Korkyra.

Settlers from Syracuse found Kasmenai.

Settlers from Syracuse found Kamarina.

Akragas founded by colonists from Gela.

Akragas comes under the control of Phalaris, who became infamous for roasting his enemies alive in a bronze bull.

Settlers from Syracuse found Morgantina.

Hippokrates of Gela besieges Syracuse, but withdraws when Corinth and Korkyra get involved.

Gelon of Gela takes Syracuse.

Theron makes himself tyrant of Akragas and forms an alliance with Gelon of Gela and Syracuse.

Theron of Akragas invades and conquers Himera.

Carthage invades Sicily, but are defeated by Theron of Akragas and Gelon of Gela and Syracuse.

Death of Gelon, tyrant of Syracuse. His brother Hieron takes over.

Thrasydaios succeeds Theron as tyrant of Akragas. Hiero I of Syracuse invades and overthrows him.

Death of Hieron, tyrant of Syracuse.

Thrasyboulos sets up a democracy in Syracuse.

Ducetius, leader of the Sicels, invades Akragas and conquers an outpost.

Ducetius, leader of the Sicels, defeated at Nomae by Syracuse, but is allowed into exile.

The Sicilian expedition of Athens against Syracuse departs. Ainos, Argos, Mantineia, and Elis provide support. Akragas remains neutral.

Kentoripai surrenders to the Athenians.

The Spartan general Gylippos takes Iaitas on his way from Himera to Syracuse.

Metapontion provides a small support force to Athens against Syracuse.

The Athenian forces in Sicily are destroyed by Syracuse.

Pharnabazos orders ships built at Antandros. At the same time, Syracuse helps Antandros finish its city wall, resulting in citizen privileges for Syracusans there. When the ships are complete, Pharnabazos sails for Kalchedon.

Akragas sacked by Carthage.

Dionysios I of Syracuse takes control of Enna through treachery.

The general Himilco of Carthage concludes a treaty with Kephaloidion.

Syracuse signs a treaty with Carthage that increases its possessions.

Hipponion taken by Dionysios I of Syracuse.

Plato travels to Syracuse on the invitation of Dionysios I.

Soldiers from Syracuse support Sparta against Thebes, then invade and defeat Sikyon.

Eudoxos assumes the head of the Academy at Athens while Plato is in Syracuse.

Plato returns to Syracuse to work with Dion.

Plato arrives in Syracuse for the third time.

Agathokles of Syracuse born at Thermai Himeraia.

Dionysios the Younger, tyrant of Syracuse, is expelled by Dion.

Dionysios the Younger reclaims the throne of Syracuse.

Hiketas besieges Dionysios the Younger in Syracuse.

Agathokles moves with his father, a potter, to Syracuse.

Agathokles begins his military career serving in the army of Syracuse under the leadership of Timoleon.

Timoleon of Syracuse drives Carthaginians out of Akragas and declares it a free city.

Timoleon ousts the tyrant Nikodemos from Kentoripai.

Agathokles marries the daughter of a wealthy Syracusan citizen, which helps him rise in social and political standing.

After years of service in the army, Agathokles gains popularity and starts to accumulate power in Syracuse, becoming involved in political conflicts.

Agathokles seizes power in Syracuse by staging a coup. He establishes himself as a tyrant, eliminating his political rivals and ending the democratic government.

Agathokles of Syracuse begins a campaign to expand his territory in Sicily. He conquers several neighboring cities, including Gela and Messana.

Agathokles of Syracuse temporarily takes Kentoripai.

Outbreak of the Agathokles War: The tyrant Agathokles of Syracuse invades North Africa, threatening Carthage but is ultimately repelled.

Agathokles‘ conflict with Carthage escalates. Agathokles faces a major invasion by the Carthaginian general Hamilcar, who besieges Syracuse. In a daring move, Agathokles decides to strike back by invading North Africa.

Enna opens its gates to Xenodicus under the hope of his promise of freedom.

Kephaloidion attacked and taken by Agathokles of Syracuse.

Kentoripai taken by Agathokles of Syracuse.

Korkyra is again besieged by Kassander, but Agathokles of Syracuse destroys his fleet.

Agathokles dies of natural causes at the age of 72. On his deathbed, he decides not to pass his power to his descendants, attempting to restore a democratic government in Syracuse.

After the death of Agathokles of Syracuse, Phintias declared himself leader of Akragas.

Death of Phintias tyrant of Akragas.

Pyrrhos travels to Sicility and lifts a siege of Syracuse by Carthage.

Pyrrhos moves to attack Iaitas, but they yield without a fight.

Hiero II seizes power in Syracuse.

Kentoripai submits to Rome.

Rome lays siege to Akragas. Carthage attempts to relieve it, but the city is taken and its inhabitants sold into slavery.

Roman troops near Thermai Himeraiai are attacked by Carthage under Hamilcar and defeated.

Carthage recaptures Akragas.

Iaitas expel their garrison from Carthage and hand the city over to the Romans.

The Romans Aulus Atilius Calatinus and Scipio Nasica take Kephaloidion by treachery.

Peace settlement ends the First Punic War between Carthage and Rome. Akragas is given to Rome.

Romans elevate Kentoripai to a free city due to their loyalty.

Thermai Himeraiai is besieged and taken by Rome.

Hieronymos becomes king of Syracuse.

Pinarius, the governor of Enna, worries that the city will defect from the Romans. He therefore uses the garrison to massacre its citizens in the theater.

Syracuse is besieged by Rome.

Akragas shifts its loyalty to Carthage in the Second Punic War.

Syracuse is finally taken by Rome. Archimedes is killed.

Rome retakes Akragas and renames it to Agrigentum.

Enna is at the center of the First Servile War.

Sicily is reorganized as a Roman province, including Akragas, with its administrative center at Syracuse.

Cicero serves as questor of Sicily at Syracuse.

The inhabitants of Akragas and Syracuse receive full Roman citizenship after the death of Julius Caesar.