Editing Gelon (section)

== Early life ==
Gelon was the son of [[Deinomenes]]. According to [[Herodotus]], Gelon's ancestors came from the island of [[Tilos|Telos]] in the [[Aegean Sea]] and were the founders of the city of Gela in southern Sicily.<ref name="DSH494">De Sélincourt's ''Herodotus'', p. 494.</ref> One of his later ancestors, Telines, was said to have reconciled his people after a period of civil strife through the divine rites of the Earth Goddesses; Herodotus infers that all of Telines' descendants, including Gelon, were priests of this cult.<ref name="DSH494"/>

Gelon's three brothers were [[Hiero I|Hieron]], [[Thrasybulus of Syracuse|Thrasybulus]] and Polyzalos.<ref>Bury & Meiggs, p. 189.</ref> Deinomenes consulted an oracle about the fates of his children, and was told that Gelon, Hieron and Thrasybulus were all destined to become [[tyrant]]s.{{citation needed|date=May 2019}}

Gelon fought in a number of the conflicts between the various tyrant kings of Sicily and earned a reputation as a formidable soldier. His performance was so impressive that he was promoted to be commander of the cavalry for his uncle [[Hippocrates of Gela|Hippocrates]], tyrant of Gela. From this position he played a key role in a number of battles, including one against Syracuse, a city which he himself would later conquer.<ref name="DSH495">De Sélincourt's ''Herodotus'', p. 495.</ref>