Editing Hiero I of Syracuse

{{Short description|Tyrant of Syracuse from 478 to 467 BC}}
{{More footnotes needed|date=August 2023}}
'''Hiero I''' ({{IPAc-en|ˈ|h|aɪ|ər|oʊ}}; also '''Hieron''' {{IPAc-en|ˈ|h|aɪ|ər|ɒ|n}}; {{langx|grc|Ἱέρων}}) was the son of [[Deinomenes]], the brother of [[Gelo]]n and [[tyrant]] of [[Syracuse, Sicily|Syracuse]] in [[Sicily]], from 478 to 467 BC.<ref>{{Cite web |date=10 October 2014 |title=Hiero I of Syracuse |url=https://historygreek.org/people/hiero-I-of-syracuse |url-status=live |archive-url=https://archive.today/20241028194921/https://historygreek.org/people/hiero-I-of-syracuse |archive-date=28 October 2024 |access-date=28 October 2024 |website=Greek History}}</ref> In succeeding Gelon, he conspired against a third brother, Polyzelos.

==Life==
[[File:Casque Hieron de Syracuse 08827.jpg|thumb|right|Helmet commemorating the Battle of Cumae now in the [[British Museum]]'s collection]]
During his reign, he greatly increased the power of Syracuse. He removed the inhabitants of [[Naxos (Sicily)|Naxos]] and [[Catania]] to [[Leontini]], peopled Catania (which he renamed [[Aetna (city)|Aetna]]) with [[Dorians]], concluded an alliance with [[Theron of Acragas|Theron]], the tyrant of Acragas ([[Agrigentum]]), and espoused the cause of the [[Locrians]] against [[Anaxilas]], tyrant of [[Rhegium]].<ref name="EB1911">{{EB1911|inline=y|wstitle=Hiero|display=Hiero ''s.v.'' Hiero I.|volume=13|page=453}}</ref>

His most important military achievement was the defeat of the [[Etruscans]] at the [[Battle of Cumae]] (474 BC), by which he saved the Greeks of [[Campania]] from Etruscan domination. A bronze helmet (now in the [[British Museum]]<ref>[https://www.britishmuseum.org/collection/object/G_1823-0610-1 British Museum collection]</ref>), with an inscription commemorating the event, was dedicated at [[Olympia, Greece|Olympia]].<ref name="EB1911"/>

Hiero's reign was marked by the creation of what is believed to be the first secret police in Greek history, yet he was a liberal patron of literature and culture. The poets [[Simonides]], [[Pindar]], [[Bacchylides]], [[Aeschylus]], and [[Epicharmus]] were active at his court, as well the philosopher [[Xenophane]]s. He was an active participant in pan-hellenic athletic contests, winning several victories in the single horse race and also in the chariot race. He won the chariot race at [[Delphi]] in 470 BC (a victory celebrated in Pindar's first Pythian ode) and at Olympia in 468 BC (this, his greatest victory, was commemorated in Bacchylides' third victory ode). Other odes dedicated to him include Pindar's first Olympian Ode, his second and third Pythian odes, and Bacchylides' fourth and fifth victory odes.

He died at Catania/Aetna in 467 BC and was buried there, but his grave was later destroyed when the former inhabitants of Catania returned to the city. The tyranny at Syracuse lasted only a year or so after his death.

==References==
{{reflist}}
*[[Diodorus Siculus]] XI 38, 48, 49, 51, 53, 66, 67; [[Xenophon]], ''Hiero'', 6. 2; [[Eduard Lübbert|E. Lübbert]], ''Syrakus zur Zeit des Gelon und Hieron'' (1875). N. Luraghi, Tirannidi archaiche in Sicilia e Magna Grecia (Florence, 1994)

==Further reading==
*[https://books.google.com/books?id=ozQc2x8XJiMC& ''The Extant Odes of Pindar'': "Pindar's Ode to Hieron"], BiblioBazaar, 2008, p.&nbsp;81.

{{s-start}}
|width=25% align=center|'''Preceded by:'''<br>'''[[Gelo]]'''
|width=25% align=center|'''[[Tyrant]] of [[Gela]]'''<br>485 BC – 478 BC
|width=25% align=center|'''Succeeded by:'''<br>'''[[Polyzelus]]'''
|-
|width=25% align=center|'''Preceded by:'''<br>'''[[Gelo]]'''
|width=25% align=center|'''[[List of Tyrants of Syracuse|Tyrant of Syracuse]]'''<br>478 BC – 467 BC
|width=25% align=center|'''Succeeded by:'''<br>'''[[Thrasybulus of Syracuse|Thrasybulus]]'''
|-
{{s-end}}

{{Ancient Olympic winners}}

{{Authority control}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Hiero 01 Of Syracuse}}
[[Category:467 BC deaths]]
[[Category:5th-century BC Greek people]]
[[Category:Ancient Greek generals]]
[[Category:Sicilian tyrants]]
[[Category:5th-century BC Syracusans]]
[[Category:Ancient Geloans]]
[[Category:Ancient Pythian athletes]]
[[Category:Ancient Olympic competitors]]
[[Category:Ancient Greek chariot racers]]
[[Category:Year of birth unknown]]