Page:History of Greece Vol V.djvu/257

 SICILIAN AFFAIRS. -GELO AND fflS DYNASTY. 233 not prevent a general revolt from breaking out among the Syra- cusan population. By summoning those citizens whom Hiero had planted in his new city of -3i^tna, as well as various troops from his dependent allies, he found himself at the head of fifteen thousand men, and master of the interior strongholds of the city, — the island of Ortygia with Achradina, while the great body of the revolted Syracusans were assembled in the outer city called Tyche. Though superior in number, yet being no match in mil- itary efficiency for the forces of Thrasybulus, they were obliged to invoke aid from the other cities in Sicily, as well as from the Sikel tribes, — proclaiming the Gelonian dynasty as the common enemy of freedom in the island, and holding out universal inde- pendence as the I'eward of victory. It was fortunate for them that there was no brother-despot, like the powerful Thero, to espouse the cause of Thrasybulus : Gela, Agrigentum, Selinus, Himera, and even the Sikel tribes, all responded to the call with alacrity, so that a large force, both military and naval, came to reinforce the Syracusans : Thrasybulus was totally defeated, first in a naval action, next on land, and obliged to shut himself up in Ortygia and ^Vchradina, where he soon found his situation hopeless. He accordingly opened a negotiation with his oppo- nents, which ended in his abdication and retirement to Lokri, while the mercenary troops whom he had brought together were also permitted to depart unmolested.' The expelled Thrasybu lus afterwards lived and died as a private citizen at Lokri, — a very different fate from that which had befallen Thrasydaeus, son of Thero at Megara, though both seem to have given the same provocation. Thus fell the powerful Gelonian dynasty at Syracuse, after a continuance of eighteen years."2 Its fall was nothing less than an extensive revolution throughout Sicily. Among the various . cities of the island there had grown up many petty despots, each with his separate mercenary force ; acting as the instruments, and relying on the protection, of the great despot at Syracuse. All the.>e were now exp«'lh'.d and governments more or less demo- crutical were establish'.! every where.3 The sons of Anaxilaus ' Diodor. Lx, 67, 68. * Aristotel. Politic, v, 8, 23. •* Diodor. xi, 68.