The Historical Library of Diodorus the Sicilian/Book XI/Chapter XI

Chapter XI

 * The death of Theron prince of Agrigentum, and the tyranny of his son Thrasideus, who abdicated the government, and killed himself. Three hundred of the family of the Fabii slain at one time.

The next year Chares was archon at Athens, and at Rome, Titus Memius and Caius Horatius were consuls. Then were celebrated the Olympian games at Elis, being the seventy-seventh olympiad, in which Daneles of Argos was victor. About this time Theron king of Agrigentum died, in the sixteenth year of his reign, and Thrasideus his son succeeded.

Theron governed with great moderation and justice, and therefore was greatly loved and honoured by his subjects; and at his death was reverenced as a divine hero; but his son, even in his father's life-time, appeared to be of a violent and bloody disposition.

And after his father's death, throwing aside all restraint of the laws, he ruled arbitrarily and tyrannically; for which reason his subjects combined against him, as one not fit to be intrusted with the government, and perfectly hated by all. And therefore within a little time after he came to an end suitable to his deserts.

For after the death of his father, he raised a great army of mercenaries, and of his own subjects of Agrigentum and Himera, to the number of above twenty thousand horse and foot, and with these went against the Syracusans. But Hiero, furnished with a considerable army, wasted the borders of Agrigentum, and afterwards joined battle with the enemy, in which most of the Grecians on both sides being drawn up one against another, were slain: but the Syracusans got the day, with the loss of two thousand men; on the other side were killed above four thousand.

Thrasideus by this ill-success, perplexed in his mind, abdicated his government, and fled to the Megarensians called Miseans, and being there condemned to die, slew himself. The Agrigentines, after they had restored and settled their democratical government, sent an ambassador to Hiero, to treat for peace. At the same time in Italy, the Romans had war with the Veientes, and in a great battle at Cremera were routed; and amongst others, three hundred of the Fabii, all of one family, were every man slain: and these were the affairs and events of this year.