A Dictionary of Greek and Roman biography and mythology. By various writers. Ed. by William Smith. Illustrated by numerous engravings on wood.

456 HIERON. HlERON.
the Roman power, and seeing little hope of assist- symene, he hastened to send to Rome a large sullp
ance from Carthage, concluded a peace with Rome. ply of corn, as well as a body of light-armed
The terms of the treaty were on the whole suf- auxiliaries, and a golden statue of Victory, which
ficiently favourable; Hieron retained possession of was consecrated by the Romans in the capitol.
the whole south-east of Sicily. and the eastern side (Liv. xxi. 49-51, xxii. 37; Zonar. viii. 26; Val.
of the island as far as Tauromenium, advantages Max. iv. 8.) The still heavier disaster of Cannae
which were cheaply purchased by the surrender of in the following year (B. C. 216) appears to have
his prisoners and the payment of a large sum of produced as little change in his disposition towards
money. (Polyb. i. 11, 12, 15, 16; Diod. Ewc. the contending powers; and one of the last acts of
Hoesch. xxiii. 2, 4, 5; Zonar. viii. 9; Oros. iv. 7.) his life was the sending a large supply of money
From this time till his death, a period of little and corn to the propraetor T. Otacilius. (Liv.
less than half a century, Hieron continued the xxiii. 21.) The date of his death is nowhere exstedfast friend and ally of the Romans, a policy of pressly mentioned, but it seems clear that it must
which his subjects as well as himself reaped the have occurred before the end of the year 216. (See
benefits, in the enjoyment of a state of tranquillity Clinton, F. HI. vol. ii. p. 267.) According to
and prosperity such as they had never before Lucian (Macrob. 10), he had attained the age of
known for so long a period. But such an interval ninety-two: both Polybius and Livy speak of him
of peace and quiet naturally affords few materials as not less than ninety. (Polyb. vii. 8; Liv. xxiv.
for history, and our knowledge of the remainder of 4.) Pausanias, who asserts that he was murdered
Hieron's long life is almost confined to the inter- by Deinomenes (vi. 12. ~ 4), has evidently conchange of good offices between him and the founded him with his grandson Hieronymus.
Romans, which cemented and confirmed their It was not towards the Romans alone that
friendship. During the first Punic war he was Hieron displayed his wealth and munificence in so
frequently called upon to render important services liberal a manner. His eyes were ever turned
to his new allies; in B. C. 262, by the zeal and towards Greece itself, and he sought to attract the
energy which he displayed in furnishing supplies attention and conciliate the favour of the Greek
to the Roman consuls before Agrigentum, he en- nation not only by costly offerings at Olympia and
abled them to continue the siege, and ultimately other places of national resort, but by coming
effect the reduction of that important fortress. forward readily to the assistance of all who needed
(Polyb. i. 18; Zonar. viii. 10.) On a subsequent it. A striking instance of this is recorded in the
occasion we find him sending them the military magnificent presents which he sent to the Rhodians
engines and artillery, by means of which they took when their city had suffered from an earthquake.
Camarina (Diod. Exc. Hoesch. xxiii. 9), and in 255 (Polyb. v. 88, vii. 8; Paus. vi. 12. ~ 2, 15. ~ 6.)
displaying the utmost solicitude in relieving the Nor did his steady attachment to the Romans prewants of the Roman mariners and soldiers after vent him from furnishing supplies to the Carthathe dreadful shipwreck of their fleet off Camarina. ginians when the very existence of their state was
(Id. ibid. 13.) Again in 252 he is mentioned as endangered by the war of the mercenaries. (Polyb.
furnishing the consul Aurelius Cotta with ships i. 83.) His internal administration appears to have
(Zonar. viii. 14), and as relieving the spirits of the been singularly mild and equitable: though he did
Roman army by an opportune supply of corn, when not refuse the title of king, he avoided all external
almost disheartened, during the long protracted display of the insignia of royalty, and appeared in
siege of Lilybaeum, B. c. 249. (Diod. Exc. Hoesch. public unattended by guards, and in the garb of a
xxiv. 1.) For these faithful services he was re- private citizen. By retaining the senate of the
warded by being included under the protection of republic, and taking care to consult them upon all
the treaty of peace concluded between Rome and important occasions, he preserved the forms of a
Carthage in B.C. 241 (Polyb. i. 62. ~ 8), and by constitutional government; and we are even told
a renewal of the treaty between him and the that he was sincerely desirous to lay aside the
Romans, which was now changed into a perpetual sovereign power, and was only prevented from
alliance, the payment.of all tribute being henceforth doing so by the unanimous voice of his subjects.
remitted. (Zonar. viii. 16; Appian, Sic. 2.) (Polyb. vii. 8; Liv. xxiv. 4, 5, 22). The care he
During the interval of peace between the two bestowed upon the financial department of his adPunic wars, Hieron visited Rome in person, where ministration is sufficiently attested by the laws
he appears to have been received with the highest regulating the tithes of corn and' other agricultural
honours, and gave a proof at once of his wealth produce, which, under the name of Leyes Hieronand liberality, by distributing a vast quantity of icae, are repeatedly referred to by Cicero in his
corn to the people at the secular games. (Eutrop. orations against Verres; and which, in consequence
iii. 1.) In B. c. 222, after the great victory of of their equitable and precise adjustment, were reMarcellus over the Gauls, a portion of the spoils tained by the Romans when they reduced Sicily to
taken on that occasion was sent to him by the a province. (Cic. Verr. ii. 13, iii. 8, 51, &c.) At
senate as a friendly offering. (Plut. Marc. 8; the same time he adorned the city of Syracuse
Liv. xxiv. 21.) The beginning of the second Punic with many public works of great magnificence
war now came, to put his fidelity to the highest test; as well as of real utility, among which are menbut he was not found wanting to his allies in the tioned temples, gymnasia, porticoes, and public
hour of their danger. He not only fitted out a altars (Athenae. v. 40; Diod. xvi. 83); that his
fleet to co-operate with that of the consul Sem- care in this respect was not confined to Syracuse
pronius (of which, notwithstanding his advanced alone is proved by the occurrence of his name on
age, he appears to have taken the command in the remarkable edifices which have been brought to
person), but offered to supply the Roman legions light of late years at Acrae, now Palazzolo. (See
and naval forces in Sicily with provisions and the Duca di Serra di Falco, Antichita della Sicilia,
clothing at his own expense. The next year (217), vol. iv. p. 158.) Among other modes in which he
on receiving the tidings of the fatal battle of Thra- displayed his magnificence was the construction of a