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

1098 THERON. THERON.
death by Tiberius in A. D. 32. (Tac.' Ann. vi. as B. C. 482. (Herod. vii. 165.) While he by this
7.) means united Himera to his own dominions, and
8. MINUCIus THERMuS, a man of praetorian thus ruled over two of the most powerful cities of
rank, was sacrificed by Nero in A. D. 66, to the Sicily, he was in close alliance with Gelon, ruler
hatred of Tigellinus. (Tac. Ann. xvi. 20.) of Syracuse and Gela, to whom he had given his
The following coin of the Minucia gens has on daughter Demarete in marriage. (Schol. ad Pind.
the obverse a woman's head, and on the reverse 01. II. init.) Their combined strength was soon
two men fighting over a third who has fallen. The called forth to resist the formidable Carthaginian
legend, which is partly effaced in the specimen armament under Hamilcar which landed in Sicily
figured below, is Q. THERM. M. F. The subject of in B. C. 480, with the professed object of restoring
the reverse evidently refers to the preservation of Terillus. Theron himself had occupied Himera
the life of a Roman citizen in battle; and hence with a large force, but terrified at the magnitude
it has been conjectured with some probability that of the Carthaginian army, he shut himself up
this coin may have been struck by the son of M. within the walls of the city, and sent to Gelon for
Thermus [No. 4], in order to commemorate the assistance. In the great victory which followed,
youthful exploit of Caesar, who saved the life of a the Syracusan king appears to have borne by far
Roman citizen while fighting under Thermus. the greatest part [GELON ]; but Theron derived a
large share of its advantages, and was not only left
in undisputed possession of Himera, but received
so large a number of prisoners as his share of the
spoil, that by employing these in public woriks at
Agrigentum, he raised that city to an unprecedented state of grandeur and magnificence. (Diod.
xi. 20-25.)
His friendly relations with Syracuse continued
unaltered until the death of Gelon, B. C. 478: but
on that event the disputes between Hieron and his
COIN OF Q. MINUCIUS THERaiUS. brother Polyzelus brought about a rupture between
the former and Theron. Polyzelus had married
THERO (Oaipd). 1. The nurse of Ares, from Demarete, the widow of Gelon, and thus succeeded
whom he was believed to have received the sur- to the connection of the latter with the Agrigentine
name of Thereitas, though Pausanias thinks that prince: in addition to which it appears that Theron
this name arose from the fierceness of the god. A himself was married to a daughter of Polyzelus:
sanctuary of Ares Thereitas stood on the road hence when the latter was driven into exile by the
firom Sparta to Therapne, with a statue which the jealousy and intrigues of Hieron [POLYZELus], he
Dioscuri were said to have brought from Colchis. naturally sought refuge at the court of Theron.
(Paus. iii. 19. ~ 8.) That monarch espoused his cause, and raised an
2. A daughter of Phylas, became by Apollo the army for the purpose of reinstating him, but hostimother of Chaeron. (Pans. ix. 40. ~ 3.) [L. S.] lities were prevented, and a peace concluded beTHERON (Oh~pwv), tyrant of Agrigentum ill tween the two sovereigns. According to Timaeus,
Sicily, was the son of Aenesidemus, and descended this was effected by the mediation of Simollides,
from one of the most illustrious families in his na- who prevailed on Theron to give his sister in martive city. According to Pindar, they traced their riage to Hieron. Diodorus, on the contrary, relates
descent from Cadmus, but his more immediate an- that the citizens of Himera, who were oppressed
cestors were Rhodians who had been among the by the government of Thrasydaeus, the son of
colonists that founded Gela; and his great grand- Theron, having made overtures for assistance to
father Telemachus had distinguished himself as a Hieron, the latter betrayed their application to
leader of the revolution which overthrew the power Theron, and induced him in return for this benefit
of Phalaris. (Pind. 01. ii. iii.; and Schol. ad loc.) to abandon the cause of his brother Polyzelus. (TiIt is therefore certain that Theron inherited a maeus ap. Schol. ad Pind. 01. ii. 1, 29. 37; Died.
leading place among his countrymen of Agrigen- xi. 48.) Theron had been much alarmed at the
tum, but of the steps by which he rose to the threatened revolt of Himera, and he now proceeded
sovereign power we have no accurate information. to establish his power in that city by the greatest
Polyaenus indeed tells us (vi. 51), that having severities against the disaffected party, many of
been appointed by the state to superintend the whom he put to death, while he drove others into
erection of some extensive public buildings, he ap- banishment. Having thus gradually thinned the
plied the money furnished him for this purpose to population of the city, he repeopled it with settlers
his own objects, and raised a body of mercenary from all quarters, but especially of Dorian origin.
guards, by whose assistance he established himself (Diod. xi. 48, 49.) From this period Theron apon the throne. Whatever credit be due to this pears to have reigned without dispute over both
story, we learn that he had assumed the govern- Agrigentum and Himera until his death in B. c.
ment of his native city as early as B. c. 488, and 472: and notwithstanding his cruelties towards
retained it from that time, without interruption, the Himeraeans, he is praised for the general mildtill his death. (Diod. xi. 53.) It is probably to ness and equity of his government. It is certain
the early period of his rule that we may refer that Agrigentum enjoyed great prosperity under
the attempt of his kinsmen Capys and Hippocrates his rule, and that it was then adorned not only
to overthrow his power, which was frustrated by with splendid buildings, but with public works of
their defeat at the river Himera. (Schol. ad Pind. a more useful character, such as reservoirs and
01. ii. 173.) The next event of which we find conduits for water on a most stupendous scale.
mention is his expulsion of Terillus from Hilmera (Diod. xi. 25.) Like his contemporary rulers at
[TERILLt u], which took place probably as early Syracuse, he also displayed much favour towvards