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

884 SOSISTRATUS. SOSITHEUS.
themselves masters of the city with the exception doubtful whether Sosistratus himself was included
of the citadel, in which Andranodorus, the governor in the accommodation which appears to have releft there by Hieronymus, had fortified himself. instated the oligarchy in the chief power, as his
The next day an assembly of the people was held, name does not occur in the revolutions which folin which Sosis and Theodotus were among those lowed, and which ended in the elevation of Agachosen as generals or praetors, and Andranodorus thocles, B. c. 317. (Diod. xix. 3-5.) At a subwas soon after induced to surrender the citadel. sequent period however (B. C. 314) we find him
(Liv. xxiv. 21-23). Shortly after, he was ap- mentioned as one of the most active and able of
pointed, together with Deinomenes, to command the Syracusan exiles assembled at Agrigentum, who
the army sent to the relief of Leontini, but arriving from thence carried on war against Agathocles; and
too late to save that city, which had already fallen the prominent place which he occupied at this time
into the power of Marcellus, they turned their directed against him the especial enmity of the
arms against the traitors Hippocrates and Epicydes, Spartan Acrotatus, who in consequence contrived
who had taken refuge at Herbessus. Their object to remove him by assassination. (Diod. xix. 71.)
was, however, again frustrated by the mutiny of It is singular that Polyaenus (v. 37) seems to
their mercenary troops, who declared in favour of represent Sosistratus as acquiring the sovereign
the two Carthaginians, and the latter, following up power after Agathocles, instead of before him:
their advantage, quickly made themselves masters but the circumstances related by him are wholly
of Syracuse itself. (Id. ib. 30-32.) Sosis on irreconcilable with the narrative of Diodorus.
this occasion escaped the fate of most of his col- (Compare also Trog. Pomp. Prol. xxi.)
leagues, and fled for refuge to the camp of Marcel- 2. A Syracusan who, together with THOENON
lus, with whom he continued throughout the long- or THYNION, for a time held the supreme power ill
protracted siege of his native city. In the course his native city, during the interval of confusion
of these operations he rendered important assist- which preceded the arrival of Pyrrhus. After the
ance to the Roman general by carrying on negotia- expulsion of Hicetas (about B. C. 279), Thynionl
tions with the Syracusan officers, and by leading alone is mentioned as succeeding him in the chief
the party which effected the surprise of the Epi- direction of affairs, but we soon after find Sosistrapolae. For these services he was rewarded by a tus dividing with him the power. Our imperfect
conspicuous place in the ovation of Marcellus, B. c. accounts however give us very little idea of the
211, besides obtaining the privileges of a Roman real state of affairs. It appears that Sosistratus
citizen and an extensive grant of lands in the and Thynion both relied upon the support of foreign
Syracusan territory. (Id. xxv. 25, xxvi. 21, mercenaries: and were engaged in civil war with
30.). [E. H. B.] one another, in which the former had the advantage,
SOSIS (:i&ols), a Sicilian medallist, whose name and occupied the city of Syracuse, while Thynion
appears, in the abbreviated form:S:, on the front fortified himself in the island citadel. Sosistratus
of the diadem of a female head, which is the type was also master of Agrigentum and not less than
of a small Syracusan medallion; and also in full, thirty other cities, and found himself at the head
Z:~I:, on a medal of Gelon IL. in the Pembroke of a force of 10,000 troops, so that he would
cabinet. The admission of this name into the list probably have crushed his rival, had it not been
of ancient artists is, however, a matter of contro- for the arrival of the Carthaginians, who laid siege
versy. (R. Rochette, Lettre a i.. Sodlorn, pp. 96, to Syracuse both by sea and!and. Thus oppressed
97.) [P. S.] at once by civil dissensions and external enemies,
SOSI'STRATUS (Zwaro'Tpa' os). 1. A Syra- both parties implored the assistance of Pyrrhus, and
cusan, who shared with Heracleides in the chief on his arrival Sosistratus surrendered the city into
direction of the affairs of his native country, a few his hands, and Thynion the citadel. A reconciliayears previous to the elevation of Agathocles. The tion was now effected between the rivals, who
account given by Diodorus of the steps by which thenceforth supported Pyrrhus with their joint
they had raised themselves to power is lost, but efforts; and Sosistratus placed all the cities and
that author tells us in general terms that they troops at his disposal in the hands of the king,
were men accustomed to treachery, bloodshed, and while he assisted him in recovering Agrigentum,
every species of crime. (Diod. xix. 3, and Wes- which had fallen into the hands of the Carth;lgiseling, ad loc.) We find them both holding the nians. For these services however, he met with
joint command of an expedition sent by the Syra- no gratitude; the arrogance of Pyrrhus having
casans to assist the Crotoniats against the Bruttians, alienated the minds of all the Sicilians and renas well as of a subsequent armament which laid dered the king in return suspicious of all the leadsiege to Rhegium; but Sosistratus appears to have ing men among them, -he took an opportunity to
held the first place, and we soon after find him put Thynion to death, and Sosistratus narrowly
spoken of as having raised himself to the rank of escaped sharing the same fate. His name is not
tyrant or absolute ruler of Syracuse. The revolu- again mentioned.. (Diod. xxii. Exc. Hoeseclel. p.
tion, by which he effected this, appears to have been 495-497; Dion. Hal. Exe. xix. 6-8, pp. 2360connected with a victory of the oligarchical party 2362, ed Reiske; Plut. Pys.rh. 23.)
in the city, but their triumph was of short duration, The name is written Sostratus in many mannand Sosistratus himself was. soon after expelled scripts and editions, but the form Sosistratus; appears
from Syracuse together with 600 of the leading to be the more correct. [E. H. B.]
men of the aristocratical party. War now arose SOSI'THEUS (cwoL'0eos), of Syracuse or
between the democratic party, who remained in Athens, or rather, according to Suidas, of Alexanpossession of Syracuse, and the exiles, in which dreia in the Troad, was a distinguished tragic poet,
the latter, supported by assistance from the Car- one of the Tragic Pleiad, and the antagonist of the
thaginians, were not only able to maintain their tragic poet Homer: he flourished about 01. 124
ground, but, after many vicissitudes of fortune, (B. c. 284); and wrote both in poetry and in prose.
procured their recal to their native city. It is (Suid. s. v.) He is also mentioned among the