The tyrant and the migrant: the bonds between Syracusan hegemony and mobility from Dionysius I to Agathocles

2013-10-18This dissertation analyzes the symbiotic relationship between the tyrants of fourth-century BC Syracuse and migrants displaced under their command. I argue that these tyrants (Dionysius I, Dionysius II, and Agathocles) were able to gain and to maintain their power for many years mainly due to a comprehensive program of mobility. These migrants were the backbone of a new empire, as these tyrants incorporated numerous Greek city-states and non-Greek peoples into their rule, not only in Sicily but also overseas in southern Italy and the Adriatic Sea. ❧ The first part of the dissertation focuses on the figure of the tyrant himself in literary sources, specifically the portrayal of the tyrant as an outsider. Because of this identification, the tyrant portrayed himself as the ideal citizen, by finding other groups whom he identifies as ‘extra-foreign’ (e.g. the Carthaginians). Because the tyrant lacked a formal support system among the citizenry of Syracuse, he spread his empire through the integration of migrant groups. ❧ The second section of the dissertation analyzes one type of small-scale migration for his political aims, namely his court of advisers. The section outlines the processes of court membership and then discusses the intellectual function of the court, which converted Syracuse into a scholarly center. This section finally discusses the political aspect of the court, by studying the internal politics between the tyrant and his court, together with the political alliances fostered by the court across the Mediterranean. This section also evaluates the successes and many failures of the court, the latter of which were due to the inability of the tyrant to integrate these men either socially or politically. ❧ The third and final portion of the dissertation details the use of envoys and other official ties (e.g. marriages) to create international networks of power between Syracuse and other key cities. This section also analyzes the alliances between the tyrants and other Greek and non-Greek cities (e.g. Sparta, Athens, and Carthage) and other empires (e.g. the Ptolemaic Empire) and demonstrates how tyrants balanced good relations with powerful cities both to diminish foreign threats to their rule and to increase their empire