Ducetius
Encyclopedia
Ducetius was a Hellenized
leader of the Sicels
and founder of a united Sicilian
state and numerous cities. It is thought he may have been born around the town of Mineo
. His story is told through the Greek historian Diodorus Siculus
in the 1st century BCE, who drew on the work of Timaeus
. He was a native Sicilian, but his education was Greek and was very much influenced by Greek civilization in Sicily. He is sometimes known by the Hellenized name of Douketios.
and his brother Hiero
. After the death of Hiero in 467 BCE, Syracuse
became a democracy. There were however, troubles in the aftermath of the tyranny's collapse. War had broken out between Syracuse and its former colony Catana in 460 BCE. Ducetius assisted Syracuse because Catana had occupied Sicel land, and together defeated them. Ducetius went on to found the city of Menai (today Mineo
) and occupy Morgantina
. By 452 BCE he had united central Sicily and founded the city of Palice, the seat of his power, near the Lacus Palicorum, then two holy crater lakes and site of a temple to the Sicel gods of Palici
. The city grew quickly as it became a place of refuge for runaway slaves. Ducetius then conquered Aetna, southwest of Mount Etna
, before moving into Agrigentum. Syracuse, although an ally, became concerned by his unchecked expansion. However, Ducetius did not necessarily pose a threat to Syracuse in the same way Carthage
had. But with his taking of Motyon
, a stronghold held by Agrigentum in 451 BCE Syracuse decided to assist Agrigentum, but was not able defeat him. It was in this year that Ducetius' Sicel empire was at its height. Only a year later in 450 BCE, it would be decisively defeated at Nomae. His surviving army was scattered amongst the Sicel cities, and Ducetius was left with only a handful of followers. Agrigentum retook Motyon and Ducetius fled to Syracuse. Ducetius was tried by a politically-moderate general assembly in Syracuse. They voted to pay to have him exiled to Corinth
, Syracuse's mother-city, on the condition that he never return to Sicily.
in the province of Messina
)in 446 BCE, supposedly on the instruction of an oracle
, of both Sicel and Corinthian settlers, but in 440 BCE, he died of illness. This traditional version is, however, not without problems. Diodorus Siculus, in another passus, says that Ducetius colonised Kale Akte in 440 BCE, the same year he died. Thus, the date of foundation seems to be uncertain. In addition, recent excavations at Caronia
, the site of the Hellenistic and Roman Caleacte, have revealed only very sparse remains from the 5th century BCE, and show that a Sikel settlement already existed in the early 5th century BCE. Possibly, Ducetius died before a more consistent colony could be established, and in the aftermath of his death, the Sikels revolted against Syracuse. The Sikel federation fell apart almost immediately after his death, and Palice was sacked shortly thereafter and its inhabitants sold into slavery. Thus, the particular conditions of concord which had existed after the return of Ducetius between the Sikels and Syracuse vanished. Some scholars have hypothesised that Ducetius returned without the consensus of Syracuse, but this is very improbable. He must have had the permission of Syracuse to end the exile at Corinth (the mother city of Syracuse), and he brought according to Diodorus partly Corinthian settlers for the colonising project at Kale Akte. Syracuse would have had an interest of establishing an allied Sikel-Greek colony on the north coast, without risking too much in a potentially hostile Sikel-dominated area.
Ancient Greece
Ancient Greece is a civilization belonging to a period of Greek history that lasted from the Archaic period of the 8th to 6th centuries BC to the end of antiquity. Immediately following this period was the beginning of the Early Middle Ages and the Byzantine era. Included in Ancient Greece is the...
leader of the Sicels
Sicels
The Sicels were an Italic people who inhabited ancient Sicily. The Sicels gave Sicily the name it has held since antiquity, but they rapidly fused into the culture of Magna Graecia.-History:...
and founder of a united Sicilian
Sicily
Sicily is a region of Italy, and is the largest island in the Mediterranean Sea. Along with the surrounding minor islands, it constitutes an autonomous region of Italy, the Regione Autonoma Siciliana Sicily has a rich and unique culture, especially with regard to the arts, music, literature,...
state and numerous cities. It is thought he may have been born around the town of Mineo
Mineo
Mineo is a town and comune in the Province of Catania, part of the Sicily region in southern Italy. It lies 64 km southwest of Catania, 56 km from Ragusa, 54 km from Gela, and 22 km from Caltagirone. There are approximately 5600 citizens living there.It serves as the center...
. His story is told through the Greek historian Diodorus Siculus
Diodorus Siculus
Diodorus Siculus was a Greek historian who flourished between 60 and 30 BC. According to Diodorus' own work, he was born at Agyrium in Sicily . With one exception, antiquity affords no further information about Diodorus' life and doings beyond what is to be found in his own work, Bibliotheca...
in the 1st century BCE, who drew on the work of Timaeus
Timaeus (historian)
Timaeus , ancient Greek historian, was born at Tauromenium in Sicily. Driven out of Sicily by Agathocles, he migrated to Athens, where he studied rhetoric under a pupil of Isocrates and lived for fifty years...
. He was a native Sicilian, but his education was Greek and was very much influenced by Greek civilization in Sicily. He is sometimes known by the Hellenized name of Douketios.
The Sicel revolt
Sicily at this time was under the tyranny of GeloGelo
Gelo , son of Deinomenes, was a 5th century BC ruler of Gela and Syracuse and first of the Deinomenid rulers.- Early life :...
and his brother Hiero
Hiero
Hiero may refer to:* Hiero, a dialogue by Xenophon* Hiero I, tyrant of Syracuse, Italy * Hiero II, tyrant of Syracuse * Hiero Desteen, protagonist of two post-apocalypse novels by Sterling E...
. After the death of Hiero in 467 BCE, Syracuse
Syracuse, Italy
Syracuse is a historic city in Sicily, the capital of the province of Syracuse. The city is notable for its rich Greek history, culture, amphitheatres, architecture, and as the birthplace of the preeminent mathematician and engineer Archimedes. This 2,700-year-old city played a key role in...
became a democracy. There were however, troubles in the aftermath of the tyranny's collapse. War had broken out between Syracuse and its former colony Catana in 460 BCE. Ducetius assisted Syracuse because Catana had occupied Sicel land, and together defeated them. Ducetius went on to found the city of Menai (today Mineo
Mineo
Mineo is a town and comune in the Province of Catania, part of the Sicily region in southern Italy. It lies 64 km southwest of Catania, 56 km from Ragusa, 54 km from Gela, and 22 km from Caltagirone. There are approximately 5600 citizens living there.It serves as the center...
) and occupy Morgantina
Morgantina
Morgantina is an archaeological site in east central Sicily, southern Italy. It is sixty kilometres from the coast of the Ionian Sea, in the province of Enna. The closest modern town is Aidone, two kilometres southwest of the site...
. By 452 BCE he had united central Sicily and founded the city of Palice, the seat of his power, near the Lacus Palicorum, then two holy crater lakes and site of a temple to the Sicel gods of Palici
Palici
The Palici , or Palaci, were a pair of indigenous Sicilian chthonic deities in Roman mythology, and to a lesser extent in Greek mythology. They are mentioned in Ovid V, 406, and in Virgil IX, 585...
. The city grew quickly as it became a place of refuge for runaway slaves. Ducetius then conquered Aetna, southwest of Mount Etna
Mount Etna
Mount Etna is an active stratovolcano on the east coast of Sicily, close to Messina and Catania. It is the tallest active volcano in Europe, currently standing high, though this varies with summit eruptions; the mountain is 21 m higher than it was in 1981.. It is the highest mountain in...
, before moving into Agrigentum. Syracuse, although an ally, became concerned by his unchecked expansion. However, Ducetius did not necessarily pose a threat to Syracuse in the same way Carthage
Carthage
Carthage , implying it was a 'new Tyre') is a major urban centre that has existed for nearly 3,000 years on the Gulf of Tunis, developing from a Phoenician colony of the 1st millennium BC...
had. But with his taking of Motyon
Motyon
Motyon or Motyum , was a small town or fortress of Sicily, in the territory of Agrigentum . It was besieged in 451 BCE by the Siculian chief Ducetius, and fell into his hands after a battle in which he defeated the Agrigentines and their allies; but was recovered by the Agrigentines in the course...
, a stronghold held by Agrigentum in 451 BCE Syracuse decided to assist Agrigentum, but was not able defeat him. It was in this year that Ducetius' Sicel empire was at its height. Only a year later in 450 BCE, it would be decisively defeated at Nomae. His surviving army was scattered amongst the Sicel cities, and Ducetius was left with only a handful of followers. Agrigentum retook Motyon and Ducetius fled to Syracuse. Ducetius was tried by a politically-moderate general assembly in Syracuse. They voted to pay to have him exiled to Corinth
Corinth
Corinth is a city and former municipality in Corinthia, Peloponnese, Greece. Since the 2011 local government reform it is part of the municipality Corinth, of which it is the seat and a municipal unit...
, Syracuse's mother-city, on the condition that he never return to Sicily.
The foundation of Kale Akte (Caleacte)
He returned, however, and founded according to Diodorus the city of Kale Akte (CaroniaCaronia
Caronia is a town and comune on the north coast of Sicily, in the province of Messina, about half way between Tyndaris and Cephaloedium...
in the province of Messina
Messina, Italy
Messina is the third largest city on the island of Sicily, Italy and the capital of the province of Messina. It has a population of about 250,000 inhabitants in the city proper and about 650,000 in the province...
)in 446 BCE, supposedly on the instruction of an oracle
Oracle
In Classical Antiquity, an oracle was a person or agency considered to be a source of wise counsel or prophetic predictions or precognition of the future, inspired by the gods. As such it is a form of divination....
, of both Sicel and Corinthian settlers, but in 440 BCE, he died of illness. This traditional version is, however, not without problems. Diodorus Siculus, in another passus, says that Ducetius colonised Kale Akte in 440 BCE, the same year he died. Thus, the date of foundation seems to be uncertain. In addition, recent excavations at Caronia
Caronia
Caronia is a town and comune on the north coast of Sicily, in the province of Messina, about half way between Tyndaris and Cephaloedium...
, the site of the Hellenistic and Roman Caleacte, have revealed only very sparse remains from the 5th century BCE, and show that a Sikel settlement already existed in the early 5th century BCE. Possibly, Ducetius died before a more consistent colony could be established, and in the aftermath of his death, the Sikels revolted against Syracuse. The Sikel federation fell apart almost immediately after his death, and Palice was sacked shortly thereafter and its inhabitants sold into slavery. Thus, the particular conditions of concord which had existed after the return of Ducetius between the Sikels and Syracuse vanished. Some scholars have hypothesised that Ducetius returned without the consensus of Syracuse, but this is very improbable. He must have had the permission of Syracuse to end the exile at Corinth (the mother city of Syracuse), and he brought according to Diodorus partly Corinthian settlers for the colonising project at Kale Akte. Syracuse would have had an interest of establishing an allied Sikel-Greek colony on the north coast, without risking too much in a potentially hostile Sikel-dominated area.