Scythes
Encyclopedia
Scythes was tyrant
or ruler of Zancle in Sicily
. He was appointed to that post in about 494 BC
by Hippocrates of Gela
.
The Zanclaeans had contacted Ionia
n leaders to invite colonists
to join them in founding a new city on the Kale Acte , or north shore of Sicily. This offer had been accepted by a large number of Samians
, together with some exiles from Miletus
.
But when the colonists arrived at Locri
, Scythes and the Zanclaeans were engaged in hostilities against the Sicels. Meanwhile, the Samians were persuaded by Anaxilas
of Rhegium to take advantage of Scythes' absence, and occupy the city of Zancle itself. In response, Scythes asked for the assistance of his ally, Hippocrates
, tyrant of Gela
.
However, Hippocrates proved to be just as untrustworthy as the Samians. On his arrival, he placed Scythes and his brother, Pythogenes, in chains and sent them as prisoners to Inycum
. He then betrayed his allies the Zanclaeans so that they fell into the hands of the Samians.
Scythes, however, was able to escape from Inycum and made his way to Himera
. Once there he was able make his way to the court of Darius
, king of Persia
, where he was received with much distinction and rose to a high place in the king's favour.
Some time afterwards, Scythes was able to visit his native city, but again had to return to the Persian court, where he died at an advanced age, and in the possession of great wealth, while he enjoyed general esteem for the probity of his character. It is interesting that Herodotus
designates Anaxilas
and Hippocrates
as tyrants of their respective cities, but he styles Scythes as king or monarch of the Zanclaeans.
Scythes is thought by some writers, including Perizonius
, to have been the father of Cadmus of Kos. Others, such as Lodewijk Caspar Valckenaer
, suppose that Scythes was the uncle of another Scythes in Kos
, who was the father of Cadmus.
Tyrant
A tyrant was originally one who illegally seized and controlled a governmental power in a polis. Tyrants were a group of individuals who took over many Greek poleis during the uprising of the middle classes in the sixth and seventh centuries BC, ousting the aristocratic governments.Plato and...
or ruler of Zancle in Sicily
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,...
. He was appointed to that post in about 494 BC
494 BC
Year 494 BC was a year of the pre-Julian Roman calendar. At the time, it was known as the Year of the Consulship of Tricostus and Geminus...
by Hippocrates of Gela
Hippocrates of Gela
Hippocrates was the second tyrant of Gela and ruled from 498 BC to 491 BC. He was the brother of Cleander and succeeded him to the throne after his death. With him, Gela began its expansion phase; Hippocrates aimed to conquer all of southeastern Sicily in order to build a great state with Gela as...
.
The Zanclaeans had contacted Ionia
Ionia
Ionia is an ancient region of central coastal Anatolia in present-day Turkey, the region nearest İzmir, which was historically Smyrna. It consisted of the northernmost territories of the Ionian League of Greek settlements...
n leaders to invite colonists
Colony
In politics and history, a colony is a territory under the immediate political control of a state. For colonies in antiquity, city-states would often found their own colonies. Some colonies were historically countries, while others were territories without definite statehood from their inception....
to join them in founding a new city on the Kale Acte , or north shore of Sicily. This offer had been accepted by a large number of Samians
Samoš
Samoš is a village in Serbia. It is situated in the Kovačica municipality, in the South Banat District, Vojvodina province. The village has a Serb ethnic majority and its population numbering 1,247 people .-See also:...
, together with some exiles from Miletus
Miletus
Miletus was an ancient Greek city on the western coast of Anatolia , near the mouth of the Maeander River in ancient Caria...
.
But when the colonists arrived at Locri
Locri
Locri is a town and comune in the province of Reggio Calabria, Calabria, southern Italy. The name derives from the ancient Greek town Locris.-History:...
, Scythes and the Zanclaeans were engaged in hostilities against the Sicels. Meanwhile, the Samians were persuaded by Anaxilas
Anaxilas
Anaxilas or Anaxilaus , son of Cretines, was a tyrant of Rhegium . He was originally from Messenia, a region in the Peloponnese....
of Rhegium to take advantage of Scythes' absence, and occupy the city of Zancle itself. In response, Scythes asked for the assistance of his ally, Hippocrates
Hippocrates of Gela
Hippocrates was the second tyrant of Gela and ruled from 498 BC to 491 BC. He was the brother of Cleander and succeeded him to the throne after his death. With him, Gela began its expansion phase; Hippocrates aimed to conquer all of southeastern Sicily in order to build a great state with Gela as...
, tyrant of Gela
Gela
Gela is a town and comune in the province of Caltanissetta in the south of Sicily, Italy. The city is at about 84 kilometers distance from the city of Caltanissetta, on the Mediterranean Sea. The city has a larger population than the provincial capital, and ranks second in land area.Gela is an...
.
However, Hippocrates proved to be just as untrustworthy as the Samians. On his arrival, he placed Scythes and his brother, Pythogenes, in chains and sent them as prisoners to Inycum
Inycum
Inycum or Inycus , was an ancient town of Sicily, situated in the southwest of the island, on the river Hypsas ....
. He then betrayed his allies the Zanclaeans so that they fell into the hands of the Samians.
Scythes, however, was able to escape from Inycum and made his way to Himera
Himera
thumb|250px|Remains of the Temple of Victory.thumb|250px|Ideal reconstruction of the Temple of Victory.Himera , was an important ancient Greek city of Sicily, situated on the north coast of the island, at the mouth of the river of the same name , between Panormus and Cephaloedium...
. Once there he was able make his way to the court of Darius
Darius I of Persia
Darius I , also known as Darius the Great, was the third king of kings of the Achaemenid Empire...
, king of Persia
Achaemenid Empire
The Achaemenid Empire , sometimes known as First Persian Empire and/or Persian Empire, was founded in the 6th century BCE by Cyrus the Great who overthrew the Median confederation...
, where he was received with much distinction and rose to a high place in the king's favour.
Some time afterwards, Scythes was able to visit his native city, but again had to return to the Persian court, where he died at an advanced age, and in the possession of great wealth, while he enjoyed general esteem for the probity of his character. It is interesting that Herodotus
Herodotus
Herodotus was an ancient Greek historian who was born in Halicarnassus, Caria and lived in the 5th century BC . He has been called the "Father of History", and was the first historian known to collect his materials systematically, test their accuracy to a certain extent and arrange them in a...
designates Anaxilas
Anaxilas
Anaxilas or Anaxilaus , son of Cretines, was a tyrant of Rhegium . He was originally from Messenia, a region in the Peloponnese....
and Hippocrates
Hippocrates of Gela
Hippocrates was the second tyrant of Gela and ruled from 498 BC to 491 BC. He was the brother of Cleander and succeeded him to the throne after his death. With him, Gela began its expansion phase; Hippocrates aimed to conquer all of southeastern Sicily in order to build a great state with Gela as...
as tyrants of their respective cities, but he styles Scythes as king or monarch of the Zanclaeans.
Scythes is thought by some writers, including Perizonius
Perizonius
Perizonius was the name of Jakob Voorbroek , a Dutch classical scholar, who was born at Appingedam in Groningen....
, to have been the father of Cadmus of Kos. Others, such as Lodewijk Caspar Valckenaer
Lodewijk Caspar Valckenaer
Lodewijk Caspar Valckenaer was a Dutch classical scholar, at Leiden. He was a follower of Tiberius Hemsterhuis, and his successor in 1766 in the chair of Greek at Leiden. He was born in Leeuwarden....
, suppose that Scythes was the uncle of another Scythes in Kos
Kos
Kos or Cos is a Greek island in the south Sporades group of the Dodecanese, next to the Gulf of Gökova/Cos. It measures by , and is from the coast of Bodrum, Turkey and the ancient region of Caria. Administratively the island forms a separate municipality within the Kos peripheral unit, which is...
, who was the father of Cadmus.