Diodorus Siculus, Library, Book XV, Chapter 70

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From Sicily, Celts and Iberians to the number of two thousand sailed to Corinth, for they had been sent by the tyrant Dionysius to fight in alliance with the Lacedaemonians, and had received pay for five months. The Greeks, in order to make trial of them, led them forth; and they proved their worth in hand-to-hand fighting and in battles and many both of the Boeotians and of their allies were slain by them. Accordingly, having won repute for superior dexterity and courage and rendered many kinds of service, they were given awards by the Lacedaemonians and sent back home at the close of the summer to Sicily.¹ [2] Following this, Philiscus, who was sent on this mission by King Artaxerxes, sailed to Greece to urge the Greeks to compose their strife and agree to a general peace. All but the Thebans responded willingly²; they, however, adhering to their own design, had brought all Boeotia into one confederation and were excluded from the agreement. Since the general peace was not agreed to, Philiscus left two thousand picked mercenaries, paid in advance, for the Lacedaemonians and then returned to Asia. [3]

While these things were going on, Euphron of Sicyon, a particularly rash and crack-brained individual, with accomplices from Argos, attempted to set up a tyranny.³ Succeeding in his plan, he sent forty of the wealthiest Sicyonians into exile, first confiscating their property, and, when he had secured large sums thereby, he collected a mercenary force and became lord of the city.

1 For the performance of these Celts and Iberians see Xen. Hell. 7.1.20-22.

2 See Xen. Hell. 7.1.27. This peace move is dated in the spring of 368 (Cary, Cambridge Ancient History, 6.93).

3 This is told in Xen. Hell. 7.1.44-46 under the year 367. Diodorus is probably wrong as to the year (cp. Beloch, Griechische Geschichte （2）, 3.2.243).

Diodorus Siculus. Diodorus of Sicily in Twelve Volumes with an English Translation by C. H. Oldfather. Vol. 4-8. Cambridge, Mass.: Harvard University Press; London: William Heinemann, Ltd. 1989.

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Cross-references to this page (7):
- A Dictionary of Greek and Roman Antiquities (1890), EXE´RCITUS
- Dictionary of Greek and Roman Geography (1854), SI´CYON
- Smith's Bio, Acro'tatus
- Smith's Bio, Anta'lcidas
- Smith's Bio, Diony'sius or Diony'sius the Elder or the Elder Diony'sius
- Smith's Bio, Epaminondas
- Smith's Bio, Philiscus
Cross-references in notes from this page (3):
- Xenophon, Hellenica, 7.1.20
- Xenophon, Hellenica, 7.1.27
- Xenophon, Hellenica, 7.1.44
Cross-references in general dictionaries to this page (2):
- LSJ, προσδέχομαι
- LSJ, ὑπόστα^σις

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