Adranodoros

Adranodoros (or Andranodorus) was the son-in-law of the Greek Sicilian king Hiero II of Syracuse in the 3rd century BCE. His wife was Hiero's daughter Demarata. He was one of fifteen guardians named by Hiero to counsel Hiero's fifteen-year-old grandson and successor, Hieronymus of Syracuse, after Hiero died. Adranodoros dismissed the other guardians, saying that they were not needed, and became Hieronymos's chief counsellor. He encouraged Hieronymus to change the allegiance of Syracuse from Rome to Carthage, and connect himself with Hannibal.[1]

Hieronymus was tyrannical, and was killed by a band of conspirators after ruling for a turbulent 13 months. Andranodoros attempted to occupy Sicily with the intention of usurping the royal power. He quickly surrendered to the Syracusans, and was elected one of their generals, along with Themistus, Hieronymus' brother-in-law.[2]

Before long, the people of Syracuse became suspicious of him. A comedian and friend of Andranodoros's, named Ariston, reported to the other generals that the Andranodoros and Themistus were still plotting to seize power for themselves, and massacre the other leaders of the city.[3] The magistrates of the island ordered that Andranodoros be killed. As he entered the senate building, Andranodoros was assassinated,[3] along with members of the old royal family.[4]

The people of Syracuse rose up and demanded justice for Andranodoros's assassination. One of his killers, a soldier named Sopater, defended himself by claiming that Hieronymus' tyrannical actions were orchestrated by Andranodoros. He also claimed that Andranodoros and Themistus's conspiracy was orchestrated by their power-hungry wives, Hiero's daughter and granddaughter. The wives were then killed to appease the people's fury.[2]

Notes
  1. Livy, Ab Urbe Condita Libri xxiv. 4-7, 21-25
  2. Arnold, Thomas (1843). History of Rome: From the end of the first to the end of the second Punic war. Vol. 3. London: Fellowes. pp. 268–276.
  3. Rollin, Charles (1879). The Ancient History of the Egyptians, Carthaginians, Assyrians, Babylonians, Medes and Persians, Macedonians and Grecians. Vol. 1. Belford, Clarke & Company. pp. 497–499.
  4. John Francis Lazenby (1998). Hannibal's War: A Military History of the Second Punic War. University of Oklahoma Press. p. 103. ISBN 978-0-8061-3004-0.

Other sources

 This article incorporates text from a publication now in the public domain: Smith, William (1870). "Andranodorus". In Smith, William (ed.). Dictionary of Greek and Roman Biography and Mythology. Vol. 1. p. 170.

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