1. Hermocrates was an ancient Syracusan general from Greek Sicily during the Athenians' Sicilian Expedition in the midst of the Peloponnesian War.
13 Facts About Hermocrates
1. 2.
Hermocrates is remembered as a character in the Timaeus and Critias dialogues of Plato.
3.
The first historical reference to Hermocrates comes from Thucydides, where he appears at the congress of Gela in 424 BC giving a speech demanding the Sicilian Greeks stop their quarrelling and unite against the Athenians, who had been attacking the Sicilian cities for supporting Corinth.
4.
Hermocrates called for extending his cities fortifications and was able to do away with the traditional fifteen general system, instead calling for three to lead the war effort instead.
5.
Hermocrates was able to convince the Athenian allied Camarians to remain neutral in the war.
6.
Hermocrates now commanded a contingent of Syracusan soldiers and together with Gylippus, achieved victory over Athens during its siege of Syracuse.
7.
Hermocrates was made an admiral and lead the Syracusan ships in several skirmishes against Athenians ships, but was utterly defeated during the Battle of Cyzicus.
8.
Sparta and their allies were routed and Hermocrates was banned by political rivals back in Syracuse, being blamed for the defeat.
9.
Hermocrates organized an army and was able to push back the Carthaginians, but in Syracuse, riots broke out along political lines between those who supported Hermocrates, and those who denounced him, saying that his ultimate aim was tyranny.
10.
Hermocrates was killed in a street fight in 407 BC.
11.
Hermocrates is one of the persons appearing in Plato's dialogues Timaeus and Critias.
12.
Plato originally might have planned a third dialogue named Hermocrates, but failed to compose it.
13.
Hermocrates appears as a character in the novel Chaereas and Callirhoe written by the ancient Greek author Chariton.