Agathocles of Syracuse Agathocles ( 361 – 289 BC ) , ( Greek name " Ἀγαθοκλῆς " ( " Agathokles " ) : derived from " αγαθός " ( " agathos " ) " good " and " κλέος " ( " kleos " ) " glory " ) , was a Greek tyrant of Syracuse ( 317 – 289 BC ) and king of Sicily ( 304 – 289 BC ) . Biography . Agathocles was born at Thermae Himera eae ( modern name Termini Imerese ) in Sicily . The son of a potter who had moved to Syracuse in about 343 BC , he learned his father ' s trade , but afterwards entered the army . In 333 BC he married the widow of his patron Damas , a distinguished and wealthy citizen . He was twice banished for attempting to overthrow the oligarchical party in Syracuse . In 317 BC he returned with an army of mercenaries under a solemn oath to observe the democratic constitution which was established after they took the city . Having banished or murdered some 10 , 000 citizens , and thus made himself master of Syracuse , he created a strong army and fleet and subdued the greater part of Sicily . War with Carthage followed . In 311 BC Agathocles was besieged and defeated in Syracuse in the Battle of Himera . After defeat in 310 BC he made a desperate effort to break through the blockade and attack the enemy in Africa . In Africa he concluded the treaty with Ophellas , ruler of Cyrenaica . After several victories he was at last completely defeated ( 307 BC ) and fled secretly to Sicily . After concluding peace with Carthage in 306 BC , Agathocles styled himself king of Sicily in 304 BC , and established his rule over the Greek cities of the island more firmly than ever . A peace treaty with Carthage left him in control of Sicily east of the Halycus River . Even in his old age he displayed the same restless energy , and is said to have been contemplating a fresh attack on Carthage at the time of his death . His last years were plagued by ill - health and the turbulence of his grandson Archagathus , at whose instigation he is said to have been poison ed ; according to others , he died a natural death . He was a born leader of mercenaries , and , although he did not shrink from cruelty to gain his ends , he afterwards showed himself a mild and popular " tyrant . " Agathocles restored the Syracusan democracy on his death bed and did not want his sons to succeed him as king . Agathocles was married three times . His first wife was the widow of his patron Damas by whom he had two sons : Archagathus and Agathocles , whom were both murdered in 307 BC . His second wife was Alcia and they had a daughter called Lanassa , who married as the second wife of King Pyrrhus of Epirus . His third wife was the Greek Ptolemaic Princess Theoxena , who was the second daughter of Berenice I from her first husband Philip and was a stepdaughter of Ptolemy I Soter . Theoxena bore Agathocles two children : Archagathus and Theoxena . Theoxena survived Agathocles . He had further descendants from his second and third marriage . Legacy . Agathocles was cited as an example of “ those who by their crimes come to be princes ” in Chapter VIII of Niccolò Machiavelli ’ s treatise on politics , " The Prince " ( 1513 ) . He was described as behaving as a criminal at every stage of his career . However , he came to " glory " as much as he did brutality by repelling invading Carthaginians and winning the loyalty of the denizens of his land . However , many later disapproved of his actions , including to an extent Machiavelli , who claimed " It cannot be called prowess to kill fellow - citizens , to betray friends , to be treacherous , pitiless , irreligious . . . . Still , if the courage of Agathocles in entering into and extricating himself from dangers be considered , together with his greatness of mind in enduring overcoming hardships , it cannot be seen why he should be esteemed less than the most notable captain . Nevertheless , his barbarous cruelty and inhumanity with infinite wickednesses do not permit him to be celebrated among the most excellent men . " Machiavelli goes on to reason that Agathocles ' success , in contrast to other criminal tyrants , was due to his ability to mitigate his crimes by limiting them to those that " are applied at one blow and are necessary to one ' s security , and that are not persisted in afterwards unless they can be turned to the advantage of the subjects " . | width = 25 % align = center | Preceded by : < br > oligarchy < br >