Battle of Himera ( 480 BC ) The Battle of Himera ( 480 BC ) , supposedly fought on the same day as the more famous Battle of Salamis , or at the same time as the Battle of Thermopylae , saw the Greek forces of Gelo n , King of Syracuse , and Theron , tyrant of Agrigentum , defeat the Carthaginian force of Hamilcar the Magonid , ending a Carthaginian bid to restore the deposed tyrant of Himera . The alleged coincidence of this battle with the naval battle of Salamis and the resultant derailing of a Punic - Persian conspiracy aimed at destroying the Greek civilization is rejected by modern scholars . They also agree that the battle led to the crippling of Carthage ' s power in Sicily for many decades . It was one of the most important battles of the Greek - Punic wars . Background . The Phoenicians had planted trading posts all over the coast of Sicily after 900 BC , but had never penetrated far inland . They had traded with the Elymian , Sicani and Siculi communities and ultimately withdrew without resistance to Motya , Panormus and Solus when the Greek colonists arrived after 750 BC . These cities remained independent until becoming part of the Carthaginian hegemony after 540 BC , probably when Malchus of Carthage " conquered all Sicily " and sent the captured booty to Tyre . Carthaginian hegemony and Greeks in Sicily . Carthage created her hegemony in part to resist Greek encroachments in the Phoenician sphere of influence . Phoenicians initially ( 750 - 650 BC ) did not resist the Greeks , but after the Greeks had reached Iberia sometime after 650 BC , Carthage emerged as the leader of Phoenician resistance . During the 6th century BC , mostly under the leadership of the Magonid dynasty , Carthage established a commercially dominant position in the Western Mediterranean . The Phoenicians in Sicily and the Elymians had teamed up to defeat the Greeks of Selinus and Rhodes near Lilybaeum in 580 BC , the first recorded clash between Phoenicians and Greeks incident in Sicily . The next known Greek incursion in Sicily took place 70 years later . The Greeks living in Sicily behaved pretty much like the mainland Greeks , expanding their political and commercial domain at the expense of their neighbors while keeping the Ionian / Dorian feud alive – the Doric colonies were comparably more aggressive in expanding their territory . Trade also flourished between the natives , the Greeks and the Phoenicians and the Sicilian Greeks colonies became prosperous . This prosperity enabled some of the Greek cities to start to expand their territories again , ultimately leading to the events known as the " First Sicilian War " . Carthage joins the fight . Carthage and Elymians joined hands in 510 BC to oppose the expedition of Prince Dorieus , who had lost the Spartan throne and was seeking to found a colony , showed up to colonize Eryx – after being expelled from Libya by Carthage in 511 BC . Dorieus was defeated and killed – the Greek survivors then founded Heraclea Minoa . Sicilian Greeks ( probably the cities of Akragas , Gela and Selinus ) fought an undated war of revenge against Carthage , which led to the destruction of Minoa and a treaty which brought economic benefits for the Greeks . An appeal for aid to avenge the death of Dorieus was ignored by mainland Greece , even by Leonidas of Sparta , brother of Dorieus and who later would win immortal fame at Thermopylae in 480 BC . This possibly demonstrated the futility of opposing Carthage by single Greek cities or the unreliability of aid from mainland Greece , a situation that would change with the rise of the Greek tyrants in Sicily . Greek tyrants . While Carthage remained engaged in Sardinia after 510 BC , most of the Greek colonies in Sicily fell under the rule of tyrants . The tyrants of Gela , Akragas and Rhegion successfully expanded their dominion at the expense of native Sicilians and other Greek cities during 505 - 480 BC , with the Dorian city of Gela being the most successful . Dorian Greeks dominate Sicily . Cleander ( 505 - 498 BC ) and his brother Hippocrates ( 498 - 491 ) of Gela successfully took over both Ionian and Dorian Greek territory , and by 490 BC , Zankle , Leontini , Catana , Naxos , besides neighboring Sicel lands and Camarina had fallen to Gela . Gelo , successor of Hippocrates , captured Syracuse and made the city his capital . By using ethnic cleansing , deportation and enslavement , Gelo transformed the former Ionian cities into Dorian ones and made Syracuse the dominant power in Sicily . Meanwhile Akragas , another Doric city , had taken over neighboring Sikan and Sicel lands under the tyrant Theron ( 488 - 472 BC ) . To forestall any conflicts between Akragas and Syracuse , Gelo and Theron married into each other ' s families , thus creating a united front against the Sicels and Ionian Greeks of Sicily . Ionian Greeks call on Carthage . To counter this Doric threat , Anaxilas of Rhegion from Italy , who had captured Zankle from Gela in 490 BC , allied himself with Terillus of Himera , and married the daughter of Terillus . Himera and Rhegion next became allies of Carthage , the tyrants even build up personal relationships with the Magonid dynasty of Carthage . Selinus , a Doric city whose territory bordered Theron ' s domain , also became a Carthaginian ally – perhaps the fear of Theron and the destruction of Megara ( mother city of , Selinus ) , by Gelo , had played a part in this decision . Thus , 3 power blocks were delicately balanced in Sicily by 483 BC – Ionians dominating the north , Carthage the west , Dorians the east and south . The Sicels and Sikans in the interior remained passive , and if not directly under Greek rule , did not hinder the movements of their forces . The Elmyians joined the Carthaginian alliance . Prelude . The city of Himera had once requested Phalaris , tyrant of Akragas ( 570 - 554 BC ) , to rule Himera . Theron emulated Phalaris when he deposed Terillus and added Himera to his domain in 483 BC . Terillos had come to power in Himera after expelling the ruling oligarchs ( who had taken refuge in Akragas ) , and he probably lacked popular support , which may have been exploited by Theron . Terillos requested Hamilcar , Suffet of Carthage , and Xenia ( guest friend ) of Terillus , for aid . Anaxilas also lobbied on his behalf , and sent his own children as hostages to Carthage as a token of loyalty . After a 3 year delay , Hamilcar led a Carthaginian expedition to Sicily in 480 BC , which coincided with the expedition of Xerxes against mainland Greece . Gelo refuses Greece aid . The mainland Greeks had sent an embassy to Gelon requesting aid against Xerxes . Gelon at first complained that the Greeks spurned his request of aid against the Carthaginians in the past , but he offered to sent 24 , 000 foot , 4000 horse and 200 warships in addition to fully provisioning the combined Greek force in Greece if he was made the supreme commander . The Spartans objected to this , and Gelon then asked to be the commander of either the land or naval forces in exchange for his help . The Athenian envoy then objected , and the Greeks were sent packing empty handed . Gelon also hedged his bets , he sent 3 ships under Cadmus of Kos to Delphi , with instructions to offer his submission to Xerxes in case of a Persian victory . Carthaginian expedition . Hamilcar is said to have assembled an army numbering 300 , 000 soldiers from Iberia , Sardinia , Corsica , Italy , Gaul and Africa under the command of a body of Carthaginian officers , along with war chariots , 200 warships and 3 , 000 transports for the venture . According to the modern historians , the numbers are clearly inflated ; the Punic army may not have been significantly larger than that of the Greek coalition . The army had no siege engines and the Etruscans and the Elymians , allies in past struggles against Greeks , were not part of it . The Carthaginian Army . The core units of the army came from Africa . The heavy African infantry fought in close formation , armed with long spears and round shields , wearing helmets and linen cuirasses . The light Libyan infantry carried javelins and a small shield , same as Iberian light infantry . The Iberian infantry wore purple bordered white tunics and leather headgear . The heavy infantry fought in a dense phalanx , armed with heavy throwing spears , long body shields and short thrusting swords . Sardinian and Gallic infantry fought in their native gear , but often were equipped by Carthage . The Libyans , Carthaginian citizens and the Libyo - Phoenicians provided disciplined , well trained cavalry equipped with thrusting spears and round shields . Iberians and Gauls also provided cavalry , which relied on the all out charge . Libyans also provided bulk of the heavy , four horse war chariots for Carthage . The Sicilian Greek Army . Gelo and Theron had a well trained , battle tested army at their disposal . In addition to citizens , hired mercenaries from Greeks and Sicels augmented their forces . Gelon took out a loan from citizens to fund his war efforts , which indicates the seriousness of the situation . The Syracusan army at Himera is said to have numbered 50 , 000 foot and 5 , 000 horse – perhaps another exaggeration . The size of the army of Theron is not known . The main hoplite force came from the citizens of the Sicilian Greek cities . They were augmented by mercenary hoplites hired from Sicily and Italy , and even mainland Greece . Some of the citizens also served as peltast s while the wealthier citizens formed the cavalry units . Sicels and Sikan soldiers also served in the force . Mercenaries provided archers , slingers and cavalry . The Himera campaign . Hamilcar chose not to sail to Selinus and then attack Akragas , although it was the coast closest to Carthage . The Carthaginian fleet , escorted by 60 triremes , sailed to Panormus instead . Hamilcar chose this course probably because restoring Terrilus was his primary objective . The conquest of Sicily , if that indeed was a consideration , took second place to his duty as a guest friend of Terrilus . The fleet was battered by storms at sea , losing the ships carrying the chariots and horses – which would be a significant factor in the coming battle . The Greek fleet , able to muster 200 ships , did not contest the crossing , and in fact played no part in the coming battle . The Carthaginian camps at Himera . Hamilcar spent three days reorganizing his forces at Panormus , and repairing his battered fleet . The Carthaginians marched along the coast to Himera , with the fleet sailing alongside , and encamped near the city . Theron was already present in Himera with his army , but the Greeks did not interfere with Carthaginian operations . The Greek allies of Hamilcar ( Greeks of Selinus and Anaxilas of Rhegion ) were absent – and never joined the battle . The city of Himera sits on top of a hill ( 300 – 400 feet high ) on the western bank of the River Himera . The hill is steep in the northern , western and eastern sides but gradually slopes to the south . There are hills to the west and south of the city . The Carthaginians erected two camps near Himera . The Sea camp was set to the north of Himera by the sea , surrounded by a palisade and a ditch . The army was billeted in a separate camp to the south on a low hill west of Himera . The land and sea camps were joined by siege works . Theron ' s defeat and Gelo ' s arrival . It is not known if Hamilcar wished to build siege weapons at Himera or settle the issue through battle . After the camps were erected , the Punic ships dropped off provisions at the sea camp and were sent to Sardinia and Africa for more supplies . 20 triremes patrolled the sea , the rest of the ships were beached in the sea camp . Himera was not fully invested – the east and south sides were open . Hamilcar led a picked body of men on reconnaissance mission , and defeated the Greeks in a pitched battle outside Himera . The Greeks blocked the west gates of Himera and their morale also fell , while the Carthaginian foragers ranged the territory of Himera . Theron sent messages to Gelo , who arrived with his army and encamped across the river . Gelon ' s cavalry managed to capture many of the foragers , as Hamilcar had no cavalry present to counter his moves . The morale in Himera improved , and the bricked up gates were cleared on Gelo ' s orders . The battle . Herodotus and Diodorus Siculus give different versions of the battle , which are hard to reconcile . Diodorus provides a more detailed account . Herodotus on Himera . The Greek and Punic armies fought from dawn to dusk , while Hamilcar watched the battle from his camp and offered sacrifices to Baal in a huge fire . No information on numbers , battle formation or battle site is given . When the Carthaginian army was routed towards dusk , Hamilcar jumped into the sacrificial fire . His body was never found and the Greeks erected a monument to his memory where he supposedly died . Herodotus noted that Sicilian tradition held that this battle and the battle of Salamis were fought on the same day . Diodorus Siculus and other sources . The actions of the Greek cavalry in countering Carthaginian foragers prompted Hamilcar to send a letter to Selinus requesting them to send their cavalry to Himera on a given date that Hamilcar was to offer a sacrifice to Poseidon – a Greek deity whose worship probably required the presence of Greeks . The letter was intercepted by Gelo ' s men . Gelo planned to use his own cavalry to impersonate the Selinute reinforcement and infiltrate the Carthaginian camp , while his army attacked the land camp . Greeks attack the land camp . Gelo ' s horsemen left their camp on the night before the appointed day , and at daybreak these horsemen arrived at the Carthaginian sea camp and were admitted into the camp . Greeks spotted them inside the Carthaginian camp from Himera and signaled Gelo . It is not known if the Syracusan army was inside Gelo ' s camp or had assembled somewhere outside at that time . The Greeks marched around the south end of Himera and moved towards the Carthaginian land camp . Theron and his army stayed put in Himera . The Carthaginian army left their camp and formed up on the hill , forcing the Greeks to fight an uphill battle . The struggle was fierce and long and neither side gained any advantages . Cavalry Commandos and death of Hamilcar . Sometime after the battle was joined , the disguised Greek horsemen killed Hamilcar while he was preparing the sacrifice , and then set fire to the beached ships , causing great confusion at the sea camp . However , it is not known what further role the Greek cavalry played in the battle . The Carthaginians rushed to launch whatever ships they could save and some of the ships , overcrowded with soldiers , left the site altogether . When the news of Hamilcar ' s death and the burning of ships reach the fighting armies , the Greeks pressed harder and routed the Carthaginians , who fled to their camp . In an alternative version , Gelo ordered Pediarchos , his captain of archers , to ‘ dress as the tyrant ’ to impersonate him and offer sacrifices in front of the camp . Pediarchos was surrounded by archers who had concealed bows in their dress while he impersonated Gelo . Hamilcar was obliged to come out to offer sacrifices also , and the bowmen shot him down . Theron takes action . Gelo ' s army stormed the Carthaginian camp and the Greeks scattered to loot the tents . The Iberians of the Carthaginian army reformed , and they attacked the now disordered Greeks , inflicting severe casualties . The Greeks fought back , but they were hard pressed and the Iberians got the upper hand in the struggle . At this critical juncture Theron decided to join the battle . He directed his attack on the flank and rear of the Iberian position inside the camp and also set fire to tents near them . The Iberians finally gave way , and retreated to the ships still afloat . Other Carthaginian survivors left the camp and retreated to a hill inland , where they attempted to defend themselves . The hill was waterless and they were ultimately forced to surrender . About half of the Carthaginian army and majority of the fleet was destroyed , numerous prisoners and rich booty had fallen into Greek hands . It is commented that the surviving Carthaginian ships were sunk in a storm on their return journey to Africa . Aftermath . Gelo and Theron did not attack Rhegion or the Carthaginian territory in Sicily after the battle . Carthage initially manned the city walls and prepared for a Greek invasion of Africa , and did not renew the struggle either . Gelo offered mild terms to the Carthaginian embassy that arrived asking for a ceasefire . Carthage paid 2 , 000 silver talents as indemnity , erected two monuments in the memory of Himera , but lost no territory . Selinus and Rhegion also came to terms with Syracuse and Anaxilas married his daughter to Hieron I , brother of Gelo . The status quo before the battle was reestablished - Terrilus being the ultimate loser . Greek culture and trade flourished in Sicily . Gelo , Theron and Hieron built public buildings using the slaves and spoils gained from the battle . An era of prosperity began , but infighting among the tyrants ensured that the peace was not unbroken . Carthage focused on expanding in Africa , leaving Sicily alone for 70 years . Apart from an obscure clash in 454 BC , the Greeks and Phoenicians left each other alone in Sicily . Himera remained in possession of Akragas until 472 BC . Theron expelled the Ionians after they attempted a coup and settled the city with Dorian Greeks . By 466 BC , the Sicilian Greek cities had broken away from the dominions of Gelo and Theron and had overthrown the tyrants ’ heirs , so in place of 3 Greek power blocks dominating Sicily ( those of Syracuse , Akragas and Rhegion ) , 11 bickering Greek commonwealths came into being by 461 BC . They continued the Ionic / Doric feud in full force in addition to threatening the native Sicilians . Their actions ultimately led to the " Second Sicilian War " and the final destruction of Himera in 409 BC . During the construction of a railway extension in 2008 , near the site of the ancient Greek colony of Himera , archeologists uncovered more than 10 , 000 graves . A number of those graves held the remains of 5th century BC soldiers . ) References . < div class = " references - small " >