Timoleon was born into a prominent family in Corinth. He was noted for his modesty, his public spirit, and his hatred of tyrants. As a young man, a rare prudence tempered his youthful energy, he was noted as the scourge of tyrants and when he was old he had the same resolute courage he had as a young man.

In 344 BC he went with a small army to Syracuse in answer to the appeal of the Syracusans to their mother city, Corinth, for aid against Dionysius the Younger. Timoleon fought against Dionysius, as well as against Hicetas, tyrant of Leontini, who hoped to usurp Dionysius's power, and against Hicetas's Carthaginian allies.

He drove Dionysius and Hicetas from Syracuse, set up a democratic government, and brought new Greek colonists.He defeated (341 BC) a large Carthaginian force, but made peace (c.338) with Carthage. He also ousted (337 BC) the tyrants from the other Sicilian cities before retiring from public life as a result of failing eyesight.

~Article courtesy of: AmblesideOnline.org

~Timoleon of Corinth image is courtesy of Palermoweb Galleria