Dionysius of Syracuse the Elder (Διονύσιος ὁ Συρακόσιος ὁ Πρεσβύτερος, c. 430–367 BCE) was the tyrant of Syracuse from 405 BCE until his death. He seized power during a crisis following Carthage’s invasion of Sicily and ruled through nearly continuous warfare, consolidating Syracusan dominance on the island by 392/1 BCE [1][2]. His reign featured major military fortifications, a powerful navy, and a court that attracted figures like the historian Philistus and the philosopher Plato, as Dionysius sought to cultivate an image of a legitimate Hellenic ruler [1][2].

Works His only known work is the tragedy The Ransom of Hector (Λύτρα Ἕκτορος), which is now lost and known only from references [1][2].

Significance Dionysius I was a transformative military and political figure who made Syracuse the preeminent power in the Greek West [1][2]. His attempts to gain prestige as a tragic poet, though mocked in later anecdotal tradition, highlight the interplay between political authority and cultural ambition in the Classical period [1][2].

Sources 1. Encyclopædia Britannica: https://www.britannica.com/biography/Dionysius-I 2. Oxford Research Encyclopedia of Classics: https://oxfordre.com/classics/view/10.1093/acrefore/9780199381135.001.0001/acrefore-9780199381135-e-2263