Hicetas (general)

Hicetas (Greek: Ἱκέτας or Ἱκέτης) was a Syracusan general and tyrant of Leontini, contemporary with the younger Dionysius and Timoleon.

Hicetas is first mentioned as a friend of Dion. After Dion's death in 353 BC, his widow Arete and his sister Aristomache turned to Hicetas for protection. Hicetas was willing to help them, but after a while he was persuaded otherwise by the enemies of Dion and accordingly he placed them on board a ship bound for Corinth, with secret instructions that they should be put to death during the voyage. (Plut. Dion, 58.)

In the disorders that ensued, Hicetas succeeded in gaining control of Leontini, which became, after the return of the younger Dionysius, a rallying point for all the disaffected Syracusans. But while Hicetas was secretly intended to expel Dionysius so that he establish himself in his place, the fears of a Carthaginian invasion and the desire to restore tranquillity to the island, led the Sicilians (including the Syracusan exiles) to send an embassy imploring assistance from Corinth. Hicetas ostensibly joined in the request, but as this was entirely opposed to his schemes, he at the same time entered into secret negotiations with the Carthaginians. Meanwhile, he had assembled a considerable force with which he attacked Syracuse. He managed to defeat Dionysius in a decisive action, making himself master of the whole city, except the island citadel, in which he kept the tyrant closely besieged. (Plut. Timol. 1, 2, 7, 9, 11; Diod. xvi. 65, 67, 68.)

This was the state of things when Timoleon, having eluded the vigilance of the Carthaginians, landed in Sicily (344 BCE). Hicetas, learning that the general was advancing to occupy Adranum, led his forces there in anticipation of his arrival. However, Hicetas was defeated with heavy losses and, shortly afterwards, Dionysius surrendered the citadel into the hands of the Corinthian leader.

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