The siege against the garrison of Dionysius II continued, with the ex-tyrant’s son Apollocrates in charge but bottled up in the fortress. No more reinforcements arrived, so the garrison was slowly being starved out. Dion and Heraclides were still campaigning against enemy units loyal to Dionysius, Dion on land and Heraclides by sea. But Heraclides was also secretly communicating with Dionysius and spreading rumors that Dion was himself aiming at becoming the new tyrant in Syracuse. Heraclides tried to make alliances with a couple of military leaders from Sparta, but without gaining much advantage.
While Dion was campaigning, he got word that Heraclides was going to sail to Syracuse and take over the leadership of the government. Dion hurried back to Syracuse in forced marches and arrived before Heraclides to thwart the coup. Dion made peace with Heraclides, again. At this point Dion decommissioned most of the fleet, the operation of which was draining the treasury and providing Heraclides with opportunities for mischief. The army focused on the siege of the fortress at Ortygia. Dionysius’ garrison was now out of provisions and without hope. Apollocrates made peace, giving the fortress over to the Syracusans and departing with Dionysius’ mercenaries. The conflict was over: Dion and his allies had won, while Dionysius and his followers had lost their last foothold in Sicily.[14]
Dion’s wife Arete had been living in the fortress of Ortygia. She was the daughter of Dionysius I by one of his two wives, Aristomache, sister of Dion, and hence Dion’s niece. That marriage made Dion both brother-in-law and son-in-law of Dionysius I and also brother-in-law of Dionysius II, in the very endogamous court of Syracuse. When Dionysius junior had confiscated Dion’s property, he also gave Dion’s wife to another man, Timocrates. Dion now met with Arete and their son in a tearful reunion and took them back to his house in Syracuse. He presumably had the second marriage annulled.[15]
The future should have been bright for the republic of Syracuse and its dominions. A Platonic epistle said that the eyes of all Greece were upon Dion.[16] But Heraclides still posed a threat to the government of Dion, to whom he was nominally subject, but against whom he had been plotting for as long as Dion held power. Meanwhile, there was a simmering conflict between the aristocratic conceptions of Dion and the democratic aspirations of the common people of Syracuse. Dion’s enemies suspected him of aiming at establishing himself as a tyrant, despite the fact that he had not seized absolute power when he might have done so. In fact he lived a modest lifestyle during the time he held power.[17]
Now Heraclides increased his criticisms of Dion, accusing him for not tearing down the fortress of Ortygia, for not allowing the people to open the tomb of Dionysius I and desecrate his body, and for seeking advice from Corinth, which Dion seemed to think had a model government. At this point Dion’s supporters, allegedly with the collusion of Dion, went to Heraclides’ house and assassinated him. Dion held a state funeral for his deceased opponent.[18] With Dion’s nemesis gone, it appeared Dion could proceed with the reforms he wished to make in the government of Syracuse.
At this point Callippus, a friend of Dion’s from Plato’s Academy, and one who had accompanied him on his expedition to Sicily, made a move to usurp Dion’s rule. He initiated a rumor that Dion was planning to bring Dionysius’ son Apollocrates back as his own successor. Dion’s wife and other women of the household became suspicious of Callippus and required him to take an oath that he was not plotting against Dion, which he did. He then arranged for some companions of his from Zacynthus to attack Dion at a dinner party. Dion was assassinated, and Callippus stepped up to take his place, making himself the tyrant that he accused Dion of wanting to be.[19]
[14] Plutarch Dion 48.7-49.
[15] Plutarch Dion 51.
[16] Plato Letter 6, 320d-321a praises Dion but warns against political challenges he faces; compare Plutarch Dion 52. (The authenticity of the letter cannot be established: Ledger 1989: 78; but in any case, the letter reflects the attitudes of the time.)
[17] Plutarch Dion 52.2-3.
[18] Plutarch Dion 53.
[19] Plutarch Dion 54, 56-57.