542 SYRACUSE ft. in diameter, contained 60 ranges of seats, all cut in the rock, and could accommodate 24,000 spectators. Not far from this are the ruins of an amphitheatre of the Roman period. Nearer to Ortygia are the ruins of the pal- ace of Agathocles, and on the peninsula are traces of several other palaces. The lautumm or latomia!, originally quarries cut in the wall of rocks which formed the face of the heights of Achradina, and excavated to the depth ot 60 to 80 ft., are still perfect. Some of them were used as prisons: in one the Athenian Syracuse Euins of Theatre in the Foreground. prisoners were confined on the surrender of Nicias, and most of them perished. Near the site of the ancient theatre, on one side of the quarry, is that remarkable prison cut in the rock, now called the " ear of Dionysius." There are also catacombs of great extent con- taining subterranean streets of tombs, in which Greek and Roman, Christian and Saracen, have all found burial. The remains of a great aque- duct begun by Gelon and improved by Hiero also exist. Near the left bank of the Anapo, outside the walls and S. "W. of the city, are the ruins of the temple of Jupiter Olympius. The celebrated fountain of Arethusa, long in a ruinous condition and used by washerwomen, has been repaired and beautified by the city authorities ; a wall separates it from the sea. There are also remains of several baths, one of them with a spiral staircase. In the mu- seum of the modern city are preserved stat- ues, vases, coins, and inscriptions gathered from the ruins. Syracuse was founded by the Corinthians, under Archias, about 734 B. C. Within 70 years it began to send out colo- nies, among which were Acrse (664), Casmenae (about 644), and Camarina (599). In 486 an oligarchy called the Geomori, or Gamori, who had usurped the government, were overthrown. They withdrew to Gasmen, but Gelon, despot of Gela, restored them to power, reserving for himself the supreme government. (See GELON.) Hiero, his successor (about 478), was a patron of literature and the arts. His broth- er Thrasybulus succeeded him in 467, but his tyranny soon caused his expulsion, and a pop- ular government was instituted. (See HIERO.) In 415 the Athenians formed a league against Syracuse, and besieged it the following year. The Spartans came to the aid of the Syra- cusans, and in September, 413, a great naval battle was fought, in which the Athenians, under Nicias and Demosthenes, were defeat- ed, their ships destroyed, about 30,000 men killed, and 10,000 made prisoners. In 405 Dionysius the Elder, taking advantage of the popular alarm at the aggressions of the Car- thaginians, made himself despot of the city, concluded a peace with Carthage, and ruled vigorously but tyrannically for 38 years. He fortified the town, and in 397 commenced war against the Carthaginians, and defeated them. Twelve years later he had extended his do- minion over the greater part of Sicily and a part of Magna Graecia. He was succeeded in 367 by his son Dionysius the Younger, whose tyranny and debauchery brought about his ex- pulsion by Dion in 357 ; he regained his power in 346, but was finally expelled by Timoleon in 343. (See DIONYSIUS.) The restoration of liberty to Syracuse by the latter was followed by unexampled though brief prosperity; and 26 years later Agathocles acquired despotic power over the city, and used it for 28 years to plunge her in new and destructive wars. (See AGATHOCLES.) After his death (289) a short respite was had, but soon new tyrants assumed the sway, till in 270 Hiero II. ob- tained supreme power, and maintained a firm
