Callippus of Syracuse facts for kids

Callippus (pronounced "kuh-LIP-us") was a leader in ancient Syracuse. He ruled for about 13 months, from 354 to 352 BC. Callippus was originally from Athens. He traveled to Sicily with Dion to help him take control of Syracuse. Dion became the ruler, but Callippus later took power by killing Dion. Callippus's rule was short. After he was removed from power, he led a group of paid soldiers called mercenaries. These mercenaries later killed him using the same sword he had used to kill Dion.

Callippus: Dion's Helper

Callippus was from Athens and studied with the famous philosopher Plato. Dion, who would later become the ruler of Syracuse, also studied with Plato. Dion asked Callippus to join his army. This army successfully took over Syracuse. They marched into the city with 800 mercenaries. They removed the previous ruler, Dionysius II, who was Dion’s nephew.

Taking Power: A Plot Uncovered

Dionysius II was living away from Syracuse. He offered Callippus money to kill Dion, and Callippus agreed. Callippus was in a good position to do this. Many of Dion’s closest friends had been killed by Dionysius II. Callippus was one of Dion's few remaining close friends.

Callippus used the money from Dionysius to pay some of Dion’s soldiers. He convinced them to switch sides and join him. Then, Callippus gained Dion’s trust. He pretended to betray some of these soldiers to Dion. Dion then asked Callippus to act as a secret agent. Dion wanted Callippus to find out who else was plotting against him. If anyone told Dion that Callippus was speaking badly about him, Dion just thought Callippus was pretending to be a spy.

Soon after, Dion’s only son died from falling out of a window. Callippus started a rumor. He said that Dion had invited Dionysius’s son, Apollocrates, to come to Syracuse. The rumor said Apollocrates would be Dion’s next ruler. Dion’s wife, Arete, and his sister, Aristomache, found out about Callippus’s plan. But Dion was still very sad about his son’s death. He refused to do anything about the plot.

Arete and Aristomache kept looking into Callippus’s plan. When Callippus found out they were asking questions, he went to them. He told them he was loyal to Dion and would prove it. They told him to take a very important oath. This oath involved a ceremony in Persephone’s temple. Callippus took the oath. But right after the ceremony, Callippus broke his promise. He stabbed Dion to death. After that, Callippus took control of Syracuse.

Callippus's Short Rule

After Dion was killed, Callippus sent a message to Athens. He bragged about what he had done. But even with his boasting, Callippus’s control over Syracuse was weak. Friends of Dion tried to start a rebellion against him, but they failed. Callippus also put Arete and Aristomache in prison. While in prison, Arete gave birth to Dion’s son. Callippus was becoming very unpopular. Because of this, he did not have Dion's son killed, even though the child could become a threat to his power.

How Callippus Lost Power

There are different stories about how Callippus lost his rule in Syracuse. One story comes from Diodorus Siculus. He says that Hipparinus, a son of Dionysius the Elder, attacked Syracuse. Dionysius the Elder was a ruler of Syracuse before Callippus. Hipparinus came with a fleet of ships and an army. After this attack, Callippus ran away from the city.

Another story is from Polyaenus. He says Hipparinus was in a city called Leontini. Callippus had sent his army out of Syracuse. Hipparinus attacked while most of Callippus's army was gone. This allowed Hipparinus to take control of the city.

Plutarch also tells a story where Callippus loses control of Syracuse while he is away. Callippus was on a trip to conquer Catana. But in Plutarch’s story, Hipparinus is not mentioned. Instead, Syracuse simply rebelled against Callippus.

Leading Mercenaries and His Death

After losing Syracuse, Callippus tried to conquer Messina. But his army was defeated. With the soldiers he had left, he traveled around Sicily. He couldn't support himself there, so he went to Italy. In Italy, he took control of Rhegium. This city had been controlled by Dionysius the Younger before. But Callippus treated his mercenaries badly. Because of this, his own companions, Leptines II and Polyperchon, stabbed him to death. It is said they used the very same sword that Callippus had used to kill Dion.

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