Diodorus on the Sicilian peace of 405
In 410-405, Carthage waged war against the Greeks of Sicily and was able to conquer several cities: Selinus, Himera, Acragas, and Gela. An epidemic in their army prevented them from advancing to Syracuse, where Dionysius became tyrant. He and the Carthaginian commander Himilco signed a peace treaty; Diodorus of Sicily quotes the original document in his Library of World History (13.114.1-2). The translation was made by C.H. Oldfather.
The Peace of 405 |
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[13.114.1] Consequently Himilco, acting under the stress of circumstances, dispatched a herald to Syracuse urging the vanquished to make up their differences. Dionysius was glad to comply and they concluded peace on the following terms: |
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[13.114.2] As soon as this treaty had been concluded, the Carthaginians sailed off to Libya, having lost more than half their soldiers from the plague; but the pestilence continued to rage no less in Libya also and great numbers both of the Carthaginians themselves and of their allies were struck down. |
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