ROMSO Cyprus Knowledge Base

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Biography
Timonide, native of the island of Leucade, lived in the 4th century BC. In addition to a man of culture (probably academic, given his relations with Speusippo), he was a soldier for the Syracusan friend Dione, participating in the confrontation between Dione and Dionysius II, and Plutarch in his Life of Dione reports that Timonide on those events composed a historical work, which the biographer could almost certainly have had as a primary source for biography.

Timonides prepared, with Dione, the plan to invade Syracuse, in a team composed, among others, by Eudemo of Cyprus, for whose death Aristotle wrote the dialogue On the soul. The company, however, was not fortunate at first and Dione attempted to attack the city front, leaving Timonide to command.

Opera
The work of Timonide, which, as mentioned, is quoted by Plutarco, had to be used by him through Timeo of Tauromenio. It was, however, an author of a letter to Speusippo on Dione's life, almost certainly of apologetic purpose.

In fact, the plutarcheo tone, which systematically devalues Dione's greatest adversary, Eraclide, induces scholars to study capp. 32-53 of the biography as an example of the tones with which Timonide justified the civil war by denigrating the opponent at both political and personal level. Surely it was spoken in broad and negative terms of Filisto of Syracuse, historical and main supporter of Dionysius II.

Moreover, perhaps Timonide presented an exhibition of political-institutional reform designed by Dione in Syracuse, echoing platonic themes.

Notes

Bibliography
W. Capelle, s.v. "Timonides von Leukas", in RE, Bd. 6a, Stuttgart 1937, col. 1305.
E. Manni, Timonide and Dione's plutarchea life, in "AION" (1986), pp. 1-6.
F. Muccioli, Comments on the use of Timonides in the "Vita di Dione" of Plutarco, in "Ancient Society", Vol. 21 (1990), pp. 167-187.

Related Items
Atanide of Syracuse
Areas of Syracuse
Trips from Plato to Sicily
Dion of Syracuse
Syracuse Civil War (357 BC)