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Mago ( xpu, 𐤌𐤂𐤍, ; grc-gre, Μάγων, ''Mágōn'') was commander of the
Carthaginian The term Carthaginian ( la, Carthaginiensis ) usually refers to a citizen of Ancient Carthage.
It can also refer to:
* Carthaginian (ship), a three-masted schooner built in 1921
* Insurgent privateers; nineteenth-century South American privateers, ...
fleet under
Himilco in the war against
Dionysius I of Syracuse
Dionysius I or Dionysius the Elder ( 432 – 367 BC) was a Greek tyrant of Syracuse, in Sicily. He conquered several cities in Sicily and southern Italy, opposed Carthage's influence in Sicily and made Syracuse the most powerful of the Western Gre ...
, 396 BCE.
As commander of the
Carthaginian The term Carthaginian ( la, Carthaginiensis ) usually refers to a citizen of Ancient Carthage.
It can also refer to:
* Carthaginian (ship), a three-masted schooner built in 1921
* Insurgent privateers; nineteenth-century South American privateers, ...
fleet under
Himilco in the great sea-fight off
Catania, Mago completely defeated the fleet of the
Syracusans under
Leptines
Leptines ( grc-gre, Λεπτίνης) was an Athenian orator. He is known as the proposer of a law that no Athenian, whether citizen or resident alien (with the sole exception of the descendants of Harmodius and Aristogeiton), should be exempt fro ...
, the brother of Dionysius, sinking or destroying over 100 of their ships, as well as capturing many others. (
Diod. xiv. 59, 60.)
There is no information as to his role in the subsequent operations against Syracuse itself. However, after the disastrous end to the Carthaginian expedition and the return of Himilco to
Africa
Africa is the world's second-largest and second-most populous continent, after Asia in both cases. At about 30.3 million km2 (11.7 million square miles) including adjacent islands, it covers 6% of Earth's total surface area ...
, Mago appears to have been given the chief command in
Sicily
(man) it, Siciliana (woman)
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, where he endeavoured, through lenient measures and conciliation towards the
Greek
Greek may refer to:
Greece
Anything of, from, or related to Greece, a country in Southern Europe:
*Greeks, an ethnic group.
*Greek language, a branch of the Indo-European language family.
**Proto-Greek language, the assumed last common ancestor ...
cities and by concluding alliances with the Sicilian tribes, to re-establish the Carthaginian power on the island.
In 393 BCE he advanced against Messana (modern
Messina), but was attacked and defeated by Dionysius near
Abacaenum Abacaenum ( grc, Ἀβάκαινον; ) was an ancient city of Sicily, situated about 6.5 km from the north coast, between Tyndaris (modern Tindari) and Mylae (modern Milazzo), and 13 km from the former city.
Remains of the city have b ...
, which compelled him to remain quiet for a time. The next year, however, having received powerful reinforcements from
Sardinia
Sardinia ( ; it, Sardegna, label=Italian, Corsican and Tabarchino ; sc, Sardigna , sdc, Sardhigna; french: Sardaigne; sdn, Saldigna; ca, Sardenya, label=Algherese and Catalan) is the second-largest island in the Mediterranean Sea, after ...
and North Africa, he assembled an army of 80,000 men, with which he advanced through the heart of Sicily as far as the
Chrysas River, but was met there by Dionysius, who having secured the alliance of
Agyris, tyrant of
Agyrium
''Agyrium'' is a genus of saprophytic fungi in the family Agyriaceae. It probably evolved from a lichen ancestor, as it is closely related to many lichenized species of fungi.
Taxonomy
''Agyrium'' was first proposed by Elias Magnus Fries in ...
, succeeded in cutting off the supplies of the enemy. As a result, Dionysius reduced the Carthaginians to such a level of distress that Mago was compelled to conclude a treaty of peace, through which he abandoned his allies, the Sicilians, to the power of Dionysius. (''Id.'' xiv. 90, 95, 96.)
After this Mago returned to Carthage, where shortly after he was raised to the office of suffete, a position which he held in 383 BCE, when the ambition and intrigues of Dionysius led to the renewal of hostilities between Carthage and Syracuse. Mago landed in Sicily with a large army, and after numerous petty combats, a pitched battle took place, in which, after a severe contest, the Carthaginians were defeated and Mago was slain.
[Diod. xv. 15.]
See also
*
Other Magos in Carthaginian history
References
Citations
Bibliography
* .
*
{{DEFAULTSORT:Mago
Carthaginians
4th-century BC deaths
Year of birth unknown
4th-century BC Punic people