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+--- Thread: Why Did Syracuse Not Become A Great Power? (/showthread.php?tid=30740)
Why Did Syracuse Not Become A Great Power? - Eleatic Guest - 01-12-2018
4th to 3rd century BC Syracuse was bigger, more populous, wealthier and culturally more advanced than Rome. Its military was technologically more advanced (artillery, siege machines, cavalry), its navy bigger and more experienced and its army led by competent, forceful commanders in chief (Dionysios, Agasthocles, Hieron).
Yet despite its potential Syracuse, unlike Rome, never rose to a great power, but finally submitted to Rome. I advance three reasons for this failure:
- The counterpressure by Carthage was too strong.
- Syracuse lacked a grand strategy in foreign affairs like Rome had (colonies, treaties).
- Syracuse was too distracted and debilitated by social conflict (tyrant versus demos) to maintain an imperial policy; it was too much of a polis to become an expansive force.
What do you think were the reasons?