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{{Short description|3rd century BC Syracusan general}}
'''Epicydes''' or ''Epikudês'' ({{langx|grc|Ἐπικύδης}}) (3rd century BC) was a Greco-Carthaginian of [[Syracuse, Sicily|Syracusan]] descent who first served in [[Hannibal|Hannibal's]] army and then led the Syracusans in their struggle against Rome during the [[Second Punic War]].<ref>[https://www.perseus.tufts.edu/hopper/text?doc=Perseus%3Atext%3A1999.04.0062%3Aalphabetic+letter%3DE%3Aentry+group%3D5%3Aentry%3Depicydes-harpers Harry Thurston Peck, Harpers Dictionary of Classical Antiquities (1898), Epicȳdes]</ref>

A [[Syracuse, Sicily|Syracusan]] by origin, he was born and educated at Carthage as the son of a Carthaginian mother. His grandfather, after having been banished by [[Agathocles of Syracuse]], had settled at Carthage.<ref>Polyb. vii. 2; Liv. xxiv. 6. (cited by Bunbury)</ref> 

Epicydes served, together with his elder brother Hippocrates, with much distinction in the army of [[Hannibal]], both in Spain and Italy. and when, after the [[Battle of Cannae]], [[Hieronymus of Syracuse]] sent to make overtures to Hannibal, that general selected the two brothers as his envoys to Syracuse and Epicydes was the leader of the Punic party in Syracuse. They soon gained over the wavering mind of the young king, and induced him to desert the Roman alliance.<ref>Polyb. vii. 2-5; Liv. xxiv. 6-7. (cited by Bunbury)</ref> But the murder of Hieronymus shortly after, and the revolution that ensued at Syracuse, for a time deranged their plans. At first, they demanded merely a safe-conduct to return to Hannibal. But they soon found that they could do more good by their intrigues at Syracuse, where they even succeeded in procuring their election as generals in the place of [[Andranodorus]] and [[Themistus]]. 

But the Roman party again obtained the upper hand. After Hippocrates had been sent with a force to [[Leontini]], Epicydes joined him there, and they set at defiance the Syracusan government. Leontini was, indeed, quickly reduced by [[Marcus Claudius Marcellus|Marcellus]], but his cruelties there alienated the Syracusans, and still more the foreign mercenaries in their service. Of this disposition, Hippocrates and Epicydes (who had made their escape to [[Herbessos]]) ably availed themselves. They induced the troops sent against them to mutiny, and returned at their head to Syracuse, of which they made themselves masters with little difficulty in 214 BC.<ref>Liv. xxiv. 21-32. (cited by Bunbury)</ref>

Marcellus immediately proceeded to [[Siege of Syracuse (212 BC)|besiege Syracuse]], the defence of which was conducted with ability and vigour by the two brothers, who had been again appointed generals. When the Roman commander found himself obliged to turn the siege into a blockade, Epicydes continued to hold the city itself, while Hippocrates conducted the operations in other parts of [[Sicily]]. The former was, however, unable to prevent the surprise of the [[Epipolae]], which were betrayed into the hands of Marcellus. But still he exerted his utmost efforts against the Romans, and co-operated zealously with the army from without under [[Himilco (fl. 3rd century BC)|Himilco]] and Hippocrates. After the defeat of the latter, Epicydes went in person to meet [[Bomilcar (3rd century BC)|Bomilcar]], who was advancing with a Carthaginian fleet to the relief of the city, and hasten his arrival. But, after the retreat of Bomilcar, he seems to have regarded the fall of Syracuse as inevitable, and withdrew to [[Agrigentum]].<ref>Liv. xxiv. 33-39, xxv. 23-27. (cited by Bunbury)</ref> Here he appears to have remained and co-operated with the Numidian [[Mutines]], until the capture of Agrigentum (210 BC) obliged him to flee with [[Hanno, son of Bomilcar|Hanno]] to Carthage, after which his name is not again mentioned.<ref>Liv. xxvi. 40. (cited by Bunbury)</ref>

==References==
* {{SmithDGRBM|author=Edward Herbert Bunbury|title=Epicydes |url=http://quod.lib.umich.edu/m/moa/acl3129.0002.001/45?page=root;rgn=full+text;size=100;view=image |volume=2 |pages=35, 36}}

==Footnotes==
{{reflist}}

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|width=25% align=center|'''Preceded by:'''<br>'''[[Adranodoros]]'''
|width=25% align=center|'''[[List of Tyrants of Syracuse|Tyrant of Syracuse]]'''<br>214 BC &ndash; 212 BC, with [[Hippocrates of Syracuse|Hippocrates]]
|width=25% align=center|'''Succeeded by:'''<br>'''Position abolished'''<br/>(Syracuse incorporated into the [[Roman province of Sicilia]])
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[[Category:Carthaginian commanders of the Second Punic War]]
[[Category:3rd-century BC Punic people]]
[[Category:Ancient Syracusans]]