Leontini Hoplitai




(from Google Maps)

One of the early opponents of Syracuse, this city will be a difficult nut to crack for any Syracusian tyrant aiming at Hegemony.

Details about the armament:

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The Leontinian hoplites carry the typical hoplite armament, a 7-foot dora spear, a metre-wide hoplon, a suit of linothorax armor and a helmet of corinthian style:



On their shields they have an image of a lion the same as coins found at Leontini:




Details about the history of Leontini:

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The city was founded in 729 BCE by colonists from Naxos, Naxos being a Chalcidean colony established five years previous.

Leontini was basically the only Greek colony not located directly on the coast, located about 6 miles inland. The location was originally controlled by the native Sicels that was valuable for its close proximity to a highly fertile plain. The status of the city was reduced to a subject state in 498 by Hippocrates of Gela, and in 476 BC Hieron of Syracuse moved the inhabitants from Catana and Naxos to Leontini.

Leontini eventually regained independance, however, this proved to be difficult to keep and help was requisitioned from Athens. It was mainly this request that led to the aborted Sicilian Expedition.

After the failed expedition Leontini was again a subject of Syracuse. The city only gained independance in 405 BCE in a treaty made by the Carthaginians and Dionysos of Syracuse. The city was finally stormed by Marcus Claudius Marcellus in 214 BC.