Onesilus: Difference between revisions
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{{Short description|King of Salamis, Cyprus (died 497 BC)}} |
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'''Onesilus''' |
'''Onesilus''' or '''Onesilos''' ({{lang-el|Ὀνήσιλος}}, "useful one"; died 497 BC) was the brother of king Gorgos (Gorgus) of the [[Ancient Greece|Greek]] city-state of [[Salamis, Cyprus|Salamis]] on the island of [[Cyprus]]. He is known only through the work of [[Herodotus]] (''Histories'', V.104–115). |
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==Background== |
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Cyprus was a part of the [[Persian Empire]] but when the [[Ionian Revolt|Ionians rebelled from Persian rule]], |
Cyprus was a part of the [[Achaemenid Empire|Persian Empire]], but, when the [[Ionian Revolt|Ionians rebelled from Persian rule]], Onesilus captured the city of Salamis and usurped his brother’s throne. He was able to win over every city on the island except for the Graeco-Phoenician city-state of [[Amathus]], which stayed loyal to the Persians despite being besieged by Onesilus' troops. |
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In 497 BC, the Persians mounted an attack on Cyprus with the help of the [[Phoenicia]]n navy. Some of the Ionian colonies sent ships to assist Onesilus, and in the ensuing battle they were able to defeat the Phoenician navy. Onesilus then led an army against the Persian general, [[Artybius]]. Although Artybius died in the battle, the Persians were victorious and Onesilus was killed. As a result, the Ionian fleet retreated from Cyprus and five months later the Persians regained control of the island. Onesilus’ brother, Gorgus Chersides, was then reinstated by the Persians as king of Salamis. |
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Herodotus also reports that in retaliation for Onesilus' siege of Amathus, the townspeople cut off his head after his death and hung it above the town gates as a trophy, and later observed that his desiccated skull had been occupied by a swarm of bees and their honeycomb (a phenomenon similar to [[bugonia]]). To ward off the effects of this ill omen they were advised to take down the head and bury it, making sacrifice to Onesilus as a hero.<ref>{{cite book |last=Herodotus |title=The Histories |year=1996 |url=https://archive.org/details/histories00hero_0|url-access=registration |location=London;New York |publisher=Penguin Books |page=5.112-5.114 |isbn=9780140446388 }}</ref> |
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Gorgos was reinstated as king of Salamis and Onesilos’ head was placed on a pole on the gates of the city of Amathus; as time passed, bees built a hive in Onesilos’ hollow skull and the people of Amathus asked an oracle what they should do; the oracle advised them to bury the skull and institute a yearly sacrifice in honor of Onesilos. |
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==In popular culture== |
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The story of the bees in the skull is the subject of "histories: onesilos", a poem by German poet [[Jan Wagner (poet)|Jan Wagner]].<ref>{{cite book |last=Wagner |first=Jan |title=HISTORIES: ONESILOS; IN THE WELL |url=https://www.kenyonreview.org/kr-online-issue/2017-julyaug/selections/jan-wagner-763879/ |publisher=The Kenyon Review (July/Aug 2017) }}</ref> |
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==References== |
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{{reflist}} |
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{{s-start}} |
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{{s-bef |
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| before = Gorgus |
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}} |
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{{s-ttl |
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| title = King of [[Salamis, Cyprus|Salamis]] |
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| years = 499–497 BC |
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}} |
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{{s-aft |
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| after = Gorgus |
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}} |
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{{s-end}} |
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[[Category:6th-century BC births]] |
[[Category:6th-century BC births]] |
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[[Category:497 BC deaths]] |
[[Category:497 BC deaths]] |
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[[Category:Ancient Greeks killed in battle]] |
[[Category:Ancient Greeks killed in battle]] |
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[[Category:Ancient Greek |
[[Category:Ancient Greek monarchs]] |
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[[Category: |
[[Category:Kings of Salamis, Cyprus]] |
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[[Category: |
[[Category:Ionian Revolt]] |
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[[Category:Ancient Cypriots]] |
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[[el:Ονήσιλος]] |
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[[sh:Onesil]] |
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[[sv:Onesilos]] |
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Latest revision as of 18:25, 20 April 2024
Onesilus or Onesilos (Greek: Ὀνήσιλος, "useful one"; died 497 BC) was the brother of king Gorgos (Gorgus) of the Greek city-state of Salamis on the island of Cyprus. He is known only through the work of Herodotus (Histories, V.104–115).
Background[edit]
Cyprus was a part of the Persian Empire, but, when the Ionians rebelled from Persian rule, Onesilus captured the city of Salamis and usurped his brother’s throne. He was able to win over every city on the island except for the Graeco-Phoenician city-state of Amathus, which stayed loyal to the Persians despite being besieged by Onesilus' troops.
In 497 BC, the Persians mounted an attack on Cyprus with the help of the Phoenician navy. Some of the Ionian colonies sent ships to assist Onesilus, and in the ensuing battle they were able to defeat the Phoenician navy. Onesilus then led an army against the Persian general, Artybius. Although Artybius died in the battle, the Persians were victorious and Onesilus was killed. As a result, the Ionian fleet retreated from Cyprus and five months later the Persians regained control of the island. Onesilus’ brother, Gorgus Chersides, was then reinstated by the Persians as king of Salamis.
Herodotus also reports that in retaliation for Onesilus' siege of Amathus, the townspeople cut off his head after his death and hung it above the town gates as a trophy, and later observed that his desiccated skull had been occupied by a swarm of bees and their honeycomb (a phenomenon similar to bugonia). To ward off the effects of this ill omen they were advised to take down the head and bury it, making sacrifice to Onesilus as a hero.[1]
In popular culture[edit]
The story of the bees in the skull is the subject of "histories: onesilos", a poem by German poet Jan Wagner.[2]
References[edit]
- ^ Herodotus (1996). The Histories. London;New York: Penguin Books. p. 5.112-5.114. ISBN 9780140446388.
- ^ Wagner, Jan. HISTORIES: ONESILOS; IN THE WELL. The Kenyon Review (July/Aug 2017).
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