In c.725 BC settlers from Cumae and Chalcis founded a colony called Zancle at the northeast corner of Sicily. The colony’s principal source of wealth was the exaction of tolls on traffic passing through the strait. On the mainland beyond the strait was the city of Rhegium. In 490 BC Zancle fell to Anaxilas (r.c.494-476 BC), tyrant of Rhegium, who introduced new settlers from Samos and Messinia and changed its name to Messene (Ionic), or Messana (Doric).
Messana (=Messina) founded two cities on the north coast of Sicily: Mylae (c.716 BC) on the Longanus River west of Messana; and Himera (c.649 BC) at the mouth of the river of the same name just over midway along the north coast.
In c.580 BC colonists from Gela founded Acragas about midway along the southwest coast. At Acragas the tyrant Phalaris was overthrown by the ancestors of the tyrant Theron (r.c.488-473 BC). Theron expanded northwards and 483 BC captured Himera, expelling the tyrant Terillus, who fled to his son-in-law Anaxilas at Rhegium.
Anaxilas felt that his control of the strait was threatened by Gelon (r.485-478 BC), the tyrant of Syracuse; and Terillus was on friendly terms with Carthage. The two of them therefore appealed to the Carthaginians for their support. Though later generations thought that Persia and Carthage acted in concert, it is likely that the Carthaginians thought that it was time to expel the Greeks from Sicily anyway.
The Carthaginian king Hamilcar (1) (r.c.510-480 BC) set out from Carthage with 200 ships and an army that probably exceeded 100,000 men. During the crossing a storm caused the loss of his chariots and horses, which was to be significant in the coming battle. Hamilcar’s plan was to capture Himera and then join Anaxilas at Messana before attacking Syracuse. The Carthaginian army and navy concentrated at Panormus on the north coast of Sicily then advanced eastwards to Himera. Theron was already present in Himera with his army.
Himera is located on the top of a hill on the western bank of the Himera River. The Carthaginian ships were beached to the north of Himera and protected with a palisade and ditch, and to the west of Himera a fortified camp was built for the army. Hamilcar took a body of men and marched to the city. Those Himerans who ventured outside the city were routed. Theron sent a message to Syracuse asking Gelon for reinforcements.
Gelon marched overland with 5000 cavalry and 50,000 infantry and made a fortified camp east of Himera. His cavalry captured some of the enemy foraging the countryside. According to Diodorus (fl.60-30 BC), the cavalry penetrated the Carthaginian position by a ruse: a message from Selinus confirming that cavalry would be sent on a certain day was intercepted; Gelon’s cavalry presented themselves on the specified day and were admitted into the Carthaginian naval camp. Gelon’s cavalry then set fire to the ships on the beach and in the ensuing confusion Hamilcar was killed. Gelon’s infantry marched around the south of Himera and confronted the Carthaginian army. The struggle was fierce and neither side could gain the advantage. At this point Theron joined the battle and the Carthaginians finally had to give way. Some of the survivors retreated to the ships still afloat; others retreated to a hill where they tried to defend themselves, but the hill was waterless and eventually they had to surrender. To save her colonies, which in reality were trading posts, Carthage bought peace with a heavy war indemnity. Herodotus noted that Sicilian tradition held that this battle was fought on the same day as the one at Salamis.
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