The Carthaginian Conquest and Destruction of Selinus in 409 B.C.: Diodorus and Archaeology

The conquest and destruction of Selinus by the Carthaginian army in 409 B.C. and its reoccupation by the Syracusan general Hermocrates the year after provide an excellent case study for exploring two of the main themes of this volume. This chapter focuses on the destruction of 409 B.C., comparing Diodorus Siculus’ account with the archaeological evidence, in an attempt to evaluate both the physical damage sustained by the city and the reliability of the ancient author. This discussion is followed by a brief account of Selinus’ survival and recovery, always on the basis of Diodorus Siculus and the available archaeological evidence.