A source-book of ancient history - The Search For Mecca

SICILY:
CHAPTER XXI
THE TYRANT AND THE LIBERATOR
I. Preparation for War with Carthage
Having now a good opportunity to wage war against
them, (the Carthaginians), as he thought, he resolved first
to make the necessary preparation; for he understood that
the contest would be great and of long duration, as he was
about to engage with the most powerful nation that had a
footing in Europe. He accordingly collected artisans, by
a levy, from all the cities under his rule, and others from
Italy and Greece and from the Carthaginian dominion,
attracting them by the offer of high wages.
And he aimed also to provide a vast number of arms
and missiles of every description, and in addition quadriremes
and quinqueremes, none of the latter
been built up to that time.
ever having
After a great number of artisans
had been collected he organized them in companies
according to their several trades, and placed them under
the superintendence of the most respectable citizens, offering
great rewards to the makers of arms.
Inasmuch as
mercenaries had been brought together from various nations,
he himself assigned the arms according to their
several forms and fashions; for he encouraged each soldier
to equip himself with his own weapons; as he reasoned
that thus the army would strike great terror in the enemy,
and that in battle the contestants would best know how
to use their customary equipments.
241
Dionysius
collects
workmen.
Diodorus
xiv. 41.
This war began
in 397
B.C.; Ancient
World, 247 f.;
Greece, 242 f.
He provides
arms and
warships.
His shipwrights
invent
quinqueremes.