# Agathocles — The Prince character guide

> Agathocles in The Prince by Niccolò Machiavelli.

**Role:** minor

**Also known as:** Agathocles, Agathocles the Sicilian

**First appearance:** 0014-viii-concerning-those-who-have-obtained-a-principality-by-wickedness

## Who they are

Sicilian tyrant who rose from low birth to kingship through crime.

## Relationships

### [Oliverotto da Fermo](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_prince_se/characters/oliverotto_da_fermo)

_psychological_

Agathocles is used as a historical parallel to Oliverotto, both being examples of gaining power through crime and cruelty.

## In the story

### [VIII: Concerning Those Who Have Obtained a Principality by Wickedness](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_prince_se/chapters/viii-concerning-those-who-have-obtained-a-principality-by-wickedness)

King of Syracuse who rose from a lowly potter's son to power through military prowess and a massacre of the senate and wealthy citizens.

### [Endnotes](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_prince_se/chapters/endnotes)

Agathocles the Sicilian, born 361 BC, died 289 BC.

## Links

- HTML: https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_prince_se/characters/agathocles
- Book: https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_prince_se
- All characters: https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_prince_se/characters