Lesson plan
Pharacidas
Pharacidas ( ) was a Spartan admiral sent to the assistance of Dionysius I against the Carthaginians, in the Greek-Punic Wars. Diodorus Siculus wrote that Polyxenus (Πολύξενος), the brother-in law of Dionysius, arrived from the Peloponnesus and Italy, bringing thirty warships from his allies, with Pharacidas as admiral. Polyaenus in his Strategems wrote about an incident between Pharacidas and the Carthaginian fleet. According to Polyaenus, Pharacidas forces attacked some Carthaginian ships and captured nine of them. In order to pass the Carthaginian's main fleet which was much larger than his, he manned the captured ships with his own troops and sailors. The Carthaginians, seeing their own ships thought that they were friendly and allowed them to pass. That way Pharacidas ships manage to enter into the harbor of Syracuse unharmed.
Article summary
Pharacidas ( ) was a Spartan admiral sent to the assistance of Dionysius I against the Carthaginians, in the Greek-Punic Wars. Diodorus Siculus wrote that Polyxenus (Πολύξενος), the brother-in law of Dionysius, arrived from the Peloponnesus and Italy, bringing thirty warships from his allies, with Pharacidas as admiral. Polyaenus in his Strategems wrote about an incident between Pharacidas and the Carthaginian fleet. According to Polyaenus, Pharacidas forces attacked some Carthaginian ships and captured nine of them. In order to pass the Carthaginian's main fleet which was much larger than his, he manned the captured ships with his own troops and sailors. The Carthaginians, seeing their own ships thought that they were friendly and allowed them to pass. That way Pharacidas ships manage to enter into the harbor of Syracuse unharmed.
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Discussion questions
- Summarise the article in your own words. Which single claim would you verify first, and why?
- Which claim in this article is most likely to be revised as the sources update? How would you check its current status?
- If two sources disagreed about one of these facts, what would you need in order to trust one over the other?
Bibliography
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Key claims and bibliography are generated from the same tracked claims and sources as the article page.