Abstract
Dionysius of Halicarnassus (History of Archaic Rome VII 3-11), deriving from Timaeus of Tauromenium, offers a detailed picture of the life and deeds of Aristodemus of Cumae, and describes him as a «tyrant». The aim of this paper is to demonstrate that Aristodemus, despite being a «demagogue» hated by the Cumaean aristocracy, was actually a king (βασιλεύς), with political, military and religious powers.