Gelo, son of Hiero II was the eldest son of Hiero II, tyrant of Syracuse. After the huge defeat suffered by the Romans

Roman Republic

The Roman Republic was the period of the ancient Roman civilization where the government operated as a republic. It began with the overthrow of the Roman monarchy, traditionally dated around 508 BC, and its replacement by a government headed by two consuls, elected annually by the citizens and...

 at Cannae

Cannae

Cannae is an ancient village of the Apulia region of south east Italy. It is a frazione of the comune of Barletta.-Geography:It is situated near the river Aufidus , on a hill on the right Cannae (mod. Canne della Battaglia) is an ancient village of the Apulia region of south east Italy. It is a...

, Gelo went over to the Carthaginian side and began making friendly overtures to the cities allied to Rome. Not long after these events, in 216 BC Gelo died. Livy

Livy

Titus Livius — known as Livy in English — was a Roman historian who wrote a monumental history of Rome and the Roman people. Ab Urbe Condita Libri, "Chapters from the Foundation of the City," covering the period from the earliest legends of Rome well before the traditional foundation in 753 BC...

 suggests that Gelo may have been murdered by his own father Hiero II who remained loyal to Rome.