Timbictoo, a town of central Africa, on the borders of the Sahara, about 9 m. from the river Niger, about lat. 17° 40' N., Ion. 3° W.; pop. about 13,000, greatly increased during the season of trade, from November to January. It is nearly triangular and about 3 m. in circuit. It was formerly surrounded by a clay wall, but this was destroyed in 1826. The houses are closely packed together, and mostly built of clay and stone; some of them are two stories high, and show considerable taste in their decoration. The port of Timbuctoo is at Kabara on the Niger, which has a vast artificial basin, but is accessible for only four or five months in the year, the stream at other times being too shallow for navigation. The most valuable traffic is by caravans, for which Timbuctoo is the central station of northern Africa. Gold dust is the great article of trade, but many native products and foreign manufactures are also found here. The merchants of Timbuctoo are generally only agents of those at Mogadore, Morocco, Fez, and other places in northern Africa; and this, with the incessant conflicts of race and religion, prevents the accumulation of wealth. The inhabitants are a mixed population of indigenous negroes, Tua-riks, Bambarras, Mandingos, Arabs, and Foo-lahs, the governing race.

The city dates from the 12th century, but it was long known in Europe only by reports of native travellers, until it was first reached by Major Laing in 1826, and furtively visited by Caillie in 1828. In 1853-'4 Dr. Barth resided there nearly a year. TIMOLEON, a Corinthian general, liberator of Syracuse, born about 395 B. C, died in 337. He was early noted for his patriotism and courage, and in his hatred of tyranny he brought about the assassination of his brother Timo-phanes, who had usurped power in Corinth. Seized by remorse, he lived for nearly 20 years in utter seclusion. In 344 he took command of an expedition sent out by the Corinthians in aid of the Syracusans. After gaining a victory over Hicetas, tyrant of Leontini, who had formed an alliance with the Carthaginians against Dionysius the Younger, he obtained the support of several Sicilian cities. He marched to Syracuse, and took possession of the island of Ortygia, surrendered to him by Dionysius, who sailed for Corinth. Timoleon retired to Adranum, while Neon, in command of Ortygia, attacked the blockading force of the Carthaginians. These soon began to distrust Hicetas, and suddenly sailed away with their whole fleet and all their troops.

Timoleon came at the head of 4,000 men, and took the portion of Syracuse held by Hicetas without the loss of a single man. He gave the inhabitants a democratic constitution, ordered the fortifications to be demolished, and erected courts of justice on their site. In a short time more than 60,000 immigrants and exiles repeopled the deserted town. But in 339 the Carthaginians landed at Lilybamm an army of 80,000 men led by Hasdrubal and Ha-milcar. The inhabitants were panic-struck, and with difficulty Timoleon collected 12,000 men and set out for the western portion of the island, where he attacked the enemy just as they were crossing the Cremissus, and, aided by a storm, completely routed them. He soon after overthrew Hicetas and Mamercus, tyrant of Catana, and proceeded in his work of dethroning tyrants until none was left throughout Grecian Sicily. Timoleon declined the supreme power, and withdrew again from public life, residing with his family in Syracuse, in a house voted to him by the inhabitants. Toward the close of his life he became totally blind. When he died, the Syracusan people voted to honor him for all future time with festival matches in music, races, and gymnastics.

His life was written by Cornelius Nepos and Plutarch.