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Chares of Athens
Chares of Athens (Ancient Greek: Χάρης ὁ Ἀθηναῖος) was a 4th-century BC Athenian military commander (Strategos), who for a number of years was one of Athens's foremost commanders. He was also a well connected politician enabling him to procure the commands he desired, commands he primarily used to enrich himself and his adherents.
Chares is first mentioned in historical records in 367 BC, when he was sent to the aid of the city of Phlius. The city was hard pressed by the Arcadians and Argives, assisted by the Theban commander at Sicyon. His forces were successful in relieving the city. (It was during this campaign that Aeschines, the orator, first distinguished himself.)
After his successful campaign, Chares was recalled to take the command against Oropus; and the recovery of their harbour by the Sicyonians from the Spartan garrison, immediately on his departure, shows how important his presence had been for the support of the Spartan cause in the north of the Peloponnese.
In 361 BC, Chares was appointed to succeed the Athenian admiral Leosthenes, following Leosthenes's defeat by Alexander of Pherae. Sailing to Corcyra, he supported the city's oligarchic party. With Chares's support the oligarchs gained control, unfortunately they achieved it only by a lot of bloodshed breeding animosity amongst Corcyra's democratic parties. He also failed to maintain good relations with the oligarchs themselves. As a result, the island was lost to the Athenians when the Social War broke out.
In 358 BC Chares was sent to Thrace as general with full power (a strategos). He was able to force Charidemus to ratify the treaty which he had made with Athenodorus. In the following year, with the start of the Social War, he was appointed one of Athens's generals. In the second campaign of the War in 356 BC, following the death of Chabrias, he had joint command of the Athenian forces with Iphicrates and Timotheus.
According to Diodorus, when, despite Chares's eagerness to do so, his colleagues refused to fight the enemy because of a bad storm, Chares reported their failings to Athens, and they were recalled and subsequently brought to trial. In contrast to Diodorus, Cornelius Nepos considered that Chares did attack the enemy in spite of the weather, but was defeated. Then, in order to protect himself, he accused his colleagues of not supporting him. In the subsequent prosecution he was aided by Aristophon.
Being left in the sole command, and needing funds, which he was unwilling to seek from Athens, Chares and his men entered the service of Artabazus, the rebellious satrap of Hellespontine Phrygia. The Athenians at first approved of this action, but afterwards ordered him to drop his connection with Artabazus following complaints from the Persian king Artaxerxes III Ochus. In this regard, it is probable that the threat from Artaxerxes III to support the confederates against Athens hastened the termination of the Social War. The quick end to the war was supported by Eubulus and Isocrates, but opposed by Chares and his party.
In 353 BC, Chares was sent against Sestus, which, along with Cardia, had been unwilling to submit to Athens notwithstanding the ceding of the Thracian Chersonese to Athens in 357 BC. He took the town, massacred the men, and sold the women and children for slaves.
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Chares of Athens
Chares of Athens (Ancient Greek: Χάρης ὁ Ἀθηναῖος) was a 4th-century BC Athenian military commander (Strategos), who for a number of years was one of Athens's foremost commanders. He was also a well connected politician enabling him to procure the commands he desired, commands he primarily used to enrich himself and his adherents.
Chares is first mentioned in historical records in 367 BC, when he was sent to the aid of the city of Phlius. The city was hard pressed by the Arcadians and Argives, assisted by the Theban commander at Sicyon. His forces were successful in relieving the city. (It was during this campaign that Aeschines, the orator, first distinguished himself.)
After his successful campaign, Chares was recalled to take the command against Oropus; and the recovery of their harbour by the Sicyonians from the Spartan garrison, immediately on his departure, shows how important his presence had been for the support of the Spartan cause in the north of the Peloponnese.
In 361 BC, Chares was appointed to succeed the Athenian admiral Leosthenes, following Leosthenes's defeat by Alexander of Pherae. Sailing to Corcyra, he supported the city's oligarchic party. With Chares's support the oligarchs gained control, unfortunately they achieved it only by a lot of bloodshed breeding animosity amongst Corcyra's democratic parties. He also failed to maintain good relations with the oligarchs themselves. As a result, the island was lost to the Athenians when the Social War broke out.
In 358 BC Chares was sent to Thrace as general with full power (a strategos). He was able to force Charidemus to ratify the treaty which he had made with Athenodorus. In the following year, with the start of the Social War, he was appointed one of Athens's generals. In the second campaign of the War in 356 BC, following the death of Chabrias, he had joint command of the Athenian forces with Iphicrates and Timotheus.
According to Diodorus, when, despite Chares's eagerness to do so, his colleagues refused to fight the enemy because of a bad storm, Chares reported their failings to Athens, and they were recalled and subsequently brought to trial. In contrast to Diodorus, Cornelius Nepos considered that Chares did attack the enemy in spite of the weather, but was defeated. Then, in order to protect himself, he accused his colleagues of not supporting him. In the subsequent prosecution he was aided by Aristophon.
Being left in the sole command, and needing funds, which he was unwilling to seek from Athens, Chares and his men entered the service of Artabazus, the rebellious satrap of Hellespontine Phrygia. The Athenians at first approved of this action, but afterwards ordered him to drop his connection with Artabazus following complaints from the Persian king Artaxerxes III Ochus. In this regard, it is probable that the threat from Artaxerxes III to support the confederates against Athens hastened the termination of the Social War. The quick end to the war was supported by Eubulus and Isocrates, but opposed by Chares and his party.
In 353 BC, Chares was sent against Sestus, which, along with Cardia, had been unwilling to submit to Athens notwithstanding the ceding of the Thracian Chersonese to Athens in 357 BC. He took the town, massacred the men, and sold the women and children for slaves.