Chares (in Greek Χαρης; lived 4th century BC) was an Athenian general, who for a long series of years contrived by profuse corruption to maintain his influence with the people, in spite of an alleged disreputable character. (5th century BC - 4th century BC - 3rd century BC - other centuries) (2nd millennium BC - 1st millennium BC - 1st millennium AD) // Events Invasion of the Celts into Ireland Battle of the Allia and subsequent Gaulish sack of Rome 383 BCE Second Buddhist Councel at Vesali. ... Athens (Greek: Αθήνα, Athína (IPA: )) is the capital of Greece and one of the most famous cities in the world, named after goddess Athena. ...

First campaigns

We first hear of him in 367 BC, as being sent to the aid of the city of Phlius, which was hard pressed by the Arcadians and Argives, assisted by the Theban commander at Sicyon. His operations were successful in relieving it, and it was in this campaign under him that Aeschines, the orator, first distinguished himself.¹ From this scene of action he 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.² In 361 BC he was appointed to succeed Leosthenes, after the defeat of the latter by Alexander of Pherae, and, sailing to Corcyra, he gave his aid to an oligarchical conspiracy there, whereby the democracy was overthrown with much bloodshed — a step by which he of course excited a hostile disposition towards Athens on the part of the ejected, while he failed at the same time to conciliate the oligarchs.³ The necessary consequence was the loss of the island to the Athenians when the Social War broke out. In 358 Chares was sent to Thrace as general with full power, and obliged Charidemus to ratify the treaty which he had made with Athenodorus. In the ensuing year he was appointed to the conduct of the Social war, in the second campaign of which, after the death of Chabrias, Iphicrates and Timotheus were joined with him in the command, 356 BC. According to Diodorus, his colleagues having refused, in consequence of a storm, to risk an engagement for which he was eager, he accused them to the people, and they were recalled and subsequently brought to trial. As Cornelius Nepos tells it, Chares appears to have actually attacked the enemy in spite of the weather, was worsted, and, in order to screen himself, charged his colleagues with not supporting him. In the prosecution he was aided by Aristophon.⁴ Being now left in the sole command, and being in want of money, which he was afraid to apply for from home, he relieved his immediate necessities by entering, compelled perhaps by his mercenaries, into the service of Artabazus, the revolted satrap of Hellespontine Phrygia. The Athenians at first approved of this proceeding, but afterwards ordered him to drop his connexion with Artabazus on the complaint of the Persian king Artaxerxes III Ochus; and it is probable that the threat of the latter to support the confederates against Athens hastened at least the termination of the war, in accordance with the wishes of Eubulus and Isocrates, and in opposition to those of Chares and his party.⁵ 353 BC Chares was sent against Sestus, which, as well as Cardia, seems to have re­fused submission notwithstanding the cession of the Thracian Chersonese to Athens in 357. He took the town, massacred the men, and sold the women and children for slaves.⁶ Centuries: 5th century BC - 4th century BC - 3rd century BC Decades: 410s BC 400s BC 390s BC 380s BC 370s BC - 360s BC - 350s BC 340s BC 330s BC 320s BC 310s BC 372 BC 371 BC 370 BC 369 BC 368 BC - 367 BC - 366 BC 365 BC 364... Arcadia or Arkadía (Greek Αρκαδία; see also List of traditional Greek place names) is a region of Greece in the Peloponnesus. ... Argos (Greek: Άργος, Árgos, IPA argos) is a city in Greece in the Peloponnese near Nafplio, which was its historic harbor, named for Nauplius. ... Thebes (in modern Greek: Θήβα — Thíva, in ancient Greek and Katharevousa: — ThÄ“bai or Thívai) is a city in Greece, situated to the north of the Cithaeron range, which divides Boeotia from Attica, and on the southern edge of the Boeotian plain. ... Sicyon was an ancient Greek city situated in the northern Peloponnesus between Corinth and Achaea. ... Aeschines (389 - 314 BC), Greek statesman and one of the ten Attic orators, was born at Athens. ... Oropos, or Oropus is a Greek seaport, on the Euripus in Attica, opposite Eretria. ... Sparta (Σπάρτη) was a city in ancient Greece, whose territory included, in Classical times, all Laconia and Messenia, and which was the most powerful state of the Peloponnesus. ... Though Peloponnese is used to refer to the entire peninsula, the periphery with that name includes only part of that landmass. ... Centuries: 5th century BC - 4th century BC - 3rd century BC Decades: 410s BC 400s BC 390s BC 380s BC 370s BC 360s BC 350s BC 340s BC 330s BC 320s BC 310s BC 366 BC 365 BC 364 BC 363 BC 362 BC 361 BC 360 BC 359 BC 358... Alexander, tagus or despot of Pherae in Thessaly, ruled from 369 BC to 358 BC. He was the son and successor of the tyrant Jason of Pherae, who was assassinated in 370 BC. Alexanders tyranny caused the Aleuadae of Larissa to invoke the aid of Alexander II of Macedon... (This article is about the Greek island known in English as Corfu. ... Centuries: 5th century BC - 4th century BC - 3rd century BC Decades: 400s BC 390s BC 380s BC 370s BC 360s BC - 350s BC - 340s BC 330s BC 320s BC 310s BC 300s BC 363 BC 362 BC 361 BC 360 BC 359 BC 358 BC 357 BC 356 BC 355... Thrace (Greek Θρᾴκη, ThrákÄ“, Bulgarian Тракия, Trakija, Turkish Trakya; Latin: Thracia or Threcia) is a historical and geographic area in southeast Europe spread over southern Bulgaria, northeastern Greece (Western Thrace), and European Turkey. ... Charidemus (Gr. ... Chabrias (Greek:Χαβρίας)was a celebrated Athenian general of the 4th century BC. In 388 BC he defeated the Spartans at Aegina and commanded the fleet sent to assist Evagoras, king of Cyprus, against the Persians. ... Iphicrates (d. ... Timotheus was an Athenian statesman and general, son of Conon, the restorer of the walls of Athens. ... Centuries: 5th century BC - 4th century BC - 3rd century BC Decades: 400s BC 390s BC 380s BC 370s BC 360s BC - 350s BC - 340s BC 330s BC 320s BC 310s BC 300s BC 361 BC 360 BC 359 BC 358 BC 357 BC 356 BC 355 BC 354 BC 353... Diodorus Siculus (ca. ... Cornelius Nepos (c. ... Artabazus (in Greek Αρταβαζος; lived 4th century BC) was a Persian general, who was sent in 362 BC, in the reign of Artaxerxes II, against the revolted Datames, satrap of Cappadocia, but was defeated by the bravery and resolution of the latter. ... To meet Wikipedias quality standards, this article or section may require cleanup. ... The term Persian Empire refers to a series of historical empires that ruled over the Iranian plateau. ... Artaxerxes III ruled Persia from 358 BC to 338 BC. He was the son of Artaxerxes II and was succeeded by Arses of Persia (also known as Artaxerxes IV). ... Eubulus, or Euboulos (c. ... Isocrates (436–338 BC), Greek rhetorician. ... Centuries: 5th century BC - 4th century BC - 3rd century BC Decades: 400s BC 390s BC 380s BC 370s BC 360s BC - 350s BC - 340s BC 330s BC 320s BC 310s BC 300s BC 358 BC 357 BC 356 BC 355 BC 354 BC 353 BC 352 BC 351 BC 350... Sestos was an ancient town of the Thracian Chersonese, the modern Gallipoli peninsula. ... Cardia (in Greek Kαρδια), anciently the chief town of the Thracian Chersonese (today Gallipoli peninsula), was situated at the head of the gulf of Melas (today Saros bay). ... Map of the Thracian Chersonese The Thracian Chersonese (in Greek ΧερσoνησoÏ‚ Θραικια) was the ancient name of the Gallipoli peninsula, in the part of historic Thrace that is now part of modern Turkey. ... Centuries: 5th century BC - 4th century BC - 3rd century BC Decades: 400s BC 390s BC 380s BC 370s BC 360s BC - 350s BC - 340s BC 330s BC 320s BC 310s BC 300s BC 362 BC 361 BC 360 BC 359 BC 358 BC 357 BC 356 BC 355 BC 354...

Against the Macedonians

In the Olynthian war, 349 BC, he was appointed general of the mercenaries sent from Athens to the aid of Olynthus; but he seems to have effected little or nothing. The command was then entrusted to Charidemus, who in the ensuing year, 348, was again superseded by Chares. In this campaign he gained some slight success on one occasion over king Philip II of Macedon's mercenaries, and celebrated it by a feast given to the Athenians with a portion of the money which had been sacrilegiously taken from Delphi, and some of which had found its way into his hands.⁷ On his euthyne (the public scrutiny to which every public officer was submitted after having discharged his duties) he was impeached by Cephisodotus, who complained, that "he was endeavouring to give his account after having got the people tight by the throat"⁸, an allusion perhaps merely to the great embarrassment of Athens at the time. In 346 BC we find him com­manding again in Thrace; and, when the king of Macedon, Philip, was preparing to march against Cersobleptes, complaints arrived at Athens from the Chersonese that Chares had withdrawn from his station, and was nowhere to be found; and the people were obliged to send a squadron in quest of him with the extraordinary message, that "the Athenians were surprised that, while Philip was marching against the Chersonese, they did not know where their general and their forces were." That he had been engaged in some private expedition of plunder is probable enough. In the same year, and before the departure of the second embassy from Athens to Macedonia on the subject of the peace, a despatch arrived from Chares stating the hopeless condition of the affairs of Cer­sobleptes.⁹ After this we lose sight of Chares for several years, during which he probably resided at Sigeum, which, ac­cording to Theopompus¹⁰, was with him a favourite residence. But in a speech of Demosthenes delivered in 341 BC¹¹ he is spoken of as possessing much influence at that time in the Athenian councils; and we may consider him therefore to have been one of those who authorized and defended the proceedings of Diopeithes against king Philip in Thrace. In 340 BC he was appointed to the command of the force which was sent to aid Byzantium against Philip; but his character excited the suspicions of the Byzantines, and they refused to receive him. Against the enemy he effected nothing: his only exploits it is said were against the allies of Athens, whom he appears to plundered unscrupulously. He was accordingly superseded by Phocion, whose success was brilliant.¹² In 338 he was sent to the aid of Amphissa against Philip, who defeated him together with the Theban general, Proxenus. Of this defeat, which is mentioned by Aeschines, Demosthenes in his reply says nothing, but speaks of two battles in which the Athenians were victorious.¹³ In the same year Chares was one of the commanders of the Athenian forces at the battle of Chaeronea, for the disastrous result of which he escaped censure, or at least prosecution, though Lysicles, one of his colleagues, was tried and condemned to death.¹⁴ He is mentioned by Arrian among the Athenian orators and generals whom Alexander required to be surrendered to him in 335 BC, though he was afterwards prevailed on by Demades not to press the demand against any but Charidemus. Plutarch, however, omits the name of Chares in the list which he gives us.¹⁵ When Alexander invaded Asia in 334 BC, Chares was living at Sigeum, and he is mentioned again by Arrian¹⁶ as one of those who came to meet the king and pay their respects to him on his way to Troy. Yet we afterwards find him commanding for Darius Codomannus at Mytilene, which had been gained in 333 BC by Pharnabazus and Autophradates, but which Chares was compelled to surrender in the ensuing year.¹⁷ From this period we hear no more of him, but it is probable that he ended his days at Sigeum. Centuries: 5th century BC - 4th century BC - 3rd century BC Decades: 390s BC 380s BC 370s BC 360s BC 350s BC - 340s BC - 330s BC 320s BC 310s BC 300s BC 290s BC 354 BC 353 BC 352 BC 351 BC 350 BC - 349 BC - 348 BC 347 BC 346... Olynthus, an ancient city of Chalcidice, situated in a fertile plain at the head of the Gulf of Torone, near the neck of the peninsula of Pallene, at some little distance from the sea, and about 60 stadia (7 or 8 miles) from Potidaea. ... Centuries: 5th century BC - 4th century BC - 3rd century BC Decades: 390s BC 380s BC 370s BC 360s BC 350s BC - 340s BC - 330s BC 320s BC 310s BC 300s BC 290s BC 353 BC 352 BC 351 BC 350 BC 349 BC - 348 BC - 347 BC 346 BC 345... Philip II of Macedonia (382 BC–336 BC; in Greek Φιλιππος, transliterated Philippos) was the King of Macedonia from 359 BC until his death. ... The theatre, seen from above Delphi (Greek Δελφοί — Delphoi) is an archaeological site and a modern town in Greece. ... Centuries: 5th century BC - 4th century BC - 3rd century BC Decades: 390s BC 380s BC 370s BC 360s BC 350s BC - 340s BC - 330s BC 320s BC 310s BC 300s BC 290s BC 351 BC 350 BC 349 BC 348 BC 347 BC 346 BC 345 BC 344 BC 343... The Vergina Sun, a symbol associated with the Macedonian kingdom and today copyrighted by the World Intellectual Property Organization as a Greek emblem of state [1]. Macedon or Macedonia (from Greek ; see also List of traditional Greek place names) was the name of an ancient kingdom in the northern-most... Cersobleptes (in Greek Kερσoβλεπτης) was son of Cotys, king of Thrace, on whose death in 358 BC he inherited the kingdom in conjunction with Berisades and Amadocus, who were probably his brothers. ... Theopompus, a Greek historian and rhetorician, was born at Chios about 380 BC. In early youth he seems to have spent some time at Athens, along with his father, who had been exiled on account of his Laconian sympathies. ... Demosthenes statue, Roman copy of a Greek bronze original in marble about 380 BC, Rome, Vatican Museum, Braccio Nuovo. ... Centuries: 5th century BC - 4th century BC - 3rd century BC Decades: 390s BC 380s BC 370s BC 360s BC 350s BC - 340s BC - 330s BC 320s BC 310s BC 300s BC 290s BC 346 BC 345 BC 344 BC 343 BC 342 BC 341 BC 340 BC 339 BC 338... Centuries: 5th century BC - 4th century BC - 3rd century BC Decades: 390s BC 380s BC 370s BC 360s BC 350s BC - 340s BC - 330s BC 320s BC 310s BC 300s BC 290s BC Years: 345 BC 344 BC 343 BC 342 BC 341 BC - 340 BC - 339 BC 338 BC... Byzantium was an ancient Greek city-state, founded by Greek colonists from Megara in 667 BC and named after their king Byzas. ... Phocion (c402 - c318 BC), Athenian statesman and general, was born the son of a small manufacturer. ... Centuries: 5th century BC - 4th century BC - 3rd century BC Decades: 380s BC 370s BC 360s BC 350s BC 340s BC - 330s BC - 320s BC 310s BC 300s BC 290s BC 280s BC 343 BC 342 BC 341 BC 340 BC 339 BC - 338 BC - 337 BC 336 BC 335... Amphissa redirects here, for the ancient town near todays Roccella Ionica, see Amphissa, Italy Amfissa (Greek: Άμφισσα), other form: Amfissa, Latin: Amphissa is a town and the capital of the Phokida prefecture and the Parnassida province with the population around 10,000. ... Combatants Macedonians Athens, Thebes Commanders Philip II of Macedon, Alexander the Great Demosthenes Strength 32,000 50,000 Casualties Unknown 1,000 Athenians All 300 of the Sacred Band The Battle of Chaeronea (338 BC), fought near Chaeronea, in Boeotia, was the greatest victory of Philip II of Macedon. ... Lucius Flavius Arrianus Xenophon (c 92-c 175), known in English as Arrian, was a Roman historian. ... Alexander the Great (in Greek , transliterated Megas Alexandros) (July 356 BC – June 11, 323 BC), King of Macedon (336–323 BC), is considered one of the most successful military commanders in world history, conquering most of the world known to the ancient Greeks before his death. ... Centuries: 5th century BC - 4th century BC - 3rd century BC Decades: 380s BC 370s BC 360s BC 350s BC 340s BC - 330s BC - 320s BC 310s BC 300s BC 290s BC 280s BC Years: 340 BC 339 BC 338 BC 337 BC 336 BC - 335 BC - 334 BC 333 BC... Demades (c. ... Plutarch Mestrius Plutarchus (c. ... Events Alexander the Great crosses the Bosporus, invading Persia. ... Walls of the excavated city of Troy Troy ( Ancient Greek Τροία Troia or Τροάς Troas also Ίλιον; Turkish:Truva, Hisarlık 39°58′N 26°13′E, Latin: Troia, Ilium) is a legendary city, scene of the Trojan War, described in the Trojan War cycle, especially in the Iliad, one of the two... Darius III (near middle) battling Alexander the Great (far left) Darius III or Codomannus (c. ... This city is not ot be confused with a village in the island of Samos named Mytilinii Mytilene (Μυτιλήνη in Greek) is the capital city of Lesbos, a Greek island in the Aegean Sea. ... Centuries: 5th century BC - 4th century BC - 3rd century BC Decades: 380s BC 370s BC 360s BC 350s BC 340s BC - 330s BC - 320s BC 310s BC 300s BC 290s BC 280s BC 338 BC 337 BC 336 BC 335 BC 334 BC - 333 BC - 332 BC 331 BC 330... Pharnabazus (in Greek Φαρναβαζος; lived 4th century BC) was a Persian general, son of Artabazus. ...

Appraisal

As a general, Chares has been charged with rashness, especially in the needless exposure of his own person¹⁸; this said he appears to have been, during the greater portion of his career, the best commander that Athens had. In politics we see him connected throughout with Demosthenes.¹⁹ Morally he must have been an incubus on any party to which he attached himself, notwithstanding the assistance he might sometimes render it through the orators whom he is said to have kept constantly in pay. His alleged profligacy, which was measureless, he unblushingly avowed and gloried in, openly ridiculing the austere Phocion. His bad faith passed into a proverb; and his rapacity was extraordinary, even amidst the system then prevailing, when the citizens of Athens would neither fight their own battles nor pay the men who fought them, and her commanders had to support their mercenaries as best they could. His triumphal career under the banners of the repubblic may be seen as a symptom of the decline of Athens' values and power.²⁰ Phocion (c402 - c318 BC), Athenian statesman and general, was born the son of a small manufacturer. ...

References

• Smith, William (editor); Dictionary of Greek and Roman Biography and Mythology, "Chares", Boston, (1867)

Sir William Smith (1813 - 1893), English lexicographer, was born at Enfield in 1813 of Nonconformist parents. ... Dictionary of Greek and Roman Biography and Mythology is a encyclopedia/biographical dictionary. ... Boston is a town and small port c. ...

Notes