Chares of Athens

Chares of Athens (Greek: Χάρης ὁ Ἀθηναῖος, lived in the 4th century BC) and was an Athenian general, who for a number of years was a key commander of Athenian forces.

Chares, an Athenian general, 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 this successful action, 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 the Leosthenes' defeat by Alexander of Pherae. Sailing to Corcyra, he supported the city's oligarchic party. With Chares' support, the oligarchs gained control but with much bloodshed. However, his action not only created hostility amongst Corcyra's democratic parties but he failed to maintain good relations with the oligarchs. As a result, the island was later lost to the Athenians when the Social War broke out.

In 358 BC Chares was sent to Thrace as general with full power. 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 Athen'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.

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