- Social War (357–355 BC)
:"This article is about the conflict between Athens and its allies between 357 and 355 BC":"For the conflict between Rome and her allies between 91 and 88 BC, see
Social War (91–88 BC) "Infobox Military Conflict
conflict=Social War
partof=
date=357–355 BC
place=Aegean Sea ,Asia Minor
territory=
result=Confederate allies independent; Athens provoked by Persia
combatant1=Athens and itsSecond Athenian Empire
combatant2=Chios Rhodes CosByzantium
commander1=CharesChabrias TimotheusIphicrates
commander2=Numerous
strength1=
strength2=
casualties1=
casualties2=The Social War, also known as the War of the Allies, was fought from357 BC to355 BC betweenAthens with itsSecond Athenian Empire and between the allies ofChios ,Rhodes , and Cos as well as the independentByzantium .Origins
Provoked by Athens' increasingly dominating stance over its
Second Athenian Empire , Chios, Rhodes, and Cos overthrew their democratic governments and broke away from the league, assisted by Byzantium. The Athenian generals Chares andChabrias were given command of the Athenian fleet.War
During midsummer of
357 BC Chabrias 's fleet was defeated and he was killed in the attack on the island ofChios . Chares was given complete command of the Athenian fleet and withdrew to theHellespont for operations againstByzantium . The generals Timotheus,Iphicrates and his son Menestheus were sent to help him during an oncoming naval battle between the sighted enemy fleet on the Hellespont. Timotheus and Iphicrates refused to engage due to a blowing gale but Chares did engage and lost many of his ships. Timotheus and Iphicrates were accused by Chares and put on trial, however only Timotheus was condemned to pay a fine, and escaped.In
356 BC , the revolting allies ravaged the Athenian-loyal islands ofLemnos andImbros but were only able to lay siege to Samos because it was defended bycleruchs . Chares commanded the Athenian fleet at theBattle of Embata lost decisively.Philip II's interference
King
Philip II of Macedon , father ofAlexander the Great , used the war as an opportunity to further the interests of his Macedonian kingdom in the Aegean region. In 357 BC, Philip capturedAmphipolis , a depot for the gold and silver mines fromMount Pangaion and the approach to it, as well as for timber, securing Macedon's economic and political future. He secretly offered Amphipolis to the Athenians in exchange for the valuable portPydna but when they complied, both Pydna andPotidaea were conquered over the winter and occupied; Amphipolis wasn't surrendered anyway. He also took the city ofCrenides from theOdrysae and renamed itPhilippi .The leading city of the
Chalcidic Confederacy ,Olynthus , had been allied with Philip until she became fearful of his increasing power. Despite many attempts by Philip to keep the alliance intact, which included presenting the city ofPotidaea to her, Olynthus forged an alliance with Athens. In349 BC Philip besieged and razed the city to the ground, and then subjugated the other cities of the Confederacy.Persian interference and the end of the war
Chares was in need of money for his war effort but frowned upon asking it from home so, partly compelled by his mercenaries, he entered the service of the revolted Persian satrap Atrabazus. The Athenians originally approved this collaboration but then ordered it to be dropped due to the Persian king
Artaxerxes III Ochus 's complaint and their fear of Persian support for the revolting confederates.Furthermore, as a result of increasing Athenian operations near the Persian empire, in 356 BC Persia asked Athens to leave
Asia Minor , warning war. In355 BC Athens, not in any shape for another war, complied and withdrew recognizing the independence of the confederate allies. Chares' war party was replaced by a peaceful one under Eubulus. The financial surplus racked for the war was put in a fund to be used for public entertainment.Further reading
* cite journal | last = Cawkwell | first = G. L. | authorlink = | coauthors = | year = 1981 | month = | title = Notes on the Failure of the Second Athenian Confederacy | journal =
Journal of Hellenic Studies | volume = 101 | issue = | pages = 40–55 | doi = 10.2307/629842 | url = | accessdate = | quote =
*cite book |title=Hegemon und Symmachoi. Untersuchungen zum Zweiten Attischen Seebund |last=Dreher |first=Martin |authorlink= |coauthors= |year=1995 |publisher=de Gruyter |location=Berlin |isbn=3110144441 |pages=287–292 |language=German
* cite journal | last = Peake | first = Scott | authorlink = | coauthors = | year = 1997 | month = | title = A Note on the Dating of the Social War | journal = Greece & Rome | volume = 44 | issue = | pages = 161–164 | doi = 10.2307/643057 | url = | accessdate = | quote =
* cite journal | last = Ruzicka | first = Stephen | authorlink = | coauthors = | year = 1998 | month = | title = Epaminondas and the Genesis of the Social War | journal = Classical Philology | volume = 93 | issue = | pages = 60–69 | doi = 10.1086/449375 | url = | accessdate = | quote =
* cite journal | last = Sealey | first = Raphael | authorlink = | coauthors = | year = 1955 | month = | title = Athens after the Social War | journal = Journal of Hellenic Studies | volume = 75 | issue = | pages = 74–81 | doi = 10.2307/629172 | url = | accessdate = | quote =
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