Phocion

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Phokion ( Greek  Φωκίων Phocion , latin Phocion; * to 402 / 401 BC.. ; † . 318 BC. In Athens ) was a Athenian politicians and commander .

Life

Little is known about the origin of Phokion. He was born the son of Phokos (Φώκος), who was possibly a mortar club maker, and thus the family probably belonged to the upper class. The young Phokion enjoyed a proper education and was a pupil of Plato . After he had finished his studies, he joined Chabrias (Χαβρίας) from Aixone and benefited from his political and military knowledge.

Phocion first appeared in 376 BC. In the sea ​​battle near Naxos , which was the first and only joint venture between him and Chabrias. Thereupon he received his first commissions from Chabrias, and as an independent general he can then be found in Asia and Cyprus , once for, another time against the Persian great king.

Threatened by an antiathenic and Pro-Macedonian (thus also prophilippine) "campaign" by the tyrant Kleitarchus and Philip II, Plutarch , the tyrant of the city of Eretria on Evia , sent in 349 or 348 BC. A request for help to Athens. Despite adverse circumstances, Phocion managed to win, but the situation was different than expected, as Plutarch had stabbed him in the back. Even if it first appears, Phokion's qualities as a military leader were better than those of his successors, but neither were they glorious. His great achievement in enforcing the distrust of Plutarch speaks for his oratorical and political, but not for his military successes.

A group of oligarchs tried to get control of Megara and therefore made contact with Philip II . Thereupon Phocion sent an army and came to the aid of the inhabitants of the city.

The army of Philip II besieged around 340 BC. Chr. Perinthus and Byzantium , his former ally, after Demosthenes published an Athenian declaration of war. Phokion, as a strategist, managed to gain entry into Byzantium, whose defense was led by his friend Leon , and once again proved his diplomatic and political skills. These disputes culminated in the Battle of Chaeronea .

Phocion is described as capable and incorruptible, but he lacked great goals. After the allied Greeks in 322 BC When Antipater had been defeated at Krannon and Antipater moved against Athens, Phokion was one of the peace negotiators and, after the complete overthrow of the Attic-democratic party, was at the head of Athens.

Shortly afterwards, the two Macedonian rulers, Polyperchon and Kassander, fell out . The latter supported the Greek democracy , and because Phocion had allowed the occupation of Peiraieus by the troops of Cassander, he was defeated in May 318 BC. Sentenced to death by poison in Athens .

Phokion was elected strategist 45 times and was thus deployed from 371/70 to 319/18 with a few interruptions. Phocion's military actions in relation to his years in office as strategist are atypical for this period.

rating

The politics of Phokion would nowadays be part of realpolitik . Phokion always kept to the given conditions and possibilities. Through consideration, Phokion succeeded in seeing his allies as a “partner”, and he thus built up a great deal of trust among the Greeks, which underpins his frequent re-elections - he probably belonged to the conservative group.

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SURNAME Phocion
ALTERNATIVE NAMES Phocion (Latin)
BRIEF DESCRIPTION Athenian general
DATE OF BIRTH around 402 BC Chr.
DATE OF DEATH 318 BC Chr.
Place of death Athens