Ancient Greece, Theban Hegemony (371-362 BC), Collapse of the Leading Powers: Social War (357-355 BC): Chios, Embata

In 357 BC Chios, Rhodes and Cos overthrew their democratic governments and supported by Mausolus and Byzantium they seceded from the Athenian Alliance. Chabrias with sixty triremes and Chares commanding a force of mercenaries were sent to Chios where the rebels had assembled a fleet of one hundred triremes. The mercenaries were landed and when the rebel garrison came out, Chares managed to fight them to a standstill. Chabrias attempted to land his naval force to assist the mercenaries, but he was defeated and killed. After the battle, Chares took command and left the area.

The rebel navy then attacked the Athenian-held islands Imbros and Lemnos and laid siege to Samos. The Athenians sent a fleet of sixty ships under Iphicrates and Timotheus to join Chares in an attack on Byzantium. In 356 BC the two opposing fleets met off Embata, in the channel between Erythrae (on the mainland) and Chios. A storm blew up and Iphicrates and Timotheus refused to fight in the rough seas. Chares decided to attack and lost many ships. Iphicrates and Timotheus were accused of cowardice, but only Timotheus was condemned to pay a heavy fine, and unable to pay he left Athens.

Now in sole command Chares, who was short of money, took service with Artabazus (2) (fl.389-329 BC), the satrap of Hellespontine Phrygia, and defeated a Persian army. Artaxerxes III (c.87; r.358-338 BC) demanded the Athenians to recalled Chares, under the threat a sending a large fleet to assist their enemies. The Athenians complied and in summer 355 BC they made peace with the rebels. This quick end to the war was supported by Eubulus (c.405-c.335 BC) and Isocrates (436-338 BC), and opposed by Chares and his party. Athens’ second attempt to build an empire ended in failure: Euboea, the Cyclades, a few other islands, and the mainland ports in the north Aegean remained with her. Her only remaining allies on the mainland were Sparta pinned down by continuous warfare with the Messenians and Arcadians, and Phocis.