Callias ( gr, Καλλίας, Kallias) was an Ancient Greek statesman, soldier and diplomat, active in 5th century BC. He is commonly known as Callias II to distinguish him from his grandfather, Callias I, and from his grandson, Callias III, who apparently squandered the family's fortune. Born to the wealthy Athenian family which provided

slaves Slavery and enslavement are both the state and the condition of being a slave—someone forbidden to quit one's service for an enslaver, and who is treated by the enslaver as property. Slavery typically involves slaves being made to perf ...

to the state-owned silver mine of Laurion, he was one of the richest men in Athens. Callias fought at the Battle of Marathon (490) in priestly attire. Plutarch relates that after the battle, an enemy soldier confused Callias for a king and showed him where a large quantity of gold had been hidden in a ditch. Callias is said to have killed the man and secretly taken the treasure, though afterward rumor spread of the incident and comic poets gave his family the name ''Laccopluti'', or "enriched by the ditch." His son, Hipponicus, was a military commander. Around the time of the death of

Miltiades Miltiades (; grc-gre, Μιλτιάδης; c. 550 – 489 BC), also known as Miltiades the Younger, was a Greek Athenian citizen known mostly for his role in the Battle of Marathon, as well as for his downfall afterwards. He was the son of Cim ...

, Callias offered to pay the debt

Cimon Cimon or Kimon ( grc-gre, Κίμων; – 450BC) was an Athenian ''strategos'' (general and admiral) and politician. He was the son of Miltiades, also an Athenian ''strategos''. Cimon rose to prominence for his bravery fighting in the naval Batt ...

had inherited from his father in exchange for Cimon's sister Elpinice's hand in marriage and Cimon agreed. A supporter of Pericles, who was the effective leader of Athens during this period, Callias took on the role of diplomat and ambassador for Athens and the

Delian League The Delian League, founded in 478 BC, was an association of Greek city-states, numbering between 150 and 330, under the leadership of Athens, whose purpose was to continue fighting the Persian Empire after the Greek victory in the Battle of Pl ...

. In about 461 BC he made at least one journey as ambassador to the Persian king

Artaxerxes I Artaxerxes I (, peo, 𐎠𐎼𐎫𐎧𐏁𐏂𐎠 ; grc-gre, Ἀρταξέρξης) was the fifth King of Kings of the Achaemenid Empire, from 465 to December 424 BC. He was the third son of Xerxes I. He may have been the " Artasy ...

. Some time after the death of Cimon, probably about 449 BC he went to

Susa Susa ( ; Middle elx, 𒀸𒋗𒊺𒂗, translit=Šušen; Middle and Neo- elx, 𒋢𒋢𒌦, translit=Šušun; Neo-Elamite and Achaemenid elx, 𒀸𒋗𒐼𒀭, translit=Šušán; Achaemenid elx, 𒀸𒋗𒐼, translit=Šušá; fa, شوش ...

to conclude with Artaxerxes I a treaty of peace which became known as the

Peace of Callias The Peace of Callias is a purported peace treaty established around 449 BC between the Delian League (led by Athens) and Persia, ending the Greco-Persian Wars. The peace was agreed as the first compromise treaty between Achaemenid Persia and a Gree ...

. This treaty ended the Greco-Persian War and safeguarded the Greek city-states in Asia Minor from Persian attacks. Callias may also been responsible for peace treaties with Rhegion and Leontinoi, as well as the later peace treaty with Sparta known as the Thirty Years' Peace. Callias' fate upon his return to Athens remains a mystery and information about his later years remain only fragmentary. Some sources allege that his mission to Artaxerxes does not seem to have been successful and that he was indicted for high treason on his return to Athens and sentenced to a fine of fifty talents. Others claim, that the Athenians dedicated an altar of peace and voted special honours to Callias. Callias' son Hipponicus was also a notable military leader, and was to become known as the "richest man in Greece".

Notes

References

* Herodotus vii. 151;

Diodorus Siculus Diodorus Siculus, or Diodorus of Sicily ( grc-gre, Διόδωρος ; 1st century BC), was an ancient Greek historian. He is known for writing the monumental universal history ''Bibliotheca historica'', in forty books, fifteen of which su ...

xii. 4; Demosthenes, ''De Falsa Legatione'', p. 428; Grote recognizes the treaty as a historical fact, ''History of Greece'', ch. xlv, while Curtius, bk. iii. ch. ii, denies the conclusion of any formal treaty; see also Ed. Meyer, ''Forschungen.'', ii.; JB Bury in ''Hermathena'', xxiv (1898). {{DEFAULTSORT:Callias 02 Battle of Marathon Ambassadors in Greek Antiquity 5th-century BC Athenians Athenians of the Greco-Persian Wars 5th-century BC diplomats