Callias III
Encyclopedia
Callias son of Hipponicus
by the former wife of Pericles
, an Alcmaeonid
and the third member of one of the most distinguished Athenian
families to bear the name of Callias. He was regarded as infamous for his extravagance and profligacy.
Historians sometimes designate him "Callias III" to distinguish him from his grandfather Callias II ("Callias II") and from his grandfather's grandfather Callias ("Callias I"). The family was immensely wealthy: the major part of their fortune came from the leasing of large numbers of slaves to the state-owned silver
mines
of Laurium
. In return, the Calliai were paid a share of the mine proceeds, in silver. Accordingly they were considered the richest family in Athens and quite possibly in all of Greece, and the head of the family was often simply referred to as "ho plousios" (Greek
: "ο πλούσιος", "the wealthy"). The only other family that could rival their wealth were the tyrants of Syracuse.
Callias must have inherited the family's fortune in 424 BC, which can be reconciled with the mention of him in the comedy
the Flatterers of Eupolis
, 421 BC, as having recently entered into his inheritance. In 400 BC, he was involved in an attempt to destroy the career of the Attic orator, Andocides
, by charging him with profanity in having placed a supplicatory bough on the altar of the temple at Eleusis during the celebration of the Mysteries. However, according to Andocides, the bough was actually placed there by Callias himself.
In 392 BC, he was placed in command of the Athenian heavy-armed troops at Corinth
on the occasion of their defeat of a Sparta
n regiment, or Mora
, by Iphicrates
.
Callias was hereditary proxenus
(roughly the equivalent of the modern consul) to Sparta, and, as such, was chosen as one of the envoys empowered to negotiate a peace with Sparta in 371 BC. On this occasion Xenophon
reports that Callias gave an absurd and self-glorifying speech.
It is said that Callias dissipated all his inherited wealth on sophists, flatterers, and women. These behaviours became quite evident early in his life so that he was commonly spoken of, before his father's death, being the "evil genius" of his family.
The scene of Xenophon's Banquet
, and also that of Plato
's Protagoras, is set at Callias' house. In the latter especially Callias' character is drawn with some vivid sketches as a dilettante highly amused with the intellectual fencing of Protagoras
and Socrates
.
Callias is said to have ultimately reduced himself to absolute beggary, to which the sarcasm of Iphicrates in calling him metragyrtes instead of daduchos refers. Callias died so poor that he could not afford the common necessities of life. He left a legitimate son named Hipponicus.
Hipponicus
Hipponicus was an Athenian military commander and son of Callias II and father of Callias III and Hipparete, who later married Alcibiades. Together with Eurymedon he commanded the Athenian forces in the incursion into Boeotian territory and was slain at the Battle of Delium ....
by the former wife of Pericles
Pericles
Pericles was a prominent and influential statesman, orator, and general of Athens during the city's Golden Age—specifically, the time between the Persian and Peloponnesian wars...
, an Alcmaeonid
Alcmaeonidae
The Alcmaeonidae or Alcmaeonids were a powerful noble family of ancient Athens, a branch of the Neleides who claimed descent from the mythological Alcmaeon, the great-grandson of Nestor....
and the third member of one of the most distinguished Athenian
Athens
Athens , is the capital and largest city of Greece. Athens dominates the Attica region and is one of the world's oldest cities, as its recorded history spans around 3,400 years. Classical Athens was a powerful city-state...
families to bear the name of Callias. He was regarded as infamous for his extravagance and profligacy.
Historians sometimes designate him "Callias III" to distinguish him from his grandfather Callias II ("Callias II") and from his grandfather's grandfather Callias ("Callias I"). The family was immensely wealthy: the major part of their fortune came from the leasing of large numbers of slaves to the state-owned silver
Silver
Silver is a metallic chemical element with the chemical symbol Ag and atomic number 47. A soft, white, lustrous transition metal, it has the highest electrical conductivity of any element and the highest thermal conductivity of any metal...
mines
Mining
Mining is the extraction of valuable minerals or other geological materials from the earth, from an ore body, vein or seam. The term also includes the removal of soil. Materials recovered by mining include base metals, precious metals, iron, uranium, coal, diamonds, limestone, oil shale, rock...
of Laurium
Laurium
Laurium or Lavrio is a town in southeastern part of Attica, Greece. It is the seat of the municipality of Lavreotiki...
. In return, the Calliai were paid a share of the mine proceeds, in silver. Accordingly they were considered the richest family in Athens and quite possibly in all of Greece, and the head of the family was often simply referred to as "ho plousios" (Greek
Greek language
Greek is an independent branch of the Indo-European family of languages. Native to the southern Balkans, it has the longest documented history of any Indo-European language, spanning 34 centuries of written records. Its writing system has been the Greek alphabet for the majority of its history;...
: "ο πλούσιος", "the wealthy"). The only other family that could rival their wealth were the tyrants of Syracuse.
Callias must have inherited the family's fortune in 424 BC, which can be reconciled with the mention of him in the comedy
Comedy
Comedy , as a popular meaning, is any humorous discourse or work generally intended to amuse by creating laughter, especially in television, film, and stand-up comedy. This must be carefully distinguished from its academic definition, namely the comic theatre, whose Western origins are found in...
the Flatterers of Eupolis
Eupolis
Eupolis was an Athenian poet of the Old Comedy, who flourished during the time of the Peloponnesian War.-Biography:Nothing whatsoever is known of his personal history. There are few sources on when he first appeared on the stage...
, 421 BC, as having recently entered into his inheritance. In 400 BC, he was involved in an attempt to destroy the career of the Attic orator, Andocides
Andocides
Andocides or Andokides was a logographer in Ancient Greece. He was one of the ten Attic orators included in the "Alexandrian Canon" compiled by Aristophanes of Byzantium and Aristarchus of Samothrace in the third century BCE.He was implicated during the Peloponnesian War in the mutilation of the...
, by charging him with profanity in having placed a supplicatory bough on the altar of the temple at Eleusis during the celebration of the Mysteries. However, according to Andocides, the bough was actually placed there by Callias himself.
In 392 BC, he was placed in command of the Athenian heavy-armed troops at Corinth
Corinth
Corinth is a city and former municipality in Corinthia, Peloponnese, Greece. Since the 2011 local government reform it is part of the municipality Corinth, of which it is the seat and a municipal unit...
on the occasion of their defeat of a Sparta
Sparta
Sparta or Lacedaemon, was a prominent city-state in ancient Greece, situated on the banks of the River Eurotas in Laconia, in south-eastern Peloponnese. It emerged as a political entity around the 10th century BC, when the invading Dorians subjugated the local, non-Dorian population. From c...
n regiment, or Mora
Mora (military unit)
A mora was an ancient Spartan military unit of about a sixth of the Spartan army, at approx. 600 men by modern estimates, although Xenophon places it at 6000. This can be reconciled by the nature of the Spartan army with an organisation based on year classes, with only the younger troops being...
, by Iphicrates
Iphicrates
Iphicrates was an Athenian general, the son of a shoemaker, who flourished in the earlier half of the 4th century BC....
.
Callias was hereditary proxenus
Hospitium
Hospitium , hospitality, among the Greeks and Romans, was of a twofold character: private and public.-Private:In Homeric times all strangers without exception, were regarded as being under the protection of Zeus Xenios, the god of strangers and suppliants...
(roughly the equivalent of the modern consul) to Sparta, and, as such, was chosen as one of the envoys empowered to negotiate a peace with Sparta in 371 BC. On this occasion Xenophon
Xenophon
Xenophon , son of Gryllus, of the deme Erchia of Athens, also known as Xenophon of Athens, was a Greek historian, soldier, mercenary, philosopher and a contemporary and admirer of Socrates...
reports that Callias gave an absurd and self-glorifying speech.
It is said that Callias dissipated all his inherited wealth on sophists, flatterers, and women. These behaviours became quite evident early in his life so that he was commonly spoken of, before his father's death, being the "evil genius" of his family.
The scene of Xenophon's Banquet
Symposium (Xenophon)
Xenophon's Symposium records the discussion of Socratesand company at a dinner given by Callias for Autolycus, son of Lycon. Xenophon's Symposium (Συμπόσιον) records the discussion of Socratesand company at a dinner given by Callias for Autolycus, son of Lycon. Xenophon's Symposium (Συμπόσιον)...
, and also that of Plato
Plato
Plato , was a Classical Greek philosopher, mathematician, student of Socrates, writer of philosophical dialogues, and founder of the Academy in Athens, the first institution of higher learning in the Western world. Along with his mentor, Socrates, and his student, Aristotle, Plato helped to lay the...
's Protagoras, is set at Callias' house. In the latter especially Callias' character is drawn with some vivid sketches as a dilettante highly amused with the intellectual fencing of Protagoras
Protagoras
Protagoras was a pre-Socratic Greek philosopher and is numbered as one of the sophists by Plato. In his dialogue Protagoras, Plato credits him with having invented the role of the professional sophist or teacher of virtue...
and Socrates
Socrates
Socrates was a classical Greek Athenian philosopher. Credited as one of the founders of Western philosophy, he is an enigmatic figure known chiefly through the accounts of later classical writers, especially the writings of his students Plato and Xenophon, and the plays of his contemporary ...
.
Callias is said to have ultimately reduced himself to absolute beggary, to which the sarcasm of Iphicrates in calling him metragyrtes instead of daduchos refers. Callias died so poor that he could not afford the common necessities of life. He left a legitimate son named Hipponicus.