ABSTRACT
Lachares An Athenian general who in 301 bc took part in the battle of Ipsus, in which antioonus (1) I was crushed, and used his mercenary troops first to prevent an attempt in 300 by his colleague, Charias, to make himself tyrant of Athens. Then, pleading that cassander had so instructed him, he seized the tyranny for himself. He abolished compulsory military service for Athenian citizens and in 296, being otherwise unable to pay his men, he pillaged the Acropolis of its treasures, including the gold from the holy statue of Athena. His opponents seized the Piraeus and gained the help of demetrius (3) i the Besieger, and together they blockaded the city. He resisted strongly, but was starved into surrender in 295 and fled to Boeotia, using his stolen wealth to buy shelter. His fate is unknown.
