Laches (/ˈlækiːz/; Ancient Greek: Λάχης Μελανώπου Αἰξωνευς, romanized: Lachēs Melanōpou Aixōneus; c. 475 – 418 BCE) was an Athenian aristocrat (son of Melanopos) and general during the Peloponnesian War.
[3] In 427 BCE, Laches and Charoeades were sent to Sicily with a fleet of 20 ships in order to support Athenian allies against Syracuse.
[5] The enemies tried to ambush the Athenians and when this failed, Laches was able to force the cities of Mylae and Messana to surrender.
[5] However, due to the annual reappointment of generals, at the beginning of 425 BCE he was replaced by Pythodoros as supreme commander.
Johannes Kirchner's Prosopographia Attica lists eighteen men of the name of Laches, including the general's son, grandson, and great-grandson, who appear in Demosthenes' speech against Timocrates[9] and in his letters.