thumb|Sculpture of Phocion, by [[François-Nicolas Delaistre, 1824.]]
Phocion (; Phokion; c. 402 – c. 318 BC), nicknamed The Good ( ), was an Athenian statesman and strategos, and the subject of one of Plutarch's Parallel Lives.
Phocion was a successful politician of Athens. He believed that extreme frugality was the condition for virtue and lived in accord with this; consequently, he was popularly known as "The Good." Further, people thought that Phocion was the most honest member of the Athenian Assembly. However, within this chamber, Phocion's tendency to strong opposition relegated him to a solitary stand against the entire political class. Nonetheless, by both his individual prestige and his military expertise, which was acquired by the side of Chabrias, Phocion was elected strategos numerous times, with a record 45 terms in office. Thus, during most of his 84 years of life, Phocion occupied the most important Athenian offices.
In the late 320s, when Macedon gained complete control of Athens (under Antipater), though somewhat compromised, Phocion defended both the urban center and its citizens. He even refused to comply with some dishonorable requests of the enemy. However, his stance put Phocion in opposition to both Polyperchon, the regent of Macedon, and most free Athenians. Polyperchon sent him back to Athens, where he was sentenced to death for treason by the then-restored popular assembly.
Early life
Phocion's grandfather was perhaps the trierarch Phocion who was killed at the Battle of Cynossema in 411 BC.
During his youth, Phocion sought to study liberal notions. He was both Plato's pupil and Xenocrates's friend. Through such philosophical education, Phocion was of virtuous moral character and he used to give prudent advice. This academic training left its mark upon him, but it was as a soldier rather than as a philosopher that he first came to notice.
Phocion's first wife was sister to the sculptor Cephisodotus the Elder, making him perhaps the uncle of Praxiteles. His second wife was famous in Athens for her humility. Once she said that her sole adornment was Phocion's twentieth strategos appointment. Phocion's son was Phocus. During his youth he became licentious and addicted to partying and wine, so Phocion sent him off to Sparta (which was famous for frugal lifestyles) for a period.
Crisis of Polyperchon
In 319 BC, before his death, Antipater chose that, instead of his own son, Cassander, General Polyperchon would be the next Macedonian ruler. Soon, Cassander began conspiring against Polyperchon. Thus, Cassander disposed that, at Munychia, Nicanor replaced Menyllus, with the order of controlling Attica. In Athens, Phocion was accused of helping such concealments of Cassander and, by deliberately delaying military action against Nicanor, made it possible for Nicanor to take the Piraeus,