InArchaic Greece, anamphictyony (Ancient Greek:ἀμφικτυονία, a "league of neighbors"), orAmphictyonic League, was an ancient religious[1] association oftribes[2] formed before the rise of the Greekpolis.
The sixDorian cities of coastal southwestAnatolia and the twelveIonian cities to their north that formed theIonian League after aMeliac war in the mid-7th century BC were already of considerable antiquity when the first written records emerged.
The oldest religious Amphictyonic League was known asAnthelian because it was centered on the cult of thechthonic goddessDemeter atAnthela. The twelve delegates were entitledPylagorai (gate-assemblers), perhaps a reference to the local Gates of Hades, since Demeter was a chthonic goddess in her older local cults.[citation needed] The immediate dwellers-round were some small states, including Achaea-Phthiotis, that paved the way for the entry of the body of the rest Boeotian tribes which were living around Thessaly (perioikoi).[citation needed] Boeotia andPhocis, the most remote locations, joined only during or after the "First Sacred War", which led to the defeat of the old priesthood and to a new control of the prosperity of the oracle atDelphi.[3]
As a result of the war the Anthelan body was known thenceforth as the Delphic Amphictyony and became the official overseer and military defender of the Delphic cult. A strange and revealing anti-Thessalian feeling appeared and a wall was built across the narrow defile atThermopylae to keep the Thessalians out.[citation needed]
It is suggested that theShield of Heracles may reflect anti-Thessalian feeling after the First Sacred War. In this epic, a Thessalian hero interfering with thePhoeciansanctuary is killed by a Boeotian hero,Heracles, whose mortal father, Amphitryon, had for alliesLocrians and Phoecians. This was made to be sung at a Boeotian festival at midsummer at the hottest time of the Dog Star, Sirius.[4]
The nameHellenes, is related to the members of the league and was broadened to refer to all Greeks when the myth of their patriarch,Hellen, was invented. In Greek mythology,Amphictyon was brother of Hellen, andGraecus was son of his sisterPandora. According to theParian Chronicle, the previously-named Graeces were renamed Hellenes.[5]
An amphictyony consisting of polities under the aegis of Apollo's shrine atDelos was well-established in the seventh century. TheHomeric Hymn toDelian Apollo of that approximate date lists them.[6] Those cities and islands that trembled and refused to offer themselves for the birthplace of Apollo when pregnantLeto went to each in turn.[7] The Homeric hymn presents anorigin myth for the cult of Apollo on Delos. The joint Ionian festival celebrated there was theDelia. TheDelian Amphictyony arose in the 4th century BC as an instrument of Athenianhegemony.
Thucydides made recollection of theLelantine War when writing, "The war betweenChalcis andEretria was the one in which most cities belonging to the rest of Greece were divided up into alliances with one side or the other."[8] TheLelantine War was fought inEuboea at some point between the late 8th century BC and the first half of the 7th century BC.[citation needed]
Historians have puzzled over the broader meanings of "alliance" in such early times. However, as George Forrest notes, "large-scale associations lead more readily to contacts, to friendships and enmities at a distance than do little city-like units."[9] This explains whyPhrygia andAssyria were at war with each other about 720–710, raising tensions among interested Greeks.
An amphictyony would survive as a form of religious organization enjoined to support specifictemples or sacred places. Traditional amphictyonies coordinatedOlympic andPythian Games. Twelve members would meet at specific times in the same sanctuary to keep religious festivals and conduct other matters as well.[citation needed]
An early amphictyony centered onKalaureia, an island close to the coast ofTroezen in thePeloponnese and sacred toPoseidon, was noted byStrabo. Archaeology of the site suggested to Thomas Kelly that the sacred league was founded in the second quarter of the 7th century BCE,c. 680–650.[10] Before that date, there were virtually no remains at the site, which were not used more than sporadically.[11] The island was known at one time asEirene (Εἰρήνη) ("Peace"), which is in reference to the amphictyony.[12] Strabo[13] lists thepolis that belonged: "And there was also a kind of amphictyonic league connected with this temple, a league of seven cities which shared in the sacrifice; they wereHermione,Epidaurus,Aegina,Athens,Prasïeis,Nauplïeis, andOrchomenus Minyeius;[14] however, theArgives paid dues for the Nauplians,[15] and theLacedaemonians for the Prasians."[16]
The least obscure and longest lasting amphictyony was theDelphic Amphictyony that was organized to support the greater temples ofApollo andDemeter. Its council had religious authority and the power to pronounce punishments against offenders which ranged from fines to expulsion. They also had the ability to conduct sacred wars.[citation needed] The Amphictyonic League also set the rules of battle so as to protect sanctuaries and impose sentences on those who molested sanctuaries. All members were obliged to pledge themselves by an oath as reported byAeschines.[17]
Based on legend, the Great Amphictyonic League was founded somewhat after theTrojan War, for the protection and administration of the temple ofApollo inDelphi andtemple of Demeter inAnthela (Ἀνθήλη), nearThermopylae. Thefounding myth claimed that it had been founded in the most distant past by aneponymous founderAmphictyon, brother ofHellen, the common ancestor of all Hellenes. Representatives of the twelve members (calledhieromnemones) met in Thermopylae in spring and in Delphi in autumn.
Many different sources have noted eleven to thirteen founding populations. The list below is as enumerated byAeschines:[18]
The League doctrine required that no member would be entirely wiped out in war and no water supply of any member would be cut even in wartime. It did not prevent members from fighting about the dominance over the temples.[citation needed]
Originally a religious organization, the Delphic Amphictyonic League became politically important in the 6th century BCE, when larger city-states began to use it to apply pressure to the lesser ones.[citation needed]
The Oracle managed to become independent from the city of Krissa, to which the temple originally belonged. The people of Krissa then imposed a tax on those who were passing through their area to go to Delphi, causing strong complaints and reducing the resources of the Oracle.[citation needed] The Amphictyony, having exhausted all other means to peacefully resolve the crisis, declared theFirst Sacred War (orCirrhean War)[19] against Krissa that lasted a decade, from 596 to 585 BCE. The result was the destruction of Krissa and the dedication of this country toApollo,Leto,Artemis, andAthena Pronaia. After this, thePythian Games were held every four years, under the direction of the Amphictyons.[citation needed]
In 449-448 the Phoecians, wanting to become masters of the sanctuary, marched against Delphi, but the Spartans sent an army to preserve the status quo: this was theSecond Sacred War.[citation needed] After the Spartans' departure, the Athenians, led byPericles, gave back to the Phoecians the rule of Delphi and the management of the Pythian Games. In 421, after thePeace of Nicias, Delphi became autonomous again.[citation needed] It is unlikely, however, that Phoecis remained in control of Delphi after members of the Boeotian League defeated Athens at theBattle of Coronea (447 BCE).[20]
In 356 the Phoecians under Philomelos captured andlooted Delphi, and aThird Sacred War was declared against them.[citation needed] After ten years of war, in 346, the Phoecians were expelled from the League and their two votes were given toMacedon, which had helped to defeat them.[citation needed]Philip II of Macedonia used this power to further his expansionist policy in Greece. This resulted in theFourth Sacred War which culminated in theBattle of Chaeronea (338 BCE), marking the final domination of the Macedonians over Greece.[citation needed]
In 279 the Delphic Amphictyony admitted as new members theAetolian League, who had successfully defended the sanctuary as well as the rest of mainland Greece against theGauls. At this instance the Phoecians were also readmitted for having also participated at the defense of the region.[citation needed] In the 3rd century theSoteria (festival) was held in honour of the Greek victory against the Gauls. By 191 the League had 17 members but only the most dominant one had the two votes, when others had only one. The league continued to exist under theRoman Empire but its authority was limited to the care of the temple of Apollo at Delphi.[citation needed] The Roman emperorAugustus incorporated the Aenianes, Malians, Magnetians and Pythians with the Thessalians. Since the Dolopes had meanwhile vanished,[clarification needed] he gave their vote to the city ofNicopolis.[citation needed]
The Amphictyonic League gradually declined and in the 2nd century CE it was replaced by the Panhellenion, established by the Roman emperorHadrian.[citation needed] However, the see of the Amphictyonic League was in Athens, the emperor's favorite city. Thus, it seems that the Amphictyony lost influence and came to an end, although we have no specific date for its actual cessation.[citation needed]
Media related toDelphic Amphictyony at Wikimedia Commons
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