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Phocis Φωκίς | |
|---|---|
Region ofancient Greece | |
 The ruins of the ancient Greek theatre of Delphi | |
 Map showing location of ancient Phocis | |
| Location | Central Greece |
| Major cities | Delphi,Elatea |
| Dialects | Doric |
| Key periods | Third Sacred War (355–346 BC) |
Phocis was anancient region in the central part ofancient Greece, which includedDelphi. A modern administrative unit, also calledPhocis, is named after the ancient region, although the modern region is substantially larger than the ancient one.
Geopolitically, Phocis was the country of the Phocians, who spoke their own version ofDoric Greek, one of the three main dialects of ancient Greek. They were one of several small mountain states ofCentral Greece, whose dialects are classified as Northwest Doric.
It was from their region that theDorians crossed theGulf of Corinth at the beginning of theGreek Iron Age to burnPylos and other southern Greek strongholds and seize control of thePeloponnesus. The dialects of the two groups of Dorians north and south of the Gulf then began to diverge. One of the states around Phocis was still calledDoris in classical times. As there is considerable evidence that the invasion began about 1000 BC, the ancestors of the classical Phocians might be presumed to have been in place there, though not yet speaking Phocian.
Ancient Phocis was about 1,619 km2 (625 sq mi) in area, bounded on the west byOzolian Locris andDoris, on the north byOpuntian Locris, on the east byBoeotia, and on the south by theGulf of Corinth. The massive ridge ofParnassus 2,459 m (8,068 ft), which traverses the heart of the country, divides it into two distinct portions.
Being neither rich in material resources nor well placed for commercial enterprise, Phocis was mainly pastoral. No large cities grew up within its territory, and its chief places, such asDelphi andElatea, were mainly of strategic or cultural importance.
The early history of Phocis remains quite obscure. During theSecond Persian invasion of Greece in 480 BC the Phocians at first joined in the national defence, but, by their irresolute conduct at theBattle of Thermopylae lost that position for theGreeks; at theBattle of Plataea they were enrolled on the Persian side. In 457 BC an attempt to extend their influence to the headwaters of theCephissus in the territory of Doris brought aSpartan army into Phocis in defence of the "metropolis of the Dorians". A similar enterprise againstDelphi in 448 BC was again frustrated by Sparta, but not long afterwards the Phocians recaptured the sanctuary with the help of theAthenians, with whom they had entered into alliance in 454 BC. The subsequent decline of Athenian land power had the effect of weakening this new connection; at the time of thePeloponnesian War Phocis was nominally an ally and dependent of Sparta, and had lost control of Delphi.
In the 4th century BC Phocis was constantly endangered by its Boeotian neighbours. After helping the Spartans to invade Boeotia during theCorinthian War (395–394 BC), the Phocians were placed on the defensive. They received assistance from Sparta in 380 BC, but were afterwards compelled to submit to the growing power ofThebes. The Phocian levy took part in the inroads ofEpaminondas intoPeloponnesus, except in the final campaign ofMantinea (370–362 BC), from which their contingent was withheld. In return for this negligence the Thebans fastened a religious quarrel upon their neighbours, and secured a penal decree against them from theAmphictyonic synod (356 BC). This led to theThird Sacred War (356–346 BC).
The Phocians, led by two capable generals,Philomelus andOnomarchus, replied to the penal decree by seizing Delphi and using its riches to hire amercenary army. With the aid of their mercenaries, the Phocians carried the war into Boeotia andThessaly, even defeating in battlePhilip II of Macedon but then losing the importantBattle of Crocus Field (353 BC or 352 BC) to him; and theBattle of Thermopylae (353 BC). Though driven out of Thessaly by Philip, the war maintained itself for ten years, until the exhaustion of the temple treasures and the treachery of its leaders placed Phocia at Philip's mercy. The conditions which he imposed – the obligation to restore the temple funds, and the dispersion of the population into open villages – were soon disregarded. In 339 BC, the Phocians began to rebuild their cities. Again in 323 BC, they took part in theLamian War againstAntipater, and in 279 BC helped to defend Thermopylae against theGauls.
Henceforth little more is heard of Phocis. During the 3rd century BC, Phocis passed into the power of Macedonia and of theAetolian League, to which in 196 BC it was definitely annexed. Under the dominion of theRoman Republic the Aetolian League was dissolved, but was revived byAugustus, who also restored to Phocis the votes in theDelphic Amphictyony, which Phocis had lost in 346 BC. Augustus instituted an Achaean synod (σύνοδος) comprising the dependent cities ofPeloponnese andcentral Greece; this body sat atArgos and acted as guardian ofHellenic sentiment. This Achaean synod is last heard of underTrajan.
38°31′31″N22°22′31″E / 38.5253°N 22.3753°E /38.5253; 22.3753