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Amphictyonic League
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In the Archaic period of ancient Greece, an amphictyony or Amphictyonic League was an association of ancient Greek tribes formed in the dim past, before the rise of the Greek polis. The six Dorian cities of coastal southwest Asia Minor, or the twelve Ionian cities to the north, a dodecapolis forming an Ionian League emerging in the aftermath of a dimly-remembered "Meliac war" in the mid-7th century BC, were of considerable antiquity when the first written records emerge.
Thucydides recalled of the dim Lelantine War, fought apparently in Euboea sometime between late 8th century BC and first half of 7th century BC
"The war between Chalcis and Eretria was the one in which most cities belonging to the rest of Greece were divided up into alliances with one side or the other."
Historians have puzzled over the broader meanings of "alliance" in such early times.
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In the Archaic period of ancient Greece, an amphictyony or Amphictyonic League was an association of ancient Greek tribes formed in the dim past, before the rise of the Greek polis. The six Dorian cities of coastal southwest Asia Minor, or the twelve Ionian cities to the north, a dodecapolis forming an Ionian League emerging in the aftermath of a dimly-remembered "Meliac war" in the mid-7th century BC, were of considerable antiquity when the first written records emerge.
Thucydides recalled of the dim Lelantine War, fought apparently in Euboea sometime between late 8th century BC and first half of 7th century BC
"The war between Chalcis and Eretria was the one in which most cities belonging to the rest of Greece were divided up into alliances with one side or the other."
Historians have puzzled over the broader meanings of "alliance" in such early times. "But comparatively large-scale associations lead more readily to contacts, to friendships and enmities at a distance than do than do little city-like units," George Forrest notes, remarking apropos that Phrygia and Assyria were at war with each other about 420-410 BC, raising tensions among interested Greeks.
In historic times, an amphictyony might survive as a form of religious organization enjoined to support specific temples or sacred places; traditional amphictyonies coordinated Olympic and Parthian games. Twelve members met at specific times in the same sanctuary to keep religious festivals and conduct other matters as well.
Etymology
The term Amphictyony derives from Greek ?µf??t????a (?mfiktuonia), from aµf??t???e? (amfiktuones) "neighbours" and that from aµf? (amfi), "on both sides" + ?t??? (ktizo), "to create, found", from ?t???a (ktoina), "a local division, township". The term Amphictyonic league is a tautology.
The Delphic Amphictyony
The least obscure and longest-lasting amphictyony was the Delphic or Great Amphictyonic League that was organized to support the greater temples of Apollo and Demeter. The League council had religious authority and the power to pronounce punishments against offenders. Punishments could range from fines to expulsion and to conduct sacred wars. The Amphictyonic League also set the rules of battle as to protect sanctuaries and/or impose sentences on those who molested sanctuaries.
Based on legend, the Great Amphictyonic League was founded circa 1100 BC for the protection and administration of the temple of Apollo in Delphi and temple of Demeter in Anthela, near Thermopylae. The founding myth claimed that it had been founded in the most distant past by an eponymous founder Amphictyon, brother of Hellen, the common ancestor of all Hellenes. Representatives of the twelve members met in Thermopylae in spring and in Delphi in autumn.
The founders were the Aenianes or Oetoeans, the Boeotians (of Thebes), the Dolopes, the Dorians (of Sparta), the Ionians (of Athens), the Locrians, the Magnesians, the Malians, the Perrhoebians, the Phocians, the Pythians (of Delphi), and the Thessalians. 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.
Originally religious organizations became politically important in the 6th century BC when larger city-states began to use it to apply pressure to the lesser ones. In 356 BC Phocians captured and sacked Delphi, and sacred war was declared against them. After a ten-year war Phocians were expelled from the League in 346 BC and their two votes were given to Macedonians who had helped to defeat them. Philip II of Macedonia used its power to further his expansionistic conquests in Greece. In 279 BC, the Phocians were readmitted after they defended Delphi against an attack by the Gauls, and Aetolians - who already dominated the Delphi sanctuary - were admitted as new members.In 3th c.BC,the Soteria (festival) was held in honour to the Greek win against the Gauls.
By 191 BC 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 Roman Empire but its authority was limited to the care of the temple of Apollo at Delphi. The Roman emperor Augustus incorporated the Aenianes, Malians, Magnetians and Pythians with Thessalians. Since Dolopes had vanished, he gave their position to the city of Nicopolis.
The Amphictyonic League vanished some time in the AD 2nd century.
See also
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