Everything about Amphictyony totally explained
The
Amphictyonic League (
Amphictyony) was a form of
Greek religious organization that was enjoined to support specific
temples or sacred places. Members met at specific times in the same sanctuary to keep religious festivals and conduct other matters as well. The most famous 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 to sacred war.
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. Contemporary legends claimed that it was founded by
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 didn't 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 Apollo temple. 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.
Further Information
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