Achaean League

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League of the Achaeans
?????? ??? ??????
Koinon ton Achaion
280 BC�146 BC
Reverse of the Achaean coins probably depicting the symbol of the league (right).
Reverse of the Achaean coins probably depicting the symbol of the league (right).

Achaean League in 150 BC

Capital Aigion (meeting place)
Languages Achaean Doric Koine, Koine Greek
Religion Ancient Greek religion
Government Republican Confederacy
Strategos List of Strategoi
Legislature Achaean assembly
Historical era Classical Antiquity
� Re-founded 280 BC
� Conquered by the Roman Republic in the Achaean War 146 BC
Currency Drachma
Preceded by Succeeded by
League of Corinth
Achaea (Roman province)
Today part of Greece
silver tetrobol issued under Achaean League
Silver tetrobol issued under the Achaean League circa 175-168 BC. Obverse: Laureate
head of Zeus right; Reverse: AX monogram, lyre above, ?? - PO in left and right
fields; Size: 15mm, 2.27 g; Reference: BCD Peloponnesos 27.1; McClean 6431-2;
Benner 4; HN 225 var.; Sear 2971 var.
The Achaean League (Greek: ?????? ??? ??????, Koinon ton Akhaion - "League of
Achaeans") was a Hellenistic-era confederation of Greek city states on the northern
and central Peloponnese. The league was named after the region of Achaea in the
northwestern Peloponnese, which formed its original core. The first league was
formed in the fifth century BC. The second Achaean League was established in 280
BC. As a rival of Antigonid Macedon and an ally of Rome, the league played a major
role in the expansion of the Roman Republic into Greece. This process eventually
led to the League's conquest and dissolution by the Romans in 146 BC.

The League represents the most successful attempt by the Greek city states to
develop a form of federalism, which balanced the need for collective action with
the desire for local autonomy. Through the writings of the Achaean statesman
Polybius, this structure has had an influence on the constitution of the United
States and other modern federal states.[1]

Contents [hide]
1 History
1.1 Classical league
1.2 Hellenistic league
1.3 Roman era
2 Government
3 Army
4 Members
4.1 From Achaea
4.2 From Corinthia
4.3 From Argolis
4.4 From Arcadia
4.5 From other regions
5 List of Strategoi (Generals)
6 See also
7 Notes
8 References
9 External links
History[edit]
Classical league[edit]
The first Achaean League became active in the fifth century in the northwestern
Peloponnese.[2] After the catastrophic destruction of the ancient capital Helike by
an earthquake and tsunami in 373 BC, it appears to have lapsed sometime in the
fourth century.[2]

Hellenistic league[edit]
The regional Achaean League was reformed in 281/0 BC by the communities of Dyme,
Patrae, Pharae and Tritaea, joined in 275 by Aegium, which controlled the important
sanctuary of Zeus Homarios.[3][2] The league grew quickly to include the entire
Achaean heartland, and after a decade it had ten or eleven members.[2] The key
moment for the League's transformation into a major power came in 251, when Aratus,
the exiled son of a former magistrate of Sicyon, overthrew the tyranny in his
native city and brought it into the Achaean League. Since the Sicyonians were of
Dorian and Ionian origin, their inclusion opened the League for other national
elements. Aratus, then only twenty years old, rapidly grew to become the leading
politician of the League. In the thirty two years between 245 and his death in 213,
Aratus would hold the office of general a total of sixteen times.[3][2]

At this time, Central Greece and the Peloponnese were dominated by the Macedonian
Kingdom of Antigonus II Gonatas who maintained garrisons at key strategic points
such as Chalcis, Piraeus and Acrocorinth, the so-called "fetters of Greece". In
other cities of the Peloponnese, namely Argos, Orchomenus, and Megalopolis,
Antigonus had installed friendly rulers who were perceived as tyrants by the
Achaeans. Aratus, who had lost his father by the hands of such a man, called for
the liberation of these cities and secured financial support for the League from
Ptolemy II of Egypt, an enemy of the Antigonids. He then used the money to
challenge the Macedonian hold on the Peloponnese.[4]

Aratus' greatest success came when he captured Corinth and the fortress of
Acrocorinth in 243 BC in a daring night attack. This effectively blocked Macedonian
access to the Peloponnese by land, isolating their allies at Megalopolis and Argos.
[5] In light of this success, a number of Greek communities, including Epidaurus
and Megara joined the League and Ptolemy III increased Egypt's support for the
Achaeans, being elected as the League's hegemon (leader) in return.[5] Antigonus
Gonatas finally made peace with the Achaean League in a treaty of 240 BC, ceding
the territories that he had lost in Greece.[6]

The increased size of the league meant a bigger citizen army and more wealth, which
was used to hire mercenaries, but it also led to hostility from the remaining
independent Greek states, especially Elis, the Aetolian League and Sparta, which
perceived the Achaeans as a threat. Corinth was followed by Megalopolis in 235 BC
and Argos in 229 BC.[7] However the league soon ran into difficulties with the
revived Sparta of Cleomenes III. Aratus was forced to call in the aid of the
Macedonian King, Antigonus III Doson, who defeated Cleomenes in Sellasia. Antigonus
Doson re-established Macedonian control over much of the region.

In 220 BC, the Achaean League entered into a war against the Aetolian League, which
was called the "Social War". The young king Philip V of Macedon sided with the
Achaeans and called for a Panhellenic conference in Corinth, where the Aetolian
aggression was condemned.

After Aratus's death, however, the League joined Rome in the Second Macedonian War
(200-196 BC), which broke Macedonian power in mainland Greece. The Achaean League
was one of the main beneficieries. Under the leadership of Philopoemen, the League
was able to finally defeat a heavily weakened Sparta and take control of the entire
Peloponnese.

The League's dominance was not to last long, however. During the Third Macedonian
War (171�168 BC), the League flirted with the idea of an alliance with Perseus of
Macedon, and the Romans punished it by taking several hostages to ensure good
behavior, including Polybius, the Hellenistic historian who subsequently wrote
about the rise of the Roman Republic. In 146 BC, the league's relations with Rome
completely collapsed, leading to the Achaean War. The Romans under Lucius Mummius
defeated the Achaeans at the Battle of Corinth, razed Corinth and dissolved the
League. G.T. Griffith has written that Achaean War was "a hopeless enterprise for
the Achaeans, badly led and backed by no adequate reserves of money or men."[7]
Lucius Mummius received the agnomen Achaicus ("conqueror of Achaea") for his role.

Roman era[edit]
The original name Koinon of Achaeans (Achaean League) continues to exist in
epigraphy, denoting either the previous Peloponnesian members (see koinon of Free
Laconians) or the whole of Roman Achaea. In c. 120 BC Achaeans of cities in the
Peloponnese dedicated an honorary inscription to Olympian Zeus, after a military
expedition with Gnaeus Domitius against the Galatians in Gallia Transalpina.[8] In
Athens, AD 221-222 the koinon of Achaeans, when the strategos was Egnatius
Brachyllus, decided to send an embassy to the emperor Caracalla[9]

Government[edit]
The government of the league consisted of an assembly of citizens, a smaller
council, and a strategos (general).[10]

The Strategos (general) controlled the league's military forces. Originally, two
stretegoi held office simultaneously, but from 251, there was only one, who was
elected annually by the assembly. Until 217 the strategos entered office in May,
afterwards he assumed power at the beginning of winter. Individuals could hold the
office more than once (and frequently did so), but not in consecutive years.[2] The
general was assisted in his duties by a board of ten demiourgoi, a secretary, a
hipparch (cavalry commander), a navarch (admiral), and hypostrategoi (sub-generals
commanding in military districts).[11] The office of Hegemon (leader) was given to
various Antigonid and Ptolemaic kings at various points in Achaean history.
Ostensibly, the hegemon had ultimate command on land and sea, but in fact the
office seems to have been an honorary position which obliged the holder contribute
money to the League and support the League's military ventures.[5]

Ultimate decision-making power rested with the assembly (synodos), which was held
at Aegium four times a year. All male citizens of communities belonging to the
League were entitled to attend. Alongside the assembly there was a council (boule),
which was open to citizen men over thirty years old. Special meetings (synkletoi)
had to be called in order for the league to declare war, form an alliance, or
receive official communications from the Macedonian king or (later) the Roman
Republic.[11]

The league was ostensibly a democracy, but control seems to have consistently
rested with a small elite group who monopolised the generalship and other official
positions. Given the difficulty of travelling to Aegium, assemblies were probably
dominated by the wealthy.[4]

Army[edit]
The Achaean army was an army of the traditional hoplite type. From the 270s onwards
however, much like the rest of Greece, the emergence of the Celtic shield known as
the thyreos was incorporated into Greek warfare and a new type of troop was
developed. Reforming their troops into thyreophoroi, the Achaean army was now
composed of light troops. The thyreophoroi were a mixture of evolved peltasts and
light hoplites, carrying the thureos shield, a thrusting spear and javelins.
Plutarch says that they could be effective at a distance, but in close combat the
narrow thureos shield disadvantaged them. He also says that their formation was
ineffective, because it lacked inter-locked shields or a �leveled line of spears�.
[12] Aratus, one of the major Achaean strategoi (generals) and statesmen was known
for his use of light forces for irregular operations, a type of warfare suited to
the thyreophoroi but not suited to operations in the open field.[13]

The League in 217 decided to maintain a standing force of 8,000 mercenary foot and
500 mercenary cavalry, added to a picked citizen force of 3,000 infantry and 300
cavalry, of which 500 foot and 50 horse would come from Argos and the same amount
from Megalopolis.[14] Aratus also obtained 500 foot and 50 horse each from Taurion
and the Messenians for defence of parts of the League open to attack via Laconia.
[14] The citizen infantry would have been armed as thyreophoroi, apart from the
citizen light troops who would have been archers and slingers etc. This picked
citizen force may well have existed before these so-called reforms, at least on an
official basis, as we know of a similar elite force of the same size at the Battle
of Sellasia in 222.

However, it was the Achaean general Philopoemen in 208 who changed the Achaean
fighting style and weaponry to the Macedonian fashion.[15] According to Plutarch,
Philopoemen �persuaded them to adopt long pike and heavy shield instead of spear
and buckler, to protect their bodies with helmets and breastplates and greaves, and
to practice stationary and steadfast fighting instead of the nimble movements of
light-armed troops�.[12] These �reforms� were not necessarily new to some of the
constituent cities of the League, as the city of Megalopolis had been given bronze
shields and armed in the Macedonian fashion by Antigonus Doson for the Sellasia
campaign many years before. Philopoemen then trained the new army how to fight with
the new weapons and tactics and how to co-ordinate them with a new mercenary corps
that was hired. He spent nearly 8 months of his term as strategos visiting,
training and advising cities in this capacity.[16] At the Battle of Mantinea in 207
BC the Achaean phalanx was positioned with intervals between the companies with
lighter troops. This was obviously a major attempt by Philopoemen to increase the
flexibility of his phalanx.[17] He may have picked up this tactic too from his
experience at the Battle of Sellasia, where the phalanx of Antigonus Doson was also
divided up with light/medium troops in between them. As well as reforming and re-
organizing the infantry, Philopoemen also reformed the citizen cavalry. The cavalry
was recruited, much like in other Greek states, from the rich and noble classes.
Philopoemen organized the cavalry in lochoi, which usually in ancient military
treatises means �files�, most probably of 8 men, grouped into dilochiai, a
formation of double-files of 16 and so forth.

However, by the time of the Achaean War in 146 BC, the League's army had decreased
in strength and efficiency. The League was even reduced to freeing and arming
12,000 slaves. This was probably due to the 2nd century BC decline in population.
This may well account for the increased hiring of mercenaries, especially Cretans
and Thracians.[18]

Members[edit]

Territory of the Achaean League in 200 BC (excluding Boeotia).

The below are the original Peloponesian members, except the ancient regions of
Sparta, Elis and Messenia. Later Hypana in Elis, Corone, Messene, Sparta and Pagae
in Attica were joined by conquest. In 223 BC, Megara in Attica deserted the Achaean
League and joined the Boeotian Confederacy.

Besides many city-states on the Mainland joining the Achaean Federation, certain
Mediterranean island city-states also became part of the federation. For example,
Kydonia on Crete joined at some time after 219 BC.[19]

The city of Helike had been an important member of the first Achaean League, but
sank into the sea following a disastrous earthquake in 373 BC. The town of Olenus,
also one of the twelve members of the first Achaean League, had been abandoned
before 280 BC, but was sometimes counted as though still extant.

The dates in brackets indicate the year of first adhesion. Some cities had periods
of separation or foreign occupation and later joined again.

From Achaea[edit]
Dyme (281 BC)
Patras (281 BC)
Pharae (280 BC)
Tritaia (280 BC)
Aegium (275 BC)[2]
Boura (~ 270 BC)
Keryneia (~ 270 BC)
Leontion (~ 265 BC)
Aegira (~ 265 BC)
Pellene (~ 265 BC)
Olenus (after 272 BC)[20][11]
Helike (before 373 BC)
From Corinthia[edit]
Sicyon (251 BC)
Corinth (243�224 BC, again 197 BC)
Stymphalos
Tenea
From Argolis[edit]
Troezen (243 BC)
Epidaurus (243 BC)
Cleonae (235 BC)
Argos (229 BC)
Phlius (229 BC)
Hermione (229 BC)
Alea
Asine
From Arcadia[edit]
From the ancient political geography of Arcadia, not totally compatible with modern
Arcadia

Megalopolis (235 BC)

Mantineia (235/227 BC)
Orchomenus (235 BC)
Heraea (captured 236 BC)
Caphyae (captured 228 BC)
Tegea (223 BC)
Psophis (218 BC)
Lasion (218 BC)
Alipheira
Asea
Callista
Cleitor
Dipaea
Elisphasi[21]
Gortys
Lusi
Methydrium
Pallantium
Pheneus
Phigaleia
Teuthis
Theisoa
Thelpusa
From other regions[edit]
Megara (243-223 BC / after 197 BC again)
Aegina (228-211 BC)
Kydonia (after 219 BC)
Sparta (192 BC)
Elis (191 BC)
Messene (191/182 BC)
Pleuron (167 BC)
List of Strategoi (Generals)[edit]
Margos of Keryneia 256 - 255 BC
Aratus of Sicyon I 245 - 244 BC
Aratus of Sicyon II 243 - 242 BC
Aegialeas 242 - 241 BC (?)
Aratus of Sicyon III 241 - 240 BC
Aratus of Sicyon IV 239 - 238 BC
Aratus of Sicyon V 237 - 236 BC
Dioedas 236 - 235 BC (or 244 - 243 BC)
Aratus of Sicyon VI 235 - 234 BC
Lydiadas of Megalopolis I 234 - 233 BC
Aratus of Sicyon VII 233 - 232 BC
Lydiadas of Megalopolis II 232 - 231 BC
Aratus of Sicyon VIII 231 - 230 BC
Lydiadas of Megalopolis III 230 - 229 BC (Margos of Keryneia � was Navarch)
Aratus of Sicyon IX 229 - 228 BC
Aristomachos of Argos 228 - 227 BC
Aratus of Sicyon X 227 - 226 BC (Lydiadas of Megalopolis � was Hipparch)
Hyperbatas 226 - 225 BC
Timoxenos 225 - 224 BC (Aratus of Sicyon held the exceptional office of strategos
autokrator)
Aratus of Sicyon XI 224 - 223 BC
Timoxenos 223 - 222 BC (?)
Aratus of Sicyon XII 222 - 221 BC
Timoxenos 221 - 220 BC
Aratus of Sicyon XIII 220 - 219 BC
Aratus the Younger of Sicyon 219 - 218 BC (Mikkos of Dyme was Hypostrategos)
Epiratos of Pharae 218 - 217 BC
Aratus of Sicyon XIV 217 - 216 BC (Demodokos was Hipparch, Lykos of Pharae was
Hypostrategos)
Timoxenos 216 - 215 BC
Aratus of Sicyon XV 215 - 214 BC
Aratus of Sicyon XVI 213 BC (Aratus died before the end of the year)
Euryleon 211 - 210 BC (?)
Kykliadas of Pharae 210 - 209 BC (Philopoemen of Megalopolis was Hipparch)
Philopoemen of Megalopolis I 209 - 208 BC
Nikias 208 - 207 BC (Aristaenos of Dyme was Hipparch)
Philopoemen of Megalopolis II 207 - 206 BC
Lysippos 202 - 201 BC (?)
Philopoemen of Megalopolis III 201 - 200 BC
Kykliadas of Pharae 200 - 199 BC
Aristainos of Megalopolis 199 - 198 BC
Nikostratos of Achaia 198 - 197 BC
Theoxenos 197 - 196 BC (?)
Aristainos of Megalopolis 195 - 194 BC
Philopoemen of Megalopolis IV 193 - 192 BC (Teison of Patras was Navarch)
Diophanes of Megalopolis 192 - 191 BC
Philopoemen of Megalopolis V 191 - 190 BC
Philopoemen of Megalopolis VI 189 - 188 BC
Philopoemen of Megalopolis VII 187 - 186 BC
Aristainos of Megalopolis 186 - 185 BC
Lycortas of Megalopolis 185 - 184 BC
Archon of Aegeira 184 - 183 BC
Philopoemen of Megalopolis VIII 183 - 182 BC � (Lycortas of Megalopolis was
Hipparch)
Lycortas of Megalopolis 182 - 181 BC
Hyperbatos 181 - 180 BC
Kallikrates of Leontion 180 - 179 BC
Apollonidas of Sicyon ~ 178 BC
Aenetidas ~ 176 BC
Xenarchos 175 - 174 BC
Archon of Aegeira 172 - 171 BC
Archon of Aegeira 170 - 169 BC (Polybius was Hipparch)
Menalkidas of Sparta 151 - 150 BC
Diaeos of Megalopolis 150 - 149 BC
Damokritos 149 - 148 BC
Diaeos of Megalopolis 148 - 147 BC
Kritolaos of Megalopolis 147 - 146 BC � (replaced by his predecessor)
Diaeos of Megalopolis 146 BC (Sosikrates was Hipparch)
See also[edit]
Koinon
Achaea (disambiguation)
Peloponnese
Notes[edit]
Jump up ^ Walbank, Frank W. �Polybius and the Roman State.� Greek, Roman, and
Byzantine Studies 5 (1964): 239�60.
^ Jump up to: a b c d e f g F.W. Walbank, "Macedonia & Greece" in F. W. Walbank, A.
E. Astin, M. W. Frederiksen , R. M. Ogilvie (ed.) Cambridge Ancient History 7.1:
The Hellenistic World p.244
^ Jump up to: a b P.J. Rhodes, p.6.
^ Jump up to: a b F.W. Walbank, "Macedonia & Greece" in F. W. Walbank, A. E. Astin,
M. W. Frederiksen , R. M. Ogilvie (ed.) Cambridge Ancient History 7.1: The
Hellenistic World p.246
^ Jump up to: a b c F.W. Walbank, "Macedonia & Greece" in F. W. Walbank, A. E.
Astin, M. W. Frederiksen , R. M. Ogilvie (ed.) Cambridge Ancient History 7.1: The
Hellenistic World pp.251-252
Jump up ^ Adams 2010, p. 222; Errington 1990, p. 173
^ Jump up to: a b Griffith, 1935, p.105
Jump up ^ SEG 15:254
Jump up ^ IG II2 1094
Jump up ^ "Archived copy". Archived from the original on 2016-02-25. Retrieved
2016-02-17.
^ Jump up to: a b c F.W. Walbank, "Macedonia & Greece" in F. W. Walbank, A. E.
Astin, M. W. Frederiksen , R. M. Ogilvie (ed.) Cambridge Ancient History 7.1: The
Hellenistic World p.245
^ Jump up to: a b Plut. Philo. 9
Jump up ^ Anderson, 1967, p.105
^ Jump up to: a b Walbank, 1933, p.148
Jump up ^ According to Errington, the reform was probably requested or influenced
by Philip V of Macedon. At the time of Philopoemen's election, Philip was in a
full-scale war and could not support or finance the League. He realized that the
League had to become militarily self-sufficient but also kept in the Macedonian
sphere, lest the Achaeans join Macedon's rivals. Philip V probably supported
Philopoemen for strategos for the year 208/07 and in doing so was able to get what
he wanted. Errington, 1969, p.63
Jump up ^ Errington, 1969, p.64
Jump up ^ Walbank, 1967, p.286
Jump up ^ Griffith, 1935, p.106
Jump up ^ C. Michael Hogan, 2008
Jump up ^ SEG 1.74
Jump up ^ B. Head Historia Numorum p.418
References[edit]
Anderson, J.K (1967), "Philopoemen's Reform of the Achaean Army", CP, Vol.62, No.2,
p. 104-106
Errington, R.M (1969), Philopoemen
Griffith, G.T (1935), The Mercenaries of the Hellenistic World
Hansen, M. H. and Nielsen, T. H. (2004), An Inventory of Archaic and Classical
Poleis, Kobenhavns universitet Polis centret, Danish National Research Foundation,
Oxford University Press, ISBN 0-19-814099-1
Head, Duncan (1982), Armies of the Macedonian and Punic Wars 359-146 BC
Hogan, C. M. (2008), Cydonia, The Modern Antiquarian, [1]
Larsen, J. A. O. (1968), Greek Federal States, Clarendon Press, Oxford, pp. 215�240
Morgan, J.D. (1981), "Sellasia Revisited", AJA, Vol.85, No.3, p. 328-330
Rhodes, P.J. (1997), The Greek City States: A Source Book, Second Edition,
Cambridge University Press, ISBN 978-0-521-85049-0
Sabin; Van Wees; Whitby (eds.) (2007), The Cambridge History of Greek and Roman
Warfare, Volume I
Sage, Michael M. (1996), Warfare in Ancient Greece: A Sourcebook
Walbank, F.W (1933), Aratos of Sicyon
Walbank, F.W (1967), A Historical Commentary on Polybius, Volume III
Walbank; Astin; Frederiksen; Ogilvie (1984), The Cambridge Ancient History, Volume
VII, Part I"
External links[edit]
Wikimedia Commons has media related to Achaean League.
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Encyclopadia Britannica, 1911
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confederationsAchaean LeagueMilitary history of Ancient GreeceGreek city-state
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