Achaean league

See also: League

The Achaean League (in Greek old τὸ Ἀχαϊκόν / tò Achaïkón ) is a confederation of towns of Achaïe, on the north-eastern coast of the Peloponnese.

The first league

A first league exists with. At the time of Hérodote, it counts twelve cities: Pellène, Égire, Égée, Bura, Propeller, Égion, Rhypes, Patras, Headlights, Olenos, Dymé, and Tritée. Rhypes and Égée disappear then, and are replaced by Leontion and Cérynée. The bonds linking these cities are known little about, undoubtedly the nature of the league was it more nun that policy.

The league is dissolved in fact by the Macedonians: Démétrios I {{er}} Poliorcète and Cassandre of Macedonia imposes on the cities garrisons and often, tyrants under their control. The cities are thus separate.

The hellenistic league

The Achaean league is reconstituted towards 280, when Antigone II Gonatas, wire of Démétrios Poliorcète, tries to take again the throne of Macedonia with Ptolémée Kéraunos. Benefitting from the weakening of their enemy, the Achaens drive out their cities the garrisons Macedonians and the tyrants with their balance. They give to the league federal institutions: all the cities are on an equal footing, they must behave like members of a State, obey at a federal government and not negotiate separately with the other cities. The Federal state then appears the only manner of holding head in the States hellenistic.

The cities at the origin of this second confederation are Dyme, Patras, Tritée and Pharée. Other cities unite with this first group during the three following decades: Aegium, Bura, Leontium, Aegeira, Pellene. Starting from 255 - 254, its magistrate principal is a strategist, re-eligible, but not two years of continuation.

Very quickly, the league however develops under the authority of Aratos, which joins together there its native city of Sicyone, of origin dorienne: consequently, the nonAchaean cities of dialect can belong to the league. Join then the league Mégare, Trézène, Megalopolis or Épidaure. Aratos succeeds in making control on Corinthe, and gladly, badly liking, Athens, Égine and Salamine join the confederation. It is the apogee of the league, which controls all the Peloponnese except for Tégée, Orchomène, Mantinée and Élis. Sparte, belonged to the league since 192 but will not have of cease to want to recover its independence.

The league however does not manage to unify the Peloponnese under its aegis: the secession of Sparte, the operations Roman and its imprudence, under the control of Philopoemen and Cristolaos, lead to its dissolution into 146, following the war of Achaïe.

List generals ( strategoi ) of the League

All the following dates are front J. - C.:

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