League of Corinth
Hellenic League Πανελλήνιο Συνέδριο | |||||||||||
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338 BC/337 BC–322 BC | |||||||||||
![]() Vergina Sun, Greek rayed solar symbol of Macedonia
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![]() The Hellenic League after the death of Philip II | |||||||||||
Capital | Pella | ||||||||||
Common languages | Ancient Greek | ||||||||||
Religion | Ancient Greek religion | ||||||||||
Government | Hegemony | ||||||||||
Hegemon, Strategos Autokrator of Greece | |||||||||||
• 338 BC/337 BC | Philip II | ||||||||||
• 336 BC | Alexander III, the Great | ||||||||||
• 302 BC | Antigonus I Monophthalmus | ||||||||||
• 224 BC | Antigonus III Doson | ||||||||||
Legislature | Synedrion | ||||||||||
History | |||||||||||
• Established | 338 BC/337 BC | ||||||||||
• Disestablished | 322 BC | ||||||||||
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The League of Corinth, also referred to as the Hellenic League (from Greek Ἑλληνικός Hellenikos, "pertaining to Greece and Greeks"[1][2][3]), was a confederation of Greek states created by Philip II[4] in 338–337 BC. The League was created in order to unify Greek military forces under Macedonian leadership (hegemony) in their combined conquest of Persia.[5][6][7]
King Philip was initially urged by Isocrates (in Isocrates' Philppus oration), in 346 BC, to unify Greece against the Persians.[8][9]After the Battle of Chaeronea, the league became controlled by Alexander the Great.
The title 'League of Corinth' was invented by modern historians because the first council of the League took place in Ancient Corinth. The organization was the first time in history that the Greek city-states (with the notable exception of Sparta, which would join only later under Alexander’s terms) would unify under a single political entity.[10]
Organization[]
The League was governed by the Hegemon[11][12][13] (strategos autokrator[14][15] in a military context),[16] the Synedrion[17] (council) and the Dikastai (judges). Decrees of the league were issued in Corinth, Athens, Delphi, Olympia and Pydna.[18] The League maintained an army levied from member states in approximate proportion to their size, while Philip established Hellenic garrisons (commanded by phrourarchs, or garrison commanders) in Corinth, Thebes, Pydna[19] and Ambracia.
Treaty of the Common Peace[]
(A fragmentary inscription found in Athens)[20][21]
Text[]
[․․․․․․․․․21․․․․․․․․․․ Ποσ]ειδῶ ․․5․․
․․․․․․․․․․22․․․․․․․․․․ς ἐμμεν[ῶ ․․․․] ․․․․․․․․․․22․․․․․․․․․․νον[τ]ας τ․․․․ [․․․․․․․․18․․․․․․․․ οὐδ]ὲ ὅπλα ἐ[π]οί[σω ἐ]- [πὶ πημονῆι ἐπ’ οὐδένα τῶν] ἐμμενόντ[ω]ν ἐν τ- [οῖς ὅρκοις οὔτε κατὰ γῆν] οὔτε κατὰ [θ]άλασ- [σαν· οὐδὲ πόλιν οὐδὲ φρο]ύριον καταλήψομ- [αι οὔτε λιμένα ἐπὶ πολέ]μωι οὐθενὸς τῶν τ- [ῆς εἰρήνης κοινωνούντ]ων τέχνηι οὐδεμι- [ᾶι οὔτε μηχανῆι· οὐδὲ τ]ὴν βασιλείαν [τ]ὴν Φ- [ιλίππου καὶ τῶν ἐκγόν]ων καταλύσω ὀδὲ τὰ- [ς πολιτείας τὰς οὔσας] παρ’ ἑκάστοις ὅτε τ- [οὺς ὅρκους τοὺς περὶ τ]ῆς εἰρήνης ὤμνυον· [οὐδὲ ποιήσω οὐδὲν ἐνα]ντίον ταῖσδε ταῖς [σπονδαῖς οὔτ’ ἐγὼ οὔτ’ ἄλ]λωι ἐπιτρέψω εἰς [δύναμιν, ἀλλ’ ἐάν τις ποε̑ι τι] παράσπονδ[ον] πε- [ρὶ τὰς συνθήκας, βοηθήσω] καθότι ἂν παραγ- [γέλλωσιν οἱ ἀεὶ δεόμενοι] καὶ πολεμήσω τῶ- [ι τὴν κοινὴν εἰρήνην παρ]αβαίνοντι καθότι [ἂν ἦι συντεταγμένον ἐμαυ]τῶι καὶ ὁ ἡγε[μὼ]- [ν κελεύηι ․․․․․12․․․․․ κα]ταλείψω τε․․ — — — — — — — — — — — — — ∶