Amphictyony (or Amphictiony) was the name of the standing convention of the “amphictyons”, i.e. those who dwelled around a major sanctuary. The formation of amphictionies was initially dictated by the need to make decisions regarding the sanctuaries. Gradually, however, as the meetings of the representatives of the city-states took place at regular intervals, they became opportune for exchanging views on other issues as well, of interest to all parties, or for settling disputes. The establishment of amphictionies was a process which evolved towards the mid-8th century. Known amphictionies of the ancient world were that of Boeotian Oghestus, organised around the temple of Poseidon, that of Delos around the temple of Apollo, the one at Argos around the temple of Pythaeos Apollo, the one of Kalavria (nowadays the islet Poros in the Saronic Gulf) and the one of Trifylia, both centered around the respective temples of Poseidon, as well as the amphictiony of the six Doric cities of Asia Minor. Although several such conventions had been founded, the term “Amphictyony” soon came to denote the Delphic Amphictyony, as Amphictyony par exellence.


The seat of the Amphictyony was initially the sanctuary of Demeter “Amphictyonis” close to Anthele at Thermopylae (which was called “Pylae”, i.e. "Gates" , at the time). From the 7th century B.C. and after the First Sacred War the seat was transferred to the temple of Apollo at Delphi; the members of the Amphictyony declared the city independent, so that none of the member states would have the supremacy. The Amphictyony would convene twice a year, in the spring (Sping Pylaea) at Delphi and in autumn (Autumn Pylaea) at Thermopylae; that's why the Amphictyony bore also the attribute “Pylaeo-Delphian”.
Ancient sources (such as Aeschines, “On the False Embassy”, 116) mention the following twelve tribes as members of the Amphictyony: the Aenians, the Achaean Phtiotae, the Boeotians, the Dolopes, the Dorians (initially only the inhabitants of Doris in Mainland Greece, later on also the Dorians of the Peloponnese and particularly the Spartans), the Thessalians, the Ionians (from Athens and Euboea), the Locrians, the Malieans, the Magnites, the Perrhaevoi and the Phocians.
The Amphictyony was administrated by the Amphictyonic Convention and the Amphictyonic Ecclesia. Two representatives from each of the 12 tribes, i.e 24 permanent members elected by lot, plus the Pylagorans (one from each city), one Secretary and a Hierophant composed the Convention.
The Hieromnemons formed the governing council and were responsible for all issues concerning the sanctuary.
The Pylagorans or Agoratroi were the representatives of the amphictyonic cities, who were elected each year and were charged with the protection of the interests of their cities in the Amphictyony.
Finally, the Amphictyonic Ecclesia consisted of the Hieromnemons, the Pylagorans and those who were at the sanctuary at the time of its convention. The Ecclesia was charged only with the responsibility of issuing decrees and did not possess much power.
Most of the times the Convention ran smoothly, although not always entirely free of antagonism for supremacy: in the 6th century this was in the hands of the Thessalians, in the 5th and 4th centuries the Convention was controlled by the Spartans and after 371 B.C. by the Boeotians. After 346 B.C. it passed on to Philip, in the 3rd century B.C. to the Aetolians and from 168 B.C. onwards to the Romans. In the Roman era the panhellenic radiance of the Amphictyony diminished and later on the Emperor Hadrian founded a new institution for the unity of the Greeks, namely the Panhellenion.
The shifts of supremacy among the tribes did not occur without turbulence. The so-called “Sacred Wars” are testimonies to this.

The decline of Delphic Amphictyony
In 336 B.C., after the assassination of Philip II, his son Alexander gained the acknowledgment of his supremacy over the Greeks by the Amphictyonic Convention at Thermopylae. It had already become evident that the Amphictyony had chosen security over autonomy.
In 279 B.C., after their struggle against the Galatians, the Phocians re-joined the Amphictyony, whereas, for the same reason, the Aetolians also acquired the right to one vote. In 171 B.C. the Amphictyony had 17 members, of which only the most powerful ones had two votes. It is evident that as the political importance of the city-state receded in favour of other political entities, from the Hellenistic period onwards, the importance of the Amphictyony shrank as well. The fact that the violent intervention of the Aetolians did not cause another sacred war (as it would have done a couple of centuries earlier) seems to support this view Yet the institution continued to exist throughout the Roman period, but its role was now confined to the protection of the sanctuary. Augustus merged the Aenians, the Malieans, the Magnetes and the Phocians with the Thessalians and he also gave the vote of the Dolopes, who had meanwhile disappeared as a tribe, to the city that he built in Epirus in 28 B.C.: Nikopolis.

The Panhellenion
In 131-132 A.D., Emperor Hadrian created a new confederacy of the Greek cities of the entire Roman Empire, called “Panhellenion”. Its official inauguration took place during the opening ceremony for the temple of Olympian Zeus at Athens. Cities from at least five Roman Privinces, namely Achaia, Macedonia, Thrace, Asia and Crete-Cyrenaica, had the right to participate at the Panhellenion provided they could prove their Greek origin. Each city was represented by one Panhellene, who served for one year, whereas head of the institution was the archon of the Panhellenion, appointed for 4 years. The seat of the Panhellenion was Athens, which thus emerged as one of the most prominent religious centres of the time, a fact which helped the city maintain its cosmopolitan character. The Pantheon, a Roman basilica with a capacity of 6.000-10.000 people to the east of the Roman Agora in Athens is identified by several scholars as the meeting point of the Panhellenes, whereas Hadrian was possibly worshiped at the Olympieion along with Zeus Panhellenios and Hera Panhellenia.
The foundation of the Panhellenion, one of the most important cultural and political institutions of the Antonineian period, constitutes one of the most vital interventions of a Roman emperor in the cultural life of the Greek world and shows the desire of Hadrian to be in contact with all the Greek cities. However, its political importance has been contested. The Panhellenion never became an institution with deep roots, and after Hadrian's death it simply faded away.

Text: Dr. Kleopatra Ferla, Historian
Translation: Dr. Aphrodite Kamara, Historian