Although amphictionies were regionally and religiously based, with no specific polis having a political edge over the others, hegemonic (hegemon = leader) leagues were politically based and organized, with one polis being the dominant member. The earliest such league was the Lakedaimonian League, begun in the sixth century b. c.e., led by Sparta as the most militarily prestigious of the group, and including both Tegea and Corinth.
The three most famous and, in the fourth century, influential hegemonic leagues were the Second Athenian League, the Boiotian League (although some might argue that this belonged to the next category—ethnic leagues), and the Corinthian League. The last was established by Philip II of Macedon in 337 b. c.e. and included all the Greek poleis except Sparta. Macedon, specifically Philip, was the clear hegemon, and in reality the league existed as little more than a means of organizing the newly conquered Greek poleis for Macedonian domination (see chapter 4). Still, one must give Philip II some credit— this was probably the first thing the Greeks had ever done as a unified nation.
More typical was the Second Athenian League—"Second" because it came after the "First" Athenian League, also known as the Delian League and/or the Athenian Empire. The Athenians were clearly trying to be more equitable at the inauguration of this later alliance, established in 377 b. c.e. in the face of Spartan aggression and annoyance. Much of what we know about its inception comes from the Aristoteles Decree, a marble inscription discovered in the Athenian Agora (see chapter 9) (Tod 1985, 123):
In the Archonship of Nausinikos Paionieus secretary
In the 7th prytany [of Nausinikos] in the month Hippothontis [February or March]. This seemed good to the boule and to the demos, with Kharinos Athmoneus presiding and Aristoteles speaking:
Good Fortune to the city of the Athenians and to the allies of the Athenians.
So that the Lakedaimonians leave the Greeks free and autonomous in peace, each one having their own territories in security and so that a common peace be maintained forever, the Greeks and the King [of Persia] swore to this agreement, voted on by the demos.
If any Greek or barbarian, on the mainland of any island, who is not subject to the King wished to become an ally of Athens and her allies, he may do so enjoying his freedom and independence and any constitution he pleases, without the imposition of a garrison or governor or the payment of tribute, on the same terms as the Khians, Thebans, and other allies.
The people guarantees to surrender all Athenian landed property, either privately or publicly owned, in the territory of members of the League, and if there are at Athens inscribed records unfavorable to any of the league states, the boule receives full authority to destroy them. From the current year onward no Athenian may, privately or publicly, acquire house or land in the territory of allies by purchase or mortgage or in any other way whatsoever. If he does do so, any ally may lodge information with the allied assembly (synedrion), which shall sell the property and give half the proceeds to the informant, retaining half in the common fund of the allies.
The Athenians and her allies shall give the utmost assistance to any member of the League who is attacked.
If any magistrate or citizen proposes or puts to the vote any measure contrary to this decree, he shall lose his citizenship, his property shall be confiscated and a 10 th shall be given to Athena. Further, he shall be tried before the Athenians and the allies and punished with death or with banishment from the league territory. If sentenced to death, he may not be buried in Attica or in league soil.
The secretary of the council shall erect a marble stele bearing this decree beside the statue of Zeus Eleutherios, and the treasurers of the goddess shall defray the cost— 60 drachmas, from the "ten talents.” On this stele shall be inscribed the names of the existing allies and all future accessions. Three envoys shall forthwith be elected to visit Thebes and secure what benefits they can.
[Names of envoys]
[Names of allies]
(Translation adapted from Tod 1985)
The synedrion met regularly in Athens and was summoned by an Athenian official. It elected its own president and voted on affairs concerning the entire league. The league's hegemonic aspect was evident in the synedrion's voting policy—all states except Athens had only one vote; Athens had more. Furthermore, the decrees passed by the synedrion then went before the Athenian boule or assembly, and it is unknown who actually had final say in league decisions (Ehrenberg 1969, 114-115).
The Boiotian League actually began as an amphictiony—the Onkhestos Am-phictiony—in the sixth century b. c.e., centered on the Panboiotia Festival at the sanctuary of Athena Itonia (Ehrenberg 1969, 122). The League became politicized in two distinct phases. The first lasted from 447 until 386, when it
Was dissolved by the Spartan king Agesilaus; the second emerged in 379/378 and lasted into the Hellenistic period.
Much of what we know about the earlier manifestation of the League comes from the Oxyrhynchos Historian (see above). In the Hell. Oxy. 11, 2-4, she tells
Us:
Boiotia-wide matters were arranged in the following way. All who lived in that area were distributed into 11 divisions, and each provided a Boiotarch, as follows. The po-lis of Thebes contributed four (two on its own behalf, two for Plataia, Skolos, Ery-thrai, Skaphai and the other regions previously sharing a common citizenship with them but at the time subject to Thebes); Orchomenus and Hysiai provided two Boiotarchs between them; Thespiai with Eutresis and Thisbai provided two; Tanagra one; and Haliartos, Lebadeia and Koroneia between them provided a further one, whom each of the poleis would send in turn; and in the same manner one would come from Akraiphnion, Kopai and Chaeronea (jointly). In this way the divisions returned their officials. They provided also 60 councilors per Boiotarch, whose daily expenses they paid... In accordance with the number of their officials, they drew on the common funds, paid taxes, appointed jurymen, and in general shared alike in all the public burdens and benefits. This, then, was how the set-up of the whole ethnos was arranged, and the meetings of the council and other common assemblies of the Boiotians would sit on the Cadmeia. (Translation by Cartledge 2000, 399, used with kind permission)
The League was divided into eleven administrative units, called mere in Greek. Each meros (sing.) contributed equal numbers of soldiers and taxes to the League, suggesting that the mere were roughly equal in size/popula-tion/resources. The League's main administrative unit was a federal boule/council, to which each of the mere sent sixty annual representatives, for a total of 660 councilors. This boule was divided into four parts, with each quarter in permanent session for three months of the year (much as the local Theban government was at this time). Furthermore, each meros contributed one boiotarch (Boiotian leader), elected by the enfranchised populace of each division, to serve as the League's executors. They levied troops, commanded the field, served as diplomats, and may have helped to organize the affairs of the boule itself (Cartledge 2000, 405).
In theory, there was an equitable division of power throughout the League. However, one must note that different poleis controlled different numbers of mere—Thebes had four, Orchomenus had two, and Akraiphia, Kopai, and Chaeronea had one among the three of them. Thus, Thebes alone had 240 councilors in the boule, while Akraiphia, Kopai, and Chaeronea together had only 60. By natural extension, Thebes provided four of the Boiotarchs, and the others provided Boiotarchs in like proportion. This, plus the fact that the council met in Thebes itself, gave Thebes a considerable majority over the other members of the League, thus classifying it as hegemonic (Cartledge 2000, 405).
After the interlude of Spartan rule from 386 to 379 b. c.e., a new Boiotian League formed, mostly on the same lines as the previous one. Now, however,
Thebes was in even greater control of the League, being recognized as formal hegemon and providing four of the now seven boiotarchs. Furthermore, Thebes now adopted a more democratic constitution, with lower property requirements for enfranchisement. Thus, a larger number of Thebans were taking part in League affairs than previously, along with the city's proportionately higher representation.
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