AXPIIIIVIA, in the Linnrean system of zoology, a class containing reptiles and carti laginous fishes. The term amphibious (Gr., having a double life) had been previously employed, as it still popularly is, to denote animals capable of sustaining existence for a considerable time either on dry land or in water. Of the animals of the Linnnan class, however, some only are capable of this, whilst some are strictly limited to the one element, and some to the other, and only a very few are truly amphibious, or adapted by the possession of lungs and gills at the same time for breathing either in air or in water. The Linnaan classification was soon altered by the removal of the cartilaginous fishes from the class amphihia, and the name was retained for a class consisting of reptiles alone—the reptilia of Cuvier. See REPTILES. Some recent naturalists have divided this into two classes, reptaia and amphibia, the former having lungs only, the latter having both lungs and gills; the former including the chelonian, saurian, and ophidian rep tiles; the latter only the Batrachian reptiles, or the former order Batrachia. But if it must be admitted that these differ from the other orders more than they do from each other, yet the propriety of separating them as a distinct class has not been universally acknowledged. In this work, the characteristics of the A. in the narrower sense are discussed under the head BATRACIIIA.
Altil'HIC'TYONIC COUNCIL. This central politico-religious court of several Grecian tribes was held twice a year. In spring, the members assembled in the temple of Apollo, at Delphi; in autumn, in the temple of Ceres, at the village of Anthela, near Thermopyla Their purpose was twofold: 1. To determine questions of international law; 2. To preserve the religious institutions of the Greeks. As there were many amphictyonies in the early days of Greek history—of which, however, by far the most important was that which forms the subject of our article—it has generally been sup posed that they originated out of a desire for social union, and were, consequently, a result of the national instinct for civilization. Like the Olympic games of a later period, their tendency was to develop a spirit of brotherhood where it was greatly required. The restless Greek intellect, in its application to political life, had naturally an exces sive and perilous love of individualism, out of which rose the numerous strifes and animosities of the various states. These councils, on the other hand, were calculated to exert a wholesome centralizing influence. They knit together, for a time, the dis
tracted tribes in a bond of common interest and piety. Like the Olympic games, too, they became the occasion of vast gatherings of the Greek peoples, who crowded thither for every variety of purpose, sacred and secular; and thus a feeling of unity and pure national patriotism was, temporarily at least, excited in the popular mind. The special origin of the A. 0. or league is unknown, though we know that it was composed of twelve tribes. The ancient writers differ in the names of these; but the list given by the orator tEsellines, though containing only eleven, is perhaps the safest to adhere to: the Thessalians, Bceotians, Dorians, Ionians, Perrlimbians, Magnetes, Locrians, (Etmanc, Plithiots, Malians, and Phocians. Probably the remaining tribe was the Dolopians, who are mentioned in other accounts. It has been justly concluded that the great pre ponderance of the northern tribes, who were of the old Pelasgic race, proves the antiquity of the council. It must have been older than the descent of the Dorians upon the Pelo ponnesus, or the emigration of the Ionians to the coasts of Asia Minor. Each of the twelve tribes sent to the A. C. two members. These 24 representatives possessed equal authority, although some of the tribes were very small, and hardly independent. They bound themselves by an oath that " they would destroy no city of the Aniphietyons, nor cut off their streams in war or peace; and if any should do so, they would march against him and destroy his cities; and should any pillage the property of the god, or be privy to, or plan anything against what was in his temple at Delphi, they would take vengeance on him with hand, and foot, and voice, and all their might" (tEschines). It is only right to state, what indeed most people would naturally conclude for themselves, that so excellent an oath was very indifferently kept. In the primitive period of Greek history, it, in all likelihood, exerted the beneficial and civilizing influence of which we have spoken; but it opposed only a feeble check to the passions and ambition of a more powerful age. The members at times connived and even took part in many political crimes, and thus violated their oath. By the time of Demosthenes, the A. C. had ceased to command respect; in the 2d c. after Christ it still existed, but was then just wavering on the verge of extinction.