ACHIEA, (Gk.'Axa.ta.). (1) The south east part of Thessaly, the legendary home of Achilles. (2.) The northern part of Pelopon nest's, bordering on the Corinthian Gulf. The land rising gradually from the coast to the hills of the interior was famed in ancient times for fertility in production of oil, wine, and fruits, while the wooded mountains contained much game. In the modern kingdom of Greece Achma forms a none, or department, in the extreme northwest of the Morea, and its chief town is Patras. Excepting the west coast. the land is fertile, and produces corn, wine, and oil.
In early times the Achmans held more or less aloof from participation in the affairs of the rest of Greece. There were twelve prin cipal towns, the names of which. according to Ilerodotus, were Pellene, .Egeira. Bura, Helice, -Eginm, Ithypes, Petra., Pharm, Olenus, Dyme, and Tritmea, and these formed a confeder acy, with ileliee at the head. After the destruc tion of Helice by an earthquake in 373 •.c., Agium took its place as the chief city of the confederacy. The wars and rivalries which pre vailed after the death of Alexander the Great brought about the complete dissolution of the ancient bond, but a new union was formed in 2S0 n.c., which gradually extended itself, and in a few years eomprised the ten cities. Patrm, Dyme, Plume, Tritaa. Leoutium, Pellene, Egium, Bura, and Ceryncia. This second con federacy was known as the Achman League. It first came into prominence as an important factor in Greek and Hellenic politics in 249 n.c., when Aratus joined thereto his native city, Sieyon. The aim of the league was from this time forth to free the Greek peninsula from Macedonian rule. In 242 n.c. the :Macedonian garrison was driven from Corinth, and this city was brought into the confederacy. Before the last quarter of that century the league had reached its most flourishing period of develop ment. It included the whole of northern and middle Peloponnesus and many cities in other parts of Greece.
The government of the league affords perhaps the best example in antiquity of the federal system. In foreign affairs the union acted as a whole, but in internal affairs each city was a unit, and had equal rights with every other city. Also, each state still preserved its entire independence. There was a public council which met regularly twice every year, in spring and in autumn, and was attended, not by depu ties, hut in person by all male citizens of thirty years of age or over. The meeting-place of the council was at first a grove near :Egium, but later Philoremen instituted a change, 'whereby meetings were designed to be held in rotation at the various cities belonging to the league. In this council the affairs of the league were brought up to be discussed and passed upon, and a record was kept of the proceedings. The
chief officer of the league was the strotegos, who had as subordinates a hipparchos and a nauareltos. There was also a secretary. The strutcyos was commander-in-chief of the army and general executive officer. He was assisted in the duty of calling together the assembly and presiding thereat by a board of ten demiurgi. For some years the league maintained its indepen dence against all enemies. Something of the old power of Greece seemed to return, and there was a promise of permanent union; hut it soon appeared that the league was bent on its own destruction. Instead of presenting a firm front against the common foes of Greece. its members were divided by continual discords. The ..-Eto lian League was a formidable rival, and the Spartans, led by King Cleomenes 111., pressed the confederacy so hard that Aratus was finally compelled to seek the alliance of the Macedonian king, Antigonus Doson.
This act was nothing less than the begin ning of the dependency of the Achwan League on the Macedonian power. Another dangerous enemy was Rome. Led by the wise and ener getic policy of Philop•nwn, of Megalopolis, the Achwans held out against enemies at home and abroad for a number of years, but in 198 B.C. they were induced to ally themselves with the Romans. In 192 me. Philopwinen appeared at Sparta and compelled that city to join the league, and by the following year the whole of Pelopon nest's had come over to the union. This power, however, lasted but a short time. The hostilities of Sparta, the intrigues of the Romans, and internal dissensions combined to bring about the fall of the confederacy. In 167 n.c. a whole sale deportation of leading /16:•ans to ROBle as hostages took place. In 146 B.C. the Achwans were defeated at Corinth by the Roman general Mummius. This defeat not only dissolved the league, but destroyed the political independence of Greece. Southern and central Greece, tinder the name of Achwa, became a Roman province. Polybius, who was one of the Aehtvans taken to Route as hostages in 167 B.C., 11:1,1 given an ex tended account of the league in his history of the period between 220 me. and 146 B.C. Consult: Scicorn, Geschiehte Griechenlands von der Ext siehunq nue/ aelbuisehen Ilu Inks (Bonn, 1833) ; Drunmnn, !deem zee,• Gesell ich doe rerfalts der gricell isieh en. Mem len (Berlin, ) ; Ilertzberg, t; which te griwehc nlands tinter den lleharrn (Halle, 1875) ; and Freemah, History of Federal Government (second edition, London, 1893).
(3.) Und4.r the Romans, the contain ing all If Thessaly and Macedonia.