Page:Greece from the Coming of the Hellenes to AD. 14.djvu/269

Rh under an Athenian commander, which had been operating among the Ionian islands, sustained two severe defeats off the Echinadae—a group of islands on the south coast of Acarnania—and the Macedonians were left in complete command of the sea. The Greek states had therefore no option: they were obliged to submit. They did indeed try to bargain that terms should be made with them en bloc, but the Macedonian generals would not admit of this, and insisted on each state being treated with separately. They enforced their view by storming the Thessalian cities, and before long the whole country submitted. Some states received more indulgent treatment than others, but the general result was that they had to admit a Macedonian garrison, and to submit to such changes of constitution as the Macedonian government thought necessary to secure that the party favouring the Macedonians should have the chief power in the several states.

In the Peloponnesian cities this seems to have been effected generally by establishing oligarchies or tyrants; in Athens, while a Macedonian garrison was to be stationed in Munychia, the franchise was to be restricted to men possessing property to the value of two thousand drachmae, and the greater part of those below this standard were compelled to emigrate, principally to Thrace, only about 9,000 full citizens being left. The surrender of the orators who had taken part against Macedonia was also demanded, and Demosthenes poisoned himself rather than fall into their hands. The Athenians were also required to withdraw their cleruchs from Samos, and