Page:History of Greece Vol XI.djvu/268

 242 HISTORY OF GREECE. and venerable, but rarely invested with practical efficiency Though political by occasion, it was religious in its main purpose, associated with the worship of Apollo at Delphi and of Demeter at Thermopylae. Its assemblies were held twice annually in spring at Delphi, in autumn at Thermopylae ; while in every fourth year it presided at the celebration of the great Pythian festival near Delphi, or appointed persons to preside in its name. It con sisted of deputies called Hieromnemones and Pylagorse, sent by the twelve ancient nations or fractions of the Hellenic name, who were recognized as its constituent body/ Thessalians, Boeotians, Dorians, lonians, Perrhaebians, Magnetes, Lokriana, CEtaeans or .ZEnianes, Achaeans, Malians, Phokians, Dolopes. These were the twelve nations, sole partners in the Amphiktyonic sacred rits and meetings : each nation, small and great alike, having two votes in the decision and no more ; and each city, small and great alike, contributing equally to make up the two votes of that nation to which it belonged. Thus Sparta counted only as one of the va- rious communities forming the Dorian nation : Athens, in like manner in the Ionian, not superior in rank to Erythrse or Priene. 1 That during the preceding century, the Amphiktyonic assembly had meddled rarely, and had never meddled to any important pur pose, in the political affairs of Greece is proved by tbf {act thai it is not once mentioned either in the history of Thucydides, or in the Hellenica of Xenophon. But after the humiliation of Spar ta at Leuktra, this great religious convocation of the Hellenic world, after long torpor, began to meet for the despatch of busi- ness. Unfortunately its manifestations of activity were for the most part abusive and mischievous. Probably not long after the battle of Leuktra, though we do not know the precise year the Thebans exhibited before the Amphiktyons an accusation against Sparta, for having treacherously seized the Kadmeia (the citadel of Thebes) in a period of profound peace. Sentence of condem- nation was pronounced against her, 2 together with a fine of five hundred talents, doubled after a certain interval of non-payment. 1 JEschines, Be Fals. Legat. p. 280. c. 36. For particulars respecting the Amphiktyonic assembly, see the, treatise of Tittman, Ueber den Am pluktyonischcn Bund, p. 37. 45, seq</.
 * Diodor. xvi. 23-29; Justin, viii. 1