Megarian Local Adjudication: The Case of the Border Dispute between Epidauros and Corinth in 242-240 BCE (IG IV2.I.70 and 71)

Over the last quarter century, the study of interstate arbitration and the use of foreign judges to adjudicate disputes between city-states has been rejuvenated. This article re-examines the well-known Megarian adjudication of the border dispute between Epidauros and Corinth by the Achaean League in the 3rd century BCE, with a view to determining the reason for the Achaeans’ choice of Megara as judge and, more importantly, the acceptance of this decision by Corinth, given the less than friendly history between these two city-states

A reassessment of Philip V. of Macedon in Polybios' Histories

MD ThesisThis thesis offers a new evaluation of Philip V of Macedon (221-179 BC) through a reassessment of his portrait in our primary literary source, Polybios of Megalopolis. Chapter 1 introduces the topic and explores how Polybios’ presentation of his content, including Philip, is greatly dependent on his intention to produce a pragmatic, didactic, universal history, facilitated by the unifying concepts of symploke and tyche. Chapter 2 investigates Polybios’ Achaian background, patriotism and admiration of the Achaian leader Aratos, and how this political bias shapes Philip’s depiction. Chapter 3 questions the validity of the historian’s claim that the king suddenly turned from a brilliant king to a treacherous tyrant in 215 BC, and reveals how Polybios overemphasises this change to explain the king’s downfall, encourage correct political and moral behaviour, and defend Aratos and the League’s association with the king. Chapter 4 assesses Polybios’ conviction that Philip’s treatment of his Greek allies turned deceitful after his change for the worse in 215, and reveals how his statements are exaggerated and once again in pursuit of vilifying the king, justifying the League’s defection to Rome in 198 BC and ultimately explaining Macedonia’s demise. Lastly, Chapter 5 discusses Polybius’ tragic account of Philip’s last years and its modern reception, arguing that while the account may not be historically accurate, it still represents a completely satisfactory, consistent and justifiable end to Polybius’ account of the Macedonian king. This thesis concludes that Polybios’ picture of the king is intensely loaded and complex, dependent on a number of wider literary factors and personal biases. Yet, it also proves that it is possible to unravel Philip from some of the historian’s weavings and uncover a more balanced portrayal of the monarch than the generally negative one presented in the Histories

The Controversy between Megalopolis and Messene in a New Inscription from Messene

2008 veröffentlichte P. Themelis ein Dekret der Stadt Messene, in dem ein Gebietsstreit zwischen Messene und Megalopolis aus den Jahren unmittelbar nach dem Krieg zwischen Messene und dem Achaierbund und dem Tod Philopoimens beschrieben wird. Das strittige Land schloss vier Gebiete ein, die meistens paarweise erwähnt werden, wovon eines das Territorium von Andania war. Der vorliegende Beitrag bietet einen revidierten Text mit Übersetzung und erläutert den historischen Hinter- grund des Dekrets sowie den Verlauf des Streits, in dem mehrere Schiedssprüche ergingen. Der Text wirft neues Licht auf die Rolle der Organe des Bundes, insbesondere der damiorgoi, bei Konflikten unter den Mitgliedstaaten, sowie auf die gemeinsamen Gesetze des Bundes.P. Themelis published in 2008 a decree of the polis of Messene that narrates a territorial controversy between Messene and Megalopolis from the years immediately after the war between Messene and the Achaian League and the death of Philopoimen. The land under dispute included four areas that tend to be mentioned in pairs, one of which was the territory of Andania. The present contribution offers a revised text with translation of the decree and discusses its historical background and the course of the dispute, which involved multiple arbitrations. The text sheds new light on the role of the organs of the League, especially the damiorgoi, in the resolution of disputes among member states, and on the common laws of the Achaian League.P. Themelis publia en 2008 un décret de la cité de Messène, qui fait état d’une contestation territoriale entre Messène et Mégalopolis dans les années suivant immédiatement la guerre entre Messène et la Ligue achéenne et la mort de Philopoimène. Le territoire disputé incluait quatre secteurs qui sont sou- vent mentionnés par paires, dont l’un était le territoire d’Andania. La présente étude offre une révision du texte avec traduction et expose le contexte historique du décret ainsi que le déroulement de la dis- pute qui fit l’objet de multiples arbitrages. Le texte éclaire d’une part le rôle des différents organes de la Ligue achéenne, notamment des damiorgoi, lors des conflits entre états membres et d’autre part les lois fédérales de la Ligue

Freedom, ethical choice and the Hellenistic Polis

This paper examines ideas of individual freedom in the Hellenistic city-states (c. 323–31 BC). It concentrates on the civic ideas expressed in the laws and decrees of Hellenistic cities, inscribed on stone, comparing them with Hellenistic historical and philosophical works. It places different Hellenistic approaches alongside modern liberal, neo-Roman republican and civic humanist theories of individual liberty, finding some overlaps with each of those modern approaches. The argument is that the Hellenistic Greeks developed innovative ways of combining demanding ideals of civic virtue and the common good with equally robust ideals of individual freedom and ethical choice. They did so not least by adapting and developing traditional Greek approaches close to modern civic humanism, in ways very relevant to modern debates about how to reconcile civic duty, the common good and pluralism

A Note on the history of Hellenistic Megara: Τhe date of the Antigonid garrison in Aegosthena

This paper presents a proposal for the date of the Antigonid military presence in Aegosthena near Megara, which is known only by a Megarian honorary decree for Boiotian Zoilos, the royal commander of the garrison (IG VII 1). The named king Demetrios in the inscription could be Poliorketes (306-284 BC) or his grandson, Demetrios II (239-229 BC). All the available evidences (philological, prosopographical, letters a.o.) are examined and the conclusion is that a date around 295-287 BC is the more preferable

Polybios to Pausanias: Arkadian Identity in the Roman Empire

Papers from the third international seminar on Ancient Arcadia, held at the Norwegian Institute at Athens, 7-10 May 2002Many ancient statements about Arkadia date from the Roman period, and most of what we hear from Arkadians themselves, directly from Polybios, and indirectly via Pausanias, belongs in this context. This source material combines references back to earlier 'classical' texts with the new need to position the region in the Roman empire. A few aspects of Arkadian life and culture, such as poverty, piety and a very ancient ancestry, make up a stereotype that was recognisable and could therefore be put to good use. With few exceptions this Arkadian image is positive and it could give Arkadian communities an advantage in dealing with the outside world, especially because some outsiders were keen to have a pan in this illustrious heritage

From the Cradle: Reconstructing the ephēbeia in Hellenistic Megara

This chapter re-constructs the form and function of the ephēbeia in Hellenistic Megara, beginning with an examination of the city’s military catalogues during its membership in the Boiotian League. Through comparison with other member cities, a detailed reconstruction of the Megarian ephēbeia is advanced beginning with the period stretching from 224-193 BC, and then expanding to consider the potential origins of the city’s ephebic program in its local context. Throughout, the place of the ephēbeia in the local discourse environment of Megara is emphasized for its role in training subsequent generations of Megarian citizens who would go on to participate actively in the city’s military and political life

A Note on the history of Hellenistic Megara: Τhe date of the Antigonid garrison in Aegosthena

This paper presents a proposal for the date of the Antigonid military presence in Aegosthena near Megara, which is known only by a Megarian honorary decree for Boiotian Zoilos, the royal commander of the garrison (IG VII 1). The named king Demetrios in the inscription could be Poliorketes (306-284 BC) or his grandson, Demetrios II (239-229 BC). All the available evidences (philological, prosopographical, letters a.o.) are examined and the conclusion is that a date around 295-287 BC is the more preferable

With and Without You: Megara’s Harbours

The main question that is addressed in this article is whether and how the harbour towns of the Megarid – Nisaia on the Saronic Gulf and Pagai, Aigosthena on the Gulf of Corinth – constituted local worlds in their own right. Exploring the entangled history of the polis Megara and its ports, this paper also points to the complexities behind scholarly approximations to the local horizon of an ancient Greek city-state