POLITICAL SCIENCE.
gatherings in Greece that are known, met at a common tem-
ple. In some of them we can trace no political object, in
others such an object is apparent. In one or more we have
a tradition that a strife between two states was put for arbi-
tration into the hands of the states there gathered. Some
were composed of a part of one branch of the Hellenic race ;
while others belonged to several or to a large number of the
members of the Hellenic body.
The Amphictyonic council so called by way of eminence,
The Am hie on- consisted of a number of small tribes which
iccouncil surrounded the temple of Dcmetcr near Pyla* or
Thermopylae, in the district 'belonging to the Mulians. In
process of time this gathering was shared in by twelve tribes
or peoples, all of whom can be traced to the neighborhood,
with one or two exceptions. The Dorians must have been
members of it before they invaded the Peloponnesus. The
Thessalians, whom tradition speaks of as having come after
the Trojan war, from the west, into the country called by their
name, may have been later members of the union ; but when
the great Ionian race became members, it does not appear.
On the other hand, not all the Greek races took part in the
meeting or council; thus the Achaeans of Peloponnesus, the
^Etolians, Acarnanians, Dryopes, Elcians, had no member-
ship, and during the period of history several of the members
were dependants of the leading race 5n Thcssaly. It was
thus in no sense a panhellenic confederacy at any time of its
continuance. Its origin must have been very remote, as is
shown by the fact that its meetings were called Pyl<*&% and
the orators sent to it as deputies, Pylagone (from Pyte or
Thermopylae), whereas its main relations, in historical times,
were with the temple of Apollo at Delphi* This seems to
show that before that temple rose into its importance as the
most sacred place in Greece, as the very centre of the Hel-
-enic religion, the Amphictyonic meetings had existed. Its
:onnection with Delphi was doubtless the main cause of its
mportance.
There were two gatherings of this body or of its represent-