Mediterranean Hegemon of Ancient Greece

The brother of Agassius, Teliutias, died in the Kalkidia Peninsula. Agsilaus was hit hard and fell ill again.

In the end, another Spartan king, Agassipolis, recruited a large army in the allies of the Peloponnesian peninsula, and went to Northern Greece again to attack the Kalkidia League.

As a result, Agassipolis arrived in Northern Greece in midsummer. He suffered from fever due to the scorching heat and died of illness without battling the enemy.

After the Spartan Council of Elders hurriedly held the king’s funeral, he once again dispatched the successor of the expedition to the Kalkidia League. After repeated hard struggles, in the third spring (ie, the 13th year of Dionysia, AD 380 BC), forced Olympus to surrender and disbanded the alliance, and also forced other city-states on the Kalkidia Peninsula to join the Spartan alliance. The coastal cities of Macedonia also returned to King Amintas of Macedonia In one fell swoop, Sparta gained supremacy in Northern Greece.

During the fierce fighting in Northern Greece, the Spartans adopted a high-pressure policy on the Peloponnese peninsula. They forced a city-state in the middle of the peninsula to recall the nobles who were previously exiled. As a result, the nobles and the civilians broke out in war , Sparta supported the nobility.After half a year of siege, Frius was forced to surrender, and then a new regime was implemented according to Spartan's wishes.

In central Greece, Sparta, after controlling the Thebes and supporting Platia, was supported by other city states in Piosia. The power of Sparta began to move eastward in the Piosia region of central Greece. Expansion of Attica and Fokies in the west...

The spring season with heavy rain is the hot summer season.The commander of Sparta's Northern Expedition, Polybiadas, led the army to return from victory in Northern Greece.Before entering the flat and fertile area of ​​Piosia, they must first pass through the areas of Cesari, Maris, Doris, and Fawkes. There are many places here that are worth worshiping as General Sparta who returns of.

The first is the Oeta Iron Peak (Oeta). It is rumored that the ancestor of the Spartan royal family, Hercules, sacrificed himself on a cremation heap on this mountain and joined the gods of Mount Olympus in the flames. Big family.

Secondly, when crossing the narrow pass, the narrowest passage can only accommodate two carriages side by side. This passage is called the Hot Spring Pass, and its name can cause a strong resonance among the Spartan soldiers because of the century The 300 guards under the leadership of former Spartan King Leonidas are here to fight against the Persian army, and all are killed, winning immortal glory for the Spartan soldiers, almost every time the Spartan army passes here Worship.

After traversing the rugged mountain road, he entered a small piece of lowland known for its richness. It was called the Doris Plain. The name of the Dorians in the Greek population was derived from this place (Spartans are also Dorians) ).Hundreds of years ago, the Greeks who had migrated from the desolate north first rested temporarily in the Doris Plains, and finally invaded the lowlands surrounded by mountains and scattered around the coastline.For hundreds of years, they have forgotten their barbaric identity. For example, the Spartans have always claimed that they are the bloodline of Hercules and occupied the descendants of Menelaus, the former king of Sparta.

In the south of the Doris Plains, near the Gulf of Corinth, there is also a high mountain known as Greece, called Parnassos.According to legend, a huge python named Pitong clings to this steep mountain. It is famous for its cannibalism. Under the direction of Hera, it chased down the younger brothers Apollo, Artemis, and their mother Leto.The grown-up Apollo came to the mountain, found the giant monster that was eating the eagles in the lonely and dark canyon, and shot him dead with a deadly bow and arrow, thus becoming the master of the area.

Apollo planted a laurel tree to purify this sacred land.Later, people cut down the branches of the laurel tree, and built one after another here the temple of Apollo, which became the Holy Land of all Greeks-Delphi.

This place has high mountains and dense forests and poor soil, making it difficult for local residents to make a living.

Apollo said to them: "Take care of my temple and warmly welcome the people visiting."

So the people of Delphi became priests of Apollo. They built a huge Apollo temple complex, and justly charged everyone who asked for oracles and worshippers the same fee.Because of the justice of the Delphi priests, more and more Greeks trust the oracles of Delphi, and firmly believe that: on the mountain of Parnassos with pure air, the god Apollo will spend nine months each year. Live there.

It is also said that when Zeus had just ascended the throne of the world, he wanted to measure the land he inherited, and released two eagles to the east and the west, flying towards each other, observing the flight of the two eagles to determine the world’s The center, the result of the two eagles meet in Delphi, Zeus left a huge stone egg here-Onfal as a mark (this stone egg remains today), so Delphi is even more famous, beyond the Greek race , Well-known throughout the Mediterranean.To this end, the Delphi priests also welcome foreigners to come here to pray for oracles.

When the fighting city-states came to seek the judgment of the Oracle of Delphi, they believed the judgment of the Oracle completely.Therefore, Delphi’s neutrality must be guaranteed, otherwise no one can bear the consequences.

When 200 years ago, Crisa, a powerful neighboring city-state, tried to annex Delphi, the whole of Greece was shaken and launched an angry counterattack. Many city-states formed coalition forces to defend this sacred area. They even violated Greek tradition, poisoning the river where the Cressa drank, the city of Cressa was breached, this ungodly city was razed to the ground, and the bay separating the Greek mainland from the Peloponnesian peninsula was originally taken in This great Phukes city-state was called the Cleissa Bay, and after the war was named after the important city-state Collins on the isthmus.More than 200 years later, the wilderness where Klisa was located was still barren, and no one dared to live because it was a place cursed by God.

After experiencing this most tragic lesson, the city-states around Delphi established an alliance of neighbors, that is, the Union of Anfiquetione, which included the Cesarians, the Fortesis, the Locris, Phophis, Pioxia, Athenians... Later, the city-states on the Peloponnesian Peninsula also joined in successively under the leadership of Sparta.

The main purpose of this alliance is to protect Delphi’s neutrality and not allow any forces to harm and annex Delphi. Therefore, this alliance is also called the Holy Alliance.Each confederate provides two representatives as a member of the entire Confederate meeting, and holds a meeting in Delphi every spring and autumn to discuss the governance of the Delphi area, the maintenance of the temple, the holding of the Pitia Games and the Apollo Holy Property Management.In this way, Delphi's oracles and priest nobles gained independent status, and Delphi became more prosperous.

On this day, the noble priests from all over Delphi stepped on the winding stone steps to a steep hillside, where the main temple of Apollo made of huge stones was located.It is backed by the straight and bare cliffs of Parnassos, overlooking the deep Plestus valley in front, giving a cold and solemn feeling.

The nine high-weight Apollo priests were representatives of nine Greek tribes who had lived in Delphi hundreds of years ago, and another woman sitting in the temple with the nine priests.

This is an elderly woman with shrivelled body, sagging skin, and gullies on her face.She is not amazing, but she has great prestige among all the Greeks, because it was she who walked into the oracle and brought the oracle of Apollo to the people in the fumigation filled with sulfur.She didn't have her own name, she was called Pitia, and every representative of Apollo who issued the Oracle was called Pitia.

Ten people sat in the temple with a dignified expression.

The old priest headed by is the main priest of the main temple of Apollo, Silsitas, and he said, "An hour ago, I just sent away the Spartan general Polypiadas who conquered Kalkidia. Before the Spartans marched north, the Spartan King Agsilaus sent people to seek oracles for his expedition. He came here to thank Apollo for his guidance. Enthusiasm and sigh! But—"

Silsitas remarked, Shen Sheng said: "He brought four heavily armed soldiers and let them set foot on the sacred Parnassos. After I protested, he let this Several soldiers went down the mountain!"

"This is blasphemy! This sacred area does not allow people with sharp objects to enter. This is a well-known thing. These Spartans should be severely punished!" the next priest shouted angrily.

"Severe punishment? The Spartans are notorious for their brutality and rudeness. In case they make a big noise, we will suffer, but we know that their army is stationed in the Doris Plains not far north." Another priest Said helplessly.

"Don't the Spartans dare to lead their troops into Delphi?! If they dare to do that, all Greece will organize an anti-Spartan alliance again, and want to destroy Krisa, completely destroy Sparta!" The other priest said angrily.

"The Spartans would not do such a stupid thing. Their respect for Delphi is no less than that of their ancestor Hercules." The priest Sitarsis interrupted their quarrel and said anxiously: "But Greece The balance of power has been broken. After more and more cities in Central Greece attached to Sparta, the Holy Alliance almost became Sparta’s sole discretion, and Delphi’s neutrality was difficult to maintain. Is a great threat!"