Panhellenion
Encyclopedia
The Panhellenion or Panhellenium was an institution of cities established in the year 131-132 AD by the Roman Emperor
Hadrian
while he was touring the Roman provinces of Greece
.
Hadrian was philhellenic, and idealized the Classical past of Greece. The Panhellenion was part of this philhellenism
, and was set up, with Athens
at the centre, to try to recreate the apparent "unified Greece" of the fifth-century, when the Greeks took on the Persian enemy.
The Panhellenion was primarily a religious organization, and most of the deeds of the institution which we have relate to its own self governing. Admission to the Panhellenion was subject to scrutiny of a city's Hellenic descent.
Fighting between the delegates, however, turned the Panhellenion into an institution like the Delian League
of the 5th century BC (which to some extent it was emulating) and the Panhellenion did not survive in any real sense after Hadrian's death.
In 137 AD, the Panhellenic Games
were held at Athens as part of the ideal of Panhellenism
and harking back to the Panathenaic Festival of the fifth century.
From inscriptions found, member cities included Athens, Megara
, Sparta
, Chalcis
, Argos
, Acraephiae, Epidaurus
, Amphicleia
, Methana
, Corinth
, Hypata, Demetrias
, Thessalonica, Magnesia on the Maeander
, Eumeneia as well the cities of Crete
.
Roman Emperor
The Roman emperor was the ruler of the Roman State during the imperial period . The Romans had no single term for the office although at any given time, a given title was associated with the emperor...
Hadrian
Hadrian
Hadrian , was Roman Emperor from 117 to 138. He is best known for building Hadrian's Wall, which marked the northern limit of Roman Britain. In Rome, he re-built the Pantheon and constructed the Temple of Venus and Roma. In addition to being emperor, Hadrian was a humanist and was philhellene in...
while he was touring the Roman provinces of Greece
Roman Greece
Roman Greece is the period of Greek history following the Roman victory over the Corinthians at the Battle of Corinth in 146 BC until the reestablishment of the city of Byzantium and the naming of the city by the Emperor Constantine as the capital of the Roman Empire...
.
Hadrian was philhellenic, and idealized the Classical past of Greece. The Panhellenion was part of this philhellenism
Philhellenism
Philhellenism was an intellectual fashion prominent at the turn of the 19th century, that led Europeans like Lord Byron or Charles Nicolas Fabvier to advocate for Greek independence from the Ottoman Empire...
, and was set up, with Athens
Athens
Athens , is the capital and largest city of Greece. Athens dominates the Attica region and is one of the world's oldest cities, as its recorded history spans around 3,400 years. Classical Athens was a powerful city-state...
at the centre, to try to recreate the apparent "unified Greece" of the fifth-century, when the Greeks took on the Persian enemy.
The Panhellenion was primarily a religious organization, and most of the deeds of the institution which we have relate to its own self governing. Admission to the Panhellenion was subject to scrutiny of a city's Hellenic descent.
Fighting between the delegates, however, turned the Panhellenion into an institution like the Delian League
Delian League
The Delian League, founded in circa 477 BC, was an association of Greek city-states, members numbering between 150 to 173, under the leadership of Athens, whose purpose was to continue fighting the Persian Empire after the Greek victory in the Battle of Plataea at the end of the Greco–Persian Wars...
of the 5th century BC (which to some extent it was emulating) and the Panhellenion did not survive in any real sense after Hadrian's death.
In 137 AD, the Panhellenic Games
Panhellenic Games
Panhellenic Games is the collective term for four separate sports festivals held in ancient Greece. The four Games were:-Description:The Games took place in a four-year cycle known as the Olympiad, which was one of the ways the Greeks measured time...
were held at Athens as part of the ideal of Panhellenism
Panhellenism
Panhellenism is a way of thought that originated in ancient Greece, which recognized that though all city-states were independent of each other, they were all still Greek and should be expected to unite in defense of a common enemy when necessity required it. The word's etymology comes from 'pan' ...
and harking back to the Panathenaic Festival of the fifth century.
From inscriptions found, member cities included Athens, Megara
Megara
Megara is an ancient city in Attica, Greece. It lies in the northern section of the Isthmus of Corinth opposite the island of Salamis, which belonged to Megara in archaic times, before being taken by Athens. Megara was one of the four districts of Attica, embodied in the four mythic sons of King...
, Sparta
Sparta
Sparta or Lacedaemon, was a prominent city-state in ancient Greece, situated on the banks of the River Eurotas in Laconia, in south-eastern Peloponnese. It emerged as a political entity around the 10th century BC, when the invading Dorians subjugated the local, non-Dorian population. From c...
, Chalcis
Chalcis
Chalcis or Chalkida , the chief town of the island of Euboea in Greece, is situated on the strait of the Evripos at its narrowest point. The name is preserved from antiquity and is derived from the Greek χαλκός , though there is no trace of any mines in the area...
, Argos
Argos
Argos is a city and a former municipality in Argolis, Peloponnese, Greece. Since the 2011 local government reform it is part of the municipality Argos-Mykines, of which it is a municipal unit. It is 11 kilometres from Nafplion, which was its historic harbour...
, Acraephiae, Epidaurus
Epidaurus
Epidaurus was a small city in ancient Greece, at the Saronic Gulf. Two modern towns bear the name Epidavros : Palaia Epidavros and Nea Epidavros. Since 2010 they belong to the new municipality of Epidavros, part of the peripheral unit of Argolis...
, Amphicleia
Amphicleia
Amphicleia or Amphicaea was an ancient Greek town in the North of Phocis, distant 60 stadia from Lilaea, and 15 stadia from Tithronium. It was destroyed by the Persian army of Xerxes in his invasion of Greece...
, Methana
Methana
Methana is a town and a former municipality on the Peloponnese peninsula, Greece. Since the 2011 local government reform it is part of the municipality Troizinia, of which it is a municipal unit....
, Corinth
Corinth
Corinth is a city and former municipality in Corinthia, Peloponnese, Greece. Since the 2011 local government reform it is part of the municipality Corinth, of which it is the seat and a municipal unit...
, Hypata, Demetrias
Demetrias
Demetrias was an ancient Greek city in Magnesia , near the modern city of Volos. It was founded by Demetrius Poliorcetes, one of the successors of Alexander the Great.-External links:*...
, Thessalonica, Magnesia on the Maeander
Magnesia on the Maeander
Magnesia or Magnesia on the Maeander was an ancient Greek city in Anatolia, considerable in size, at an important location commercially and strategically in the triangle of Priene, Ephesus and Tralles. The city was named Magnesia, after the Magnetes from Thessaly who settled the area along with...
, Eumeneia as well the cities of Crete
Crete
Crete is the largest and most populous of the Greek islands, the fifth largest island in the Mediterranean Sea, and one of the thirteen administrative regions of Greece. It forms a significant part of the economy and cultural heritage of Greece while retaining its own local cultural traits...
.