Sacred Wars

Sacred Wars, name given to wars waged by the Amphictyony (i.e. league of neighbouring states) of Delphi for the protection of Apollo's shrine there and for the punishment of sacrilege. The First Sacred War in the early sixth century BC arose from a quarrel between Delphi and neighbouring Crisa concerning Crisa's right to exact tolls from pilgrims. Crisa was destroyed and its fertile plain dedicated to Apollo, with an undertaking that it would never be cultivated.

The Second Sacred War occurred in 448 BC when the Phocians seized control of Delphi, the Spartans intervened to restore the sanctuary to the Delphians, and Athens under Pericles reinstated Phocis. It is not known when Delphi was once again liberated, but under the terms of the Peace of Nicias between Athens and Sparta its independence was guaranteed (421 BC; see PELOPONNESIAN WAR).

The Third Sacred War (355–352 BC) was touched off when Thebes, then in control of the Amphictyony, persuaded it to impose a heavy fine on the Phocians for cultivating the Crisaean plain (see above). The Phocians refused to pay and seized Delphi (356); in 355 the Amphictyony declared war on Phocis. Most of the Greek states became involved and the war was indecisive until Philip II of Macedon intervened, turning the scales against Phocis. In 346, after the Peace of Philocratēs between Athens and Macedon, Phocis was isolated and surrendered to Philip, who took her place on the Amphictyonic Council.

In 338 an Amphictyonic war was once more a pretext for the invasion of Greece by Philip, this time with momentous results. Philip captured Amphissa, and then turned on Thebes, now allied with Athens, and won the victory at Chaeronea which gave him the hegemony of Greece.