a smaller history of greece-第55节
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s； where Antigonus also arrived with his forces。 Both armies entered the city by opposite gates； and in a battle which ensued in the streets Pyrrhus was struck from his horse by a tile hurled by a woman from a house…top； and was then despatched by some soldiers of Antigonus。 Such was the inglorious end of one of the bravest and most warlike monarchs of antiquity； whose character for moral virtue； though it would not stand the test of modern scrutiny； shone out conspicuously in comparison with that of contemporary sovereigns。
Antigonus Gonatas now made himself master of the greater part of Peloponnesus； which he governed by means of tyrants whom he established in various cities。
While all Greece； with the exception of Sparta； seemed hopelessly prostrate at the feet of Macedonia； a new political power； which sheds a lustre on the declining period of Grecian history； arose in a small province in Peloponnesus； of which the very name has been hitherto rarely mentioned since the heroic age。 In Achaia； a narrow slip of country upon the shores of the Corinthian gulf； a league； chiefly for religious purposes； had existed from a very early period among the twelve chief cities of the province。 The league； however； had never possessed much political importance； and it had been suppressed by the Macedonians。 At the time of which we are speaking Antigonus Gonatas was in possession of all the cities formerly belonging to the league； either by means of his garrisons or of the tyrants who were subservient to him。 It was； however； this very oppression that led to a revival of the league。 The Achaean towns； now only ten in number； as two had been destroyed by earthquakes； began gradually to coalesce again； but Aratus of Sicyon； one of the most remarkable characters of this period of Grecian history； was the man who； about the year 251 B。C。； first called the new league into active political existence。 He had long lived in exile at Argos； whilst his native city groaned under the dominion of a succession of tyrants。 Having collected a band of exiles； he surprised Sicyon in the night time； and drove out the last and most unpopular of these tyrants。 Instead of seizing the tyranny for himself； as he might easily have done； Aratus consulted only the advantage of his country； and with this view united Sicyon with the Achaean league。 The accession of so important a town does not appear to have altered the constitution of the confederacy。 The league was governed by a STRATEGUS； or general； whose functions were both military and civil； a GRAMMATEUS； or secretary； and a council of ten DEMIURGI。 The sovereignty； however； resided in the general assembly； which met twice a year in a sacred grove near AEgium。 It was composed of every Achaean who had attained the age of thirty； and possessed the right of electing the officers of the league； and of deciding all questions of war； peace； foreign alliances； and the like。 In the year 245 B。C。 Aratus was elected STRATEGUS of the league； and again in 243。 In the latter of these years he succeeded in wresting Corinth from the Macedonians by another nocturnal surprise； and uniting it to the league。 The confederacy now spread with wonderful rapidity。 It was soon joined by Troezen； Epidaurus； Hermione and other cities； and ultimately embraced Athens； Megara； AEgina； Salamis； and the whole Peloponnesus； with the exception of Sparta； Elis； and some of the Arcadian towns。
Sparta； it is true； still continued to retain her independence； but without a shadow of her former greatness and power。 The primitive simplicity of Spartan manners had been completely destroyed by the collection of wealth into a few hands； and by the consequent progress of luxury。 The number of Spartan citizens had been reduced to 700； but even of these there were not above a hundred who possessed a sufficient quantity of land to maintain themselves in independence。 The young king； Agis IV。； who succeeded to the crown in 244； attempted to revive the ancient Spartan virtue； by restoring the institutions of Lycurgus； by cancelling all debts； and by making a new distribution of lands； and with this view he relinquished all his own property； as well as that of his family； for the public good。 But Agis perished in this attempt； and was put to death as a traitor to his order。 A few years afterwards； however； Cleomenes； the son of Leonidas； succeeded in effecting the reforms which had been contemplated by Agis； as well as several others which regarded military discipline。 The effect of these new measures soon became visible in the increased success of the Spartan arms。 Aratus was so hard pressed that he was compelled to solicit the assistance of the Macedonians。 Both Antigonus Gonatas and his son Demetrius II。who had reigned in Macedonia from 239 to 229 B。C。 were now dead； and the government was administered by Antigonus Doson； as guardian of Philip； the youthful son of Demetrius II。 Antigonus Doson was the grandson of Demetrius Poliorcetes； and the nephew of Antigonus Gonatas。 The Macedonians compelled him to accept the crown； but he remained faithful to his trust as guardian of Philip； whose mother he married； and though he had children of his own by her； yet Philip succeeded him on his death。 It was to Antigonus Doson that Aratus applied for assistance； and though Cleomenes maintained his ground for some time； he was finally defeated by Antigonus Doson in the fatal battle of Sellasia in Laconia （B。C。 221）。 The army of Cleomenes was almost totally annihilated； he himself was obliged to fly to Egypt； and Sparta； which for many centuries bad remained unconquered； fell into the hands of the victor。
The succession of Macedonian kings from Alexander the Great to the extinction of the monarchy will be seen from the following table：
B。C。 Philip III。 Arrhidaeus 。 。 。 。 。 。 。 。 323…316 Cassander 。 。 。 。 。 。 。 。 316…296 Philip IV。 。 。 。 。 。 。 。 。 296…295 Demetrius I。 Poliorcetes 。 。 。 。 。 。 。 。 294…287 Pyrrhus 。 。 。 。 。 。 。 。 287…286 Lysimachus 。 。 。 。 。 。 。 。 286…280 Ptolemy Ceraunus and others 。 。 。 。 。 。 。 。 280…277 Antigonus Gonatas 。 。 。 。 。 。 。 。 277…239 Demetrius II 。 。 。 。 。 。 。 。 239…229 Antigonus Doson 。 。 。 。 。 。 。 。 229…220 Philip V 。 。 。 。 。 。 。 。 220…178 Perseus 。 。 。 。 。 。 。 。 178…167
In the following gear Antigonus was succeeded by Philip V。； the son of Demetrius II。； who was then about sixteen or seventeen years of age。 His youth encouraged the AEtolians to make predatory incursions into the Peloponnesus。 That people were a species of freebooters； and the terror of their neighbours； yet they were united； like the Achaeans； in a confederacy or league。 The Aetolian League was a confederation of tribes instead of cities； like the Achaean。 The diet or council of the league； called the Panaetolicum； assembled every autumn； generally at Thermon； to elect the strategus and other officers； but the details of its affairs were conducted by a committee called APOCLETI； who seem to have formed a sort of permanent council； The AEtolians had availed themselves of the disorganised state of Greece consequent upon the death of Alexander to extend their power； and had gradually made themselves masters of Locris； Phocis； Boeotia； together with portions of Acarnania； Thessaly； and Epirus。 Thus both the Amphictyonic Council and the oracle of Delphi were in their power。 They had early wrested Naupactus from the Achaeans； and had subsequently acquired several Peloponnesian cities。
Such was the condition of the AEtolians at the time of Philip's accession。 Soon after that event we find them； under the leadership of Dorimachus； engaged in a series of freebooting expeditions in Messenia； and other parts of Peloponnesus。 Aratus marched to the assistance of the Messenians at the head of the Achaean forces； but was totally defeated in a battle near Caphyae。 The Achaeans now saw no hope of safety except through the assistance of Philip。 That young monarch was ambitious and enterprising possessing considerable military ability and much political sagacity。 He readily listened to the application of the Achaeans； and in 220 entered into an alliance with them。 The war which ensued between the AEtolians on the one side； and the Achaeans； assisted by Philip； on the other； and which lasted about three years； has been called the Social War。 Philip gained several victories over the AEtolians； but he concluded a treaty of peace with them in 217； because he was anxious to turn his arms against another and more formidable power。
The great struggle now going on between Rome and Carthage attracted the attention of the whole civilized world。 If was evident that Greece； distracted by intestine quarrels； must be soon swallowed up by whichever of those great states might prove successful； and of the two； the ambition of the Romans； who had already gained a footing on the eastern shores of the Adriatic was by far the more formidable to Greece
