Molossians
The Molossians (Ancient Greek: Μολοσσοί, romanized: Molossoi) were a group of ancient Greek tribes which inhabited the region of Epirus in classical antiquity.[1][2] Together with the Chaonians and the Thesprotians, they formed the main tribal groupings of the northwestern Greek group.[3] On their northern frontier, they neighbored the Chaonians and on their southern frontier neighbored the kingdom of the Thesprotians. They formed their own state around 370 BC and were part of the League of Epirus until they sided against Rome in the Third Macedonian War (171–168 BC). Following the war, 150,000 Molossians and other Epirotes were enslaved and transported to the Roman Republic, overwhelmingly in Italy itself. This decision is the only such act of the Roman senate and the largest, single, slave-hunting operation in Roman history.
Mythology
According to Greek mythology, the Molossians were the descendants of Molossus, one of the three sons of Neoptolemus, son of Achilles and Deidamia. Following the sack of Troy, Neoptolemus and his armies settled in Epirus where they joined with the local population. Molossus inherited the kingdom of Epirus after the death of Helenus, son of Priam and Hecuba of Troy, who had married his erstwhile sister-in-law Andromache after Neoptolemus's death. According to some historians, their first king was Phaethon, one of those who came into Epirus with Pelasgus. According to Plutarch, Deucalion and Pyrrha, having set up the worship of Zeus at Dodona, settled there among the Molossians.[4]
Ancient sources
According to Strabo, the Molossians, along with the Chaonians and Thesprotians, were the most famous among the fourteen tribes of Epirus, who once ruled over the whole region. The Chaonians ruled Epirus at an earlier time, and afterwards the Thesprotians and Molossians controlled the region. The Thesprotians, the Chaonians, and the Molossians were the three principal clusters of Greek tribes that had emerged from Epirus and were the most powerful among all other tribes.[4]
The Molossians were also renowned for their vicious hounds, which were used by shepherds to guard their flocks. This is where the canine breed Molossoid, native to Greece, received its name. Virgil tells us that in ancient Greece the heavier Molossian dogs were often used by the Greeks and Romans for hunting (canis venaticus) and to watch over the house and livestock (canis pastoralis). "Never, with them on guard," says Virgil, "need you fear for your stalls a midnight thief, or onslaught of wolves, or Iberian brigands at your back."
Strabo records that the Thesprotians, Molossians and Macedonians referred to old men as pelioi (πελιοί) and old women as peliai (πελιαί) (<PIE *pel-, "grey"). Cf. Ancient Greek πέλεια peleia, "pigeon", so-called because of its dusky grey color. Ancient Greek πελός pelos meant "grey".[5] Their senators were called Peligones (Πελιγόνες), similar to Macedonian Peliganes (Πελιγᾶνες).[6]
Molossian royalty
The most famed member of the Molossian dynasty was Pyrrhus, who became famous for his Pyrrhic victory over the Romans. According to Plutarch, Pyrrhus was the son of Aeacides of Epirus and a Greek woman from Thessaly named Phthia, the daughter of a war hero in the Lamian War. Pyrrhus was a second cousin of Alexander the Great. In the 4th century BC, they had adopted the term for office of prostatai (Greek: προστάται) literally meaning "protectors" like most Greek tribal states at the time.[7] Other terms for office were grammateus (Greek: γραμματεύς) meaning "secretary", demiourgoi (Greek: δημιουργοί) literally meaning "creators", hieromnemones (Greek: ἱερομνήμονες) literally meaning "of the sacred memory" and synarchontes (Greek: συνάρχοντες) literally meaning "co-rulers".[8] An inscription from the 4th century stated (referring to Alexander I of Epirus):[9]
When King was Alexandros when of Molossoi prostatas was Aristomachos Omphalas secretary was Menedamos Omphalas resolved by the assembly of the Molossoi; Kreston is benefactor hence to give citizenship to Kteson and descent line
The shrine of Dodona was used for the display of public decisions.[10] Despite having a monarchy, the Molossians sent princes to Athens to learn of democracy, and they did not consider certain aspects of democracy incompatible with their form of government.[11][12]
Olympias, the mother of Alexander the Great, was a member of this celebrated sovereign house.
War
The Molossian expansion in Epirus possibly began in the early 6th century B.C.. As such they were a leading power in the region already from the time of historian Hecataeus (c. 550-476 B.C.). [13]
In 385 BC, the Illyrians, aided by Dionysius of Syracuse, attacked the Molossians, attempting to place the exile Alcetas on the throne.[14] Dionysius planned to control all the Ionian Sea. Sparta intervened and expelled the Illyrians who were led by Bardyllis.[15][16][17] Even with the aid of 2,000 Greek hoplites and 500 suits of Greek armour, the Illyrians were defeated by the Spartans (led by Agesilaus) but not before ravaging the region and killing 15,000 Molossians.[17]
In another Illyrian attack in 360 BC, the Molossian king Arymbas (or Arybbas) evacuated his non-combatant population to Aetolia and let the Illyrians loot freely. The stratagem worked, and the Molossians fell upon the Illyrians, who were encumbered with booty, and defeated them.[17][18]
The Molossians briefly sided with the anti-Roman Macedonian-Illyrian pact in the Third Macedonian War. After the Roman victory, a total of 150,000 Epirotes, mostly Molossians, were enslaved and sent to Italy, by decision of the Roman Senate. In the following years, Epirote slaves in Italy outnumbered slaves of other origins and the majority of slave marriages were between Epirotes.[19] In historiography, the decision of the senate has been the subject of much debate, as the two main anti-Roman powers of the time in that region, the Macedonians and the Illyrians, suffered few consequences in contrast to the Molossians in terms of punishment. Howard Hayes Scullard had proposed the most recognized theory in the past. He connected the measures taken by the Romans to Charops of Epirus, member of a rival tribe the Chaonians - a Roman ally - who in order to gain command of the region, pushed for the extermination of the Molossians.[20] This interpretation is based on the negative assessment of Charops, already in ancient sources, as Polybius calls him "the most savage and degenerate of all men". The modern interpretation of the events, focuses more on the structural reasons which led to this decision by the Romans rather than the personal politics of regional actors.[21] The plague of 174 BC caused a great reduction of available labor in Italy, which was supplied almost exclusively by slave labor. In the following years, slave-hunting became a central feature of Roman campaigns. The Roman senate, which represented the landowning elite, specifically targeted the Molossians because of the proximity of their territory to Brundisium and Taranto would require a much lower cost of transportation. In comparison, at least 65,000 Sardinians and many other tribes were enslaved in the same year.[22]
List of Molossians
- Pyrrhus of Epirus (318–272 BC) most prominent Epirote king.
- Neoptolemus son of Achilles and Deidamia (Aeacid dynasty till 231 BC).
- Molossus son of Neoptolemus and Andromache.
- Alcon (6th century BC) suitor of Agariste of Sicyon.
- Admetus, who gave asylum to Themistocles.
- Eidymmas prostates, secretary Amphikorios gave citizenship το Philista, wife of Antimachos from Arrhonos, under King Neoptolemos I 370–368 BC.[23]
- Tharyps theorodokos in Epidauros 365 BC.[24]
- Myrtale Olympias mother of Alexander the Great circa 376–316 BC.
- Arybbas winner in Tethrippon Olympics 344 BC.[25]
- Aristomachos prostates, secretary Menedamos gave citizenship to Simias of Apollonia, resident at Theptinon, under King Alexander I 342–330/329 BC.[26]
- Deidamia II of Epirus (died circa 233 BC) last surviving representative of the royal Aeacid dynasty.
- Kephalos, Antinoos sided with Perseus against the Romans (Third Macedonian War) circa 170 BC.[27]
Family tree of kings of Epirus
AEACIDAE | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Tharrhypas king of Epirus 430-392 BC | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Alcetas I king of Epirus 390-370 BC | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Neoptolemus I king of Epirus 370-357 BC | Arybbas king of Epirus 370-343 BC | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Philip II king of Macedon | Olympias | Alexander I king of Epirus 343/2-331 BC | Troas | Alcetas II king of Epirus 313-306 BC | Aeacides king of Epirus 331-316, 313 BC | Phthia daughter of Menon IV of Pharsalus | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Alexander the Great king of Macedon lord of Asia | Cleopatra | Neoptolemus II king of Epirus 302-297 BC | Deidamia I | Demetrius I Poliorketes king of Macedon ∞ Phila | 2.Lanassa daughter of Agathocles of Syracuse king of Sicily | Pyrrhus I king of Epirus 306-302 BC, of Macedon 274-272 BC, of Syracusse 278-276 BC ∞ 3.Bircenna | 1.Antigone daughter of Philip and Berenice I | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Antigonos II Gonatas king of Macedon | (1) Ptolemy military officer | (2) Alexander II king of Epirus 272-242 BC | (1) Olympias II | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Demetrius II king of Macedon | Phthia | Pyrrhus II king of Epirus 242-238 BC | Ptolemy king of Epirus 238-235 BC | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Nereis ∞ Gelo king of Syracuse | Deidamia II queen of Epirus 235-c.231 BC | Pyrrhus III king of Epirus 235 BC | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
See also
- Chaonia
- Chaonians
- Olympias
- Orestis (region)
- Pyrrhus of Epirus
- Thesprotians
- Invasion of Molossia
References
Citations
- Borza 1992, pp. 62, 78, 98; Encyclopædia Britannica ("Epirus") 2013; Errington 1990, p. 43; Hammond 1998, p. 19; Hammond 1994, pp. 430, 433–434; Hammond 1982, p. 284; Wilkes 1995, p. 104.
- Hornblower, Spawforth & Eidinow 2012, p. 966: "Molossi, common name of tribes forming a tribal state (koinon) in Epirus, which originated in northern Pindus including the Orestae, FGrH 1 F 107) and expanded southwards, reaching the Ambraciote Gulf (see AMBRACIA) c.370 BC."
- Errington 1990, p. 43.
- Plutarch. Parallel Lives, "Pyrrhus".
- Liddell & Scott 1889: πελός.
- Liddell & Scott 1889: πελιγᾶνες.
- Horsley 1987, p. 243; Hornblower 2002, p. 199.
- Hammond 1994, p. 431.
- Brock & Hodkinson 2000, p. 250.
- Brock & Hodkinson 2000, p. 257.
- Alcock & Osborne 2007, p. 392.
- Brock & Hodkinson 2000, p. 256.
- Hammond, N. G. L. (1997). "The Tribal Systems of Epirus and Neighbouring Areas down to 400 B . C ". Epirus: 55.
The Molossian group was the leading power in the time of Hekataios. Its expansion may have begun early in the sixth century.
- Hammond 1986, p. 479.
- Diodorus Siculus. Library, 15.13.1.
- Hammond 1986, p. 470.
- Hammond 1994, p. 428.
- Diodorus Siculus. Library, 14.92, 15.2, 16.2.
- Ziolkowski 1986, p. 79.
- Ziolkowski 1986, p. 71.
- Ziolkowski 1986, p. 80.
- Ziolkowski 1986, p. 75.
- Cabanes, L'Épire 534,1.
- IG IV²,1 95 Line 31.
- Woodbury 1979, pp. 95–133.
- Cabanes, L'Épire 540,4.
- Smith 1844, p. 191: "ANTI'NOUS (Άντίνους), a chief among the Molossians in Epeirus, who became involved, against his own will, in the war of Perseus, king of Macedonia, against the Romans."
Sources
- Alcock, Susan E.; Osborne, Robin (2007). Classical Archaeology. Oxford: Blackwell Publishing Limited. ISBN 0-631-23418-7.CS1 maint: ref=harv (link)
- Borza, Eugene N. (1992). In the Shadow of Olympus: The Emergence of Macedon (Revised Edition). Princeton, NJ: Princeton University Press. ISBN 0-691-00880-9.CS1 maint: ref=harv (link)
- Brock, Roger; Hodkinson, Stephen (2000). Alternatives to Athens: Varieties of Political Organization. Oxford: Oxford University Press. ISBN 0-19-815220-5.CS1 maint: ref=harv (link)
- Encyclopædia Britannica ("Epirus") (2013). "Epirus". Encyclopædia Britannica, Inc. Retrieved 1 July 2013.CS1 maint: ref=harv (link)
- Errington, Robert Malcolm (1990). A History of Macedonia. Berkeley, CA: University of California Press. ISBN 0-520-06319-8.CS1 maint: ref=harv (link)
- Hammond, Nicholas Geoffrey Lemprière (1998). Philip of Macedon. London: Duckworth. ISBN 0-7156-2829-1.CS1 maint: ref=harv (link)
- Hammond, Nicholas Geoffrey Lemprière (1994). "CHAPTER 9d. ILLYRIANS AND NORTH-WEST GREEKS". In Lewis, David Malcolm; Boardman, John; Hornblower, Simon; Ostwald, M. (eds.). The Cambridge Ancient History: The Fourth Century B.C. VI (2nd ed.). Cambridge: Cambridge University Press. pp. 422–443. ISBN 0-521-23348-8.CS1 maint: ref=harv (link)
- Hammond, Nicholas Geoffrey Lemprière (1986). A History of Greece to 322 B.C. Oxford: Clarendon Press. ISBN 0-19-873096-9.CS1 maint: ref=harv (link)
- Hammond, Nicholas Geoffrey Lemprière (1982). "CHAPTER 40 ILLYRIS, EPIRUS AND MACEDONIA". In Boardman, John; Hammond, Nicholas Geoffrey Lemprière (eds.). The Cambridge Ancient History: The Expansion of the Greek World, Eighth to Sixth Centuries B.C. III, Part 3 (2nd ed.). Cambridge: Cambridge University Press. pp. 261–285. ISBN 0-521-23447-6.CS1 maint: ref=harv (link)
- Hornblower, Simon (2002). The Greek World, 479–323 BC. New York and London: Routledge. ISBN 0-415-16326-9.CS1 maint: ref=harv (link)
- Hornblower, Simon; Spawforth, Antony; Eidinow, Esther (2012) [1949]. The Oxford Classical Dictionary (4th ed.). Oxford: Oxford University Press. ISBN 978-0-19-954556-8.CS1 maint: ref=harv (link)
- Horsley, G. H. R. (1987). New Documents Illustrating Early Christianity: A Review of the Greek Inscriptions and Papyri Published in 1979. Grand Rapids, MI: Wm. B. Eerdmans Publishing. ISBN 0-85837-599-0.CS1 maint: ref=harv (link)
- Liddell, Henry George; Scott, Robert (1889). An Intermediate Greek-English Lexicon. Oxford: Clarendon Press.CS1 maint: ref=harv (link)
- Smith, William (1844). Dictionary of Greek and Roman Biography and Mythology. I. London: Taylor and Walton, Upper Gower Street.CS1 maint: ref=harv (link)
- Wilkes, John (1995) [1992]. The Illyrians. Oxford: Blackwell Publishers Limited. ISBN 0-631-19807-5.CS1 maint: ref=harv (link)
- Woodbury, Leonard (1979). "Neoptolemus at Delphi: Pindar, "Nem." 7.30 ff". Phoenix. Classical Association of Canada. 33 (2): 95–133. JSTOR 1087989.CS1 maint: ref=harv (link)
- Ziolkowski, Adam (1986). [www.jstor.org/stable/40310829 "The Plundering of Epirus in 167 B.C: Economic Considerations"] Check
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value (help). Papers of the British School at Rome: 54.