Peloponnesian League

The oldest alliance between the political poleis of the Peloponnese in ancient Greece. Its leader was Sparta. Sparta formed an alliance with Tegea around 550 BC, and continued to form alliances with many other political poleis. At the end of the 6th century BC, the alliance established a council to make it a permanent alliance. The allied nations swore to have the same friends and enemies as Sparta, and to follow Sparta's leadership. Sparta convened and presided over the council, and had military command during the war. However, military actions of the alliance were decided by majority at the council. When the alliance was not taking military action, it was possible for the allied nations to wage war among themselves. The alliance's unity was not always strong, and anti-Spartan actions were seen in Tegea and Arcadia in the 480s BC. Eventually, Sparta, under pressure from its allies, embarked on the Peloponnesian War, promoting autonomy and freedom. After their victory, they began to act tyrannically, but the league soon fell apart after Sparta's defeat at the hands of Thebes (366 BC).

[Masato Furuyama]

Source: Shogakukan Encyclopedia Nipponica About Encyclopedia Nipponica Information | Legend

古代ギリシア最古の、ペロポネソス半島諸ポリス間の同盟。盟主はスパルタ。スパルタは、紀元前550年ごろテゲアと同盟を結んだのを手始めに、多くのポリスとの同盟関係を積み重ね、前6世紀末に同盟会議を設け永続的な同盟とした。同盟諸国は、スパルタと同じ友と敵をもち、スパルタの率いるところに従う旨の誓いを交わした。スパルタは同盟会議を招集、主宰し、戦争期間中は軍事指揮権をもった。しかし同盟としての軍事行動は同盟会議の多数で決められた。同盟の軍事行動がないとき、同盟国間で戦争を行うことは可能であった。同盟の結束はかならずしも強固ではなく、前480年代にはテゲアとアルカディアの反スパルタ行動がみられた。やがてスパルタは同盟国に押されて、自治と自由を掲げてペロポネソス戦争に踏み切った。これに勝利すると専制的にふるまうようになったが、スパルタがテーベに敗れたのち、ほどなく同盟は解体した（前366）。

［古山正人］

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