Abstract
The article deals with political and civic institutions of the Macedonian cities in the Hellenistic epoch in the light of decrees on the recognition of the Koan asylia during July and August of 243 BC, both previously known (Pella, Kassandreia, Amphipolis, Philippoi) and recently published by D. Bosnakis and K. Hallof. Among the new documents are the decrees of Aigai and Beroia, as well as those possibly of Thessalonike and another Macedonian city (arguments have been put forward in favour of Dion, not Edessa or some other city as the editors have suggested). Furthermore, this article considers a problem of the nature of interrelations between the Macedonian cities and the Antigonid kings, as well as an international background of the campaign for the Koan asylia, which occurred during the Third Syrian War (246–241 BC) and was very close to the time of the loss of Macedonian control over Corinth in the midsummer of 243 BC. The article also explores the nature of mysterious symmachia between Macedonians and Koans attested in new asylia decrees. The cities of the Macedonian state whose decrees are preserved in the archive of the Koan Asklepieion had different origins and political traditions. The Koan asylia decrees allow us to compare their political and civic institutions. In these decrees, the Macedonian cities are designated as poleis that had assemblies, councils and various magistrates (epistatai, archons, eponymous priests, strategoi, nomophylakes, treasurers). The fact that the decrees of Aigai, Beroia, and Pella do not attest Antigonos Gonatas’ decision to recognize the asylia (mentioned in the decrees of Kassandreia, Amphipolis, and Philippoi, the cities which were later visited by the theoroi) may serve as an additional argument for the point of view that at least in 243 BC the Macedonian cities could recognize the asylia independently because it was not genuine foreign policy. It is possible that the Koan theoroi met Antigonos somewhere after their visit to Pella and so his decision to recognize the asylia was mentioned only in the decrees of the cities that were visited by the theoroi just later. Also the decrees on the Koan asylia from a number of Thessalian cities which were part of the Antigonid empire (Gonnoi, Homolion, Phthiotic Thebes) are discussed. In these decrees the decision of the king also is not mentioned. In light of the fact that on the occasion of the Koan asylia of 243 BC the decrees of at least eight Macedonian cities have been preserved, we have an indication that in the Hellenistic epoch they were perceived as poleis that were part of the Greek world in the political, religious and cultural aspects.
Keywords
Macedonia, Kos, Asklepieion, Hellenistic epoch, asylia, poleis, civic communities, theoroi, Antigonos Gonatas, Third Syrian War.
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