Achaea

• Achaea was a Roman Province in Southern Greece and the capital was Corinth.
• It included the Peloponnese and the coastal region north of the Gulf of Corinth and Athens.

1. History

• Pre-Roman history:
  • Timeline of Ancient Greece
  • Peloponnesian War (431-404 BCE) was fought between the Delian League of Greek City States under Athens against the Peloponnesian League led by Sparta. Athens lost to Sparta.
  • During the Punic Wars (264-146 BCE) Sparta was an Independent State allied to the Roman Republic. It was forced to join the Achaean league, whose opposition to Rome resulted eventually in invasion and conquest by Rome.
• Acquisition by Rome:
  • 146 BCE Conquered by General Lucius Mummius who sacked Corinth in the Fourth Macedonian War.
• Timeline of this Province
  • 146 BCE to 7th cent CE. A peaceful and Wealthy province.
  • 88 BCE Mithridates VI of Pontus, organised a rebellion of Greek City States.
  • 86 BCE crushed by Sulla, who sacked Athens and sacked Thebes, Boeotia, in 85 BCE.
  • 2 Sept 31 BCE Battle of Actium (Preveza): Mark Anthony and Queen Cleopatra VII‘s fleet defeated by Octavian
  • 31 BCE Augustus divided Greece into Achaea and Macedonia.
• After Augustus’ reconstituted the Republic into an Empire (27 BCE)
  • 15 CE Tiberius changed them to Imperial Provinces.
  • 44 CE Claudius returned them to Senatorial provinces.
  • 117-138 CE Hadrian rebuilt Athens and many other Cities.
• After the death of Theodosius (395 CE) and the final split into Eastern Empire and Western Empire:
• Famous Persons from this Province:
  • Polybius (ca. 200-118 BCE) Greek historian from Arcadia
• Chief Archeological Finds:
  • Diolkos
  • The Zea Galleysheds,
  • A Memorial (a relief of Hercules) placed in 67-8 CE by Nero‘s workforce to commemorate the attempt to cut the first Corinth Canal, next to today’s canal.
  • Antikythera Mechanism
  • Parian Marble from Paros
  • Philopappos Monument.
• Famous Battle Sites
  • From Ancient Greece:
    • Battle of Marathon (490 BCE)
    • Battle of Thermopylae (480 BCE)
    • Battle of Salamis (480 BCE)
    • Battle of Plataea (479 BCE)

2. Geography

• Capital City:
  • Corinth
• Chief Cities:
  • Athens, Sparta.
  • Olympia and the Roman Olympic Games.
  • Delos and the Sanctuary of Apollo at Delos
• Location Today:
  • Southern Greece, Peloponnese.
• Neighbouring Roman Provinces:
  • Epirus Vetus, Macedonia
• Climate and Temperature Today:
• Main Rivers:
  • Aliakmon, Acheloos, Pinios, Evros rivers.
• Mountain Ranges:
  • Mount Taygetos 7,887 ft (2404 m) in the Parnon range in the Peloponnese.
• Islands:
• Aegean Sea:
  • Salamis (Athens), Kythira, Antikythera, Delos and the Cyclades (until these were given to Asia by Vespasian.)
• Ionian Sea:
  • Zakinthos, Kefalonia, Lefkada

3. Political Organisation

• Province type:
  • Senatorial Propraetorial Province
• Governor:
  • Propraetor
    • Gaius Calpurnius Piso d.65 CE in the Pisonian Conspiracy.
• Tribes and Population:
  • Aeolians, Dorians, Achaeans and Ionians.
  • These were the Four Major Ancient Tribes of Greece, ‘The Hellenes’, who were descended from the mythical God Hellen, son of Deucalion and Pyrrha (Not from Helen of Troy).

4. Military Organisation

• Legions: None
• Navy:
• Defensive Works:
  • Diolkos
    • This was a four mile stone road with ruts that was used to ferry warships across the Isthmus of Corinth.
• Main Threats:
  • None, Peaceful, wealthy Province.

5. Economy

• Chief Exports:
  • Greek slaves: Doctors and Teachers.
  • And all the items listed below:
• Agriculture and Fishing:
  • Greek olives and Olive Oil
• Manufacturing:
  • Furniture, Pottery, Cosmetics, linen
• Mines:
  • Copper, Lead, Bronze
  • Silver Mines of Laurium.
• Mints:
  • Thessalonica (from 298 CE until Leo I d. 474 CE),

6. Transport

• Roads:
• Waterways:
  • 54 CE The Corinth Canal was started by Nero, but abandoned and left incomplete in 68 CE.
  • Instead, ships were pushed on carts across the 4 mile (7km) peninsular by using the Diolkos.
• Ports:
  • Pireus, Corinth
• Ancient Trade Routes:
  • The Diolkos:
    • Built in the 7th century BCE, it was a 4 mile (7km) roadway for ships to cross the Corinth Peninsular.
• Number of Days taken to travel from this Province to Rome:

7. Relationship with Rome

• From 146 BCE to 7th century CE it was peaceful and wealthy province.
• Centre of learning for Medicine and Education throughout the Roman Empire.
• Greek Doctors and Tutors worked in Rome and the Empire as Greek Slaves.
• Aristocratic Romans spoke Greek as well as Latin, and sent their sons to Athens.
• Athens was the University City for the Roman upper classes, along with Alexandria, Egypt.
• It was a source of recruits for the Roman Navy.
• It was a the site of Olympia and the Roman Olympic Games.

8. History of Christianity in this Province

• Paul the Apostle visited Corinth in 52 CE and wrote his criticism in his Epistles to the Corinthians, in the New Testament.

9. Roman Authors describing this Province

Achaea