Aetolian League

The Aetolian (or Aitolian) League (Ancient Greek: Κοινὸν τῶν Αἰτωλῶν) was a confederation of ancient Greek tribal communities and cities centered in Aetolia in Central Greece. It was probably established during the late Classical or the early Hellenistic era. Two annual meetings were held, Panaetolika and one at Thermon. The League had a complex political and administrative structure. The league occupied Delphi and steadily gained territory after its victory against the Gauls. At its peak, the league's territory included Locris, Phocis, Doris, Malis, Dolopia, Achaia Phthiotis, Ainis, Oetaea, parts of Acarnania, Cephalonia and Ambracia. In the latter part of its power, certain Greek city-states out of central Greece joined the Aetolian League such as Lysimachia in Thrace, the Arcadian cities of Mantineia, Tegea, Phigalia and Kydonia on Crete.

During the classical period the Aetolians were not highly regarded by other Greeks, who considered them to be semi-barbaric and reckless. However, during the Hellenistic period, they emerged as a dominant state in central Greece and expanded by annexing several Greek city-states to the League after their victory against the Gauls in 279 BC. The Aetolian League fought against Macedon and the Achaean League in the Social War (220-217 BC). It allied with Rome in the First and Second Macedonian War, but then, it fought against the Romans in an alliance with the Seleucid empire in the Aetolian War. It became a Roman client state in 188 BC.