Studia Historica: Historia Antigua (Jul 2013)
The federalism in the Greek Orient
Abstract
The appereance of federalist tendencies in the Greek world, which reached their peek in the hellenistic period, was not only conscribed to those States of the continental area (the best known being the aquean). Federalist structures were developed in Asia Minor as well by autoctonous, non-greek population such as the carians and lycians. Within this context, the purpose of this article is to analyse the specific federalist formations which went beyond the typical religious objectives and had a relevant political weight. Such is the case of the Lycian Confederation, the only one amongst all minorasiatic federations to have gained State status. Its different stages of development will be analysed focusing on the origins of the lycian federal constitution, only known in certain detail dLiring imperial times. In contradiction to Larsen's research, which (supposes) acknowledges the Greek influence, and in particular that of the Aquean institutions, the author postulates an autonomous evolution of the Lycian Confederation. This can be explained throLigh similar, and previously existant, autoctonous federal political formations whose testimonies can be found nowadays in the geografical surroundings of Lycia.
