S and virtuous 
hia well-intended, but 
de- of Macedonia. *  Cleomenes defeated by Antigo 
total disuse, and the pes of es pees had be- 
‘come entirely changed. Many of its kings incurs 
Scaepeaisice. exile, and death by — attempts - a 
_ sist the torrent of corruption 3; and Agis particularly, 
nee, had fallen ba sacrifice rd 
Senssted scheme for restoring 
the laws of Lycurgus. Cleomenes, one of his succes- 
sors, revived the ion of the plan, but pushed 
its accomplishment with the spirit_of a tyrant, rather 
than ofa reformer. Having massacred the es nse and 
banished the citizens who were unfriendly to his views, 
and rendered himself despotic at home ; he turned bis 
arms against the Acheans, either for the purpose of 
ifying his ambition, by acquiring the direction of 
ce) 
; or; perhaps, only with a view of secu- 
‘ring his authority in Sparta, by having an 
at his disposal. So strong was the antipathy of 
‘the Achzan republics to the prospect of Spartan domi- 
nation, and so great at the same time their dread of its 
powerful tyrant, that Aratus was ur, to the ruinous 
resource of calling in the aid of Antigonus"Doson, king 
nus in 
the famous battle of Selasia, abandoned his ambitious 
Projects ‘cts, advised his subjects to submit to the conque- 
, and sought a refuge for himself in EeyPt. he 
were treated by Antigonus with the greatest 
moderation ; but, from that period of its subjection to 
a foreign power, it sunk into insignificance, and the 
race of the Heraclide became extinct with the suc- 
cessor of Cleomenes. The Achzan league was still pre- 
served entire and powerful, by the able conduct and 
dent measures of Aratus ; but having sought assist~ 
ance from Philip of Macedonia, the son of Antigonus, 
inst the Etolians, the inveterate enemies of Achaia, 
ie wmbisions ally, conceiving a design to subjugate 
the cities of Greece, and regarding the integrity of 
Aratus as an insurmountable obstacle in his way, 
caused the virtuous patriot to be secretly taken off b 
ison. The Romans, however, having formed an al- 
Fance with the Etolians, in order to occupy the arms 
of Philip, who had become the active ally of their for- 
midable opponent Hannibal of Carthage, thus acquired 
a footing in Greece, ehh gradually a oa its final 
subjugation, as a eir empire. ilopcemen, 
the monte of ries fe somes the cause of Philip 
as the professed protector of the liberties of Greece, and 
inspired the confederated states with an ardent love of 
independence, which long withstood the encroachments 
of the policy and power of Rome. The struggle main- 
‘tained in Greece between the Macedonian and Roman 
‘interests, was languid and indecisive, while the latter 
‘were intent upon reducing the power of Carthage. But, 
after the conclusion of the second Punic war, more ac- 
‘tive measures were pursued against Phili Titus 
Quintus Flaminius, the consul, partly by the vigour 
cy of his arms, but still more by his political dexterity, de- 
tached the Etolians, Achzans, and the most consider- 
able of the other states, from all connection with Mace- 
-don ; ete the discomfited Philip to. accept the 
most humiliating terms of peace ; made a pompous pro- 
_clamation, at she public games, of the freedom of 
Greece ; withdrew, according to his promise, every Ro- 
‘man garrison from the different states; and left them in 
full possession of all that political independence which 
GREECE. 
475 
was compatible with the alliance of Rome. Antiochus, 
king of Syria, instigated by Hannibal, and aided by the 
Etolians attempting an invasion of Greece, recalled to 
that devoted country the armies of Rome, and afforded 
them an yx Aor ap which they did not fail to em- 
brace, of subjecting all that of Europe to their 
growing dominion. After reducing and dismembering 
the kingdom of Macedonia, they were invited io 
assist the Spartans in a contest with the Achzan states : 
they soon succeeded in breaking the power of the con- 
federacy, by seducing a part of the cities of which it 
was composed ; and Philopcemen, generally designated peath of 
the last of the Greeks, having fallen in an expedition Philope- 
against the revolted Messenians, it became no difficult men, 
task to accomplish the total overthrow of the confede-~ 
racy, of which he had been so long the principal orna- 
ment and support. Above a thousand of the Achean 
chiefs, accused of having acted in concert with Macedo« 
nia, were transported to Rome to answer for their con« 
duct, at the tribunal of the senate. The Achazan con- 
stitution was, soon after, entirely dissolved ; the whole 
of Greece reduced to the state of a Roman province, and subjec- 
under the name of Achaia; and, from that period, its tion of 
history comes properly to be included under thatof Rome, Gteece to 
See Acuamans, Maceponia, and Rome. eau a: 
But Greece, though subject tothe Roman arms, soon “ “°”” 
acquired, by her arts of peace, a silent superiority over 
her conquerors. The victors became the disciples of 
the vanquished ; and the most distinguished Romans 
learned, in the Grecian schools of philosophy, to regard 
the country which they held in subjection, with the 
gratitude and respect due to a benefactor. These con~ 
siderations probably contributed to secure to the inha- 
bitants of Greece a milder exercise of authority, and 
more distinguished marks of favour, than were enjoyed 
by any other province under the yoke of Rome. Of 
these arts and attainments, to which this singular peo- 
ple were thus indebted for higher honours and advan- 
tages than all their military prowess had been able to 
command, we now preceed to offer an abridged view, as 
a suitable conclusion to the preceding sketch of their 
eventful history. 
Of the state of oe and knowledge among the ears The arts, 
lier Greeks, particularly in what has been called the literature, 
heroic age, as described in the writings of Homer, some 24 scicnce, 
account has already been given, when narrating the “eo 
events. of that period: and the remarks which follow °"“ 
apply chiefly to these times which were posterior to the 
first Persian war.. 
To agriculture, as. an object of study, the Greeks 4 pricut. 
paid little attention.; and the care of its o} ions was ture. 
almost entirly left to slaves. The Athenians consider- 
ed themselves. as having. first received the common 
principles of the art from Egypt, and as having com- 
municated the knowledge of it to the other countries of 
Greece. Attica itself, however, was adapted rather to 
the cultivation of fruits than of grain. Olives and bar- 
ley formed its principal produce, and the citizens of 
Athens received their t supplies of wheat from the 
neighbouring. states of Boeotia, or from their own co~ 
lony of Byzantium, Their writers on the subject, 
among whom. was Xenophon, have done little more 
than. merely detail the common. practices of their own 
times. 
Greece. 
—_—— 
‘ _ * The cities of Greece being so much decayed in strength, and unable to assume the attitude of independence, Aratus may be re- 
garded as having adopted, if not the wisest, at least the only measure of security in his power. 
His object was to render the kings 
of Macedonia the allies and protectors, in place of the masters and tyrants of the united commonwealths; and, by yielding so 
far to an influence which could not be withstood, to procure a free regulation of their internal concerns, and particularly an exetmp: 
tion from the odious and oppressive presence of foreign garrisons, 
: o 
