First Sacred War

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The First Sacred War was an early 6th-century BCE conflict in ancient Greece in which a coalition of Greek states fought to liberate and secure control of the sacred sanctuary at Delphi from the city of Crisa and its allies.


Statements (43)
Predicate Object
instanceOf ancient Greek war
religious conflict
aftermath increased religious and political importance of Delphi
strengthening of the Amphictyonic League
associatedWith Delphic Amphictyony
Pythian oracle
belligerent Amphictyonic League
Athens
Crisa
Sicyon
Thessaly
other Amphictyonic states
cause control and exploitation of the Delphic sanctuary
mistreatment of pilgrims to Delphi by Crisa
chronologicalPosition one of the earliest recorded Sacred Wars over Delphi
combatantType Greek city-states
conflictForControlOf sanctuary of Apollo at Delphi
conflictType inter-polis war
culturalImpact institutionalization of the Pythian Games as Panhellenic festival
endTime circa 585 BCE
era Archaic period of ancient Greece
location Crisa
Delphi
central Greece
notableCommander Cleisthenes of Sicyon
Solon of Athens
opponentOf Crisa
coalition of Amphictyonic states
partOf history of ancient Greece
politicalMotivation control of Delphic influence over Greek world
primarySource later ancient historians and traditions
relatedEvent Fourth Sacred War
Second Sacred War
Third Sacred War
religiousAspect protection of a Panhellenic sanctuary
religiousMotivation defense of sacred property
result Delphi placed under Amphictyonic League control
destruction of Crisa
foundation of the Pythian Games
liberation of the Delphic sanctuary
significance early example of collective Greek action over a sacred site
startTime circa 595 BCE
theaterOfWar region around the Gulf of Corinth


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