Amphictyonic Council
Amphictyonic Council, or Amphictyonic League, an association of neighboring city-states in ancient Greece. The councils, of which there were several, were originally organized to coordinate religious festivals in honor of certain gods. Later the councils became loose political confederations of states allied for mutual defense against foreigners.
The Delphic amphictyony was one of the earliest confederations of Greek states. It was centered around the temple of Apollo at Delphi and concerned itself with public welfare and the maintenance of peace among members. One of Philip of Macedon's first steps toward supremacy in Greece was to force admission of his country to a seat in the amphictyony at Delphi. When he united Greece under the League of Corinth in 338 B.C., he designated the council to serve as the supreme court.