Panhellenion

The Panhellenion (Greek for " all Greeks "; Latin: Panhellenium ) was a representative gathering of Greek cities of the eastern provinces of the Roman Empire, which was founded in the year 125. Whether by the Roman Emperor Hadrian, whose courtly context, or the Greeks themselves is controversial. Because Hadrian was set very hellenophil, he tried during his visit to the eastern provinces to unite all the semi-autonomous former city states in Greece and Asia Minor. Cities in present-day Greece, Bulgaria, Macedonia, Epirus and western Asia Minor sent representatives to Panhellenion to Athens, which apparently represented a combination of regional alliance and Parliament.

However, this parliament functioned despite his attempts to persuade the Greeks to cooperate, not permanent. By Roman monitoring and more disunity among the delegates, did not survive the Panhellenion Hadrian's death. In modern research is controversial how far it should meet at all political functions; Jones about assumes that it was mainly a connected with the sanctuary of Eleusis religious association, whose main task was the holding of the Panhellenic Agon. The Panhellenion also served religious purposes, but especially the Roman imperial cult, for its implementation, the Office of hiereus was introduced.