Book 8
7.1
From Tisamenus to Ogyges they continued to be governed by kings. Afterwards they established a democracy, and acquired so great renown for their political wisdom, that the Italian Greeks, after their dissensions with the Pythagoreans, adopted most of the laws and institutions of the Achaeans. After the battle of Leuctra the ThebansAnd Laceduaemonians, adds Polybius, b, ii. c, 39. committed the disputes of the cities among each other to the arbitration of the Achaeans. At a later period their community was dissolved by the Macedonians, but they recovered by degrees their former power. At the time of the expedition of Pyrrhus into Italy they began with the union of four cities, among which were Patrae and Dyme.Patras and Paleocastro. They then had an accession of the twelve cities, with the exception of Olenus and Helice; the former refused to join the league; the other was swallowed up by the waves.
