Further Key Issues Regarding the Achaean Sympolity

Economou, Emmanouil M. L.

This chapter deals with some further aspects regarding the functioning of the institutions of the Achaean federal state. It first provides a spatial decision model analysis between General Aratus and King Antigonus III Doson in order to show that Aratus’ and Antigonus’ decision to radically reform their foreign policy by forming an alliance between their two states was the result of a prudent evaluation of the trade-off policy, based on a cost–benefit logic. Then, having in mind our previous analysis, we try to provide an answer as to whether the Achaean state was a federation or a confederacy. Further, we analyse the influence of the Achaean federal state on the American Founding Fathers when formulating the US Constitution of 1787. Finally, we provide a comparison between the Achaean federal state and the European Union under a specific set of institutional intertemporal criteria. We argue that the Achaean federal paradigm, the institutions and the policies that were practised by the ancient Achaeans on a variety of issues (economic and social policy, foreign affairs, peace and warfare etc.), could serve as a source of inspiration for the further political and economic integration of the European Union today.