city state · Greece and the Aegean
Pellene
Origins
Pellene stood on a high hill in eastern Achaea, near the border with Sicyon, a short way inland from the Gulf of Corinth. It was one of the twelve Achaean cities, formed in the early Iron Age.
Rule and society
Pellene was known for its warm woollen cloaks, awarded as prizes at its local games, and for its sanctuary of Athena. Unlike most Achaean cities, it sided with Sparta at the start of the Peloponnesian War. In the 4th century BCE it was ruled at times by tyrants, including the wrestler Chaeron, who was installed with Macedonian backing.
Decline and legacy
Pellene joined the revived Achaean League. In 241 BCE the Aetolian League sacked it, and Aratus routed the Aetolians in its streets. It passed under Roman control in 146 BCE and later dwindled.
Few sources survive for this state; details are uncertain.
On the connections map
Open the full map →Connections (2)
- Pellene was part of Peloponnesian League550 BCE – 366 BCE
- Pellene was part of Achaean League280 BCE – 146 BCE
More states of Greece and the Aegean →
Cite this page
- APA
- The Epoch Institute. (2026). Pellene. In The Epoch Institute States Register. https://the-epoch-institute.org/state/pellene
- MLA
- “Pellene.” The Epoch Institute States Register, The Epoch Institute, 2026, https://the-epoch-institute.org/state/pellene. Accessed .
- Chicago
- The Epoch Institute. “Pellene.” The Epoch Institute States Register. 2026. https://the-epoch-institute.org/state/pellene.
- Harvard
- The Epoch Institute (2026) ‘Pellene’, The Epoch Institute States Register. Available at: https://the-epoch-institute.org/state/pellene (Accessed: ).
Last reviewed October 2026Random state ↻