PHOCIS, a country of Greece, contained between Boeotia in the east and Locris in the west, but extending formerly from the Sinus Corinthiacus on the south to the Sea of Euboea on the north, and, according to Dionysius, as far as Thermopylae; though it was reduced afterwards to narrower dimensions. The Phocenses were the people of Phocis, and Phocicus was the epithet; thus Bellum Phocicum means the sacred war which the Thebans and,Philip of Macedonia carried on against them for plundering the temple at Delphi, and by which Philip paved the way to the sovereignty of all Greece. The greatest length of Phocis was from north to south, that is, from 38. 45. to 39. 20., or about thirty-five miles; but it was very narrow from east to west, not extending to thirty miles, that is, from 23. 10. to 23. 40. at the widest, but about twenty-three miles towards the Corinthian bay, and still narrower towards the north. This country is generally allowed to have taken its name from Phocus the son of Ornytion, a native of Corinth; but having been soon afterwards invaded by the Eginetae, under the conduct of another Phocus, the son of Eacus king of Enopia, the memory of the first insensibly gave way to that of the second.

In Phocis there were several very celebrated mountains, such as Cythaeron, Helicon, and Parnassus. Cythaeron was consecrated to the muses, as were also the other two, and it was consequently much celebrated by the poets. Both it and Helicon contend with Parnassus for height and magnitude. There were no remarkable rivers in Phocis except the Cephisus, which runs from the foot of Parnassus northwards, and empties itself into the Pindus, which was near the boundary of the kingdom. It had several very considerable cities, such as Cirrha, Crissa, and Antecyra, which, according to Ptolemy, were situated on the sea coasts; and Pythia, Delphi, Daulis, Elatia, Ergosthenia, and Baulia, which were inland towns. Elatia was the largest and richest after Delphi.

Deucalion was king of that part of Phocis which lies near Parnassus, at the time when Cecrops flourished in Attica; but the Phocians afterwards formed themselves into a commonwealth, governed by their general assemblies, the members of which were chosen from amongst themselves, and changed as often as occasion required. Of the history of the Phocians but little is known until the time of the holy war, of which the following account is given in the Ancient Universa! History.

“The Phocians having presumed to plough the territories of the city of Cirrha, consecrated to the Delphic god, were summoned by the other Grecian states before the court of the Amphictyons, where a considerable fine was imposed upon them for their sacrilege. They refused to pay it, on pretence that it was too large; and at the next assembly their dominions were adjudged confiscated to the use of the temple. This second sentence exasperated the Phocians still more; who, at the instigation of one Philomelus, or, as he is called by Plutarch, Philomedes, seized upon the temple, plundered it of its treasure, and held the sacred depositum for a considerable time. This second crime occasioned another assembly of the Amphictyons, the result of which was a formal declaration of war against the Phocians. The quarrel being become more general, the several states took part in it, according to their inclinations or interest. Athens, Sparta, and some others of the Peloponnesians, declared for the Phocians; and the Thebans, Thessalians, Locrians, and other neighbouring states, against them. A war was commenced with great fury on both sides, and styled the holy war, which lasted ten. years; during which the Phocians, having hired a number of foreign troops, made an obstinate defence, and would in all probability have held out much longer had not Philip of Macedon given the finishing stroke to their total defeat and punishment. The war being ended, the grand council assembled again, and imposed an annual fine of sixty talents upon the Phocians, to be paid to the temple, and continued till they had fully repaired the damage it had sustained from them; and, till this reparation should be made, they were excluded from dwelling in walled towns, and from having any vote in the grand assembly. They did not, however, continue long under this heavy sentence. Their known bravery made their assistance so necessary to the rest, that they were glad to remit it; after which remission they continued to behave with their usual courage and resolution, and soon obliterated their former guilt.”