Acheans
a gene host before Troy, from their mythological by Homer to designate the whole Hellenic ancestor, Achæus, grandson of Helen.
ACHEI (ak-ā-ē, or ak-i'ē), the descendants of Achæus, the son of Zuthus, and grandson of Helen. Achæus, having and where posterity remained under and grandson of Helen. Achæus, having to take refuge in Laconia, where he died, the name of Achæi, until they were exthe name of Achæi, until they were ex- pelled by the Heraclidæ. Upon this, they passed into the northern parts of Peloponnesus, and, under the command of ponnesus, and, under the command of session of the country of the Ionians, and called it Achaia. The successors of Tisasession of the country of the Ionians, and called it Achaia. The successors of Tisatyranny, when Achaia was parceled into 12 small republics. Three of these- 12 small republics. Three of these— mous as a confederacy, 284 B. c., under the name of the Achæan League. At last, however, they were attacked by the Romans, and, after one year's hostilities, the Achæan League was totally destroyed.
B. c. 147. mans, and, after one year's hostilities, the along the N. coast of the Peloponnesus.
Achaia forms, along with Elis, a depart ment in the modern kingdom, and its chief town is Patras. As the Achaians (Achæans) were the ruling people of the Peloponnesus in heroic times, Homer speaks of the Greeks generally as Ach- ACHARD aioi. Their 12 little towns formed a confederacy, renewed in 281 B. c., and subsequently extended, under the name of the Achæan League, throughout Greece, until 146 в. C., when Greece fell under the power of Rome. Pop. 225,000.