LEAGUE also denotes an alliance or confederacy between princes and states for their mutual aid, either in attacking some common enemy, or in defending themselves. The word comes from liga, which, in the corrupt Latin, was used for a confederacy: Qua quis cum alio ligatur.
Leagues, among the Greeks, were of three sorts: 1. Συνθήκη, Syndexis, or Enixe, whereby both parties were obliged to cease from hostilities, without even molesting the allies of each other; 2. Επιφύλαξις, whereby they engaged to lend assistance to each other in case of invasion; and, 3. Συμμαχία, whereby they engaged to have the same friends and enemies, and to assist each other upon all occasions. All these leagues were confirmed with oaths, and imprecations, and sacrifices. The victims most generally used were a boar, ram, or goat, sometimes all three; and sometimes bulls and lambs. They cut out the testicles of the animal, and flood upon them while they swore; and some of the hair of the victim was distributed to all present. Then they cut the animal's throat, which was called ἔκτεσις, in Latin, serire fœdus. This done, they repeated their oaths and imprecations, calling the gods to witness the honesty of their intentions. A libation was then made of wine, which at this time was mixed, to imply their conjunction and union; while this was pouring out, they prayed that the blood of him who should break the treaty might be poured out in like manner. Upon these occasions no part of the victim was eaten. Still further to increase the solemnity of this obligation, the league was engraven upon brass, fixed up in places of public concourse, and sometimes read at the solemn games. Some exchanged certain συνθήκη, or testera, upon the occasion, and frequently sent ambassadors on some appointed day, to keep them in mind of their engagements to each other.
The ceremonies of the Romans in making leagues were performed by the Feciales. See FEACIALS.