(Demosthenes, Strabo, Paufanias); a country of Greece, contained between Boeotia to the east and Locris to 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; but reduced afterwards to narrower bounds. Phocians, the people; Phocicuta, the epithet, (Justin); Bellum Phocicum, the sacred war which the Thebans and Philip of Macedon carried on against them for plundering the temple at Delphi; and by which Philip paved the way to the sovereignty of all Greece, (Justin). Its greatest length was from north to south, that is, from $38^\circ 45'$ to $39^\circ 20'$, or about 35 miles; but very narrow from east to west, not extending to 30 miles, that is, from $23^\circ 10'$ to $23^\circ 40'$ at the widest, but about 23 miles towards the Corinthian bay, Ancient Uniuv. Hist., and much narrower still towards the north. This country is generally allowed to have taken its name from vol. v. Phocus the son of Ornytion, a native of Corinth; but having been soon after invaded by the Eginetæ, under the conduct of another Phocus, who was the son of Eacus king of Enopis, the memory of the first insensibly gave way to that of the second.

In Phocis there were many celebrated mountains, such as Cytheron, Helicon, and Parnassus. The last two we have already noticed in the order of the alphabet. Cytheron was consecrated to the muses as well as the other two, and was consequently much celebrated by the poets. Both it and Helicon contend with Mount Parnassus for height and magnitude. There were no remarkable rivers in Phocis except Cephissus, which runs from the foot of Parnassus northward, and empties itself in the Pindus, which was near the boundary of that kingdom. It had several very considerable cities; such as Cyrra, Crissa, and Anticyra, which, according to Ptolemy, were on the sea coasts; and Pythia, Delphi, Daulis, Elatia, Ergethenia, and Baulia, which were inland towns. Elatia was the largest and richest after Delphi.

Deucalion was king of that part of Phocis which lies about Parnassus, at the time that Cecrops flourished in Attica; but the Phocians afterwards formed themselves into a commonwealth, to be governed by their general assemblies, the members of which were chosen from among themselves, and were changed as often as occasion required. Of the history of the Phocians but little is known till the time of the holy war, of which we have the following account in the Ancient Universal History.

"The Phocians having presumed to plough the territories of the city of Cyrra, 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 exacerbated 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 60 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."

We cannot finish this article without mentioning more particularly Daulis, rendered famous, not so much for its extent or richness, as for the stature and prowess of its inhabitants; but still more for the inhuman repast which was served up to Tereus king of Thrace by the women of this city, by whom he was soon after murdered for the double injury he had done to his sister-in-law Philomela, daughter of Pandonion king of Athens. See PHILOMELA.