THE DEATH-STRUGGLE OF GREECE. 347

held them back for a time, but during his absence
the spirit of sedition grew. It was intensified by the
action of Rome, which, to weaken Greece, resolved
to dissolve the Achzan League, or to take from it its
strongest cities. Roman ambassadors carried this
edict to Corinth, the great city of the League.
When their errand become known the people rose
in riot, insulted the ambassadors, and vowed that
they were not and would not be the slaves of Rome.

If they had shown the strength and spirit to sus-
tain their vow they might have had some warrant
for it. But the fanatics who stirred the country to
revolt against the advice of its wisest citizens proved
incapable in war. Their army was finally put to rout
in the year 146 B.c. by a Roman army under the
leadership of Lucius Mummius, consul of Rome.

This Roman victory was won in the vicinity of
Corinth. The routed army did not seek to defend
itself in that city, but fled past its open gates, and
left it to the mercy of the Roman general. The
gates still stood open. No defence was made. But
Mummius, fearing some trick, waited a day or two
before entering. On doing so he found the city
nearly deserted. The bulk of the population had
fled. The greatest and richest city which Greece
then possessed had fallen without a blow struck in
its defence.

Yet Mummius chose to consider it as a city
taken by storm. All the men who remained were
put to the sword; the women and children were
kept to be sold as slaves; the town was mercilessly
plundered of its wealth and treasures of art.