The study of ancient Greek federalism experiences a remarkable renaissance in recent years. However, while most koina have now been re-examined, one of the leading federal states in antiquity, Boeotia and the Boeotian League, desperately requires reconsideration.

Current research on unity and integration in Greece is driven by refined methodologies and conceptual advancement which mark the new benchmark for an up-to-date understanding of ancient federalism. Scholars have started to explore the silent assumptions of Greek interstate affairs and determine the forces behind regional conglomerations of power. At the same time, more interdisciplinary approaches towards integration have become prominent, with scholars applying patterns of neighbouring disciplines such as Archaeology, Sociology and Anthropology. The role of the Sacred, both as an integrative force and one that fosters patterns of exclusion, figures prominently in recent studies on integration.

These observations provide the frame of reference for my presentation on Boeotia. Rather than dwelling much on ‘constitutional’ arrangements and legal fermentations of integration, I seek to disclose the assumptions and ideologies of local identity that made Boeotian federalism a viable, and such a vibrant, feature in Boeotian affairs. In particular, I will focus on the interplay between local traditions, ethnic identity and political integration. To exemplify this, I will offer a brief case study of two Boeotian memory markers that played a prominent role in the region’s federal integration at all times, the walls and city-gates of Thebes and the myth of Kadmos.

My work on Boeotia is part of an international research collaboration which is directed by myself and Professor Peter Funke at Münster University. Our research team assembles 26 scholars from eight countries. Its goal is the publication of an all new reference tool: ‘Greek Federal States’ (CUP 2014).