Thermos (Aetolia) in the context of "Metope (architecture)"

The Aetolian (or Aitolian) League (Ancient Greek: Κοινὸν τῶν Αἰτωλῶν) was a confederation of tribal communities and cities in ancient Greece centered in Aetolia in Central Greece. It was probably established during the late Classical or the early Hellenistic era. Two annual meetings were held at Thermon and Panaetolika. The league occupied Delphi and steadily gained territory after its victory there against the Gauls in 279 BC. By the end of the 3rd century BC, it controlled the whole of central Greece with the exception of Attica, Euboea, Boeotia and northwestern Acarnania. At its peak, the league's territory included Locris, Phocis, Doris, Malis, Dolopia, Achaia Phthiotis, Ainis, Oetaea, Ambracia and parts of Acarnania. In the latter part of its power, certain Greek city-states out of central Greece joined the Aetolian League such as the Arcadian cities of Mantineia, Tegea, Phigalia and Kydonia on Crete.

During the classical period the Aetolians were not highly regarded by other Greeks, who considered them to be semi-barbaric and reckless. However, during the Hellenistic period, they emerged as a dominant state in central Greece and expanded by annexing several Greek city-states to the League after their victory against the Gauls in 279 BC. Their League had a complex political and administrative structure. The Aetolian League fought against Macedon and the Achaean League in the Social War (220-217 BC), allied with Rome in the First Macedonian War and Second Macedonian War, but then fought against the Romans in an alliance with the Seleucid empire in the Aetolian War before losing its independence to Rome.

Thermo (Greek: Θέρμο, before 1915: Κεφαλόβρυσον Kefalovryson) is a town and a municipality in Aetolia-Acarnania, Greece. It is located in the southeastern part of the regional unit, largely between Lake Trichonida (the largest natural lake in Greece) and the southern border of Evrytania. It has a land area of 333.701 km (129 sq mi) and a population of 5,712 inhabitants (2021 census).

Its municipal seat is the town of Thermo. The village of Megas Dendros (part of the community of Thermo) was the birthplace of Cosmas of Aetolia. Thermo took its name from the ancient city Thermos, that was located near the present town.

Philomela (/ˌfɪləˈmiːlə/) or Philomel (/ˈfɪləˌmɛl/; Ancient Greek: Φιλομήλη, Philomḗlē; Φιλομήλα Philomḗla) is a minor figure in Greek mythology who is frequently invoked as a direct and figurative symbol in literary and artistic works in the Western canon.