The Phocian Wars were a series of conflicts in ancient Greece, primarily occurring in the 4th century BCE. These wars involved the Phocians, a group from the region of Phocis, who sought to control the sacred site of Delphi and its valuable oracle. The conflicts were marked by the struggle for power among various Greek city-states, including the Thebans and Spartans. The wars were significant in the context of the broader Greek political landscape, as they highlighted the tensions between regional powers and the influence of the Delphic Oracle. Ultimately, the Phocian Wars contributed to the weakening of the Greek city-states, paving the way for the rise of Macedonia under Philip II.