Irlandos at 12:02, March 14, 2006

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The '''Delian League''' was an association of [[Greece|Greek]] [[city-state]]s in the [[5th century BC]]. It was led by [[Athens]]. Because many of the league's [[Polis]]' were too poor to contribute ships to the collective navy, they paid taxes to Athens so that there would be enough money to build the expensive [[trireme]]s.

In [[478 BC]], following the defeat of [[Xerxes I|Xerxes]]' invasion of Greece, [[Pausanias (general)|Pausanias]] the [[Sparta]]n led Hellenic forces against the Persians. He was an unpopular commander (who may have conspired with the Persians), and Sparta was eager to stop prosecuting the war. They surrendered the leadership of the ongoing campaign to [[Athens]], which was eager to accept it. The Delian League was inaugurated in [[477 BC]] as an offensive and defensive alliance against Persia. The principal cities in the League were [[Athens]], [[Chios]], [[Samos]], and [[Lesbos]], but many of the principal islands and [[Ionia]]n cities joined the league.

[[Athens]] led the Delian League from the beginning, though at its founding the treasury was located on the island of [[Delos]], and each state in the league had an equal vote. The assessment due from each state was assigned by [[Aristides]], leader of the Athenians; some members were assessed ships, others troops, others weapons, and others money. A council of all the cities met at Delos regularly, probably when bringing their assessment to the island.

The first action of the Delian League, under the command of [[Cimon]], was the capture of [[Eion]], a Persian fortification that guarded a river crossing on the way to [[Asia]]; following this victory, the League acted against several pirate islands in the [[Aegean Sea]], most notably against [[Scyros]] where they turned the Dolopian inhabitants into slaves, and [[Athens]] set up a settler-colony (known as a cleruchy). A few years later they sailed against [[Caria]] and [[Lycia]], defeating both the Persian army and navy in the [[battle of the Eurymedon]].

These actions were most likely very popular with the League's members. However, the League, particularly the [[Athenians]], were willing to force cities to join or stay in the League. [[Carystus]], a city on the southern tip of [[Euboea]], was forced to join the League by military actions of the Athenians. The justification for this was that Carystus was enjoying the advantages of the League (protection from pirates and the Persians) without taking on any of the responsibilities. Furthermore, Carystus was a traditional base for Persian occupations. Athenian politicians had to justify these acts to Athenian voters in order to get votes. [[Naxos, Greece|Naxos]], a member of the Delian League, attempted to secede, and was enslaved; Naxos is believed to have been forced to tear down her walls, lost her fleet, and her vote in the League.

[[Thucydides]] tells us that this is how Athens' control over the League grew.
<blockquote>
Of all the causes of defection, that connected with arrears of tribute and vessels, and with failure of service, was the chief; for the Athenians were very severe and exacting, and made themselves offensive by applying the screw of necessity to men who were not used to and in fact not disposed for any continuous labor. In some other respects the Athenians were not the old popular rulers they had been at first; and if they had more than their fair share of service, it was correspondingly easy for them to reduce any that tried to leave the confederacy. The Athenians also arranged for the other members of the league to pay its share of the expense in money instead of in ships and men, and for this the subject city-states had themselves to blame, their wish to get out of giving service making most leave their homes. Thus while Athens was increasing her navy with the funds they contributed, a revolt always found itself without enough resources or experienced leaders for war. [Thucydides i. 99]
</blockquote>

In [[454 BC]], Athens moved the treasury of the Delian League from Delos to Athens, allegedly to keep it safe from Persia. However, [[Plutarch]] indicates that many of [[Pericles]]' rivals viewed the transfer as Athens usurping monetary resources to fund elaborate building projects. They also switched from accepting ships, men and weapons, to only accepting money. The new treasury established in Athens was used for many purposes, not all relating to the defense of members of the league. It was from tribute paid to the league that Athenians built the [[Acropolis]] and the [[Parthenon]], as well as many other non-defense related expenditures. It was during this time that some claim that the [[Athenian Empire]] arose, as the technical definition of ''empire'' is a group of cities paying taxes to a central, dominant city, while keeping local governments intact. This is what was happening in the Delian League. It was turning from an alliance to an empire.

In [[461 BC]], Cimon was [[ostracism|ostracized]], and was succeeded in his influence by democrats like [[Ephialtes]] and [[Pericles]]. This signaled a complete change in Athenian foreign policy, neglecting the alliance with the [[Sparta]]ns and instead allying with her enemies, [[Argos]] and [[Thessaly]]. [[Megara]] deserted the Peloponnesian league and allied herself with Athens, allowing construction of a double line of walls across the isthmus of [[Corinth]], protecting Athens from attack from that quarter. Around the same time they also constructed the [[Long Walls]] connecting their city to the [[Piraeus]], its port, making it effectively invulnerable to attack by land.

Soon war with the Peloponnesians broke out. In [[458 BC]], the Athenians blockaded the island of [[Aegina]], and simultaneously defended Megara from the Corinthians by sending out an army composed of those too young or old for regular military service. The next year [[Sparta]] sent an army into [[Boeotia]], reviving the power of [[Thebes]] to help hold the Athenians in check. Their return was blocked, and they resolved to march on Athens, where the Long Walls were not yet completed, winning a victory at the [[Battle of Tanagra (457 BC)|Battle of Tanagra]]. All this accomplished, however, was to allow them to return home via the Megarid. Two months later, the Athenians under [[Myronides]] invaded [[Boeotia]], and winning the [[battle of Oenophyta]] gained control of the whole country except Thebes.

War with the Persians continued, however. In [[460 BC]], Egypt had revolted under Inarus and Amyrtaeus, who requested aid from Athens. [[Pericles]] led 200 ships, originally intended to attack [[Cyprus]], to their aid because it would hurt Persia. Persia's image had already been hurt when it failed to conquer the [[Greeks]] and [[Pericles]] wanted to further this. After four years, however, the rebellion was defeated by the general [[Megabyzus]], who captured the greater part of the Athenian forces. The remainder escaped to Cyrene and thence returned home.

This was Athenians' main (public) reason for moving the treasury of the League from Delos to Athens, further consolidating their control over the League. The Persians followed up their victory by sending a fleet to re-establish their control over [[Cyprus]], and 200 ships were sent out to counter them under [[Cimon]], who returned from ostracism in [[451 BC]]. He died during the blockade of [[Citium]], though the fleet won a double victory by land and sea over the Persians off [[Salamis, Cyprus|Salamis]].

This battle was the last major one fought against the Persians. Many writers report that a formal peace treaty, known as the [[Peace of Callias]], was formalized in [[450 BC]], but some writers believe that the treaty was a myth created later to inflate the stature of Athens. However, an understanding was definitely reached, enabling the Athenians to focus their attention on events in Greece proper.

The peace with Persia, however, was followed by further reverses. The [[battle of Coronea (447 BC)|Battle of Coronea]], in [[447 BC]], led to the abandonment of Boeotia. [[Euboea]] and [[Megara]] both revolted, and while the former was restored to its status as a tributary ally, the latter was a permanent loss. The Delian and Peloponnesian Leagues signed a peace treaty, which was set to endure for thirty years. It only lasted until [[431 BC]], when the [[Peloponnesian War]] broke out.

Those who revolted unsuccessfully during the war saw the example made of the [[Mytilene|Mytilenians]], the principal people on Lesbos. After an unsuccessful revolt, the Athenians ordered the death of the entire male population. After some thought, they rescinded this order, and only put to death the leading 1000 ringleaders of the revolt, and redistributed the land of the entire island to Athenian shareholders, who were sent out to reside on Lesbos.

This type of treatment was not reserved solely for those who revolted. [[Thucydides]] documents the example of [[Melos]], a small island, neutral in the war, though originally founded by Spartans. The Melians were offered a choice to join the Athenians, or be conquered. Choosing to resist, their town was besieged and conquered; the males were put to death, and the women sold into slavery (see [[Melian dialogue]]).

The Delian League was never formally turned into the Athenian Empire; but by the start of the [[Peloponnesian War]], only [[Chios]] and Lesbos were left to contribute ships, and these states were by now far too weak to secede without support. Lesbos tried to revolt first, and failed completely. Chios, the greatest and most powerful of the original members of the Delian League (save Athens), was the last to revolt, and in the aftermath of the [[Syracusan Expedition]] enjoyed a success of several years, inspiring all of Ionia to revolt. Athens was, however, still able to eventually suppress these revolts.

The Athenian Empire was very stable, and only 27 years of war, aided by the Persians and internal strife, were able to defeat it. The Athenian Empire did not stay defeated for long. The [[Second Athenian Empire]], a maritime self-defense league, was founded in [[377 BC]] and was led by Athens; but Athens would never recover the full extent of her power, and her enemies were now far stronger and more varied.

==See also==
*[[Athenian democracy]]
*[[Hellenic civilization]]
*[[Peloponnesian War]]

==External links==
*[http://www.livius.org Livius], [http://www.livius.org/de-dh/delian_league/delian_league.html Delian League] by Jona Lendering

{{Credit wikipedia}}

[[Category:Ancient Greece]]
[[Category:History of Athens]]

@@ Line 5: / Line 5: @@
 [[Athens]] led the Delian League from the beginning, though at its founding the treasury was located on the island of [[Delos]], and each state in the league had an equal vote.  The assessment due from each state was assigned by [[Aristides]], leader of the Athenians; some members were assessed ships, others troops, others weapons, and others money.  A council of all the cities met at Delos regularly, probably when bringing their assessment to the island.
-The first action of the Delian League, under the command of [[Cimon]], was the capture of [[Eion]], a Persian fortification that guarded a river crossing on the way to [[Asia]]; following this victory, the League acted against several pirate islands in the [[Aegean Sea]], most notably against [[Scyros]] where they turned the Dolopian inhabitants into slaves, and [[Athens]] set up a settler-colony (known as a cleruchy).  A few years later they sailed against [[Caria]] and [[Lycia]], defeating both the Persian army and navy in the [[battle of the Eurymedon]].
+The first action of the Delian League, under the command of [[Cimon]], was the capture of [[Eion]], a Persian fortification that guarded a river crossing on the way to Asia; following this victory, the League acted against several pirate islands in the [[Aegean Sea]], most notably against [[Scyros]] where they turned the Dolopian inhabitants into slaves, and [[Athens]] set up a settler-colony (known as a cleruchy).  A few years later they sailed against Caria and Lycia, defeating both the Persian army and navy in the [[battle of the Eurymedon]].
-These actions were most likely very popular with the League's members.  However, the League, particularly the [[Athenians]], were willing to force cities to join or stay in the League.  [[Carystus]], a city on the southern tip of [[Euboea]], was forced to join the League by military actions of the Athenians.  The justification for this was that Carystus was enjoying the advantages of the League (protection from pirates and the Persians) without taking on any of the responsibilities.  Furthermore, Carystus was a traditional base for Persian occupations.  Athenian politicians had to justify these acts to Athenian voters in order to get votes.  [[Naxos, Greece|Naxos]], a member of the Delian League, attempted to secede, and was enslaved; Naxos is believed to have been forced to tear down her walls, lost her fleet, and her vote in the League.
+These actions were most likely very popular with the League's members.  However, the League, particularly the [[Athenians]], were willing to force cities to join or stay in the League.  [[Carystus]], a city on the southern tip of [[Euboea]], was forced to join the League by military actions of the Athenians.  The justification for this was that Carystus was enjoying the advantages of the League (protection from pirates and the Persians) without taking on any of the responsibilities.  Furthermore, Carystus was a traditional base for Persian occupations.  Athenian politicians had to justify these acts to Athenian voters in order to get votes.  [[Naxos]], a member of the Delian League, attempted to secede, and was enslaved; Naxos is believed to have been forced to tear down her walls, lost her fleet, and her vote in the League.
 [[Thucydides]] tells us that this is how Athens' control over the League grew.

Delian League - Revision history

Irlandos at 12:02, March 14, 2006

Irlandos at 12:00, March 14, 2006