Assess how the Delian League
transformed into the Athenian
empire.
25 marks
Sources: Plutarch: Rise and Fall of Athens
Thucydides: Peloponnesian War

Need to continue war against Persia after Salamis; Mycale
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Sparta unsuited to continue effort –Pausanias alienates the allies
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Sparta a land power –Athens most suitable leader in a naval offensive
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Ideal to liberate Ionia ;
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extension to Hellespontine area ;Thrace to secure sea route to
Euxine
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Aegean islands needed protection from resurgent Persia
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Greek portion of Asia Minor -Ionia (central Asia Minor) and Caria
(south west) could be threatened by Persia from land
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Delian League a “confederacy of maritime states with guaranteed
autonomy and free independent status
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Regular meetings to discuss policy with each member having equal
voting rights.

Athens was president ,organiser and leader influenced policy and
decisions
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Voluntary membership
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Tribute assessed by Aristides The Just
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Athens appointed the 10 Hellenotamiae (treasurers of the Greeks) to
receive tribute (phoros) from allies
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Athens was leader, commander of the navy of the confederacy. Cimon
the commander of the fleet.

Allies oath (according to Plutarch) swear to maintain the alliance
against the Persians .Oath for Athens taken by Aristides , threw
wedges red-hot iron into sea.( Until the metal floated to the surface=a
permanent alliance)

Cimon the leader of the conservative party (policy = maintenance of
friendly relations with Sparta and prosecution of war with Persia)
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Cimon expelled Pausanias from Sestos and Byzantium 476 BC

Cimon captured Eion near mouth of Strymon river 475 BC and
island of Scyros 473 BC
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Brilliant victory over Persians at battle of Eurymedon
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1st 10 years of active campaigning against Persians and pirates gives
members safety and security.
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Beginning of imperialism :
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Carystus in Euboea forced to join D.L. 472 BC
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Naxos and Thasos –compelled to join
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Egyptian expedition 454 BC –disaster –Treasury moved to Athens
afterwards
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Death of Cimon 450-449 BC .Pericles makes peace with Persia –
Peace of Callias. Pericles attempts to call pan-Hellenic Congress
449BC – rebuffed by other Greek states

Athens had nearly all the ships –allies (except Chios ,Samos and
Lesbos) sent money

This meant that the member states were weakened and were easy to
subdue if they revolted

Cleruchies established and provided an Athenian garrison in the
member –state
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Revolts put down strongly and democracies imposed
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Free status was sometimes replaced with subject status.
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Tribute payment was strictly enforced
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Local law courts lost power ,cases were sent to be heard in Athens
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Uniform weights and measures enforced
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Naval forces did bring peace –no threat from Persia or from pirates
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Trade encouraged and city of Athens became a very important centre
of commerce
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Craftsmen and traders attracted to Athens made a good living
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Peace in the Aegean meant trade now possible with Egypt, Black
Sea, Mesopotamia and western Mediterranean as far as Massilia
(Marseilles)
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Athens became the cultural centre of Greece
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Many Athenian allies did NOT revolt ,even during Peloponnesian
War
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Decrees for revolting Chalcis and Erythrae required all male citizens to
swear an oath not to revolt against the Athenian demos
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Pericles statement “you now hold your empire down by force, it may
have been wrong to take it ;it is certainly dangerous to let it go”
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Short lived attempt by Athens to build a land empire because its
military and naval forces were engaged in so many places at once and
also because of the reaction of Sparta and her supporters
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Capture of Naupactus ( on western strategic route to the west )
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Alliance with Argos (Peloponnese) ,Thessaly (northern Greece) and
Megara (central Greece ,near Isthmus)
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Capture of Boeotia Phocis and Locris (central Greece)
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Achaean cities gained (Peloponnese)
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Battle of Coronea –loss of Boeotia ,Phocis and Locris
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Plataea and Naupactus only continental allies left to Athens 446BC
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30 Years Peace signed between Athens and the Peloponnesians 445
BC
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Athenian Empire divided into 5 districts for administration Thrace ;
Aegean Islands ;Hellespont ;Ionia and Caria
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440 BC revolts of Thasos and Byzantium