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Delian League

Background

The Delian League was an alliance of Greek city-states led by Athens, formed in the early 5th century BCE. The primary purpose of the league was to continue the fight against the Persian Empire following the Greco-Persian Wars and to ensure the freedom and security of the Aegean region. Here are some key aspects of the Delian League:

1. Formation:

   • The Delian League was established in 478 BCE, following the decisive Greek victories over the Persians at the battles of Salamis (480 BCE) and Plataea (479 BCE).
   • The alliance was named after the island of Delos, where the league's treasury and meetings were initially held. Delos was chosen due to its central location and its religious significance as a sanctuary of Apollo.

2. Membership:

   • The league comprised various Greek city-states, predominantly from the Aegean Sea and the coast of Asia Minor.
   • Members included major cities like Athens, Chios, Samos, and Lesbos, as well as numerous smaller states and islands.
   • Each member contributed ships, soldiers, or financial support (tribute) to the league's common cause.

3. Objectives:

   • The primary objective of the Delian League was to defend against Persian aggression and to liberate Greek cities under Persian control.
   • Over time, the league's goals expanded to include the protection of trade routes and the promotion of Athenian influence in the Aegean and beyond.

4. Leadership and Organization:

   • Athens emerged as the dominant power within the league, largely due to its naval strength and leadership during the Persian Wars.
   • The league's operations were directed by a council of representatives from member states, but Athens had significant control over decision-making.
   • The Athenian general Cimon played a key role in the league's early military successes against the Persians.

5. Military Campaigns:

   • The Delian League conducted numerous military campaigns against the Persians, securing victories and liberating Greek cities in Asia Minor and the Aegean.
   • Notable successes include the Battle of the Eurymedon (circa 466 BCE), where the league decisively defeated a Persian fleet and army.

6. Transformation into the Athenian Empire:

   • Over time, the Delian League increasingly became dominated by Athens, which imposed its will on other members and used league resources for its own benefit.
   • The treasury was moved from Delos to Athens in 454 BCE, symbolizing Athens' control over the league.
   • Member states that attempted to leave or defy the league were often subdued by Athenian military force, leading to the characterization of the league as the Athenian Empire.

7. Conflict with Sparta and the Peloponnesian War:

   • The growing power and influence of Athens and the Delian League led to tensions with Sparta and its allies, culminating in the Peloponnesian War (431-404 BCE).
   • The war pitted the Delian League (Athenian Empire) against the Peloponnesian League, led by Sparta.
   • The eventual defeat of Athens in the Peloponnesian War marked the end of the Delian League as a major political and military force.

8. Legacy:

   • The Delian League played a crucial role in the defense and liberation of Greek cities from Persian control and in the spread of Greek culture and influence across the Aegean.
   • The league's transformation into the Athenian Empire illustrates the dynamics of power and hegemony in ancient Greece and provides insights into the causes of the Peloponnesian War.
   • The period of the league's dominance saw significant cultural and intellectual achievements in Athens, including the construction of the Parthenon and advancements in philosophy, drama, and art.

The Delian League is a key chapter in ancient Greek history, reflecting the complexities of alliances, power, and imperialism in the classical world.

Sources

Authorities.—The First League.—The general histories of Greece, especially those of A. Holm (Eng. trans., London, 1894), G. Busolt (2nd ed., Gotha, 1893), J. Beloch (Strassburg, 1893 foll.), and G. Grote (the one-vol. ed. of 1907 has some further notes on later evidence). E. Meyer’s Gesch. des Altertums (Stuttgart, 1892 foll.) and Forschungen (Halle, 1892 foll.) are of the greatest value. For inscriptions, G. F. Hill, Sources of Greek History, 478–431 (2nd ed., 1907); E. L. Hicks and G. F. Hill, Greek Hist. Inscr. (Oxford, 1901). On the tribute see also U. Köhler in Abhandlungen d. Berliner Akademie (1869) and U. Pedroli, “I Tributi degli alleati d’ Atene” in Beloch’s Studi di storia antica. See also articles Aristides; Themistocles; Pericles; Cimon, &c., and Greece: History, with works quoted. For the last years of the league see also Peloponnesian War.

The Second League.—The chief modern works are G. Busolt, “Der zweite athenische Bund” in Neue Jahrbücher für classische Philologie (supp. vol. vii., 1873–1875, pp. 641-866), and F. H. Marshall, The Second Athenian Confederacy (1905), one of the Cambridge Historical Essays (No. xiii.). The latter is based on Busolt’s monograph and includes subsequent epigraphic evidence, with a full list of authorities. For inscriptions see Hicks and Hill, op. cit., and the Inscriptiones Atticae, vol. ii. pt. 5. The meagre data given by ancient writers are collected by Busolt and Marshall.

1911 Encyclopædia Britannica, Volume 7. pg. 958-962. Delian League by John Malcolm Mitchell

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