Athens - An Empire by Numbers

The Delian League,  was a confederacy of Greek city states stretching over and around the Aegean Sea, under the leadership of Athens, with the purpose of continuing the fight against the Persian Empire, after the mighty Greek victory at the Battle of Plataea.

The Delian League / Athenian Empire

Over time the League morphed, as it was overtaken by the more powerful polis of Athens. Slowly but surely beginning to flex its muscles Athens started to push the little guy members of the league around. The title of this Blog entry is a little miss-leading, Athens was merely the leader of a league of many Poleis as opposed to keepers of an Empire, however due to their actions and their control of a large portion of the Aegean, it is easy to prescribe them imperial ambitions.

"At first the allies were independent and deliberated in a common assembly under the leadership of Athens. But...the Athenians made immense strides in power"

Thucydides Book 1 Chapter 97

Here is there "empire" by numbers.

1 - The Delian League was formed in 478BC.

"Thus the Athenians by the good-will of the allies, who detested Pausanias, obtained the leadership. They immediately fixed which of the cities should supply money and which of them ships for the war against the Barbarians"

Thucydides Book 1 Chapter 96

2 - The Delian League comprised of between 150 to 173 Poleis spread over Greece and the Aegean.

3 - The tribute was collected by the Hellenotamiae in Athens and the amount was originally fixed at 460 talents which was stored at the Temple of Delos. 

4 - In 454BC Pericles moved this treasury to Athens, apparently to prevent Persia getting it. This was not a popular move, but again illustrated Athenian power over the league.

"The people has lost is fair fame and is in ill repute because it has removed the public monies of the Hellenes from Delos into its own keeping"

Plutarch Life of Pericles Chapter 12

5 - There were two major rebellions against Athenian hegemony. In 471BC Naxos rebelled and failed, loosing its rights. Equally after Thasos seceded and joined Athens enemies, a two year was waged to force them back into the league.

Parthenon Frieze from the British Museum

6 - 200 ships of Athens and some of her allies were sent to Egypt in 460BC to aid in the revolt against the Persians. 

7 - Around 457BC the Athenian begin the construction of their famous Long Walls. 

"Extending to the sea, one to the harbour of Phalerum and the other to the Peraeus"

Thucydides Book 1 Chapter 107

8 - Peace was made with Persia in 450BC. Shortly after the Peloponnesian War erupted in 458BC.

9 - By 454BC the Delian League is for all intents and purposes an Athenian Empire, as none of their former allies had the strength left to oppose them. 

10 - At the end of the Peloponnesian War in 404BC the Delian League was disbanded and Athens fell under the rule of "Thirty Tyrants" for a time. 

As always ten facts are never going to give the whole story about a time as politically and economically complex as it is filled with battles and great figures of history. But they do show an "empire" by numbers.


Thanks for Reading
James