To what extent did members of the Delian League lose their independence? Flashcards
Intro: independence
Formation of league in 478 BC
Goal free Ionians, and gain spoils of war
However, A league created to be eternal, resulted in it becoming the powerbase of Athenian imperialism, one that exploited their fellow Greek members, to the large extent that those powerful enough in the league i.e Daxos and Thasos revolted against Athenian tyranny.
Absolute control over military, economy and politics = assimilation into Athenian empire
BP1: Political loss of independence
Liberation of Ionian City-States After Mycale (479 BC): Following the Greek victory at the Battle of Mycale, the Ionian city-states in Asia Minor were freed from Persian rule. The Athenians, under the command of Xanthippus, played a crucial role in the aftermath by besieging Sestos and helping to drive out the remaining Persians, securing political independence for the Ionians.
Formation of the Delian League (477 BC): After the Battle of Mycale, Athens led the formation of the Delian League, a coalition of 173 Greek city-states. Sparta withdrew from leadership and control of the league, leaving Athens as the dominant force. This allowed Athens to impose its governance (radical democracy) on the newly liberated Ionian city-states.
Autonomy and Oath of Aristides (477 BC): Although the league members swore an oath of allegiance to Athens under Aristides, they initially retained their autonomy, with each city-state having equal voting rights and holding annual meetings at Delos. However, this oath laid the groundwork for Athens to later strip its allies of their independence.
Athenian Imperialism and Public Resentment: Athens installed democratic governments in allied cities like Miletus, preventing the return of tyrannical rulers but leading to Athenian imperialism. Over time, Athens used the Delian League’s resources to impose its absolute control over governance, leading to resentment among league members as their political independence was gradually eroded.
Athenian Domination and Legal Control: By 454 BC, league meetings ceased at Delos, symbolizing the shift in power towards Athens. The Erythrae Decree (453 BC) allowed Athenian commanders to control local elections, and the Chalcis Decree (446 BC) forced members to swear loyalty to Athens, with refusal resulting in loss of land. Athens also forced serious legal matters to be settled in Athenian courts, further stripping the autonomy of its allies and cementing its imperial dominance.
BP2: Economic loss of indepedence
Tribute as the Basis for Athenian Power: Tribute was essential to the rise of Athens, giving them financial control over the spoils of war and leverage over their allies. This transformed the role of Athens within the Delian League, turning member states into tribute-paying subordinates.
Organization of the Tribute by Aristides + Tribute as the Basis for Athenian Power: At the foundation of the Delian League, Aristides the “just” organized an annual tax to fund the navy and military conquests. The tribute system included two types: some states like Lesbos, Samos, Naxos, and Thassos contributed ships, while others who lacked significant naval power paid a monetary tribute (phoros). This amounted to 460 talents, administered by Athenian officials (hellenotamias).
Shift to Monetary Tribute and Loss of Independence: Over time, many members shifted from contributing ships to paying phoros. This weakened their independence, as the growing Athenian navy—funded by their tributes—could be used to subjugate them, as seen with Naxos and Thassos. Thucydides remarked that “The result was that the Athenian navy grew at their expense.” Even after the Peace of Callias in 449 BC, Athens required continued tribute, and by 440 BC most League members had become tribute-paying subjects.
Athenian Interference in Economic Affairs: Athens initially refrained from meddling in members’ economies, but their desire to dominate Aegean Sea trade led to interference. The revolt of Thasos in response to Athens establishing a colony that competed with Thasos’ gold mines marked the first instance of such interference. This set a precedent, and later, the 450 BC Coinage Decree prohibited league members from minting their own currency, symbolizing Athens’ efforts to tie them economically to the empire.
Athens’ Use of Tribute for Its Own Benefit: Athens increasingly used the league’s funds for its own benefit, marking its allies’ loss of economic independence. This became evident when Athens moved the league treasury from Delos to Athens in 454 BC, symbolizing its control over the league’s finances. The funds were diverted towards public works projects, such as the reconstruction of the Acropolis and Parthenon under Pericles, who famously claimed that “the money belongs to its recipients, not its donors” (Plutarch). By 449 BC, Athens also demanded extra tribute to upgrade the Piraeus port, solidifying that tributes were now being used for Athenian purposes rather than the collective war effort.
BP3: legislative loss of independence
Crushing of Naxos and Thasos Revolts: After the Delian League’s victory at the Battle of Eurymedon (468 BC), Naxos (469 BC) and Thasos (465 BC), two powerful city-states, attempted to secede from the league, believing its goals had been achieved. However, their rebellions were crushed by the Delian League’s forces. Naxos was besieged, its walls dismantled, and its navy confiscated, making it the first league member to lose its independence. Thasos faced a similar fate shortly after.
Athenian Imperialism through Kleruchies: In addition to military repression, Athens imposed Kleruchies (Athenian colonies) on Naxos and other revolting states. These served as “watchdogs” for Athenian imperial control, reinforcing Athens’ dominance over its allies and further stripping them of their political autonomy.
