Delian League -- Ancient History Encyclopedia

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Timeline

479 BC - 478 BC

Combined Greek operations in the Hellespont and Cyprus.
478 BC - 404 BC

The Delian League in Greece, led by Athens.
477 BC

Athenians take control of joint operations: formation of Delian League. First assessment of contributions by Aristides, an Athenian.
477 BC - 474 BC

Delian League operations carried out by Cimon, son of Miltiades, victor of Marathon.
c. 472 BC

Carystos forced to join League.
c. 470 BC - c. 469 BC

Attempted secession of Naxos from the League. It is defeated and enslaved.
c. 465 BC

Secession of Thasos.
464 BC - 463 BC

Earthquake in Sparta, followed by slave revolt. Surrender of Thasos.
462 BC - 461 BC

Radicalisation of democracy in Athens; Cimon exiled, Pericles comes to exercise influence.
460 BC - 459 BC

Megara switches sides to Athens; outbreak of war with the Peloponnesians – Athenians initially victorious.
c. 457 BC - 454 BC

Large expedition to Egypt, to aid rebels against Persian rule.
456 BC - 455 BC

Athenians spread their power in northern Peloponnese.
454 BC

Failure of Egyptian expedition; some League members unsuccessfully revolt. Removal of League treasury from Delos to Athens.
451 BC - 450 BC

Peace between Argos and Sparta. Athens and Sparta conclude five-year truce.
447 BC - 446 BC

Boeotian cities revolt against Athens. Secessions in Euboea and Megara.
446 BC - 445 BC

Spartans invade Attica. Thirty Years’ Peace between Athens and Sparta.
441 BC

Revolt of Samos.
436 BC - 435 BC

Expedition of Pericles into the Black Sea. Corcyra/Epidamnus affair draws in Corinth and the Athenians.
433 BC - 432 BC

Athens concludes treaties with Italiot and Siceliot cities. Megarian decree commercially isolates Megara.
432 BC

Secession of Potidaea involves Corinthians.
431 BC

Outbreak of Peloponnesian War between Delian and Peloponnesian Leagues.
428 BC - 427 BC

Unsuccessful secession of Mytilene.
427 BC

First Athenian expedition to Sicily.
421 BC

‘Peace of Nicias’, a truce between the Delian and Peloponnesian Leagues.
421 BC - 416 BC

‘Cold war’ between Athens and Corinth.
415 BC - 413 BC

Great Athenian expedition to Sicily ends in failure.
413 BC

Wholesale revolt of League members; War recommences. Spartans and Corinthians gain advantage from League seccessions and help from the Persians.
404 BC

Athens loses War; League dissolved.

Definition

The Delian League was an association of approximately 150 5th-century BC Greek city-states under the leadership of Athens, whose purpose was to continue fighting the Persian Empire after the Greek victory in the Battle of Plataea at the end of the Greco–Persian Wars.

Founded in 478 BC, the League's name derives from its official meeting place, the island of Delos, where congresses were held in the temple and where the treasury stood until Pericles moved it to Athens in 454 BC. Shortly after its inception Athens began to exploit the League's navy for its own benefit. This behavior would frequently lead to conflict between Athens and the less powerful members of the League. By 431 BC Athens' heavy-handed control of the Delian League would prompt the outbreak of the Peloponnesian War; the League was dissolved upon the war's conclusion in 404 BC.

Based on Wikipedia content that has been reviewed, edited, and republished under the Creative Commons Attribution Share-Alike 3.0 license. Last reviewed by Jan van der Crabben. Please help and improve this definition!