Due to certain events in recent centuries, an ‘empire’ has earned a rather negative image; one of imperialistic suppression and dictatorial governing over colonies. The Athenian Empire began quite innocently in comparison with those which came later. It is the general consensus that after the Salamis battle in 480 B.C., Athens complied with the numerous requests for protection and was happy to found an alliance in return for modest payments. With these payments, Athens proceeded to eradicate both the foreign Persians and the local pirates, produce a shared navy, establish democracy in each allied state, increase trade and provide huge employment for the demos.
Protection From Persians
After the Persians had retreated from Europe and the Greeks had given chase, the looming proximity of the empire in the east still worried those states on the eastern and north sides of the Aegean. The anti-Persian coalition formed was the first step towards an Athenian ruled empire as the states at most risk from attack asked for protection from Athens. The first big collaborative operation against the Persians by the Delian Confederacy, a modern name, came in the form of the battle of river Eurymedon in 470/69 B.C. resulting in the defeat of the barbaroi and a debatable motion of peace. The combined forces, under Athenian leadership, dealt with the Persians so well that the empire would have been in danger of collapsing if the Athenians had not kept the thought of a further invasion fresh in the minds of the allies. This led to the extent of staging a repeat of Eurymedon in c.460 B.C. and the consequent diversion to, and invasion of, Egypt and the Persians within. This venture culminated in near-total losses of the Alliance and possibly ignited the revolt of Thasos but, when combined with the other methods the Athenians used to dispel the Persians, no doubt helped the overall objective.
Protection From Pirates
Another problem, second to the Persian threat, which found itself on the agenda of every member of the Delian Confederacy, was that of piracy in the eastern Mediterranean. The members of the Alliance consisted of virtually all the Aegean islands, the mainland poleis of the northern Aegean and the major poleis of Ionia with expansions east, on what is now the Turkish coast, and north-east into the Black Sea. Both in close proximity to the sea and, especially in the case of the island members, very dependent on its use for survival, the allies were vulnerable to piracy. This was an issue which had been proven difficult to solve by individual states, therefore it was only after the Delian League had been established that Athens could begin seriously policing the Aegean. As well as using the assets provided by the members of the league, both the ships and phoros, Athens tried to attain the co-operation of other Greek states. This attempt to secure the seas fell through due to a lack of support from Sparta. However, their success is evident in the lessening of ‘complaints’ regarding piracy from writers of the time during Athenian rule compared with accounts given before. It is also possible that lack of fortifications around the Ionian cities mentioned by Alcidas, documented by Thucydides, in 427 B.C. show that the Athenians were able to provide strong protection against dangers from the seas. Athens, after dealing with the Persians at Eion, was quick to then take Skyros and later Chersonese, areas with strong pirating ties in need of tight policing.
Trade & Employment
This extraordinary increase in marine security afforded the allies the ability to trade with greater freedom, providing they had not aggravated Athens who, in effect, controlled trade as well as prices. The amount saved by cargoes reaching their destinations in-tact owing to the reduction in piracy, far outstripped the relatively small phoros each state was required to pay the Athenian hegemones. The ships essential, in their large numbers, to maintaining order at sea provided employment opportunities for the demos of each state. Despite the costs incurred by the Alliance spending much of its time at war with that of the Peloponnese, the mercenary service presented the demos with further possibilities of service. This would have, obviously, increased the economies of the allies involved, although Athens reserved the power to exclude states from partaking in the trade of grain.
Establishing Democracy
Perhaps the greatest motive for joining the League was the promise for the establishment of an Athenian style democracy. The promise of being saved from an oligarchic government may have been used, and the ‘evils’ (as seen by Isokrates) of such a regime exaggerated, by the Athenians as a deal clincher with the league members. As well as the protection their payments afforded them, the states were granted, at first, a generous level of autonomy, self government as well as a voice in the Alliance as a whole, in a form of allied independence. Although as the likelihood of war between the two great Leagues of the Aegean grew, most states were divided over the choice of government, the demos supporting the Athenians and the oligarchs the Spartans, during the moment of peace between the Greeks a democracy was welcomed by the majority, especially after the behaviour of Pausanias set many against the Spartans. It could be noted now that the Athenians either planned to or took advantage of an opportunity to take the allegiance of the Ionians from the Spartans, “watching for the moment when they were in bad odour because of Pausanias” therefore putting a small question mark next to the ‘accidental’ nature of the Athenian Empire. (See Abuse of Power.)
Sources
Aristotle - Athenaion Politeia - The University of Michigan Press, 1998
Plutarch - Life of Kimon - University of London Institute of Classical Studies, 1988
Thucydides - History of the Peloponnesian War - The Penguin Group, 1972
Anton Powell - Athens & Sparta - London : Routledge, 1988
H.A. Ormerod - Piracy in the Ancient World - The University Press of Liverpool ltd : Hodder and Stoughton ltd, 1924
