jan 1, 478 BC - formation of the delian league

Description:

The members of the Deian Leage continued te war against Persia in the Aegean Sea and along the coasts of Asia Minor.

Athens in charge (athens and her allies) due to
- spartan reluctance to continue war against persia + Pausanias was medised

OBJECTIVE: FREE, PROTECT, DESTROY

"prevent a reoccurence of the invasion…Persia had, of course, been heavily defeated in 480–479 but she had retained most of her empire…Athens and her naval allies, to be a political neccesity to the Persians, from drawing subversive conclusions about Persian weakness” -- Powell

‘free Greeks from the Persians’ -- thucydides

"the 'proskhema' of the Delian league was to "avenge the losses they had suffered"" -- Thucydides

"When a state joined, iron bars were thrown into the sea and it was said the alliance would stay in place until they floated" - aristotle

HQ at Delos:
- Ancient centre of Ionian culture
- Good harbour
- Politically insignificant
- Treasury is kept at Delos

Funds would be collected and looked after by ten officials know as the Hellenotamiae. These men were always Athenain.

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