ABSTRACT
In 478, the Hellenic League, under the command of the Spartan regent Pausanias, set about consolidating its victories of 479 and ensuring the safety of Greece by making expeditions against Cyprus and then against Byzantium (Thucydides 1.94.1-2; AE7 p. 13 – all references in this chapter are to Thucydides, unless otherwise stated). Cyprus, which was controlled by Persia and which would be a powerful base for a Persian naval counterattack in the southern Aegean, was for the most part conquered by the League forces. For similar reasons Byzantium, the gateway to the north Aegean, was besieged and captured. It was at this moment that the seeds of the Delian League (as it is called by modern historians) were sown. Pausanias, like many a Spartan removed from the strict constraints of Sparta, began to behave in an arrogant and overbearing manner towards the League’s allies, resulting in their discontent with his leadership and consequently that of Sparta. The Ionians and those recently liberated from Persia approached the Athenians and, emphasizing their common Ionian kinship (see Chapter 2), asked them to become their leader (1.95.1; AE7 p. 13). Pausanias was recalled and Dorcis was sent out by Sparta as a replacement commander, but by this time the allies were committed to Athenian leadership and would not accept Dorcis’ command. His return to Sparta marked the end of Sparta’s official active involvement in the offensive war against Persia (1.95.2-7; AE7 p. 13). Athens was clearly the ideal candidate for the leadership of the war
against Persia. The present and future campaigns would demand a ‘hegemon’ (leader) who could conduct a vigorous, naval offensive, and one who was sympathetic to the aspirations of the Ionians. The Athenians’ 200 ships, their Ionian kinship with many of the allies, and their support of the Ionians in 499 and in 479 made them the natural and very popular choice. But the big question was: of what should she become the leader? The Hellenic League? There was little doubt that Athens would become the hegemon in the annual elections for 477/6, especially after Sparta’s withdrawal.
However, this leadership had little to attract the Athenians. The annual election for hegemon would give little security to the Athenians and was not a fair basis for their commitment of so many ships and men. In addition, the Peloponnesians with their votes would still have influence in deciding policy, and the Ionian mainlanders would still be excluded from membership. Consequently, the obvious solution was the establishment of an entirely new league – hence the creation in 478/7 of the Delian League.
