ABSTRACT
UptothetimeofthePersianWars,thepreponderantinfluencein Greece,thehegemony,wasexercisedhytheSpartans:aslateas479, atthebattleofPlataea,itwastheLacedaemonianPausaniaswho commandedtheGreekarmy.ThedecisivepartplayedbyAthensat MarathonandSalamis,andespeciallythecreationoftheDelianLeague whichturnedtheAegeanintoan'Atheniansea',putanendtothis hegemony:fromthenon,thanksprimarilytothestrengthofherfleet, Athensbecamemorepowerfulthanland-boundSparta.YetSparta wasbynomeanscontenttoseeherselfrelegatedtosecondplaceand watchAthensstrivingtodominateGreecebyprogressivelytransformingher'allies'intosubjects:in465Thasosrevoltedandsucceeded incarryingonresistancefortwoyears.Thiswastheunderlyingcause oftheintestinestruggle,thePeloponnesianWar,thatwastoravage andweakenHellasafterherdefeatofthePersians,firstfrom462to 446,andagain,moreseriously,from432to404.
