Explain the transformation from Delian League to Athenian Empire

The transformation from Delian League to Athenian Empire consisted of a

series of gradual changes. These changes were able to take place thanks to the
leadership in Athens, the nature of the Athens alliances and the rivalry
between Sparta and Athens. These factors gave Athens the opportunity to
expand her power and territory from 478-446 BCE. In this way, the Delian
League transformed into the Athenian Empire through the opportunistic,
imperialist nature of Athens.
The leaders of Athens were known as Strategoi and they played a key role in
the transition of Athens from head of the League to ruler of an empire. The first
of these Strategoi was Aristides who was considered a conservative democrat.
Aristides introduced the vote to all men of both classes (the aristocracy and the
working class). Aristides and Kimon both sat on the Athenian council which had
power of veto over the allies council. Kimon was a supporter of Sparta, even
naming his some Lacademonius (meaning Spartan). Kimon was glorified for his
participation in the Battle of Eurymedon against Persia, even though it
amounted to very little. Both Aristides and Kimon supported a dual hegemony,
Athens ruling the seas and Sparta ruling the land and as they were elected into
power it can be presumed that this was the accepted political ideology in the
Early days of the Delian League. However Kimon was ostracised in 461BCE by
Perikles who took over as Strategoi after he was gone. Perikles was a radical
democrat and an Athenian nationalist. He had imperial aims for Athens and
was able to use the Delian League to achieve these aims. Perikles did not
support Sparta, fighting them in the Battle of Tanagra. The change in the styles
of leadership can be considered a major cause for the Delian League becoming
the Athenian Empire.
The changing nature of the Athens alliances is also a clear way to account for
the transformation from League to empire. This is because the nature of the
alliances was such that Athens was able to consolidate power as it was oven
the opportunity to. The allies had to pay a tribute to the Athenians in exchange
for their protection. This was known as phoros which could be in the form of
either money or troops. At first the allies mostly gave troops but soon they
became lazy and gave money so Athens was the only member of the League
with a large army. Another reason the allies independence was so easily taken
from them is that they were not permitted to leave the league. When Naxos
revolted in 465BCE Athens crouched the rebellion and imposed a cleruchy of
Athenians which they settled on Naxos. Naxos was now only allowed to give
money as phoros. As the League progressed, more and more cities became
subject-states to the Athenians until Samos revolted in 440, leaving Lesbos and
Chios as the only free states. This meant that the Athenians ruled almost the
entire area around the Aegean sea and were a major power in Attica. When the
treasury of the Delian League was moved from Delos to Athens in 454BCE is a
clear example of the consolidation of Athenian power which is further
highlighted when, in 446BCE the members of the Delian League were forced to
use Attic currency. Through the changing relationships between Athens and her
allies the transformation from Delian League to Athenian Empire is made clear.

The relationship between Sparta and Athens also emphasises the change from
Delian League to Athenian Empire. At the end of the Persian Wars, Diodorus
writes that the Athenians wanted to rebuild the walls around herself, however
Sparta did not support this as they wanted Athens to be dependent on their
military for protection. Themistokles tricked the Spartans into doing nothing
until it was too late - the walls were complete. This meant that despite their
alliance during the Persian Wars, the Athenians and the Spartans rivalry had
returned. It existed to a much lesser extent under Kimon, until the earthquake
in Sparta and resulting helot (slave) rebellion in 461BCE. The Spartans asked
the Athenians for help with the rebellion but withdrew it, afraid the Athenians
might swap sides and support the helots in taking over Sparta. Kimon was sent
back in disgrace and subsequently ostracised by Perikles. Once Perikles was in
charge, the idea of a dual hegemony was ignored. As Athenian nationalism and
imperialism grew, their relationship with Sparta deteriorated. In 459/8 BCE the
Battle of Tanagra took place in Northern Attica and was which the Spartans and
their allies won and the following Battle of Oenophyta in which Athens and her
allies won back Boetia. Despite the peace treaties following these battles, the
five year peace and then the thirty year peace which lasted 14 years, the
rivalry between Sparta and Athens remained prominent due to Athenian
imperialism. Thus highlighting the change from League to Empire.
In conclusion, the leadership in Athens from Aristides and Kimon to Perikles
emphasises the transition from the Delian League to Athenian Empire. So to did
the nature of the alliances between Athens and the rest of the Delian League.
And the deteriorating relationship between Sparta and Athens denotes the
Athenian imperialism and in this way highlights the change. Through these
events, the transformation from Delian League to Athenian Empire is made
clear.