Delian League

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Definition

The Delian League (or Athenian League) was an alliance of Greek city-states led by Athens. The league was formed in 478 BCE to liberate eastern Greek cities from Persian rule. The league was then used as a defence against possible revenge attacks from Persia following the Greek victories at Marathon, Salamis, and Plataea in the early 5th century BCE.

More about: Delian League

Timeline

  • 479 BCE - 478 BCE
    Combined Greek operations in the Hellespont and Cyprus.
  • 478 BCE
    Samos becomes a member of the Delian League.
  • 478 BCE
    Many Cycladic states join the Athenian led Delian League as a defence against Persian agression.
  • 478 BCE - 454 BCE
    The treasury of the Delian League is kept on Delos until its removal to Athens.
  • 478 BCE - 404 BCE
    The Delian League in Greece, led by Athens.
  • 476 BCE - 463 BCE
    Delian League operations are led by Athenian commander Cimon
  • c. 475 BCE
    Athenian general Cimon drives the Dolopian pirates out of the Aegean island of Scyros.
  • c. 475 BCE
    Athenian general Cimon defeats Spartan general Pausanias and takes Byzantium.
  • 475 BCE
    Cimon captures Eion in Thrace for Athens.
  • c. 472 BCE
    Carystos forced to join the Delian League.
  • c. 470 BCE - c. 469 BCE
    Attempted secession of Naxos from the Delian League. It is defeated and enslaved.
  • c. 467 BCE
    The island of Naxos rebels against Athenian dominance of the Delian League.
  • c. 466 BCE
    Athenian general Cimon twice defeats the Persians at Eurymedon on the southern coast of Asia Minor.
  • c. 465 BCE
    Secession of Thasos.
  • 465 BCE - 463 BCE
    Athenian general Cimon conquers Chersonesus in Thrace and the north-Aegean island of Thasos.
  • 464 BCE - 463 BCE
    Earthquake in Sparta, followed by slave revolt. Surrender of Thasos.
  • 462 BCE - 461 BCE
    Radicalisation of democracy in Athens; Cimon exiled, Pericles comes to exercise influence.
  • 460 BCE - 459 BCE
    Megara switches sides to Athens; outbreak of war with the Peloponnesians & Athenians initially victorious.
  • c. 457 BCE - 454 BCE
    Large expedition to Egypt, to aid rebels against Persian rule.
  • 456 BCE - 455 BCE
    Athenians spread their power in northern Peloponnese.
  • 454 BCE
    Failure of Egyptian expedition; some Delian League members unsuccessfully revolt. Removal of League treasury from Delos to Athens.
  • 451 BCE - 450 BCE
    Peace between Argos and Sparta. Athens and Sparta conclude five-year truce.
  • 450 BCE
    Athenian general Cimon dies on Cyprus fighting the Persians.
  • 447 BCE - 446 BCE
    Boeotian cities revolt against Athens. Secessions in Euboea and Megara.
  • 446 BCE - 445 BCE
    Spartans invade Attica. Thirty Years' Peace between Athens and Sparta.
  • 441 BCE
    Revolt of Samos.
  • 436 BCE - 435 BCE
    Expedition of Pericles into the Black Sea. Corcyra/Epidamnus affair draws in Corinth and the Athenians.
  • 433 BCE - 432 BCE
    Athens concludes treaties with Italiot and Siceliot cities. Megarian decree commercially isolates Megara.
  • 432 BCE
    Secession of Potidaea involves Corinthians.
  • 431 BCE - 404 BCE
    The 2nd Peloponnesian War between Athens and Sparta (the Delian League and the Peloponnesian League) which involved all of Greece.
  • 428 BCE
    Mytilene on Lesbos unsuccessfully revolts against the Athenian domination of the Delian League.
  • 427 BCE
    First Athenian expedition to Sicily.
  • 421 BCE
    Peace of Nicias, a truce between the Delian and Peloponnesian Leagues.
  • 421 BCE - 416 BCE
    "Cold war' between Athens and Corinth.
  • 415 BCE - 413 BCE
    Great Athenian expedition to Sicily ends in failure.
  • 413 BCE
    Wholesale revolt of Delian League members; War recommences. Spartans and Corinthians gain advantage from League seccessions and help from the Persians.
  • 404 BCE
    Athens loses the Peloponnesian War; the Delian League is dissolved.
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