Second Athenian Empire
Encyclopedia
The Second Athenian Empire or Confederacy was a maritime confederation of Aegean
city-states from 378 BC
-355 BC
and headed by Athens primarily for self-defense against the growth of Sparta
and secondly, the Persian Empire.
of Sparta
and Sparta's refusal to prosecute him for his actions (according to Xenophon
and Diodorus Siculus). It was extremely popular at first, with a number of states previously controlled by Sparta signing up as members due to Sparta's increasing imperialism over the Decree of Aristoteles
.
An inscribed "prospectus" for the league was found at Athens (Inscriptions Greques 2, 43, also known as the Aristoteles decree) dating to 377 BC, detailing the aims of the new league. The intention was to ensure that Sparta would allow all the Greeks to be autonomous; the states involved were all to have autonomy; and Athens was not permitted to own land in any of the states who were members, or to inflict upon them a garrison or a cleruchy; each member could also choose their own constitution, not necessarily a democracy. This 'prospectus' appears to try to promise that this league would not turn out the same way as the earlier, fifth century Delian League
which had been unpopular in many quarters as Athens' behaviour was heavy handed at times particularly towards those states which had rebelled or showed signs of wanting to rebel.
(371BC).
by Thebes, the original terms set out in the prospectus had been achieved, yet Athens did not want to give up her power over these states. A series of revolts ending with the Social War (357-355 BC)
and the revolts of several of Athens' major allies finally put an end to the confederacy.
Aegean Islands
The Aegean Islands are the group of islands in the Aegean Sea, with mainland Greece to the west and north and Turkey to the east; the island of Crete delimits the sea to the south, those of Rhodes, Karpathos and Kasos to the southeast...
city-states from 378 BC
378 BC
Year 378 BC was a year of the pre-Julian Roman calendar. At the time, it was known as the Year of the Tribunate of Medullinus, Fidenas, Lanatus, Siculus, Pulvillus and Macerinus...
-355 BC
355 BC
Year 355 BC was a year of the pre-Julian Roman calendar. At the time, it was known as the Year of the Consulship of Peticus and Poplicola...
and headed by Athens primarily for self-defense against the growth of Sparta
Sparta
Sparta or Lacedaemon, was a prominent city-state in ancient Greece, situated on the banks of the River Eurotas in Laconia, in south-eastern Peloponnese. It emerged as a political entity around the 10th century BC, when the invading Dorians subjugated the local, non-Dorian population. From c...
and secondly, the Persian Empire.
Origins
The formation of the confederacy was stimulated by the invasion of Attica by SphodriasSphodrias
Sphodrias was a Spartan general during the period of Greek history known as the Spartan hegemony. In 379 BC, he was in command of a garrison in the Spartan-occupied city of Thespiae in Boeotia. Aiming to increase Spartan power in the region, he attempted to march by night to seize the Piraeus,...
of Sparta
Sparta
Sparta or Lacedaemon, was a prominent city-state in ancient Greece, situated on the banks of the River Eurotas in Laconia, in south-eastern Peloponnese. It emerged as a political entity around the 10th century BC, when the invading Dorians subjugated the local, non-Dorian population. From c...
and Sparta's refusal to prosecute him for his actions (according to Xenophon
Xenophon
Xenophon , son of Gryllus, of the deme Erchia of Athens, also known as Xenophon of Athens, was a Greek historian, soldier, mercenary, philosopher and a contemporary and admirer of Socrates...
and Diodorus Siculus). It was extremely popular at first, with a number of states previously controlled by Sparta signing up as members due to Sparta's increasing imperialism over the Decree of Aristoteles
Decree of Aristoteles
The Decree of Aristoteles is an inscribed treaty dating to 377BC. It describes the formation of the Second Athenian Confederacy, a league set up in response to the increasingly aggressive and dominant behaviour of Sparta towards other Greek states in the decades preceding this.-References:*Greek...
.
An inscribed "prospectus" for the league was found at Athens (Inscriptions Greques 2, 43, also known as the Aristoteles decree) dating to 377 BC, detailing the aims of the new league. The intention was to ensure that Sparta would allow all the Greeks to be autonomous; the states involved were all to have autonomy; and Athens was not permitted to own land in any of the states who were members, or to inflict upon them a garrison or a cleruchy; each member could also choose their own constitution, not necessarily a democracy. This 'prospectus' appears to try to promise that this league would not turn out the same way as the earlier, fifth century Delian League
Delian League
The Delian League, founded in circa 477 BC, was an association of Greek city-states, members numbering between 150 to 173, under the leadership of Athens, whose purpose was to continue fighting the Persian Empire after the Greek victory in the Battle of Plataea at the end of the Greco–Persian Wars...
which had been unpopular in many quarters as Athens' behaviour was heavy handed at times particularly towards those states which had rebelled or showed signs of wanting to rebel.
Running of the League
The League had a synedrion at Athens,within which each of the league's members were to be autonomous and have one vote each. Along with Athens this was a bicameral system and it is thought that Athens could not make any decisions without the agreement of the synedrion. There were to be no tributes as there had been in the fifth century Delian League, but there were "contributions", syntaxeis to be paid, these were probably not required every year but might have been requested during times of crisis.Rise of Thebes
Sparta's interference and invasion of Thebes in 382 gave the latter a very good reason to join the league. However her behaviour within the league became difficult and Athens started to realise that Thebes was not necessarily to be trusted. For example, Thebes destroyed Plataea in 372, which had only recently been refounded. Athens started to think about negotiating peace with Sparta; it was while Athens was discussing this with Sparta that Thebes defeated the Spartan army conclusively at Battle of LeuctraBattle of Leuctra
The Battle of Leuctra was a battle fought on July 6, 371 BC, between the Boeotians led by Thebans and the Spartans along with their allies amidst the post-Corinthian War conflict. The battle took place in the neighbourhood of Leuctra, a village in Boeotia in the territory of Thespiae...
(371BC).
Later history
After Sparta's defeat in 371 BC371 BC
Year 371 BC was a year of the pre-Julian Roman calendar. At the time, it was known as the Fifth year without Tribunate or Consulship...
by Thebes, the original terms set out in the prospectus had been achieved, yet Athens did not want to give up her power over these states. A series of revolts ending with the Social War (357-355 BC)
Social War (357-355 BC)
The Social War, also known as the War of the Allies, was fought from 357 BC to 355 BC between Athens with its Second Athenian Empire and between the allies of Chios, Rhodes, and Cos as well as the independent Byzantion.-Origins:...
and the revolts of several of Athens' major allies finally put an end to the confederacy.
Further reading
- Cargill, Jack. The Second Athenian League: Empire or Free Alliance? Berkeley: University of California Press, 1981. ISBN 0520040694
- Rhodes, P. J. A History of the Classical Greek World, 478-323BC. Blackwell Publishing, 2005.