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Delian League Research Paper

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Delian League Research Paper
Roman Success

Athens and the early Roman Republic were small city-states that acquired empires through victories in war. The Delian League lasted less than a century and the de facto empire of provinces acquired through the Punic Wars lasted for centuries. Athens and their allies formed the Delian League which was under constant strain, while on the other hand, the Roman Republic was very successful in expanding their empire through a consistent united front politically, economically, and militarily.

"The Delian League was a confederation of Greek city-states under the leadership of Athens" (Columbia Encyclopedia). The Delian League describes two periods of alliance. The first from 478-404 B.C. and the second from 378-338 B.C. The first
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because there was fear of another Persian attack. The league, in essence, became part of the Athenian empire, however it was not stable. Athens lost Boetia in 446 B.C. Slowly, Athens lost its prestige and many alliances. The league came to an end in 404 B.C. with the Peloponnesian War. In 394 B.C., the Athenian General Conon led the naval fleet during the end of the Peloponnesian War and reestablished Athens as a political and military power. Athens received offers of a new alliance and in 378 B.C., the second Athenian confederacy was established. In 375 B.C., Athens won an important naval battle against Sparta near Naxos. Thebes withdrew from the alliance and acquired control over Boeotian land. This land had once been occupied by Sparta. Thus, a treaty was formed between Athens and Sparta. By 351 B.C., the condition of the league had deteriorated in the north and east. Consequently, in 338 B.C., Phillip of Macedon was victorious at the battle of Chaeronea destroying the Delian League once and for all (Columbia Encyclopedia).

The Punic Wars were three conflicts between Carthage and Rome. The first conflict was from 264-241 B.C. It grew out of an altercation between Messana and Syracuse. The Messanians asked Carthage for help and Syracuse asked Rome for help. The Strait of Messana, which separated the Italian Peninsula from Sicily, was important strategically, and both Carthage and Rome responded. The Punic army (Carthaginians) arrived in Sicily and mediated peace between the two and established a military base. When the Roman army arrived, they drove off the Punic army from the military base and war ensued (Columbia

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