Editing Delian League (section)

==Background==
{{Main|Greco-Persian Wars}}
[[File:Athenian Empire in 445 BC according to the Tribute Lists.jpg|thumb|upright=1.5|Athenian Empire in 445 BC, according to the Tribute Lists. The islands of [[Lesbos]], [[Chios]] and [[Samos]] (shaded on the map) did not pay tribute.]]
The Greco-Persian Wars had their roots in the conquest of the Greek cities of [[Asia Minor]], and particularly [[Ionia]], by the [[Achaemenid Empire|Achaemenid Persian Empire]] of [[Cyrus the Great]] shortly after 550 BC. The Persians found the Ionians difficult to rule, eventually settling for sponsoring a [[tyrant]] in each Ionian city.<ref>{{harvnb|Holland|2005|pp=147–151}}.</ref> While Greek states had in the past often been ruled by tyrants, this form of government was on the decline.<ref name=Fine>{{harvnb|Fine|1983|pp=269–277}}.</ref> By 500 BC, Ionia appears to have been ripe for rebellion against these Persian [[Clientage|clients]]. The simmering tension finally broke into open revolt due to the actions of the tyrant of [[Miletus]], [[Aristagoras]]. Attempting to save himself after a disastrous Persian-sponsored [[Siege of Naxos (499 BC)|expedition]] in 499 BC, Aristagoras chose to declare Miletus a democracy.<ref>{{cite book|author=Herodotus|title=The Histories|at=5.37}}</ref> This triggered similar revolutions across Ionia, extending to [[Doric Hexapolis|Doris]] and [[Aeolis]], beginning the [[Ionian Revolt]].<ref>{{harvnb|Holland|2005|pp=155–157}}.</ref>

[[File:Owl of Minerva.png|thumb|left|Owl of [[Athena]], patron of  Athens.]]
The Greek states of [[History of Athens|Athens]] and [[Eretria]] allowed themselves to be drawn into this conflict by Aristagoras, and during their only campaigning season (498 BC) they contributed to the capture and burning of the Persian regional capital of [[Sardis]].<ref>{{harvnb|Holland|2005|pp=160–162}}.</ref> After this, the Ionian revolt carried on (without further outside aid) for a further five years, until it was finally completely crushed by the Persians. However, in a decision of great historic significance, the Persian king [[Darius the Great]] decided that, despite having subdued the revolt, there remained the unfinished business of exacting punishment on Athens and Eretria for supporting the revolt.<ref name=Holland175ff>{{harvnb|Holland|2005|pp=175–177}}.</ref> The Ionian revolt had severely threatened the stability of Darius's empire, and the states of mainland Greece would continue to threaten that stability unless dealt with. Darius thus began to contemplate the complete conquest of Greece, beginning with the destruction of Athens and Eretria.<ref name=Holland175ff/>

In the next two decades, there would be two Persian invasions of Greece, occasioning, thanks to Greek historians, some of the most famous battles in history. During the [[First Persian invasion of Greece|first invasion]], [[Thrace]], [[Macedon]] and the [[Aegean Islands]] were added to the Persian Empire, and Eretria was duly destroyed.<ref>{{harvnb|Holland|2005|pp=183–186}}.</ref> However, the invasion ended in 490 BC with the decisive Athenian victory at the [[Battle of Marathon]].<ref>{{harvnb|Holland|2005|pp=187–194}}.</ref> After this invasion, Darius died, and responsibility for the war passed to his son [[Xerxes I]].<ref>{{harvnb|Holland|2005|pp=202–203}}.</ref>

Xerxes then personally led a [[second Persian invasion of Greece]] in 480 BC, taking an enormous (although oft-exaggerated) army and navy to Greece.<ref>{{harvnb|Holland|2005|pp=240–244}}.</ref> Those Greeks who chose to resist (the 'Allies') were defeated in the twin simultaneous battles of [[Battle of Thermopylae|Thermopylae]] on land and [[Battle of Artemisium|Artemisium]] at sea.<ref>{{harvnb|Holland|2005|pp=276–281}}.</ref> All of Greece except the [[Peloponnesus]] thus having fallen into Persian hands, the Persians then seeking to destroy the Allied navy once and for all, suffered a decisive defeat at the [[Battle of Salamis]].<ref>{{harvnb|Holland|2005|pp=320–326}}.</ref> The following year, 479 BC, the Allies assembled the largest Greek army yet seen and defeated the Persian invasion force at the [[Battle of Plataea]], ending the invasion and the threat to Greece.<ref>{{harvnb|Holland|2005|pp=342–355}}.</ref>

The Allied fleet defeated the remnants of the Persian fleet in the [[Battle of Mycale]] near the island of Samos—on the same day as Plataea, according to tradition.<ref>{{harvnb|Holland|2005|pp=357–358}}.</ref> This action marks the end of the Persian invasion, and the beginning of the next phase in the Greco-Persian wars, [[Greco-Persian Wars#Greek counterattack|the Greek counterattack]].<ref>{{harvnb|Lazenby|1993|p=247}}.</ref> After Mycale, the Greek cities of Asia Minor again revolted, with the Persians now powerless to stop them.<ref name=TI89>{{cite book|author=Thucydides|title=The Peloponnesian War|at=[https://www.perseus.tufts.edu/hopper/text?doc=Perseus%3Atext%3A1999.01.0200%3Abook%3D1%3Achapter%3D89 1.89]}}</ref> The Allied fleet then sailed to the [[Thracian Chersonese]], still held by the Persians, and besieged and captured the town of [[Sestos]].<ref name=IX114>{{cite book|author=Herodotus|title=The Histories|at=[https://www.perseus.tufts.edu/hopper/text?doc=Perseus%3Atext%3A1999.01.0126%3Abook%3D9%3Achapter%3D114%3Asection%3D1 9.114–115]}}</ref> The following year, 478 BC, the Allies sent a force to capture the city of [[Byzantion]] (modern day [[Istanbul]]). The siege was successful, but the behaviour of the Spartan general [[Pausanias (general)|Pausanias]] alienated many of the Allies, and resulted in Pausanias's recall.<ref>{{cite book|author=Thucydides|title=The Peloponnesian War|at=1.95}}</ref>