The Second Athenian League - Essay Example

The Second Athenian League History has always been one of the most important parts of Man’s knowledge base and most scholars as well as men in general believe that all the lessons that have to be learnt by men are present in the past history of mankind. Therefore it is in accordance with the theory of mankind that the study of history assumed importance, given the fact that it helps not just in the understanding of man’s origins but also background and in ensuring that the future of mankind is established and protected. Through the study of man’s past and history it has been discovered that man has a past which is not only diverse but also the system of social living that existed then might be more mature and evolved than the system that exists today. Thus, it becomes necessary for the detailed study of the past be carried out so as to ensure that the system that existed does not disappear. There has to be an attempt made so that the positive of the ancient system can be incorporated into the one existing today which could result in a more evolved and advanced way of being and living. The greeks are primary objects of study given their special significance in history and the fact that the modern demoicratic set uo around the world owes its origin to the development in the greek theory of state and democracy. It is in this context that one would need to study the Second Athenian League. In the following essay there shall be a detailed study carried out of the Second Athenian League, the system that was setup, the background of the system and an attempt shall be made to discover if the system that existed in the ancient Greek city state of Athens was positively affected by the formation of the league, and how the formation of this league affected the foreign policy of the city state of Athens (Ryder, T.T.B., 1965). The formation of the Second Athenian League was an event of great significance in relation to the foreign policy of the city state of Athens and this helped it strengthen itself against foreign attacks especially those from Sparta. The Second Athenian League was a confederacy of the Aegean States and this was headed by the city state of Athens. This confederation was formed with the basic aim to strengthen the position of the Aegean city states and ensure their safety against the growing Sparta and also the threat of the Persian Empire. The Second Athenian League was formed in 378 BC and ended till around 355 BC. The formation of the Second Athenian League was of greater significance at the time in light of the first confederation that had been formed under the rule of Athens in 478 BC, the Delian League (Dustin S 2009). The Delian League was formed in the 5th century BC for the purpose of fighting the Persian Empire and there were 150 Greek city states in this formation. This came apart due to the controlling nature of the Athenian city state and after the Peloponnesian war the League was concluded in the year of 404 BC. This is of significance because it reflects the dominating foreign policy that was pursued by the City State of Athens in the working of the first League and this effects the second league also, and the role that is played by Athens in relation to her other corresponding city states. The second League was basically formed after there was observed a growth in the power and ambitions of the city state of Sparta. There was seen that the city state of Sparta was growing more and more ambitious and looking for methods for gaining more territorial conquest as well as power. This was a case of great concern among the other Greek City States (Cawkwell, G.L. 1973). Thus, the formation of the second league came about. This was an important step in the case of the foreign policy of the time as this step was taken by the Greek City States surmounted to an action of collective security. The formation of the second league based in Athens was also of great significance due to the controlling role that Athens had played in the first confederation. There was seen that Sparta at the given period of time was growing increasingly imperialistic and domineering. This was leading to a feeling of discomfort in all the Greek City States, even in the allies of Sparta. Thus, after the invasion of Attica by Sphodrias (who was a Spartan), and Sparta’s refusal to punish him, the league was formed. There has been seen through the literature that has been derived of that period that after the formation of the league, the league was quite popular and there were a number of states who signed up as members of the league. This trend was observed not only in states who were in allies of Athens but also the allies of Sparta joined the league as well (Marshall, F.H. 1905). This eagerness of most states to join the league can be attributed to the fact that at the time of formation of the league, Sparta was growing increasingly imperialist and there were several actions that had been taken by this Greek City State that reflected her disregard for the Peace of Antalciadas, which had clearly defined that all Greek city states, except Lemnos, Imbros and Scyros which were under the control of Athens, were autonomous and all the other Greek city states were to respect this autonomy. This is of great significance in relation to the international relations of those times, because it the coming together of the city states to protect the treaty or agreement that had been reached upon by them. Thus, it is an important step in the foreign affairs of the 5th century BC. There can be no doubt that the role that Athens played in the second league was also of great significance, but there was a noticeable change in the attitude of the Greek City State and it was not as controlling and domineering as it had been in the former confederation (Hornblower, S 1983). There also emerged a few other important city states that played a significant role in the confederacy, and one of the most significant city states that came forward was that of Thebes. The league as already mentioned was located in Athens and the prospectus of the league has been discovered there in Athens and it is found dating to around 337 BC. The best known political scientist in the world, Aristotle was the brain behind the prospectus. In the prospectus of the league Aristotle has enumerated the aims of the league and the purpose it was formed to fulfil and the goals that it wanted to achieve. This prospectus is known as the Aristotle Decree, Inscriptions Greques 2, 43 (P.J. and R. Osborne 2003). The aims that were enlisted in the prospectus include ensuring that Sparta would allow for the autonomous existence of all the Greek City states that existed at that given time. The prospectus also ensured the autonomy of all the member states of the league and has specified that Athens was not allowed to own land in any of the city states that were members of the league (Martin, T 2001). The prospectus also allowed the city states that were members of the league choose their own method of governance as well as administration, and this could be a democratic setting or any other form which was found suitable by city state. This allowed for the members of the confederacy to enjoy their autonomy to the maximum, and also ensured that no city state could be attacked and colonised in the name of upholding the principles of democracy in the region by another (Hall, J.M. 2007). This is a clear reflection of the changes that were brought about in the league from the previous set up of the Delian League where the city state of Athens was seen to wield a huge amount of power over the other city states. The league was one of the most democratic set up that had been experienced by the region in those times, and due to this it has a major significance in the history of international relationships. The league called for and established a system where all the city states, no matter their size, economy, population, etc were an equal status and all were considered to be equal autonomous units (Cawkwell, G.L. 1973). Each city state was given a 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, and taxes that needed to be paid, these were probably not required every year but might have been requested during times of crisis. There were a number of significant changes that took place in the international arena in the area at that time which had a number of effects on the league. Of all the developments that took place in the area at the given time period the most significant was that of the invasion of Thebes by Sparta in the year of 382 BC. After the attack on its territories by Sparta, Thebes also joined in as a member of the league, but this made the Athenians uncomfortable as the course of action that was being followed by Thebes was disturbing (Rice, D.G.1975). These actions include her attack of the city of Plataea in the year of 372. Plataea was just recovering from the earlier attacks and was being rediscovered and established as a city state when Thebes attacked her. It was actions such as these that made Athens vary of Thebes (Rhodes, P. J. 2005). Athens, thus tried to seek refuge through trying to establish a peace settlement between herself and the city state of Sparta but before this could be achieved Sparta was attacked and conquered by the city state of Thebes. This was achieved by Thebes by defeating the Spartan army in the Battle of Leuctra in the year of 371 BC. With the defeat of the city state of Sparta by Thebes, the end of the league was also in sight considering the aim and objective of the prospectus has been fulfilled. But the city state of Athens was not so keen on the dissolution of the league and wanted the league to continue in its existence (Cargill, Jack 1981). This was resisted by the other city states and there were a number of revolts took place, and in the end the league was dissolved by the allies of the city state of Athens after the Social War that was held through the years of 357 BC to 355 BC. The league thus came to an end after fulfilling the purpose that it was formed for, ensuring the autonomy of all the city states and ensuring that the growth in the aggressive policies of the city state of Sparta are curbed. In the context of international relations it was a major break through as it not only aimed at the establishment of autonomous city states but also ensured that these were able to maintain themselves and continue to function as they were without interference from external forces. The Second Athenian League also helped in the establishment of the universal idea that no matter the size and economic status of any state all autonomous city states were equal and thus established the system of one state one vote. Thus, as it is clearly reflected in the essay above, the Second Athenian League was a very important development in the international spectrum of politics that was prevalent in the ancient Greek times, and it helped in the formation of the policy of equality of all nation states. The concept of collective security was also seen to emerge with the league and there was also an attempt made to curb the powers of the two major city states. The Second Athenian League is thus perhaps one of the first political democratic international efforts of cooperation that can be observed in the history of mankind and thus, its importance cannot be denied nor ignored. References: Cargill, Jack 1981, The Second Athenian League: Empire or Free Alliance? Pub, Berkeley, University of California Press, pp87-96. Cawkwell, G L, 1973, The Foundation of the Second Athenian Confederacy, pub, Classical Quarterly Vol.47 No. 23, pp47-60. Dustin S 2009, Athens and the Second Athenian Confederacy; Repaying the mistakes of the first, pub May 24, 2009, accessed October 26, 2009, http://greek-history.suite101.com/article.cfm/athens_and_the_second_athenian_confederacy Hornblower, S 1983, The Greek World 479-323 B.C. New York, pub, Methuen, pp78-81. Marshall, F.H, 1905, The Second Athenian Confederacy, pub, Cambridge, Rhodes, pp58-63. Martin, T 2001, Ancient Greece: From Prehistoric to Hellenistic Times, pub Sept 11 2001, Yale University Press P. Sabine, H. van Wees and M. Whitby: Hall, J.M. 2007, ‘International Relations’; The Cambridge History of Greek and Roman Warfare: Volume 1: Greece, the Hellenistic World and the Rise of Rome, pub, Cambridge, pp85-107 P.J. and R. Osborne, 2003, Greek Historical Inscriptions 404-323 BC, pp 92- 113, pub, Oxford. Rice, D.G.1975, Xenophon, Diodorus and the Year 379/378 BC’, pub, Yale Classical Studies, Vol. 29, pp95-130. Rhodes, P. J, 2005, A History of the Classical Greek World, 478-323BC, pub, Blackwell Publishing, 2005 pp 18-19. Ryder, T.T.B., 1965: Koine Eirene: General Peace and Local Independence in Ancient Greece, pub, Oxford, pp3-6 Read More