d
leader. After the war the need of being on the alert against Persia
continued, and Greece became in great part divided into two
leagues,--one composed of Sparta and most of the Peloponnesian states,
the other of Athens, the islands of the archipelago, and many of the
towns of Asia Minor and Thrace. This latter was called the League of
Delos, since its deputies met and its treasure was kept in the temple of
Apollo on that island.

This League of Delos developed in time to what has been called the
Athenian Empire, and in this manner. Each city of the league pledged
itself to make an annual contribution of a certain number of ships or a
fixed sum of money, to be used in war against Persia or for the defence
of members of the league. The amount assessed against each was fixed by
Aristides, in whose justice every one trusted. In time the money payment
was considered preferable to that of ships, and most of the states of
the league contributed money, leaving Athens to provide the fleet.

In this way all the power fell into the hands of Athens, and the other
cities of the league became virtually payers of tribute. This was shown
later on when some of the island cities declined to pay. Athens sent a
fleet, made conquest of the islands, and reduced them to the state of
real tribute payers. Thus the league began to change into an Athenian
dominion.

In 459 B.C. the treasure was removed from Delos to Athens. And in the
end Chios, Samoa, and Lesbos were the only free allies of Athens. All
the other members of the league had been reduced to subjection. Several
of the states of Greece also became subject to Athens, and the Athenian
Empire grew into a wealthy, powerful, and extended state.

[Illustration: A REUNION AT THE HOUSE OF ASPASIA.]

The treasure laid up at Athens in time became great. The payments
amounted to about six hundred talents yearly, and at one time the
treasury of Athens held the great sum of nine thousand seven hundred
talents, equal to over eleven million dollars,--a sum which meant far
more then than the equivalent amount would now.

It was this money that made Athens great. It proved to be more than was
necessary for defensive war against Persia, or even for the aggressive
war which was carried on in Asia Minor and Egypt. It also more than
sufficed for sending out the colonies which Athens founded in Italy and
elsewhere. The remainder of the fund was used in Athens, part of it in
building great structur