the Athenian contingent of the
fleet; on the disgrace of Pausanias he practically commanded the entire
Greek fleet and drove Pausanias from his retreat in Byzantium. Having
captured Eion (at the mouth of the Strymon), he expelled the Persian
garrisons from the entire seaboard of Thrace with the exception of
Doriscus, and, having defeated the piratical Dolopians of Scyros (470),
confirmed his popularity by transferring thence to Athens the supposed
bones of the Attic hero Theseus. The bones were buried in Athens, and
over the tomb the Theseum (temple) was erected. In 466 Cimon proceeded
to liberate the Greek cities of Lyda and Pamphylia, and at the mouth of
the Eurymedon he defeated the Persians decisively by land and sea.

The Persian danger was now over, and the immediate purpose of the
Delian League was achieved. Already, however, Athens had introduced the
policy of coercion which was to transform the league into an empire, a
policy which, after the ostracism of Themistocles and the death of
Aristides, must be attributed to Cimon, whose fundamental idea was the
union of the Greeks against all outsiders (see DELIAN LEAGUE). Carystus
was compelled to join the league; Naxos (c. 469) and Thasos (465-463),
which had revolted, were compelled to accept the position of tributary
allies. In 464 Sparta was involved in war with her Helots (principally
of Messenian origin) and was in great difficulties. Cimon, then the most
prominent man in Athens, persuaded the Athenians to send assistance, on
the ground that Athens could not "stand without her yoke-fellow" and
leave "Hellas lame." The expedition was a failure, and Cimon was exposed
to the attacks of the democrats led by Ephialtes. The history of this
party struggle is not clear. The ordinary account is that Ephialtes
during Cimon's absence in Messenia destroyed the powers of the Areopagus
(q.v.) and then obtained the ostracism of Cimon, who attempted to
reverse his policy. Without going fully into the question, which is full
of difficulty, it may be pointed out (1) that when the Messenian
expedition started Cimon had twice within the preceding year triumphed
over the opposition of Ephialtes, and (2) that presumably the Cimonian
party was predominant until after the expedition proved a failure. It is
therefore unlikely that, immediately after Cimon's triumph in obtaining
permission to go to Messenia, Ephialtes was able to attack the Areopagus
with success. The probability is that