IntroThe Delian League (Athens)The Delian League was an empire that included most of the island and coastal states around the northern and eastern shores of the Aegean Sea. As a result, Athens had a strong navy. Athens was also financially prepared for war, possessing a large fund which it had amassed through the regular tribute paid to it by its empire. The Peloponnesian League (Sparta) Sparta was the leader of an alliance of independent states that included most of the major land powers of the Peloponnese and central Greece, as well as the sea power of Corinth. The Spartans had a stronger army than Athens. The league was organized with Sparta as leader. It was controlled by the council of allies which was composed of two bodies; the assembly of the Spartans and the Congress of the Allies. Each allied state had a right to vote, regardless of its size or power. No tribute was paid except in times of war, when a third of a state's military could be demanded. Only Sparta could convene a congress of the League. Although each state had one vote, Sparta was not obligated to abide by any decisions the League might have made alone. The first war (460 BC - around 445 BC) Athens took control of Greece in 487 BC with the Delian League. While Sparta was caught in internal problems in the Peloponnese and the war with the helots further strained them, Athenian democracy continued to advance. The difficult relationship between the two became irreparable when Sparta asked Athens for help against the helots. When the large Athenian army arrived, Sparta changed its mind and sent the force back, fearing that the Athenians would side with the helots against them. Insulted, Athens broke off relations with Sparta, entering into an alliance with...... middle of paper ......aders and a demoralized navy, Athens' naval supremacy would now be challenged. The new Spartan general was an astute diplomat, with a strong personal relationship with the Persian prince Cyrus. Using this to its advantage, Sparta sailed towards the Hellespont, Athens' main source of grain. Forced to follow under threat of famine, Athens was defeated in 405 BC. Faced with famine and disease, Athens surrendered in 404 BC, with its allies. Corinth and Thebes demanded that Athens be destroyed and all its citizens enslaved, but Sparta decided to take Athens into its own system. Aftermath For a short time, Athens was ruled by the "Thirty Tyrants" and democracy was suspended but was restored by Thrasybulus. 403 BC. Although Athens' power was weakened, it experienced some recovery and continued to play an active role in Greek politics..