66 WHO BEGIN TO REVOLT [l 97 At first the allies were independent and deliberated in ^, . , , a common assembly under the leadcr- The interval bcturcn r ^ r, ■ ^ • i ihe Persian and Pc/o- ship of Athens. But in the interval potimsianWars omitted between the Persian and the Pelopon- in most InstoHes. ^^^^j^j^ ^^^.^^ 1^^ ^j^^j^. j^JUtary SUCCeSS and by policy in dealing with the Barbarian, with their own rebellious allies and with the Peloponnesians who came across their path from time to time, the Athenians made immense strides in power. I have gone out of my way to speak of this period because the writers who have preceded me treat either of Hellenic affairs previous to the Persian invasion or of that invasion itself; the inter- vening portion of history has been omitted by all of them, with the exception of Hellanicus ; and he, where he has touched upon it in his Attic history, is very brief, and inaccurate in his chronology. The narrative will also serve to explain how the Athenian empire grew up. 98 First of all under the leadership of Cimon, the son of ^66' ^^^ ^^'* Athemans sub- Miltiadcs, the Athenians besieged and 01. 76-78 J^'^^ Eton, Seyros, Ca- took Eion upon the Strymon, then in 3. * ' y^^" ^"'■'- the hands of the Persians, and sold the inhabitants into slavery. The same fate befell Seyros, an island in the Aegean inhabited by Dolopes ; this they colonised themselves. They also made war on the Carys- tians of Euboea, who, after a time, capitulated ; the other B.C. 466. Euboeans took no part in the war. Then the Naxians 01 78 ^ . ■ revolted, and the Athenians made war against them and reduced them by blockade. This was the first of the allied cities which was enslaved contrary to Hellenic right ; the turn of the others came later. 99 The causes which led to the defections of the allies Most 0/ the allies con- Were of different kinds, the principal tribute money instead ^gj^ig j^gij. negjcct to pay the tribute of ships. Asthcygrotv . • u i • j • weaker the Athemans ^^ ^o turnish ships, and, in some cases, become more oppressive, failure of military Service. For the Athenians were exacting and oppressive, using coercive ' measures towards men who were neither willing nor v/^
