In crafting the 377 decree, Athens was obviously wary of repeating the mistakes of the fifth-century. Specific guarantees showed that "Athens was seeking to establish her Confederacy on the basis of freedom and autonomy" (Cawkwell 49). By establishing fair practices regarding cleruchies and the synedrion, held true to the principle of the autonomy of other city-states.
Cleruchies and Athens
One major guarantee that showed the Athenians' wish to avoid tyrannical practices involved cleruchies. Between the years 450 and 446, Athens had initiated a system of cleruchies in which Athenians climed the best land in the territory of her subject states, and no compensation was offered to the dispossessed original owner.
After 377, Athenians were prohibited from owning property in the territory of a member state. Critics may point out that Athens held on to her cleruchies of Lemnos, Imbros, and Skyros in the fourth century, but these had long since abandoned by their original owners, and in any case, they were not members of the new League.
Potidaia, another city with an Athenian cleruchy established in 362, "itself requested the dispatch of Athenian kleruchs in its territory" (Cargill 149). This evidence shows, then, that the Athenians upheld their vows regarding land ownership in allied territory.
Athens and the Synedrion
Another major innovation the Second Athenian Confederacy introduced was the synedrion, a separate allied chamber. Having two chambers of representation ensured that Athens would not be able to harass allies separately. Athens was not allowed to join the synedrion, and the leader of the council had to be non-Athenian. Each member state had one vote in the council, regardless of its size, and both of the chambers, the Athenian and the allied synedrion, were regarded as equal.
Furthermore, an early inscription makes it appear that the tribute each allied state had to pay was a fixed sum determined by the synedrion, thus safeguarding against Athens trying to extort extra sums of money. Whenever any allied state's rights were impinged upon, the Council, Assembly, and synedrion would participate in the prosecution.
The power of the synedrion ensured the autonomy the allied city-states cherished and which Athens had taken away a century earlier when it had become involved in the legal affairs of other states by demanding that trials concerning member states be held in Athenian law courts.
Athenian Leadership in the Second Athenian Confederacy
Athens' record as a leader of the Second Athenian Confederacy, if not totally spotless, at least demonstrates that Athens had learned from its tyrannical actions in the fifth century. Thus, Athens recognized that if it wanted to lead an alliance it had to be willing to compromise and let other states have their autonomy.
Sources:
Cargill, J. The Second Athenian League: Empire or Free Alliance? Berkeley: U of C Press, 1981.
Cawkwell, G.L. "The Foundation of the Second Athenian Confederacy." Classical Quarterly 47, no. 23 (1973): 47-60.
Hornblower, S. The Greek World 479-323 B.C. New York: Methuen, 1983.
Sara Dustin - Sara Dustin is a Ph.D. student and university instructor. As an undergraduate, she double majored in English and history at Presbyterian ...
