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AEGINA

 
 

The importance of Aegina during the Greco-Persian and Peloppnesian wars in largely omitted in our text books. It is one of the Saronic Islands in the Saronic Gulf, only 17 miles from Athens. In that location it was a significant economic - trading rival of Athens until it was finally conquered. Its maritime importance dated back to pre-Dorian times. Aegina was one of the three principal states trading at the emporium of Naucratis in Egypt, and it was the only Greek state near Europe that had a share in this factory. At the beginning of the 5th century it apparently was a market place for the Pontic grain trade, which, at a later date, became an Athenian monopoly. Unlike the other commercial states of the 7th and 6th centuries, such as Corinth, Chalcis, Eretria and Miletus, Aegina did not found any colonies. The known history of Aegina is almost exclusively a history of its relations with the neighbouring state of Athens, (as described in Athenian texts) which began to compete with the thalassocracy (sea power) of Aegina about the beginning of the 6th century. In 491 Aegina was one of the states which gave the symbols of submission ("earth and water") to Achaemenid Persia. Athens at once appealed to Sparta to punish this act of medism, and Cleomenes I, one of the Spartan kings, crossed over to the island, to arrest those who were responsible for it. His attempt was at first unsuccessful; but, after the deposition of Demaratus, he visited the island a second time, accompanied by his new colleague Leotychides, seized ten of the leading citizens and deposited them at Athens as hostages. After the death of Cleomenes and the refusal of the Athenians to restore the hostages to Leotychides, the Aeginetes retaliated by seizing a number of Athenians at a festival at Sunium. Thereupon the Athenians concerted a plot with Nicodromus, the leader of the democratic party in the island, for the betrayal of Aegina. The ancient sources write about the power of Aeginan naval supremacy between 490 and 480. It is possible that Aegina had a more significant role during this critical period. it is clear that Aegina was awarded the prize for valor at Salamis for the destruction of the Persian fleet. After Salamis Cimon's pro-Spartan foreign policy protected Aegina. Then when he was exiled Athenian policy reversed. And the First Peloponnesian war ensued in which the Athenian opponents were mostly Corinth and Aegina. The final victory of Athens over Aegina was in 458. In 456 Aegina was forced to surrender to Athens after a siege, and to accept the position of a subject-ally. The tribute was fixed at 30 talents. By the terms of the Thirty Years' Peace (445 BC) Athens promised to restore to Aegina her autonomy, but the clause remained ineffective. During the first winter of the Peloponnesian War (431 BC) Athens expelled the Aeginetans and established a colony on their island. Even in their new home they were not safe from theAthenians. A force commanded by Nicias landed in 424 BC, and killed most of them. At the end of the Peloponnesian War Lysander restored the scattered remnants of the old inhabitants to the island, which was used by the Spartans as a base for operations against Athens during the Corinthian War. Its greatness, however, was at an end.

 
 

 
     

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