Permanent Delian League.

The other day, I posted on that the Athenian occupation of Sicily wouldn't be possible, due to the relatively small numbers of Athenian citizenry, and the exclusionary hereditary nature of Greek polis citizenship. So I was wondering which select Athenian politicians could have instigated internal social reforms that would have led to the civil enfranchisement of Metics and subordinate allied polis's within the league. What series of political processes would be needed to have led to the ultimate amalgamation that would transform the allied city-states into a perpetual federation that could go as far to subjugate the remainder of Hellas, and later assert control of the colonies across the Mediterranean as part of a imperialistic protection racket?
 
The other day, I posted on that the Athenian occupation of Sicily wouldn't be possible, due to the relatively small numbers of Athenian citizenry, and the exclusionary hereditary nature of Greek polis citizenship. So I was wondering which select Athenian politicians could have instigated internal social reforms that would have led to the civil enfranchisement of Metics and subordinate allied polis's within the league. What series of political processes would be needed to have led to the ultimate amalgamation that would transform the allied city-states into a perpetual federation that could go as far to subjugate the remainder of Hellas, and later assert control of the colonies across the Mediterranean as part of a imperialistic protection racket?
The Delian League started out as an actual league/alliance, and only morphed into an Athenian Empire later on. If you want to keep the League functional, it has to be not a centrally imposed Empire, IMO, unlike what what happened OTL. However, if it stays as a voluntary confederation, I don't see it doing the 'imperialistic protection racket' thing.

If the League managed to transform itself into a 'United States of Greece' (yes, it would only have <1/2 of Greece, but the USA has < 1/2 of 'America'), I think it could have a good future. How this would relate to Sicily, I don't know.
Also, I suspect you need to keep some external threats to keep the League together (? Sparta, then Carthage, then Rome ??), both to keep the minor states in line, and to keep Athens knowing it NEEDS those minor states.

I suspect it's doable. Not quite sure how to.

I think it might well lead to a better, more functional world than ours.


If Magna Graeca joins, that will do interesting things to the evolution of Rome, and Europe...
 
I know that such as course would only lead to the virtual unification of Attica, while the cities of Aetolia, Pelopennesia and Laconia would be outside this voluntary federation. I meant that after the complete politcal and legislative unification of the Delian League, that this new Athenian-centred polity may begin its military expansion a the expense of the other Greek city-states from Trapezous to Massalia. It already had the population base to make it work, but it needs perhaps to enfranchise a large part of that in order to create unity and focus.
 
I know that such as course would only lead to the virtual unification of Attica, while the cities of Aetolia, Pelopennesia and Laconia would be outside this voluntary federation. I meant that after the complete politcal and legislative unification of the Delian League, that this new Athenian-centred polity may begin its military expansion a the expense of the other Greek city-states from Trapezous to Massalia. It already had the population base to make it work, but it needs perhaps to enfranchise a large part of that in order to create unity and focus.

Whilst this would be a very interesting idea in principle (and indeed would make for a fascinating timeline) I would argue that it would take a great deal of political and social willpower in the various city states for the League to survive for long after the Persian Wars. Politically, it could work as most of the polis' in question were democracies but I think that the diverse nature of the geography of the alliance could be a major stumbling block.

However, if Pericles and his successors were competent enough to turn this into a movement to spread Hellenic culture and colonial expertise into Anatolia, then some sort of Athenian cultural empire is within the realms of possibility (enough arguably to be able to check the rise of Sparta).
 
In regard to the occasional grant of citizenship as a "gift", would it be possible to give citizenship to the leading members of those Symmachoi (allied states) that remained loyal to the League (Athens) during times of crisis? And if so, which OTL Athenian statesmen could have flirted with the notion of endorsing large groups of Symmachoi and Metics with suffrage in the Polis of Athens?
 
While it may be cliche, Alcibiades certainly seems like an Athenian open to new things.

I agree that it will be difficult without a serious external enemy. I think you need Xerxes or his successors to try a couple more times to subdue Greece.
 
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