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The Delian league is often considered an Athenian empire because of the level of control Athens had over its allies. Athens' growing power over Greek affairs triggered the Peloponnesian War.

The contemporary Roman Republic was not a single state either, but a league of Italians under the hegemony of Rome. Roman citizenship was extended to all eventually (over the opposition of conservatives), and Rome was no longer a city state.

Had the League not been dismantled by Sparta and its allies, would Athens have become the Greek Rome as Athenian citizenship became desirable throughout Greece?

Can the example of the Delian League offer a glimpse into what might have happened on the Italian peninsula had Rome been defeated by Carthage? Would Carthage be able to prop up Italian statelets to counterbalance Rome?
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