This wealthy and
powerful island had hitherto, with Chios and Lesbos, enjoyed the
distinction of serving under Athens as an independent ally. The
Athenians, with a view to their own interests, had recently set up a
democracy in Samos, which had hitherto been governed by an oligarchy.
Incensed by this interference, the Samian nobles, who had been driven
into exile, hired a mercenary force, and making a sudden attack from
the mainland, overthrew the democracy and raised the standard of
revolt. The crisis called for prompt and vigorous action on the part
of Athens; for if Samos had been successful in defying her authority,
the other members of the league would speedily have followed the
example, and the whole fabric of her empire might have been shattered
to pieces. Pericles was again equal to the emergency, and by employing
the whole naval power of Athens he was able, after a siege of nine
months, to reduce the refractory islanders to submission. The Samians
were compelled to surrender their fleet, to pull down their walls, to
pay a heavy war indemnity, and to give hostages as a security for
their good conduct in the future. And henceforward they became
subjects and tributaries of Athens.
We have now completed our review of the chief events which occurred
between the Persian and Peloponnesian wars.
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