Page "Greco-Persian Wars" Paragraph 75

' First Athenian Alliance ', commonly known as the Delian League.

According to Thucydides, the official aim of the League was to " avenge the wrongs they suffered by ravaging the territory of the king ".

In reality, this goal was divided into three main efforts — to prepare for future invasion, to seek revenge against Persia, and to organize a means of dividing spoils of war.

The members were given a choice of either supplying armed forces or paying a tax to the joint treasury ; most states chose the tax.