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afterwards a pacification was concluded with Persia； which is sometimes； but erroneously； called 〃the peace of Cimon。〃 It is stated that by this compact the Persian monarch agreed not to tax or molest the Greek colonies on the coast of Asia Minor； nor to send any vessels of war westward of Phaselis in Lycia； or within the Cyanean rocks at the junction of the Euxine with the Thracian Bosporus； the Athenians on their side undertaking to leave the Persians in undisturbed possession of Cyprus and Egypt。 During the progress of these events； the states which formed the Confederacy of Delos； with the exception of Chios； Lesbos； and Samos； had gradually become； instead of the active allies of Athens； her disarmed and passive tributaries。 Even the custody of the fund had been transferred from Delos to Athens。 The purpose for which the confederacy had been originally organised disappeared with the Persian peace； yet what may now be called Imperial Athens continued； for her own ends； to exercise her prerogatives as head of the league。 Her alliances； as we have seen； had likewise been extended in continental Greece； where they embraced Megara； Boeotia； Phocis； Locris； together with Troezen and Achaia in Peloponnesus。 Such was the position of Athens in the year 448 B。C。； the period of her greatest power and prosperity。 From this time her empire began to decline； whilst Sparta； and other watchful and jealous enemies； stood ever ready to strike a blow。
In the following year （B。C。 447） a revolution in Boeotia deprived Athens of her ascendency in that country。 With an overweening contempt of their enemies； a small band of 1000 Athenian hoplites； chiefly composed of youthful volunteers belonging to the best Athenian families； together with a few auxiliaries； marched under the command of Tolmides to put down the revolt； in direct opposition to the advice of Pericles； who adjured them to wait and collect a more numerous force。 The enterprise proved disastrous in the extreme。 Tolmides was defeated and slain near Chaeronea； a large number of the hoplites also fell in the engagement； while a still larger number were taken prisoners。 This last circumstance proved fatal to the interests of Athens in Boeotia。 In order to recover these prisoners； she agreed to evacuate Boeotia； and to permit the re…establishment of the aristocracies which she had formerly overthrown。 But the Athenian reverses did not end here。 The expulsion of the partisans of Athens from the government of Phocis and Locris； and the revolt of Euboea and Megara； were announced in quick succession。 The youthful Pleistoanax； king of Sparta； actually penetrated； with an army of Lacedaemonians and Peloponnesian allies； as far as the neighbourhood of Eleusis； and the capital itself； it is said； was saved only by Pericles having bribed the Spartan monarch。 Pericles reconquered Euboea； but this was the only possession which the Athenians succeeded in recovering。 Their empire on land had vanished more； speedily than it had been acquired； and they were therefore induced to conclude； at the beginning of B。C。 445； a THIRTY YEARS' TRUCE with Sparta and her allies； by which they consented to abandon all the acquisitions which they had made in Peloponnesus； and to leave Megara to be included among the Peloponnesian allies of Sparta。
From the Thirty Years' Truce to the commencement of the Peloponnesian war； few political events of any importance occurred。 During these fourteen years （B。C。 445…431） Pericles continued to enjoy the sole direction of affairs。 His views were of the most lofty kind。 Athens was to become the capital of Greece； and the centre of art and refinement。 In her external appearance the city was to be rendered worthy of the high position to which she aspired； by the beauty and splendour of her public buildings； by her works of art in sculpture； architecture； and painting； and by the pomp and magnificence of her religious festivals。 All these objects Athens was enabled to attain in an incredibly short space of time； through the genius and energy of her citizens and the vast resources at her command。 No state has ever exhibited so much intellectual activity and so great a progress in art as was displayed by Athens in the period which elapsed between the Thirty Years' Truce and the breaking out of the Peloponnesian war。 She was the seat and centre of Grecian literature。 The three great tragic poets of Greece were natives of Attica。 AEschylus； the earliest of the three； had recently died in Sicily； but Sophocles was now at the full height of his reputation； and Euripides was rapidly rising into notice。 Aristophanes； the greatest of the Grecian comic poets； was also born in Attica； and exhibited plays soon after the beginning of the Peloponnesian war。 Herodotus； the Father of History； though a native of Halicarnassus in Asia Minor； resided some time at Athens； and accompanied a colony which the Athenians sent to Thurii in Italy。 Thucydides； the greatest of Greek historians； was an Athenian； and was a young man at this period。
Colonization； for which the genius and inclination of the Athenians had always been suited； was another method adopted by Pericles for extending the influence and empire of Athens。 The settlements made under his auspices were of two kinds CLERUCHIES； and regular colonies。 The former mode was exclusively Athenian。 It consisted in the allotment of land in conquered or subject countries to certain bodies of Athenians who continued to retain all their original rights of citizenship。 This circumstance； as well as the convenience of entering upon land already in a state of cultivation instead of having to reclaim it from the rude condition of nature； seems to have rendered such a mode of settlement much preferred by the Athenians。 The earliest instance which we find of it is in the year B。C。 506； when four thousand Athenians entered upon the domains of the Chalcidian knights （see Ch。5）。 But it was under Pericles that this system was most extensively adopted。 During his administration 1000 Athenian citizens were settled in the Thracian Chersonese； 500 in Naxos； and 250 in Andros。 The islands of Lemnos； Imbros； and Scyros； as well as a large tract in the north of Euboea； were also completely occupied by Athenian proprietors。
The most important colonies settled by Pericles were those of Thurii and Amphipolis。 Since the destruction of Sybaris by the Crotoniates； in B。C。 509； the former inhabitants had lived dispersed in the adjoining territory along the gulf of Tarentum； In B。C。 443 Pericles sent out a colony to found Thurii； near the site of the ancient Sybaris。 The colony of Amphipolis was founded some years later （B。C。 437）； under the conduct of Agnon。
But Pericles； notwithstanding his influence and power； had still many bitter and active enemies； who assailed him through his private connections； and even endeavoured to wound his honour by a charge of peculation。 Pericles； after divorcing a wife with whom he had lived unhappily； took his mistress Aspasia to his house； and dwelt with her till his death on terms of the greatest affection。 She was distinguished not only for her beauty； but also for her learning and accomplishments。