Did Athens have a great navy?

Answer 1

It not only enabled it to dominate the eastern Mediterranean Sea and see off the Persian threat, but it was also necessary to enforce collection of the annual war fund contributions of the 200 city-states after the Persian threat receded. The casualty inscriptions of the Athenian tribes show large annual death tolls from the many fights to force the Greek cities to pay up. It was this money which supported Athenian naval power and the aggrandisement of the city and its culture and lifestyle.

Answer 2

Athens had been the target of a Persian amphibious expedition sent as a reprisal for Athens leading an attack which destroyed the Persian provincial capitat of Sardis at the beginning of the Ionian revolt in 498 BCE. Athens defeated this 490 BCE attack at Marathon.

Expecting a repeat attack, Athens spent the proceeds of a rich silver lode on building 100 triremes as a defence against Persian sea power. By the time of the full scale Persian invasion in 480 BCE Athens had built the fleet up to 200 ships.

When the combined Greek city-states repelled this invasion at Salamis, Plataia and Mycale, Athens formed a league of city-states to continue to repel Persian incursions, providing most of the fleet for the Delian League. This fleet was paid for by the 200 cities of the League, and the fleet doubled as defence against Persia and collecting the annula tax from the Greek cities, by force if necessary.

When peace was made with Persia in 449 BCE, Athens continued to enforce the tax using the fleet - each year it sent out 100 warships around the islands and Asia Minor to enforce the payments. In doing so it effectively turned the League into an empire of its own and used the money to maintain the fleet and spend on its own glorification (Parthenon etc) and put half its population on the public payroll.

It then over-reached itself, interfering in the Greek cities outside its own League, resulting in the Peloponnesian War against the Peloponnesian League led by Sparta. This disasterous war went on for 27 years, with Athens surviving on the back of its superior fleet. Persia had its revenge by financing a Peloponnesian fleet to match the Athenian one, and Athens was defeated. Without an enforcement fleet, it lost its empire and became a second rate power.

Answer 3

Athens started the Peloponnesian War with a navy superior in numbers and quality of ships, sailors and rowers to those of the opposing Peloponnesian League. As the war went on Athens suffered some severe losses which were hard to replace, however they still maintained the quality and superiority by being seen to be the winners at sea, and attracting the best ships crews.

However the opposing Peloponnesian League was later subsidised by the Persians and so was able to offer double the pay which Athens offered, so attracting the best Greek crews, and the balance swung against Athens.

Answer 4

Athens created a strong navy to defend against the Persians, ruled by Zerxes. Athens needed a strong navy to keep their trade routes open. The Athens economy was entirely based on imports.

Answer 5

Mainly so they didn't get invaded from the sea, relying on their army and other city states near by to defend from the land.

Answer 6

I'm going to say from my research that athens had a strong navy.