Ancient history

Was the Athenian Empire popular amongst its subjects?

No, the Athenian Empire was not popular among its subjects. While it is true that Athens was a democratic state and that its citizens enjoyed a high degree of freedom and equality, the same was not true for the subjects of the Athenian Empire. The empire was an oligarchy, and the Athenians treated their subjects as second-class citizens. The Athenians imposed heavy taxes on their subjects, and they often interfered in the internal affairs of their subject states. The Athenians also used military force to suppress any revolts against their authority. As a result, the Athenian Empire was not popular among its subjects.