Athens built an empire by using the money from the Delian League to rebuild and beautify Athens!!
Persian Empire
Dissatisfaction with Athens's growing empire. :)
Athens turned the league which it led against the Persian Empire into an empire of its own. Using the power of this empire to bully other city-states. The Peloponnesian League led by Sparta called Athens on its attempt to bankrupt its neighbour Megara, a member of their league, an overconfident Athens persisted, resulting in a destructive war which Athens lost, and was stripped of its empire.
Persian
Pericles had three goals for Athens. The first was to strengthen democracy. The second was to expand the empire. The third was to beautify Athens.
Athens turned the league which it led against the Persian Empire into an empire of its own. Using the power of this empire to bully other city-states. The Peloponnesian League led by Sparta called Athens on its attempt to bankrupt its neighbour Megara, a member of their league, an overconfident Athens persisted, resulting in a destructive war which Athens lost, and was stripped of its empire.
To strengthen Athenian democracy, to hold and strengthen he empire, and to glorify Athens
Constantinople
Athens and its empire versus the Peloponnesian League led by Sparta.
After defeat, Athens was stripped of its empire, and without the revenues they mulcted from it, they were not able to either maintain naval preeminence or afford the expenditures which had supported such extravagances as the beautification of Athens.
An amphibious expeditionary force from the Persian Empire sent to punish Athens for adding to trouble within the empire, and the culprit Athens and its junior ally Plataia.
It was between Athens and its empire and the Peloponnesian League headed by Sparta.