What happened during the revolt of Samos against Athens in 440 BCE?

In 440 BCE, Samos—one of Athens’s principal allies that possessed a substantial fleet of its own—revolted against Athenian authority. This uprising posed a significant challenge to Pericles, who led the campaign to recover the island.1

Although Pericles achieved an initial victory against superior numbers, the revolt proved resilient and nearly succeeded. The subsequent military effort to suppress the rebellion was both long and costly for Athens. Ultimately, the campaign was successful, and the recovery of Samos became a standard against which later Athenian generals measured their own military achievements.1

During this period, there was also speculation regarding whether Sparta would intervene to support the recalcitrant ally against Athens, though no actual military confrontation between the two powers occurred during this episode.2