CHAPTER XVI.

THE IONIC REVOLT.

1. Introduction. § 2. Naxian Exiles apply for Aid to Aristagoras. 3. Expedition of Aristagoras and the Persians against Naxos. Its Failure. § 4. Revolt of Miletus and the other Greek Cities of Asia. § 5. Aristagoras solicits Assistance from Sparta and Athens, which is granted by the latter. § 6. Burning of Sardis by the Athenians and Ionians. § 7. Death of Aristagoras and Histiæus. § 8. Defeat of the Ionian Fleet at Ladé. § 9. Capture of Miletus and Termination of the Revolt.

§ 1. BEFORE setting out for Susa, Darius had appointed his brother Artaphernes satrap of the western provinces of Asia Minor, of which Sardis continued to be the capital, as in the time of the Lydian monarchy. The Grecian cities on the coast were nominally allowed to manage their own affairs; but they were governed for the most part by despots, who were in reality the instruments of the Persian satrap, and were maintained in their power by his authority. Miletus, which was now the most

*The above most remarkable document is carved on the side of a rocky mountain, perpendicularly smoothed for the purpose. The mountain was known to the ancient Greeks as the Bagistan (τὸ Βαγίστανον ὄρος), ,- a name formed from an old Persian word signifying Sacred to the Bagas, or gods. The sculptures consist of twelve figures in relief, below a single figure in the air, representing the Zend and Persian deity, Aurumazda or Ormuzd. The figures are the king, with two attendants, and nine captive rebels brought into his presence, with their hands tied behind them, and cords about their necks. Below the figures, and at the sides, are large panels on the smooth surface of the rock, filled with arrow-head inscriptions; the whole occupying a space of 150 feet in length, and 100 in breadth, at the height of 300 feet from the base of the mountain. This mountainous document has been copied by Colonel Rawlinson, an English gentleman formerly residing at Bagdad in an official capacity. He has explained or interpreted the Persian part of these inscriptions (they are written in three languages), and they prove to be a very interesting and important record of the early part of the reign of King Darius. - ED.

flourishing city of Ionia, was ruled by Aristagoras, the son-in-law of Histiæus, since Darius had allowed the latter to intrust the sovereignty to his son-in-law during his absence. For a few years after the return of the king to Upper Asia, the Persian empire enjoyed the profound calm which often precedes a storm. It was the civil dissensions of one of the islands of the Ægean which first disturbed this universal repose, and lighted up a conflagration which soon enveloped both Greece and Asia.

§ 2. About the year B. C. 502, the oligarchical party in Naxos, one of the largest and most flourishing of the Cyclades, were driven out of the island by a rising of the people. The exiles applied for aid to Aristagoras, who lent a ready ear to their request; knowing that, if they were restored by his means, he should become master of the island. But his own forces were not equal to the conquest of the Naxians, since they possessed a large navy, and could bring eight thousand heavy-armed infantry into the field. Accordingly, he went to Sardis to secure the co-operation of Artaphernes, holding out to the satrap the prospect of annexing not only Naxos and the rest of the Cyclades, but even the large and valuable island of Euboea, to the dominions of the Great King. He represented the enterprise as one certain of success, if a hundred ships were granted to him, and offered at the same time to defray the expense of the armament. Artaphernes gave his cordial approval to the scheme; and as soon as the king's consent was obtained, a fleet of two hundred ships was equipped and placed at the disposal of Aristagoras. The forces were under the command of Megabates, a Persian noble of high rank.

§ 3. Taking the Naxian exiles on board, Aristagoras sailed from Miletus towards the Hellespont (B. c. 501). To divert the suspicions of the Naxians, a report was spread that the armament was destined for a different quarter; but upon reaching Chios, Megabates cast anchor off the western coast, waiting for a fair wind to carry them straight across to Naxos. Being anxious that the ships should be in readiness to depart as soon as the order was given, Megabates made a personal inspection of the fleet, and discovered one of the vessels left without a single man on board. Incensed at this neglect, he summoned the captain of the ship, and ordered him to be put in chains with his head projecting through one of the port-holes of his own vessel. It happened that this man was a friend and guest of Aristagoras, who not only set the authority of Megabates at defiance by releasing the prisoner, but insisted that the Persian admiral held a subordinate command to himself. The pride of Megabates could not brook such an insult. As soon as it was night, he sent a message to the Naxians to warn them of their danger. Hitherto the Naxians had had no suspicion of the object of the expedition; but they lost no time in carrying their property into the city, and making every preparation to sustain a long siege. Accordingly, when the Persian fleet reached Naxos they experienced a vigorous resistance; and at the end of four

months they had made such little way in the reduction of the city, that they were compelled to abandon the enterprise and return to Miletus.

§ 4. Aristagoras was now threatened with utter ruin. Having deceived Artaphernes, and incurred the enmity of Megabates, he could expect no favor from the Persian government, and might be called upon at any moment to defray the expenses of the armament. In these difficulties he began to think of exciting a revolt of his countrymen; and while revolving the project, he received a message from his father-in-law, Histiæus, urging him to this very step. Afraid of trusting any one with so dangerous a message, Histiæus had shaved the head of a trusty slave, branded upon it the necessary words, and, as soon as the hair had grown again, sent him off to Miletus. His only motive for urging the Ionians to revolt was his desire of escaping from captivity at Susa, thinking that Darius would set him at liberty in order to put down an insurrection of his countrymen. The message of Histiæus fixed the wavering resolution of Aristagoras. He forthwith called together the leading citizens of Miletus, laid before them the project of revolt, and asked them for advice. They all approved of the scheme, with the exception of Hecatæus, who deserves to be mentioned on account of his celebrity as one of the earliest Greek historians. Having determined upon revolt, the next step was to induce the other Greek cities in Asia to join them in their perilous enterprise. As the most effectual means to this end, it was resolved to seize the persons of the Grecian despots, many of whom had not yet quitted the fleet which had recently returned to Naxos. Aristagoras laid down the supreme power in Miletus, and nominally resigned to the people the management of their own affairs. The despots were seized, and a democratical form of government established throughout the Greek cities in Asia and in the neighboring islands. This was followed by an open declaration of revolt from Persia (B. C. 500).

§ 5. The insurrection had now assumed a formidable aspect; and before the Persians could collect sufficient forces to cope with the revolters, Aristagoras resolved to cross over to Greece, in order to solicit assistance from the more powerful states in the mother country. He first went to Sparta, which was now admitted to be the most powerful city in Greece. In an interview with Cleomenes, king of Sparta, he brought forth a brazen tablet, on which were engraven the countries, rivers, and seas of the world. After dwelling upon the wealth and fertility of Asia, he traced on the map the route from Ephesus to Susa, and described the ease with which the Spartans might march into the very heart of the Persian empire, and obtain possession of the vast treasures of the Persian capital. Cleomenes demanded three days to consider this proposal; and when Aristagoras returned on the third day, he put to him the simple question, how far it was from the sea to Susa. Aristagoras, without considering the drift of the question, answered that it was a journey of three months.

"Milesian stranger," exclaimed Cleomenes, "quit Sparta before sunset: you are no friend to the Spartans, if you want them to undertake a three months' journey from the sea." Still, however, Aristagoras did not despair, but went as a suppliant to the king's house, to see if he could accomplish by money what he had failed to do by eloquence. He first offered Cleomenes ten talents, and then gradually raised the bribe to fifty; and perhaps the king, with the usual cupidity of a Spartan, might have yielded, had not his daughter Gorgo, a child of eight years old, who happened to be present, cried out, "Fly, father, or this stranger will corrupt you." Cleomenes accepted the omen, and broke up the interview. Aristagoras quitted Sparta forthwith.

Disappointed at Sparta, Aristagoras repaired to Athens, then the second city in Greece. Here he met with a very different reception. Athens was the mother city of the Ionic states; and the Athenians were disposed to sympathize with the Ionians as their kinsmen and colonists. They were moreover incensed against Artaphernes, who had recently commanded them to recall Hippias, unless they wished to provoke the hostility of Persia. Accordingly, they lent a ready ear to the tempting promises of Aristagoras, and voted to send a squadron of twenty ships to the assistance of the Ionians. "These ships," says Herodotus, "were the beginning of mischiefs between the Greeks and barbarians."

§ 6. In the following year (B. c. 500) the Athenian fleet crossed the Egean. They were joined by five ships from Eretria in Euboea, which the Eretrians had sent to discharge a debt of gratitude for assistance which they had received from the Milesians in their war with Chalcis. Upon reaching the coast of Asia, Aristagoras planned an expedition into the interior. Disembarking at Ephesus, and being reinforced by a strong body of Ionians, he marched upon Sardis. Artaphernes was taken unprepared; and not having sufficient troops to man the walls, he retired into the citadel, leaving the town a prey to the invaders. Accordingly, they entered it unopposed; and, while engaged in pillage, one of the soldiers set fire to a house. As most of the houses were built of wickerwork and thatched with straw, the flames rapidly spread, and in a short time the whole city was in flames. The inhabitants, driven out of their houses by this accident, assembled in the large market-place in the city; and perceiving their numbers to be superior to those of the enemy, they resolved to attack them. Meantime reinforcements came pouring in from all quarters; and the Ionians and Athenians, seeing that their position was becoming more dangerous every hour, abandoned the city and began to retrace their steps. But before they could reach the walls of Ephesus, they were overtaken by the Persian forces and defeated with great slaughter. The Ionians dispersed to their several cities; and the Athenians hastened on board their ships and sailed home.

The burning of the capital of the ancient monarchy of Lydia was

attended with important consequences. When Darius heard of it, he burst into a paroxysm of rage. It was against the obscure strangers who had dared to invade his dominions and burn one of his capitals, that his wrath was chiefly directed. "The Athenians," he exclaimed, "who are they?" Upon being informed, he took his bow, shot an arrow high into the air, saying, "Grant me, Jove, to take vengeance upon the Athenians": and he charged one of his attendants to remind him thrice every day at dinner, "Sire, remember the Athenians." His first care, however, was to put down the revolt, which had now assumed a more formidable aspect than ever. The insurrection spread to the Greek cities in Cyprus, as well as to those on the Hellespont and the Propontis; and the Carians warmly espoused the cause of the Ionians.

§ 7. A few months after the burning of Sardis the revolt had reached its height, and seemed to promise permanent independence to the Asiatic Greeks. But they were no match for the whole power of the Persian empire, which was soon brought against them. A Phoenician fleet conveyed a large Persian force to Cyprus, which was soon obliged to submit to its former masters; and the generals of Darius carried on operations with vigor against the Carians, and the Greek cities in Asia. Aristagoras now began to despair, and basely deserted his countrymen, whom he had led into peril. Collecting a large body of Milesians, he set sail for the Thracian coast, where he was slain under the walls of a town to which he had laid siege.

Soon after his departure, his father-in-law, Histiæus, came down to Ionia. Darius had at first been inclined to suppose that Histiæus had secretly instigated the Ionians to revolt; but the artful Greek not only succeeded in removing suspicion from himself, but persuaded Darius to send him into Ionia, in order to assist the Persian generals in suppressing the rebellion. But Artaphernes was not so easily deceived as his master, and plainly accused Histiæus of treachery when the latter arrived at Sardis. "I will tell you how the facts stand," said Artaphernes to Histiæus ; "it was you who made this shoe, and Aristagoras has put it on." Finding himself unsafe at Sardis, he escaped to the island of Chios; but he was regarded with suspicion by all parties. The Milesians refused to admit their former despot into their town; and the Ionians in general would not receive him as their leader. At length he obtained eight galleys from Lesbos, with which he sailed towards Byzantium, and carried on piracies as well against the Grecian as the barbarian vessels. This unprincipled adventurer met with a traitor's death. Having landed on the coast of Mysia to reap the standing corn round Atarneus, he was surprised by a Persian force and made prisoner. Being carried to Sardis, Artaphernes at once caused him to be crucified, and sent his head to Darius, who ordered it to be honorably buried, condemning the ignominious execution of the man who had once saved the life of the Great King.