Ionian Revolt
...ant of Miletus, Aristagoras (perhaps for his own power and favour with his Persian masters), persuaded Darius to lend him a fleet to conquer the Aegean island of Naxos to open the way to Persian domination over the Cyclades and across the Aegean; but the expedition failed, and for this reason, caused the Ionian revolt. However, modern historians believe that if the Persians were to advance westward, they had two possible routes, by land or by sea. The sea route was shorter, making it an obvious advantage, but it meant that the Persians had to secure land bases from which to operate. One such base was Naxos, hence, the Persians committed 200 ships, mainly Ionian, to attack, but Naxos held out successfully. This was the last straw. The Ionians had long been dissatisfied. Beside their trade problems, they were paying an annual tribute of 400 talents to the Persians, and were being asked to continuously supply ships as well as money. In addition, there was the fear that the Persians would blame Ionia for the fiasco at Naxos. Fearing such consequences, Aristagoras started a revolt of the Ionians, urging them to overthrow their tyrants and replace them with democracies. Although, Ionia wasn’t forceful enough to take vengeance alone, so Aristagoras went to Greece to try and secure support, but Sparta was unwilling, Ionia’s allies in the Peloponnesian League had there own reasons for refusing, and both Corinth and Aegina were trade rivals of Ionia, and for this reason saw no profit in rescuing it. However, Aristagoras did have some success, Athens (who were already on bad terms with Persia) sent twenty ships and Eretria (a city on the island of Euboea, off the coast of Boeotia) sent a further five to assist them. In 498 B.C. the Ionian army marched inland and burned Sardis, the old Lydian capital and seat of the Persian governors. They managed to reside in the city but were unable to capture the fortress. A fire broke out and Sardis was destroyed. The Persians had been completely driven out of Asia Minor. In their retreat to the coast, the Ionians fought with the Persian force at Ephesus and were defeated. The Athenians immediately returned home. The revolt then spread throughout the Ionian world; many cities threw off Persian rule. Despite the deaths of Aristagoras and Histaeus (Aristagoras’ father-in-law), the revolt ended in the cordon of Miletus in 494 B.C. The Persian fleet, consisting of some 600 ships, blockaded this city. The Greek fleet, consisting of 350 ships, took up a site off the island of Lade, and the resultant sea battle proved disastrous for the Greeks. The ships from Lesbos and Samos deserted the revolt and the Persians captured Miletus. The city was sacked, the men slaughtered and the women and children sent to Susa as slaves. The revolt was now irresolute. The final mortification occurred with Persia’s reconquest of man...