The Ionian Revolt  |
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Background to the conflict In Miletus the tyrant Aristagoras enjoyed rule of the largest Ionian city. He was approached by some exiles of Naxos, who asked to be restored and put down the present government. They promise that Naxos will become Ionian territory. Aristagoras readily agrees, but he feels his troops are insufficient and asks for extra help from Persia - as although Naxos can put out 8,000 men and a reasonable fleet, more support would be appreciated. Artaphernes hears the appeal and is told that there is potential to conquer other islands as well, which will make it an easy springboard to Greece itself. He says 100 ships would be necessary to do the job. Artaphernes agrees on the grounds that there appears to be minimal risk to the Persians. He then refers the case to Darius who suggests that 200 ships are used. The reason for this referral is that only the king could give permission for expansion. The Persians join together with Miletus but insist that Megabates, Darius's cousin and a Persian general, be put in charge. Not surprisingly there is tension as Aristagoras hoped to lead the expedition. The plot was that in order to confuse the enemy, they would sail north so as not to appear to be attacking Naxos, but then they suddenly turned round. However trouble starts when Megabates imposes a very harsh punishment on a Greek sailor. Aristagoras takes this as an insult and is appalled. After a confrontation he frees the sailor himself. Herodotus claims that then Megabates sends a group of men to warn Naxos of the imminent invasion, so that they would be able to prepare for a siege. They Persians turn up and the siege lasts for 4 months, but Aristagoras is forced to call the campaign off as he can’t afford to keep going. For Aristagoras this is a disaster for two reasons: It would have cost
a fortune to put on, but second he has made big promises to Aristagoras
and Darius which have appeared to be hollow. |
| Reasons for the
revolt Herodotus tends to hint at, rather than state directly the reasons for the Ionian revolt. Aristagoras' own self interest is certainly shown as a key factor but the revolt had the popular support of the Ionians who saw it as a chance of democracy and self rule. This would have also ment the end of the payment of the yearly tribute which many saw as excessive. The Persian failure at Naxos may also have been viewed as a weakness. Their inability to take the city by force showed a weakness in their siege craft and therefore highlighted the strength the Ionians had in their own cities. The Perisan army may also have been soundly beaten at the hands of the defenders and the Ionians may have seen it as an opportune time to revolt. Especially if they unable to appreciate the size of the Persian empire and its ability to quickly muster large numbers of troops when required. |
| The Persians
Respond Herodotus could be misleading on the order of the events, it was the revolt of the city of Miletus that marked the beginning of the rebellion rather than the attack on Sardis. While Aristagoras was in mainland Greece trying to win support, Artaphernes had mustered the available Persian forces west of the Halys River and had begun besieging Miletus. Aristagoras, meanwhile, had been unsuccessful in persuading Sparta but had convinced Athens to provide 20 ships and Eretria 5, in support of the rebellion. When Aristagoras returned to Ionia, Miletus was already under seige and the situation was not looking good for their cause. However, Aristagoras' response was simple and effective. Assembling his force at Ephesus, Aristagorus' instructed the Greeks to march on Sardis. This was not only an easy target as most of the Persian troops were busy besieging Miletus, but it would also force the Persians to break their siege to come to its rescue. The Greeks easily took the city, dealing a major blow to Persian prestige and forcing Artaphrenes to retreat to the safety of the central stronghold. The events, however did not go as smoothly as planned. Fire started amongst
the reed constructed homes which drove the Lydians and Persians into the
center of town, where they made a stand. With the approach of further
Persian reinforcements the Greeks had to withdraw leaving the city in
flames. |
| Cyprus Cyprus was both rich in mineral resources and a key strategic position in the Mediterranean. Both reasons made it vital to Persia, particularly if it wanted naval supremacy in the Aegean. Control of Cyprus meant controlling the movements of both the Phoencian and Egyptian fleets which could be blocked from moving further west. Darius' was keen to get Cyprus back under his control and organised a
large force which assemblied in Cilicia under the command of Artybius.
The Persians crossed to Cyprus with the aid of the Phoencian fleet and
marched on the city of Salamis. Onesilus and the Cypriot kings deployed
their troops on the plain of Salamis to meet the Persians. |
| Daurises, Hymaees
and Otanes After the victory at Ephesus, the Persians continued building their forces while they awaited further news. The Persians seem to have been able to muster a large number of troops as they were able to divide their forces into three separate armies to quickly suppress or defeat a number of Ionian and Carian armies. The Persian armies were under the command of the generals: Daurises, Hymaees and Otanes. Daurises marched north from Sardis to the settlements on the Hellespont and took the towns of Dardanus, Abydus, Percote, Lampsacus and Paesus in about five days. When hearing that the Carians had joined in the revolt he turned and marched against Caria. The Persians met and defeated a Carian army on the Meander River near Labraunda. Then with the arrival of Milesian reinforcements the Carians again offered battle the following day. Again the Persians were victorious and both the Carians and Milesians sufferred large losses. The Persians army however were to fall into an ambush during a night march and was destroyed and Daurises was killed. Hymaees initially marched to the Propontis and captured Cius in Mysia then headed to the Hellespont when he heard Daurises had left. There he crushed all the Aeolians in the neighbourhood of Troy but died of disease. Artaphernes together with Otanes captured Clazomenae in Ionia and Cyme
in Aeolis. |
| The Battle
of Lade 494 BC. The Persian armies throughout Ionia, Mysia and Caria then combined and marched against Miletus with a large force. The four great naval powers of the Persian empire assembled off the island of Lade, which guarded the harbour of Miltetus. Phoenicia, Cyprus, Cilicia and Egypt supplied a total of 600 ships which faced a surprisingly large Ionian fleet of 353 ships. The battle resulted in the destruction of the Ionian fleet and the end of the rebellion. When the remnants of the fleet reached their towns many choose to leave their homes and seek new homes across the Mediterranean. |
| Siege of
Miletus After the naval victory, the Persians were free to press the siege of Miletus. It would seem the usual Persian siege technics of digging saps under the walls, the use of rams or building of earth mounds had not been successful or were unable to be used. The Persians who orginally besieged the city at the beginning of the rebellion were only able to take it by force after the destruction of its naval support and the loss of much of its manpower. The Persians true to their word, killed most of the men and made slaves
of the women and children. In 494 BC, the city was burnt and looted and
the cultivated land given to leading Persians and the Carians of Pedasus. |
| Aftermath The revolt lasted 5 years and resulted in the death of thousands of men, women and children. Miletus, the city in which the rebellion began, was burned, its walls shattered its citizens killed or taken to Persia as slaves. However, after the failure of the Naxos expedition, the Ionians rebelled. The Persians also had lost many men and were forced to reconsider the factors which allowed this to happen. Apart from punishing the leaders and towns involved they themselves looked for reasons for its cause. Measures they took to prevent further dissatisfaction included the review of tribute paid and the installation of democrativ government in many of the cities. The Persians also enforced arbitration in disputes between Greek states which was to stop fighting and piracy between cities. It would be too easy to blame the lack of unity among Greeks as the reason
for their defeat. The Persians had won all of the land battles during
the five years of the rebellion through good planning and leadership and
the abililty to muster large armies of skilled fighting troops. Their
only mentioned defeats were the ambush of Daurises' army during a night
march in Caria and the Phoenician naval defeat off Cyprus. |
| Sources taken from Mark
Drury's Achaemenid Persian |