The Great Ionian Revolt (OTL, 498 BC)
The Athenians now arrived with a fleet of twenty sail, and brought
also in their company five triremes of the Eretrians; which had joined
the expedition, not so much out of goodwill towards Athens, as to
pay a debt which they already owed to the people of Miletus. For in
the old war between the Chalcideans and Eretrians, the Milesians fought
on the Eretrian side throughout, while the Chalcideans had the help
of the Samian people. Aristagoras, on their arrival, assembled the
rest of his allies, and proceeded to attack Sardis, not however leading
the army in person, but appointing to the command his own brother
Charopinus and Hermophantus, one of the citizens, while he himself
remained behind in Miletus.
[After the Ionians fled from Sardis as the Persians and Lydians regrouped and went back to the city in massive number]
Sardis however was burnt, and, among other buildings, a temple of
the native goddess Cybele was destroyed; which was the reason afterwards
alleged by the Persians for setting on fire the temples of the Greeks.
As soon as what had happened was known, all the Persians who were
stationed on this side the Halys drew together, and brought help to
the Lydians. Finding however, when they arrived, that the Ionians
had already withdrawn from Sardis, they set off, and, following close
upon their track, came up with them at Ephesus. The Ionians drew out
against them in battle array; and a fight ensued, wherein the Greeks
had very greatly the worse. Vast numbers were slain by the Persians:
among other men of note, they killed the captain of the Eretrians,
a certain Eualcidas, a man who had gained crowns at the Games, and
received much praise from Simonides the Cean. Such as made their escape
from the battle, dispersed among the several cities.
[After the end of the Revolt, 494BC]
The next spring Darius superseded all the other generals, and sent
down Mardonius, the son of Gobryas, to the coast, and with him a vast
body of men, some fit for sea, others for land service. Mardonius
was a youth at this time, and had only lately married Artazostra,
the king's daughter. When Mardonius, accompanied by this numerous
host, reached Cilicia, he took ship and proceeded along shore with
his fleet, while the land army marched under other leaders towards
the Hellespont. In the course of his voyage along the coast of Asia
he came to Ionia; and here I have a marvel to relate which will greatly
surprise those Greeks who cannot believe that Otanes advised the seven
conspirators to make Persia a commonwealth. Mardonius put down all
the despots throughout Ionia, and in lieu of them established democracies.
Having so done, he hastened to the Hellespont, and when a vast multitude
of ships had been brought together, and likewise a powerful land force,
he conveyed his troops across the strait by means of his vessels,
and proceeded through Europe against Eretria and Athens.
The First Persian Invasion (as OTL, 490 BC)
Thus did war rage between the Eginetans and Athenians. Meantime the
Persian pursued his own design, from day to day exhorted by his servant
to "remember the Athenians," and likewise urged continually by the
Pisistratidae, who were ever accusing their countrymen. Moreover it
pleased him well to have a pretext for carrying war into Greece, that
so he might reduce all those who had refused to give him earth and
water. As for Mardonius, since his expedition had succeeded so ill,
Darius took the command of the troops from him, and appointed other
generals in his stead, who were to lead the host against Eretria and
Athens; to wit, Datis, who was by descent a Mede, and Artaphernes,
the son of Artaphernes, his own nephew. These men received orders
to carry Athens and Eretria away captive, and to bring the prisoners
into his presence.
After [conquering Delos] he sailed with his whole host against Eretria, taking with
him both Ionians and Aeolians. When he was departed, Delos (as the
Delians told me) was shaken by an earthquake, the first and last shock
that has been felt to this day. And truly this was a prodigy whereby
the god warned men of the evils that were coming upon them. For in
the three following generations of Darius the son of Hystaspes, Xerxes
the son of Darius, and Artaxerxes the son of Xerxes, more woes befell
Greece than in the twenty generations preceding Darius- woes caused
in part by the Persians, but in part arising from the contentions
among their own chief men respecting the supreme power. Wherefore
it is not surprising that Delos, though it had never before been shaken,
should at that time have felt the shock of an earthquake. And indeed
there was an oracle, which said of Delos-
Delo's self will I shake, which never yet has been shaken Of the above
names Darius may be rendered "Worker," Xerxes "Warrior," and Artaxerxes
"Great Warrior." And so might we call these kings in our own language
with propriety.
[Conquest of Eretria; BUTTERFLIES start]
Meanwhile the Eretrians, understanding that the Persian armament was
coming against them, besought the Athenians for assistance. Nor did
the Athenians refuse their aid, but assigned to them as auxiliaries
the four thousand landholders to whom they had allotted the estates
of the Chalcidean Hippobatae. At Eretria, however, things were in
no healthy state; for though they had called in the aid of the Athenians,
yet they were not agreed among themselves how they should act; some
of them were minded to leave the city and to take refuge in the heights
of Euboea, while others, who looked to receiving a reward from the
Persians, were making ready to betray their country. So when these
things came to the ears of Aeschines, the son of Nothon, one of the
first men in Eretria, he made known the whole state of affairs to
the Athenians who were already arrived, and besought them to return
home to their own land, and not perish with his countrymen. And the
Athenians hearkened to his counsel, and, crossing over to Oropus,
in this way escaped the danger.
The Persian fleet now drew near and anchored at Tamynae, Choereae,
and Aegilia, three places in the territory of Eretria. Once masters
of these posts, they proceeded forthwith to disembark their horses,
and made ready to attack the enemy. But the Eretrians were not minded
to sally forth and offer battle; their only care, after it had been
resolved not to quit the city, was, if possible, to defend their walls.
And now the fortress was assaulted in good earnest, and for six days
there fell on both sides vast numbers, but on the seventh day Euphorbus,
the son of Alcimachus, and Philagrus, the son of Cyneas, who were
both citizens of good repute, betrayed the place to the Persians.
These were no sooner entered within the walls than they plundered
and burnt all the temples that there were in the town, in revenge
for the burning of their own temples at Sardis; moreover, they did
according to the orders of Darius, and carried away captive all the
inhabitants.
