Siege of Naxos (499 BC)

Infobox Military Conflict
conflict=Siege of Naxos (499 BC)
partof=the Persian Wars


caption=Location of Naxos
date=499 BC
place=Naxos, Cyclades
result=Naxian victory
Unsuccessful siege; Persia retreats.
territory=Naxians retain control of their island.
combatant1=Naxos
combatant2=Achaemenid Empire, Ionia, Naxian exiles
commander1=Unknown
commander2=Aristagoras, Megabates
strength1=27,800 men,
139 ships
strength2=40,000 men,
200 ships
casualties1= Light
casualties2= Heavy

The Siege of Naxos (500 BC-499 BC) was a battle fought between the Persians under Megabates with aid from the Ionian Greeks led by Aristagoras and the Naxian exiles against the island of Naxos. It was the first battle of the Persian Wars which would ultimately instigate the beginning of a fifty year direct war between the Greeks and Persians.

In 500 BC, the Tyrant of Miletus, Aristagoras, was convinced by Naxian exiles to seize the island of Naxos and return them to their homes. Aristagoras gained help from his ruler, the Emperor of Persia, Darius I who sent Aristagoras 200 ships and a large number of men under the command of Megabates. A few days after setting off from Miletus, Aristagoras and Megabates got into a dispute because Megabates had punished one of Aristogoras' friends for not having a sentry posted.

During the night, Megabates sent a messenger to Naxos to tell them that the Persian army was approaching. When the Persians and Ionian allies arrived, the Naxians were prepared for the ensuing siege. Naxos successfully held out for four months until the Persians and their allies retreated due to the exhaustion of gold and resources.

This defeat was an embarrassment for Artaphernes, Darius' brother and Aristagoras' friend because Aristogoras had promised him and the Emperor an easy victory. The Persians suffered large financial losses because of the defeat and Aristogoras earned the hatred of Artapharnes and Megabates. Aristagoras saw he was not in a position to earn any favor in Persia decided to incite the Greek cities of Ionia to revolt against the Persians.

Prelude

In 546 BC, Cyrus the Great of Persia defeated King Croesus of Lydia and conquered his former land, amongst them were the Ionian Greek cities of Asia Minor. In between mainland Greece and the Ionian colonies amidst the Aegean Sea were the Cyclades islands, which were independent. Naxos, the most important of these islands was ruled by tyrants who imposed high taxes on the inhabitants of the islands which caused much unrest.Greeka, [http://www.greeka.com/cyclades/naxos/naxos-history/naxos-revolt.htm Naxos: The Naxos Revolt of Naxos Greece, Cyclades] ] In 500 BC, the Naxians in protest against the wealthy citizens expelled the some of the nobles and aristocrats and established a democratic government.Lloyd, Marathon:The Crucial Battle That Created Western Democracy,143] Herodotus [http://www.perseus.tufts.edu/cgi-bin/ptext?doc=Perseus%3Atext%3A1999.01.0126&layout=&loc=5.30 V,30] ]

There they met their ally, the Tyrant of Miletus, Aristagoras who was filling in for his father-in-law, Histiaeus who was currently being held hostage in Susa. Aristagoras who was scheming to become ruler of Naxos, told the exiles that he didn't have a force large enough to capture Naxos, but he would ask his friend and overlord, Artaphernes, King Darius' brother to help. Aristagoras told Artaphernes that if he conquered Naxos, he could use it as a base to conquer the rest of the Cyclades and Euboea as well as controlling the Aegean Sea. Aristagoras also said that he would pay for the costs of the campaign. [Herodotus [http://www.perseus.tufts.edu/cgi-bin/ptext?doc=Perseus%3Atext%3A1999.01.0126&layout=&loc=5.31 V,31] ] Artaphernes liked the idea but he said he needed approval from his brother. Darius agreed to the plan and decided to send a Persian fleet and army. [Herodotus [http://www.perseus.tufts.edu/cgi-bin/ptext?doc=Perseus%3Atext%3A1999.01.0126&layout=&loc=5.32 V,32] ]

Dispute and Disaster

The Persian fleet and army was put under the command of Megabates who was a cousin of Darius and Artaphernes. He arrived at Miletus with 200 ships and a large army, where he joined forces with the Ionians under Aristagoras and the Naxian exiles.Herodotus [http://www.perseus.tufts.edu/cgi-bin/ptext?doc=Perseus%3Atext%3A1999.01.0126&layout=&loc=5.33 V,33] ] So that the Naxians didn't foresee the invasion the fleet sailed north making it look like they were sailing to the Hellespont but when they arrived at Chios they headed south.

As Megabates was making his rounds of sentries posted on the ships, he came across a ship from Myndus which didn't have any sentries posted. Megabates ordered his personal guard to find the captain of the ship and to bring him before him. Megabates had the captain tied in one of the ships oar holes with his head outside and his body inside. When Aristagoras found out that his friend was being treated this way he went to the ship and asked Megabates to reconsider his decision and when he didn't, Aristagoras cut the captain loose. After Aristagoras cut him loose he got into a dispute with Megabates. Later that night, Megabates sent a messenger to the Naxians to warn them about the impending invasion.cref|Theory

The Naxians had no idea that the expedition was against them and had not prepared.Herodotus [http://www.perseus.tufts.edu/cgi-bin/ptext?doc=Perseus%3Atext%3A1999.01.0126&layout=&loc=5.34 V,34] ] But as the news arrived they brought everything from the fields, gathered enough food with which to survive the siege and they reinforced the walls. When the Persians and their allies arrived at the island they found the islanders prepared and ready for a siege. After four months of fighting the Persians had used up all the money they had brought and Aristagoras had also spent a great deal. Seeing that they couldn't take the city they built the exiles a base on the island and they departed.

Aftermath

This was an embarrassing defeat for the Persians and Artaphernes as they had been told that the island would fall easily. They had lost a great deal of money and Aristagoras who had said he would pay for the costs of the campaign couldn't. This failure led Aristagoras to lose his favor amongst the Persians. When received a message from his father-in-law telling him to stir up a revolution amongst the Ionians. [Herodotus [http://www.perseus.tufts.edu/cgi-bin/ptext?doc=Perseus%3Atext%3A1999.01.0126&layout=&loc=5.36 V,36] ] He succeed in making many cities kill their Persian inhabitants and then he went to mainland Greece to recruit support. He received twenty ships from the Athenians and five from the Eretrians before sailing back to Ionia. [Herodotus [http://www.perseus.tufts.edu/cgi-bin/ptext?doc=Perseus%3Atext%3A1999.01.0126&layout=&loc=5.99 V,99] ] The revolution lasted for five years before the Persians destroyed the Greek fleet off Lade. [Herodotus [http://www.perseus.tufts.edu/cgi-bin/ptext?doc=Perseus%3Atext%3A1999.01.0126&layout=&loc=6.18 VI,18] ] Aristagoras was killed in a battle in Thrace in 494 BC after fleeing from Ionia. [Herodotus [http://www.perseus.tufts.edu/cgi-bin/ptext?doc=Perseus%3Atext%3A1999.01.0126&layout=&loc=5.126 V,126] ] Naxos was captured during the second siege of the island in 490 BC. [Herodotus [http://www.perseus.tufts.edu/cgi-bin/ptext?doc=Perseus%3Atext%3A1999.01.0126&layout=&loc=6.96 VI,96] ] This battle was important as it showed the Greeks and other subjects of the Persian Empire, that the Persians weren't as strong as they made out to be.

Notes

cnote|Theory|Modern historians have some theories about who may have informed the Naxians about the upcoming invasion. Some think that it might have been Aristagoras himself, in an attempt to frame Megabates. Another school of thought suggests that some of the exiles repented what they had earlier done and told the Naxians. Furthermore, other speculation concludes that a sympathetic Greek sailor informed the Naxians. The final standing theory is that the feint attack didn't succeed and the Naxians were never told of the invasion.Keaveney, The Attack on Naxos: 'A Forgotten Cause' of the Ionian Revolt,76]

Inline Citations

References

Primary Sources

*Herodotus, translated by Robin Waterfield (1998). The Histories. New York:Oxford World's Classics. ISBN 0-19-282425-2

econdary Sources

*Alan Lloyd, (2004). Marathon:The Crucial Battle That Created Western Democracy. London:Souvenir Press. ISBN 0-285-63688-X
*Arthur Keaveney, (1988). The Attack on Naxos: A 'Forgotten Cause' of the Ionian Revolt.

External links