Sykes' History of Persia - Heritage Institute

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202 HISTORY OF PERSIA CHAP.
Miletus, the leader of the revolt and the foremost city in
the Hellenic world, was taken by the Persians, its males
were almost all killed, and its women and children were
transported to Ampe at the mouth of the Tigris. Thus
the revolt was broken. Its immediate result was to rivet
the Persian still yoke more firmly on the Ionian Greeks
of Asia Minor, who had given a display of disunion, of
incapacity, and of treachery which would justify Darius
and his advisers in the belief that the conquest of Hellas
7 Lwould not present any extraordinary difficulty. On the
^ Tother hand, the revolt allowed Athens time to construct a
[fleet which was destined to be the decisive factor in the
great war and thus to save Hellas. Moreover, Thrace
and Macedonia had benefited by the withdrawal of the
I
Persians, and had regained their liberty.
The Campaign of Mardonius in Thrace^ 493 b.c.—After
the successful issue of the operations against the Ionian
Greeks, Darius decided to reconquer Thrace and Macedonia
and apparently to punish Athens and Eretria. Two
routes lay open to the Persian forces. The most direct
lay across the Aegean Sea, which was studded with islands
all the way to Athens, distant some two hundred miles
from the ports of Asia Minor. It was undoubtedly the
most convenient route ; but, with the fleets of Hellas
undefeated, the risk of transporting a huge force of men,
horses, equipment, and stores by sea was considerable.
^The land route, on the other hand, was already known.
Persians, then as now, had no aptitude for the sea ; and
they were justified in considering
the forces of the Great
King invincible on land. For these reasons the land route
was selected. The first
stage
in the proceedings was the
despatch to Thrace of Mardonius, the nephew of Darius,
who reasserted Persian authority and forced Alexander
of Macedon to renew the pledges made by his father
Amyntas. Mardonius had intended to march into Hellas,
but a
great storm caused the loss of half of the fleet which
supplied his army, and no further advance was possible.
In pursuance of the invariable policy of Darius, who
allowed no general to remain in permanent command,
Mardonius was recalled in 492 b.c, and the further