Ancient Greece, Late Archaic Period (546-479 BC): Advance of Persia (546-c.511 BC)

The first contact between the Persian and Greeks came at the west coast of Asia Minor where the Greek cities had existed for hundreds of years next to their eastern neighbours, Lydia and Phrygia. By the mid-sixth century BC the Lydian king Croesus (c.48; r.c.560-546 BC) had won control of most of western Asia Minor.

In 546 BC the Persians under Cyrus II (c.46; r.559-530 BC) besieged and captured the Lydian capital Sardis. A Persian satrap was installed in the city, and the Greek cities that had ignored Cyrus’ demand to rebel against Croesus were subjugated. The Greek cities in Ionia, Aeolis and Caria became part of the Persian Empire and had to pay tribute. Miletus, as it had taken no action, was given favourable terms.

Athens needed the grain that came from the Black Sea region so it was necessary for the Hellespont, Propontis and the Thracian Bosporus to be under Athenian control. With this in mind, Miltiades the Elder (d.c.524 BC) left Athens in c.550 BC to found a colony in the Chersonese that adjoined the northern (European) shore of the Hellespont. He was succeeded by his nephew Stesagoras, after whose death Hippias sent Miltiades the Younger (c.550-489 BC) to succeed him and hopefully strengthen the position of Hippias’ half-brother Hegesistratus, who ruled over neighbouring Sigeum. Miltiades subsequently submitted to Persia and served Darius-I (c.64; r.522-486 BC) in the latter’s Scythian campaign.

In c.513 BC Darius crossed a boat bridge over the Bosporus and advanced through Thrace towards the Danube where he crossed a boat bridge built over the river at a prearranged point by his Ionian fleet, which had sailed up the Danube from the Black Sea, and attacked the Scythians. The campaign was unsuccessful and Darius had to retreat back to Asia Minor. He left part of his army under his general Megabazus, who completed the subjugation of Thrace and then marched westwards along the coast to Macedonia where he accepted the submission (c.511 BC) of the Macedonian king Amyntas-I (r.c.547-498 BC). Megabazus was succeeded by Otanes.