Miletus was the southernmost of the mainland cities of Ionia, lying close to its border with Caria, and in ancient times situated at the mouth of the Meander River. Its four harbours and strategic position on the west coast of Asia Minor made the city a vital port in both peace and war. However, due to silting by the river, the ruins of the city are now about eight kilometres (≈5 miles) from the sea; and the island of Lade once off the west coast of Asia Minor, is now merely a hill four miles (≈6 km) west of Miletus.
The Milesians said they were of partly Cretan origin and successive strata of Minoan and Mycenaean settlement supports their claim. According to Homer, the Milesians were Carians and fought against the Achaeans at Troy. Neleus, son of Codrus, is said to have founded the Ionian settlement.
Milesians founded colonies on the Bosporus and all around the Black Sea and its approaches, including Cyzicus (756 BC), Trapezus (756 BC), Abydos (675 BC), Istrus (656 BC),Sinope (631 BC), Pontic Olbia (647 BC), Panticapaeum (600 BC), Amisos (564 BC), Phasis and Tomis (both 6th century BC). Milesians also took a leading part in the establishment of the Greek trading settlement at Naucratis in Egypt c.630 BC.
Miletus was an attractive target for nearby Lydia, whose king Gyges (r.680-644 BC) attacked Miletus and Smyrna, presumably unsuccessfully, and captured Colophon. He seems to have reached an agreement with Miletus, because he is said to have allowed Miletus to colonise Abydos on the Troad. His son Ardys II (r.c.652-c.624 BC) attacked Miletus and seized nearby Priene. Argys’ son Sadyattes (r.c.624-c.610 BC) invaded Miletus regularly. Sadyattes’ son Alyattes II (r.c.610-c.560 BC) invaded Milesian territory every year, plundering the trees and crops before retiring.
Miletus, however, was well fortified and its control of the seas allowed the importation of grain from Egypt and elsewhere. After successfully resisting a number of annual assaults the Milesian tyrant Thrasybulus (fl.c.590 BC) made a treaty of friendship and alliance with Alyattes.
Plutarch says that Thrasybulus was followed by two more tyrants, Thoas and Damasenor, and then two opposing parties held the city: Ploutis (‘rich’), also known as Aeinautai (‘perpetual sailors’), and Cheiromacha (‘labour’). Herodotus reports that after a long period of stasis (‘civil strife’) between the two factions the Parians were invited to adjudicate the situation and enforced a moderate government. But in c.550 BC Miletus and most of Ionia was subjugated by the Lydian king Croesus (c.48; r.c.560-546 BC).
Following the overthrow of Croesus by Cyrus II (c.46; r.559-530 BC), Miletus came under the control of the Persians, whose general Harpagus treated the city with favour. Histiaeus (d.494 BC), the tyrant of Miletus, made himself useful to the Persians during their Scythian campaign (c.513/2 BC). He was subsequently awarded with the fortress of Myrcinus on the coastal road of western Thrace, near to the mouth of the Strymon River. But Darius-I (r.522-486 BC) became suspicious of Histiaeus’ loyalty and summoned him to Susa.
Aristagoras (r.c.505-496 BC), Histiaeus’ son-in-law, was left in control of Miletus. He had recently lost favour with the Persians though his sponsoring an unsuccessful expedition to Naxos. Fearing the consequences he resigned the dictatorship and restored freedom to Miletus in a bid to gain popular support. He then crossed to the Greek mainland to get help for the rebellion that he and Histiaeus now planned to launch against the Persians. Sparta declined to assist at all. Athens sent twenty ships and Eretria sent five.
The revolt initially met with success but it could not be sustained against Darius’ massive forces. Before the final failure of the revolt, Aristagoras went to Myrcinus where he was killed in a battle against the Thracians. In 494 BC the Persian fleet won a resounding victory at Lade. Hisiaeus was captured and executed. Miletus fell to the Persians and the city was sacked amid enormous casualties followed by deportations.
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