Battle of Ephesus (498 BC)

Infobox Military Conflict
conflict=Battle of Ephesus (498 BC)
partof=the Ionian Revolt & Persian Wars


caption=
date=498 BC
place=Ephesus, Ionia
result=Persian victory.
territory=Temporary control of Ionia.
combatant1=Ionia
combatant2=Achaemenid Empire
commander1=Charopinos,
Eualcides †
commander2=Artaphernes
strength1=12,000Fact|date=November 2007
strength2=30,000Fact|date=November 2007
casualties1=8,000Fact|date=November 2007
casualties2=1,800Fact|date=November 2007

The Battle of Ephesus (498 BC) was a battle in the Ionian Revolt. It saw the satrap Artaphernes defeating the forces of the Ionian rebels in revenge for the sacking of Sardis.

Background

The Ionian Greeks, subjected to the mighty Persian Empire at the time, had risen up against the Persians at the instigation of Aristagoras of Miletus. After inciting the Ionians to revolt, he had travelled to a number of Greek cities asking for aid. Sparta had refused to lend any support but Athens agreed to send 20 ships and Eretria, who owed a debt of honour to the Milesians, sent five ships. The combined army of Ionians, Athenians and Eretrians had sacked Sardis and burned it. Aristagoras had not accompanied the army on this mission but had remained at Miletus and entrusted the command of the Ionians to his brother, Charopinos and another citizen named Hermophantos. During the sacking of Sardis, the Persians had offered resistance, and the Ionians and their allies had retreated to their ships at Ephesus.

Battle

After the destruction of Sardis, Artaphernes, who had managed to shelter in the acropolis of Sardis together with a strong garrison during the siege, gathered a Persian army to pursue the rebels - including possibly recalling the army which was besieging Miletus. He then followed closely behind the retreating Greeks to Ephesus, which was about three days march from Sardis. The Greeks formed up outside the walls to meet the attack, rather than endure a siege but the Persians were victorious. Many of the Greeks were killed, including Eualcides, who was commanding the Eretrian forces.

Aftermath

The Ionian revolt was not crushed at this battle and would continue for a further four years before finally being put down by the Persians. However, the battle of Ephesus marked the end of Athenian involvement in the rebellion as they refused all further calls for support from Aristagoras'. This did not, however, save Athens from being marked for destruction, along with Eretria, by the Persian king, Darius the Great.

ources

[http://www.gutenberg.org/dirs/etext01/2hofh10.txt Herodotus, The Histories, Book Five, chapter 102.] (Project Gutenburg)