his
subjection to Babylon and refuse the offer; or, by accepting it, declare
himself a wholly independent monarch. He learnt by the embassy, if he
did not know it before that Nabonadius, the Babylonian monarch, was in
difficulties, and could not resent his action. He might probably think
that, under the circumstances, Nabonadius would regard his joining the
league as a friendly, rather than an unfriendly, proceeding. At any
rate, the balance of advantage seemed to him on the side of complying
with the request of Croesus. Croesus was lord of Asia Minor, and it was
only by his permission that the Ionian and Carian mercenaries, on whom
the throne of the Pharaohs now mainly depended, could be recruited and
maintained at their proper strength. It would not do to offend so
important a personage; and accordingly Amasis came into the proposed
alliance, and pledged himself to send assistance to whichever of his two
confederates should be first attacked. Conversely, they no doubt pledged
themselves to him; but the remote position of Egypt rendered it
extremely improbable that they would be called upon to redeem their
pledges.

Nor was even Amasis called upon actually to redeem the pledges which he
had given. In B.C. 546, Croesus, without summoning any contingents from
his allies, precipitated the war with Persia by crossing the river
Halys, and invading Cappadocia, which was included in the dominions of
Cyrus. Having suffered a severe defeat at Pteria, a Cappadocian city, he
returned to his capital and hastily sent messengers to Egypt and
elsewhere, begging for immediate assistance. What steps Amasis took upon
this, or intended to take, is uncertain; but it must have been before
any troops could have been dispatched, that news reached Egypt which
rendered it useless to send out an expedition. Croesus had scarcely
reached his capital when he found himself attacked by Cyrus in his turn;
his army suffered a second defeat in the plain before Sardis; the city
was besieged, stormed, and taken within fourteen days. Croesus fell,
alive, into the hands of his enemy, and was kindly treated; but his
kingdom had passed away. It was evidently too late for Amasis to attempt
to send him succour. The tripartite alliance had, by the force of
circumstances, come to an end, and Amasis was an independent monarch, no
longer bound by any engagements.

Shortly afterwards, in B.C. 538, the conquering monarchy of Persia
absorbed another victim. Nabonad