e offered at the
same time to defray the expense of the armament. Artaphernes placed at
his disposal a fleet of 200 ships under the command of Megabates, a
Persian of high rank; but Aristagoras having affronted the Persian
admiral, the latter revenged himself by privately informing the Naxians
of the object of the expedition, which had hitherto been kept a secret.
When the Persian fleet reached Naxos they experienced a vigorous
resistance; and at the end of four months they were compelled to
abandon the enterprise and return to Miletus. Aristagoras was now
threatened with utter ruin. Having deceived Artaphernes, and incurred
the enmity of Megabates, he could expect no favour from the Persian
government, and might be called upon at any moment to defray the
expenses of the armament. In these difficulties he began to think of
exciting a revolt of his countrymen; and while revolving the project he
received a message from his father-in-law, Histiaeus, urging him to
this very step. Afraid of trusting any one with so dangerous a
message, Histiaeus had shaved the head of a trusty slave, branded upon
it the necessary words, and as soon as the hair had grown again sent
him off to Miletus. His only motive for urging the Ionians to revolt
was the desire of escaping from captivity at Susa, thinking that Darius
would set him at liberty in order to put down an insurrection of his
countrymen. The message from Histiaeus fixed the wavering resolution
of Aristagoras. He forthwith called together the leading citizens of
Miletus, laid before them the project of revolt, and asked them for
advice. They all approved of the scheme, with the exception of
Hecataeus, one of the earliest Greek historians. Aristagoras laid down
the supreme power in Miletus, and nominally resigned to the people the
management of their own affairs. A democratical form of government was
established in the other Greek cities of Asia, which thereupon openly
revolted from Persia (B.C. 500).

Aristagoras now resolved to cross over to Greece, in order to solicit
assistance. The Spartans, to whom he first applied, refused to take
any part in the war; but at Athens he met with a very different
reception. The Athenians sympathised with the Ionians as their kinsmen
and colonists, and were incensed against the satrap Artaphernes, who
had recently commanded them to recall Hippias. Accordingly they voted
to send a squadron of twenty ships to the assistance of the Ioni