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3 The Ionian Revolt: Introduction
The Greek world was not limited to the area
which we call Greece today. Many Greek
people lived in modern day Turkey. They were
known as the Ionians.
The Ionians were very close to the Athenians,
who were regarded as their mother city. In the
7th Century BC Athens had sent out some
people to create colonies. This meant that they
shared many cultures and ideas as the
Athenians.
The Ionians were also very important in the
development of Greek thought. Herodotus, the
historian, on whom we rely for much of our
information about this period came from an
Ionian island (Halicarnassus).
to move away from living under a tyrant, and the
individual citizens were beginning to take power
for themselves.
The development of democracy in Athens may
have had an effect on the peoples of Ionia. The
Ionians may have wanted to get rid of their
tyrant as well. They may have thought that it
was time to rule themselves.
Persian Control
The Persians controlled Ionia. They taxed the
Ionians and also asked them to provide soldiers
to fight for Darius.
After the Ionian revolt, the Ionians were made
to fight against the Greeks when Darius
planned to invade Greece.
Democracy in Athens
In 508 BC Cleisthenes made changes to
Athens government. He helped create
Whilst the people themselves may have wished
democracy. Every male citizen had a vote on
to rebel. Herodotus says that Aristagoras and
each matter of policy. The Athenians had begun
Histiaeus encouraged the Ionians to rebel.
Three Forms of Government
In Greece there were three main forms of government. These were used in different states at different
times.
Tyranny
In the Sixth Century, many states in Greece were governed by a single ruler or tyrant (king). Most
tyrants were very harsh. Some like Polycrates of Samos and Peisistratus of Athens improved their
cities.
Democracy
Democracy literally means ‘people’s power’ (demos – people; kratos – power). The people have the
power. In Athens this meant that the Assembly of all male citizens over 18 had the ultimate power: they
approved all decisions, and officials were either elected or chosen by lot.
Oligarchy
A small group of usually wealthy people take political power. The mass of the people is not in power.
Herodotus 3.80-83 recounts a debate in Persia which discusses these three forms of government. This
is well worth reading for a fuller understanding of these concepts.
TASK 1C
1. Explain what is meant by each of the following:
(a) tyranny; (b) democracy; (c) oligarchy
2. Describe two possible causes of the Ionian Revolt.
Outline of the Revolt
In 499BC the inhabitants of Ionia decided to
rebel. The rebellion began on the island of
Naxos. They decided to remove the oligarchy
which controlled them.
Aristagoras fails to destroy Naxos.
The oligarchs went to the tyrant of Miletus,
Aristagoras, to ask for help. Aristagoras went to
the Persians for help. He asked the tyrant of
Sardis to send 200 ships to destroy Naxos.
Megabates, the leader of the ships argued with
Aristagoras and he warned the Ionians he was
going to attack. This allowed the people of
Naxos to prepare and they survived the siege
for four months.
Aristagoras organises a revolt
This stopped Aristagoras taking control of
Naxos and his reputation was damaged with
the Persians. Aristagoras then persuaded the
rest of the Ionians to revolt against the
Persians. He said he would bring democracy to
the peoples of Ionia.
Aristagoras began by resigning his position as
tyrant of Miletus and he convinced other tyrants
to resign as well. He went to Sparta to ask for
help, but the Spartans were not interested.
describes these ships as the ‘beginning of
troubles between Greeks and barbarians’: in his
account the Athenian decision to help in this
way brought Athens into conflict with Persia for
the first time, and led to Darius’ desire to take
vengeance on them.
The destruction of Sardis
Aristagoras led an army of Athenians and
Ionians to attack Sardis. They destroyed the
city. This angered Darius. One of his important
cities had been destroyed by the Athenians and
he wanted revenge.
The revolt continued and many other cities
killed their Persian masters. But it did not last
and the Persians slowly began to take control
again. Aristagoras fled to Thrace.
The revolt fails
The rebellion came to an end shortly afterwards
when in 494BC, the Persians laid siege to
Miletus and destroyed the Ionian fleet of 353
ships.
The rebellion was over. The Persians were
back in control. They made one concession,
however: they established democracies in
Ionia.
He then visited Athens, and the Athenians
agreed to send twenty ships. Herodotus
TASK 1D
1. Look at a map of Greece and the Ionian coast and identify: Athens, Eretria, Miletus, Thrace
and Sardis. State briefly what happened in each place.
2. Briefly outline the Ionian revolt.
3. Explain two reasons why the Ionians rebelled.