es. Poorly supplied to begin with, the Persians stumbled north ineffectively, then returned in poor order to the safety of Anatolia (modern-day Turkey). Darius kept, however, several Thracan colonies and islands under Persian control - for future use. Athenians, watching these developments, were appropriately alarmed.
Thus it was that Athens supported the Ionian Greeks when they chose to revolt in 499 B.C. The revolt was led by Aristagoras, Persian-appointed tyrant of Miletus. Aristagoras had tried some adventurism with Persian troops, attempting to capture the island of Naxos from Greek hands; his failure ensured punishment from Darius. To protect himself, Aristagoras proclaimed Miletus free of Persia and himself no longer tyrant, but constitutional leader. Appealing to Greece for aid, he was rewarded with twenty Athenian and Eritrian warships, with which he promptly attacked Sardes, considering victory there vital to negotiating a favorable treaty with Darius. The city was burned, but the citadel could not be taken: Athens and Eritria abando
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