Persian Invasions

King Darius, being very wroth with the Athenians for their share in the burning of Sardis, sent a great army across the Hellespont to march through Thrace against Athens, under his young kinsman Mardonius. But disaster befell these at the hands of the Thracians, and the fleet that was to aid them was shattered in a storm; so that they returned to Asia without honour. Then Darius sent envoys to demand earth and water from …

…their foes; and there the barbarians were slaughtered, so that of 300,000 men not 3,000 were left alive. But Artabanus, who, before the battle, had withdrawn with 40,000 men, escaped hurriedly to the Hellespont. And on the same day was fought another fight by sea at Mycale in Ionia, where also the barbarians were utterly routed, for the fleet had sailed thither. And thence the Greeks sailed to Sestos, attacked and captured the place, and so went home.