Ionian Revolt

Significance of the Ionian revolt as a result of the Persian wars.

The Ionian revolt which began in 499BC was to be the beginning of a chain of events that changed the ancient world and brought Greece and Persia at war. Ionian revolted to gain independence from both suppressing systems, the Persian Empire and tyranny.
Ionia was the name of a region in Asia Minor in which many Greek colonies had been founded and the Greek culture established. Croesus king of Lydia conquered Ionia only to be overthrown by the Persian king, Cyrus in 547BC. Under the rule of the Persians, the Ionian Greeks had to pay annual tributes and participate in Persian military campaigns. Local tyrants appointed by the Persians were set up as rulers of the Ionian cities.
Aristagoras, the tyrant of Miletus, eager to increase his wealth and power and to ingratiate himself with the Persians, convinced the Persians that they should attack Naxos. Aristagoras sided with the aristocrats from Naxos who were keen to reg...