Artaphernes
Artaphernes (Greek: Ἀρταφέρνης, Old Persian: Artafarna, from Median Rtafarnah), was influential circa 513–492 BC and was a brother of the Achaemenid king of Persia, Darius I.
In his position he had numerous contacts with the Greeks, and played an important role in both the Siege of Naxos and in suppressing the Ionian Revolt.
When Darius took power, he organized his empire into twenty districts called satrapies, regularized tributes that subjects owed, and appointed satraps.
In 507 BC, Artaphernes, as brother of Darius I and Satrap of Asia Minor in his capital Sardis, received an embassy from Athens, probably sent by Cleisthenes, who was looking for Persian assistance to resist the threats from Sparta.
"[10] After he had been informed about who the Athenians were he asked the envoys for "Earth and Water", a symbol of submission, if they wanted help from the Achaemenid king, but if not they had to leave.
[14] Artaphernes agreed to assist because it would be profitable for the king and because he saw an opportunity for the expansion of Persian influence into the Cyclade Islands.
[15][1] However, Darius I needed to agree to the plan but once he did two hundred triremes were supplied and Megabates was appointed as general of the army.
[17] This message allowed Naxos to prepare for a long siege but the Persians did not have enough provisions or money to maintain this sort of operation.
Soon after this, the Ionian Revolt began, at the instigation of Aristagoras who felt certain that the failure of the Siege of Naxos would lead to his lordship being taken away from him or his life.
[20] Histiaeus, who was the tyrant of Miletus but was recalled to Susa after Darius grew fearful of Ionia's power believed that he would be sent back to the coast if there was a revolt so he gave his support.
[30] Histiaeus, who had been an instigator of the Ionian revolt, was released from his captivity in Susa and sent down to Sardis after he persuaded Darius to allow him to help quiet the outbreak.
[35] Histiaeus then amassed a large force of Ionians and Anatolians against Thasos but when he heard that the Persians were being sent out to attack the rest of Ionia, he fled to Lesbos.
His army was hungry so he had to lead foraging expeditions into different islands which was when he was captured by the Persian general, Harpagus in 493 BC.
In 492 BC Mardonius took over Artaphernes's satrapy and reversed the decision to restore tyrants to power and turned local rule over to democracies.
[4] In 490 his son of the same name with Datis, took command of the expedition sent by Darius to punish Athens and Eretria for their role in the Ionian Revolt.
