The Siege of Sardis (547/546 BC) was the last decisive conflict after the Battle of Fenbla, which was fought between Croesus of Lydia and the army of Cyrus the Great. Cyrus followed Croesus to his city, besieged him for 14 days, and captured him. But then Cyrus I, King of Persia, defeated Croesus at the Battle of Fenbra in 547 BC. After 14 days of siege, Sardis, the capital of Lydia, was captured.
The defeat of King Croesus of Lydia by the Persian ruler Cyrus II in Sardis was an important step forward in the rise of the Persian Empire. The Battle of Sardis took place between the Ionian and Persian rebels, who stationed their forces in the city of Sardis. The victory was achieved against all odds, thanks to Cyrus’s calm resourcefulness, the discipline of his people, and the remarkable use of camels as a military and olfactory deterrent.
The siege of Sardis took place in 547 BC. When Cyrus the Great of Persia besieged and occupied Sardis, the Lydian capital of Anatolia. The siege of Sardis was part of the Ionian Uprising (499 BC-494 BC) and the Persian War (500 BC-484 BC).
Cyrus was expected to retreat after the bloody battle in Cappadocia, but the energetic Cyrus, as soon as he learned that Croesus’s forces were scattered, crossed Galis and advanced at such a speed that he arrived in the Lydian capital Sardis before Croesus. there was not a word about his approach. The Persian forces then faced them at the Battle of Ephesus, which subsequently defeated the allied Greek forces.
Although the fire in Sardis was a disaster for all involved, the Ionians continued their revolt against their Persian rulers, and in 497 BC. they were joined by Greeks from Cyprus and non-Greeks from Caria in the southwestern part of Asia Minor. After a fierce pursuit, the Persians reached the Ionians near Ephesus, a city on the shores of the Aegean Sea about 60 miles from Sardis. They rebelled against Darius I, the great king of Persia, and came to Sardis to strike a blow at their freedom. Then it became one of the most important cities of the Persian Empire, the kingdom of the Seleucids, and the proconsular seat of the Romans.
The participation of Athens and Eretria in the fire of Sardis would be unforgivable, and, therefore, these two cities were doomed to be destroyed by the Persians. Lacking sufficient strength, he went to Sardis to seek help from Artaphernes, the Persian satrap (ruler) there. The Persian counterattack quickly turned to flight, and Sardis fell shortly thereafter. Lydia’s reign ended with the fall of Sardis, and her reverence was confirmed by an unsuccessful rebellion the following year, which was quickly suppressed by Cyrus’s lieutenants.
Of the major cities on the Ionian mainland, only Miletus escaped annexation by Croesus, king of Lydia. As the capital of the kingdom of Lydia, Sardis was a city that knew war well. Allied Greek troops entered the city, where they met little resistance. As they delved deeper into the city, they eventually hired Artaphren (ruler of Sardis) to defend the citadel.
The Persians invaded the fortifications and occupied the city, looting and burning the nearby Temple of Didima to delay revenge for the destruction of the Sibel Temple of Sardis. The ship was anchored in the port of Croesus, and the soldiers traveled along the Kest River to Sardis. Around 500 BC, Alta Florence, the ruler of the western capital of Persia (Sardis), met with other leaders of Ionia. It was this action that ultimately led to the Ionian uprising, which marked the beginning of a long confrontation between the Greek and Persian empires.
This, in turn, led to the disintegration of the Ionian battle line, and the Persians took revenge on the remaining ions. It was the capital of the kingdom of Lydia, known for its splendor, and wealth. In response, many cities in the area revolted and overthrew their Persian rulers.
After Aristagoras left Miletus, the Persian fleet headed for Lydia and destroyed the Greek fleet defending the city. Sardis was the key to the conquest of the Lydians, as well as the key to maintaining and strengthening the power of Lydia. The siege was to be the last event before the official annexation of Lydia to the Achaemenid empire. While Constantine fled to Amorion, Artabasdo conquered Constantinople with popular support and was crowned emperor. Artabasdos was promoted to kuropalats and became the count of the Opsikion theme.