DOI Page / Citation link:
https://doi.org/10.11588/diglit.5541#0019
xviii
INTRODUCTION.
ance of the country increases. The town of Sardis was
built near the confluence of the gold-bearing Pactolus and
the Hermus; and we are dazzled by the accounts of the
wealth of Croesus, which attracted the arms, and fell under
the bravery, of the Persians, who, having crossed the Halys,
established their seat of government at Sardis, in the year
548 B.C. Here they reigned for upwards of two hundred
years, during which period Sardis was sacked by the troops
of Athens; and the myriads of Darius and of Xerxes in
vain attempted to revenge the insult by putting chains on
a band of freemen.
After this came the expedition of the younger Cyrus, and
the retreat of the Ten Thousand; and numerous Greek
cities, chiefly on the coast of Ionia, ^Eolia, and Caria,
founded by emigrants and exiles from the parent states of
Greece, had in the mean time sprung up, flourished, and
increased; at one period independent, at another subject to
Persian rule, but ever sending forth a supply of learned
men, who, in the pursuits of philosophy, music, history,
sculpture, painting, and architecture, were no mean rivals
of their European instructors.
But Asia Minor became again the scene of war and con-
quest. The battle of the Granicus was an auspiciotis com-
mencement of the expedition of Alexander, and his con-
quest of the peninsula was secured by the battle of Issus.
But the empire which he founded fell to pieces when the
hand which had formed it no longer governed. His con-
quests fell into the hands of rival generals, and the plains
of Asia Minor were amongst the prizes for which they
fought. Antigonus, Eumenes, and Lysimachus established
themselves in various parts with various success ; but a line
of kings reigned at Pergamus in uninterrupted succession
until Attalus Philopater, in 133 B.C., bequeathed his king-
dom to the Roman people.
INTRODUCTION.
ance of the country increases. The town of Sardis was
built near the confluence of the gold-bearing Pactolus and
the Hermus; and we are dazzled by the accounts of the
wealth of Croesus, which attracted the arms, and fell under
the bravery, of the Persians, who, having crossed the Halys,
established their seat of government at Sardis, in the year
548 B.C. Here they reigned for upwards of two hundred
years, during which period Sardis was sacked by the troops
of Athens; and the myriads of Darius and of Xerxes in
vain attempted to revenge the insult by putting chains on
a band of freemen.
After this came the expedition of the younger Cyrus, and
the retreat of the Ten Thousand; and numerous Greek
cities, chiefly on the coast of Ionia, ^Eolia, and Caria,
founded by emigrants and exiles from the parent states of
Greece, had in the mean time sprung up, flourished, and
increased; at one period independent, at another subject to
Persian rule, but ever sending forth a supply of learned
men, who, in the pursuits of philosophy, music, history,
sculpture, painting, and architecture, were no mean rivals
of their European instructors.
But Asia Minor became again the scene of war and con-
quest. The battle of the Granicus was an auspiciotis com-
mencement of the expedition of Alexander, and his con-
quest of the peninsula was secured by the battle of Issus.
But the empire which he founded fell to pieces when the
hand which had formed it no longer governed. His con-
quests fell into the hands of rival generals, and the plains
of Asia Minor were amongst the prizes for which they
fought. Antigonus, Eumenes, and Lysimachus established
themselves in various parts with various success ; but a line
of kings reigned at Pergamus in uninterrupted succession
until Attalus Philopater, in 133 B.C., bequeathed his king-
dom to the Roman people.