Purchase of this book includes free trial access to www.million-books.com where you can read more than a million books for free. This is an OCR edition with typos. Excerpt from book: III. IONIA. FROM 700 B. C. TO 428 B. C. WHILST Athens under the laws of Solon, and the judicious rule of its mild
tyrants, had been silently, but rapidly advancing in science and arts, the fortunes of Ionia had been various. Within three centuries from their first establishment in this’ province, the Grecian colonies had risen to opulence by their commerce, and skill in the arts. Miletus, Colophon, and Phocaea, especially, shone forth amid a barbarous age as the seats of luxury and taste; their commerce with Egypt both enriched and enlightened them, and probably laid the foundation of that philosophic school which still sheds a lingering glory over the ruins of that once happy land. But in proportion as the cities of Ionia, and their dependencies, grew inriches and splendour, they became objects of notice to the nations around them, and, after some unsuccessful contests, they appear, for the most part, to have fallen under the dominion of the powerful kings of Lydia. When the great struggle for the empire of Asia began, between Cyrus and Croesus, the alliance of the Grecian cities of Ionia was sought by the former; but at that time they remained faithful to the Ly- dian monarch. After his defeat, they endeavoured to make terms with the conqueror, but it was too late: Miletus only was admitted to treat; the others, in despair, sought assistance from Greece, and Sparta was already fitting out an armament, when the rapid advance of the Persian generals rendered the succour useless. Priene was captured, the inhabitants sold for slaves, and the surrounding country given up to the soldiery. Phocaea and Teos, warned by the fate of Priene, preferred exile to slavery, and embarking on board their fleet, with their families and effects, left an empty city to the invaders. The o…
