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The army of Aristagoras — a rowdy band of desperate rebels,
committed freedom fighters, and avaricious fortune seekers —
now made its boldest move yet.
They descended upon Sardis, the mighty capital of Lydia itself,
where Artaphernes governed in luxury.
Like wolves ravaging a flock of lambs,
the Greeks swarmed through the streets, overwhelming the unprepared garrison.
Artaphernes watched on in horror.
How had Aristagoras,
who couldn’t take tiny Naxos even with a Persian armada on his side,
swept into Sardis uncontested?
In what seemed like mere moments, the Greeks had seized the whole of Sardis —
all except the acropolis, where Artaphernes prepared to make his stand.