Datis
Encyclopedia
For other uses of the word Dati, see Dati (disambiguation).
Datis or Datus was a Median admiral who served the Persian Empire
, under Darius the Great. He is most notable for his joint leadership with Artaphernes
of the Persian forces in the first campaign of the Persian Wars against the Greeks.
Datis was one of the Persian commanders responsible for the siege of Naxos and the sacking of Eretria
in 490 BC along with the infamous Persian Immortals. He was also leader of the Persian assault force on the Athenians at the Battle of Marathon
in the same year. Ctesias
of Cnidus relates that Datis was slain at Marathon and that the Athenians refused to hand over his body, however this conflicts with Herodotus
' earlier analysis that Datis survived the battle
Datis was originally called to duty alongside Artaphernes
for the Greek invasion because Darius I had decided to temporarily relieve Mardonius
of military service due to an injury he suffered in the Thracian
campaign. Datis is mocked in Aristophanes' play "Peace", where Trygaeus exclaims: Now is the time to sing as Datis did, as he masturbated at high noon, "Oh pleasure! oh enjoyment! oh delights!"
Datis or Datus was a Median admiral who served the Persian Empire
Achaemenid Empire
The Achaemenid Empire , sometimes known as First Persian Empire and/or Persian Empire, was founded in the 6th century BCE by Cyrus the Great who overthrew the Median confederation...
, under Darius the Great. He is most notable for his joint leadership with Artaphernes
Artaphernes
Artaphernes , was the brother of the king of Persia, Darius I of Persia, and satrap of Sardis.In 497 BC, Artaphernes received an embassy from Athens, probably sent by Cleisthenes, and subsequently advised the Athenians that they should receive back the tyrant Hippias.Subsequently he took an...
of the Persian forces in the first campaign of the Persian Wars against the Greeks.
Datis was one of the Persian commanders responsible for the siege of Naxos and the sacking of Eretria
Eretria
Erétria was a polis in Ancient Greece, located on the western coast of the island of Euboea, south of Chalcis, facing the coast of Attica across the narrow Euboean Gulf. Eretria was an important Greek polis in the 6th/5th century BC. However, it lost its importance already in antiquity...
in 490 BC along with the infamous Persian Immortals. He was also leader of the Persian assault force on the Athenians at the Battle of Marathon
Battle of Marathon
The Battle of Marathon took place in 490 BC, during the first Persian invasion of Greece. It was fought between the citizens of Athens, aided by Plataea, and a Persian force commanded by Datis and Artaphernes. It was the culmination of the first attempt by Persia, under King Darius I, to subjugate...
in the same year. Ctesias
Ctesias
Ctesias of Cnidus was a Greek physician and historian from Cnidus in Caria. Ctesias, who lived in the 5th century BC, was physician to Artaxerxes Mnemon, whom he accompanied in 401 BC on his expedition against his brother Cyrus the Younger....
of Cnidus relates that Datis was slain at Marathon and that the Athenians refused to hand over his body, however this conflicts with Herodotus
Herodotus
Herodotus was an ancient Greek historian who was born in Halicarnassus, Caria and lived in the 5th century BC . He has been called the "Father of History", and was the first historian known to collect his materials systematically, test their accuracy to a certain extent and arrange them in a...
' earlier analysis that Datis survived the battle
Datis was originally called to duty alongside Artaphernes
Artaphernes
Artaphernes , was the brother of the king of Persia, Darius I of Persia, and satrap of Sardis.In 497 BC, Artaphernes received an embassy from Athens, probably sent by Cleisthenes, and subsequently advised the Athenians that they should receive back the tyrant Hippias.Subsequently he took an...
for the Greek invasion because Darius I had decided to temporarily relieve Mardonius
Mardonius
Mardonius was a leading Persian military commander during the Persian Wars with Greece in the early 5th century BC.-Early years:Mardonius was the son of Gobryas, a Persian nobleman who had assisted the Achaemenid prince Darius when he claimed the throne...
of military service due to an injury he suffered in the Thracian
Thrace
Thrace is a historical and geographic area in southeast Europe. As a geographical concept, Thrace designates a region bounded by the Balkan Mountains on the north, Rhodope Mountains and the Aegean Sea on the south, and by the Black Sea and the Sea of Marmara on the east...
campaign. Datis is mocked in Aristophanes' play "Peace", where Trygaeus exclaims: Now is the time to sing as Datis did, as he masturbated at high noon, "Oh pleasure! oh enjoyment! oh delights!"