# Datis

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5th-century BC Median/Persian admiral

For other uses of "Dati", see [Dati (disambiguation)](/source/Dati_(disambiguation)).

Datis Datis fighting Kallimachos at the Battle of Marathon, in the Stoa Poikile (reconstitution) Native name *Dātiya- Born Media, Achaemenid Empire Allegiance Achaemenid Empire Conflicts Ionian Revolt Battle of Lade First Persian invasion of Greece Siege of Eretria Battle of Marathon

**Datis** or **Datus** ([Greek](/source/Greek_language): Δάτης, [Old Iranian](/source/Old_Iranian): **Dātiya*-, [Achaemenid Elamite](/source/Achaemenid_Elamite): *Da-ti-ya*) was a [Median](/source/Media_(region)) [noble](/source/Nobility) and [admiral](/source/Admiral) who served the [Persian Empire](/source/Achaemenid_Empire) during the reign of [Darius the Great](/source/Darius_the_Great) (522–486 BC). He is known for his role in leading the Persian amphibious expedition against Greece in 490 BC during the [Greco-Persian Wars](/source/Greco-Persian_Wars). Along with Darius's nephew [Artaphernes](/source/Artaphernes_(nephew_of_Darius_I)), he was tasked with subduing [Eretria](/source/Eretria) and [Athens](/source/Athens), succeeding the previously defeated [Mardonius](/source/Mardonius_(nephew_of_Darius_I)).[1]

While some later sources claim Datis died during the [Battle of Marathon](/source/Battle_of_Marathon) (490), this is not corroborated by other evidence. His later career is largely unknown except that his sons served as cavalry leaders under [Xerxes I](/source/Xerxes_I) (486–465 BC). Datis was familiar with Greek affairs, maintained connections with Greek officials, respected Greek deities, and even attempted to speak Greek.[1]

## Name

The personal name *Datis* (Greek *Dâtis*) derives from the [Old Iranian](/source/Old_Iranian) **Dātiya*-, as evidenced by the [Elamite](/source/Elamite_language) equivalent *Da-ti-ya* and by the Greek form -*is*, which reflects the Old Persian ending -*iya*- (as in *Bṛdiya*-/*Smérdis*).[1]

## Biography

Datis served as a commander during the [Ionian Revolt](/source/Ionian_Revolt) (499–493 BC), and likely coordinated efforts to suppress the revolt during the [Battle of Lade](/source/Battle_of_Lade) in early 494 BC.[1]

During the [Greco-Persian Wars](/source/Greco-Persian_Wars), Datis and Artaphernes replaced the commander [Mardonius](/source/Mardonius_(general)), whose ships had fallen victim to a huge storm when sailing round [Mount Athos](/source/Mount_Athos). Datis was ordered to reduce Athens and [Eretria](/source/Eretria) to slavery, and bring the Greek slaves before the Achaemenid king. To achieve this, Datis sought to establish a [bridgehead](/source/Bridgehead) on the eastern coast of [Greece](/source/Ancient_Greece).

In 490 BCE, Datis sailed from the Ionian shoreline to [Samos](/source/Samos), and then he travelled through the [Icarian sea](/source/Icarian_Sea) to the islands of [Delos](/source/Delos) and [Naxos](/source/Naxos).[2] When Datis arrived the inhabitants of the islands fled. Datis then sent the inhabitants a message telling them he did not seek to harm them. Datis burnt large amounts of incense at the altar of [Apollo](/source/Apollo).[3]

Datis's forces travelled along the Greek coast taking town after town. One town named [Carystus](/source/Carystus) resisted Datis. So his army of 80,000 soldiers and 200 triremes lay siege to the city. He began the siege by destroying the crops around the city. Eventually, the city was overwhelmed and surrendered.[3][4]

During Datis's [siege](/source/Siege) of Eretria in 490 BCE, the Eretrians had many conflicting strategies. Some Eretrians wished to surrender the city and wage [guerrilla warfare](/source/Guerrilla_warfare) in the mountains of Greece. Some Eretrians wanted to surrender the city to the Persians. Four thousand Athenian colonists arrived from [Chalcis](/source/Chalcis) to help defend Eretria. Datis attacked the Eretrians in battle, resulting in high numbers of casualties. On the seventh day of the siege the Eretrians surrendered, and all of the temples in the city were burned to exact revenge for the earlier burning of [Sardis](/source/Sardis) by the Greeks.[3] It is very likely one of the temples destroyed was the temple of Apollo Daphnephoros.[5]

Datis commanded the Persian assault force against the Athenians at the [Battle of Marathon](/source/Battle_of_Marathon) in the same year. [Ctesias](/source/Ctesias) of [Cnidus](/source/Cnidus) relates that Datis was slain at Marathon and that the Athenians refused to hand over his body.[6] However, this conflicts with [Herodotus](/source/Herodotus)' claim that Datis survived the battle.[7]

## Family

Datis had two sons named Harmamithres and Tithaeus. Both of his children became cavalry officers and served under [Xerxes I](/source/Xerxes_I).[7]

## References

1. ^ [***a***](#cite_ref-FOOTNOTESchmitt1994_1-0) [***b***](#cite_ref-FOOTNOTESchmitt1994_1-1) [***c***](#cite_ref-FOOTNOTESchmitt1994_1-2) [***d***](#cite_ref-FOOTNOTESchmitt1994_1-3) [Schmitt 1994](#CITEREFSchmitt1994).

1. **[^](#cite_ref-2)** McNab, Chris (March 20, 2018). [*Greek Hoplite Vs Persian Warrior: 499–479 BC*](https://books.google.com/books?id=eKomEAAAQBAJ). Bloomsbury Publishing. [ISBN](/source/ISBN_(identifier)) [978-147-282-573-5](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Special:BookSources/978-147-282-573-5).

1. ^ [***a***](#cite_ref-:0_3-0) [***b***](#cite_ref-:0_3-1) [***c***](#cite_ref-:0_3-2) Green, Peter (1996). [*The Greco-Persian Wars*](https://www.jstor.org/stable/10.1525/j.ctt14btg30). California: University of California Press. [ISBN](/source/ISBN_(identifier)) [978-052-091-706-4](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Special:BookSources/978-052-091-706-4). [JSTOR](/source/JSTOR_(identifier)) [10.1525/j.ctt14btg30](https://www.jstor.org/stable/10.1525/j.ctt14btg30).

1. **[^](#cite_ref-4)** [Shirley, Samuel](/source/Shirley_Samuels) (2003). [*On the War for Greek Freedom: Selections from The Histories*](https://books.google.com/books?id=wkObzpJLj10C). Hackett Publishing Company, Incorporated. [ISBN](/source/ISBN_(identifier)) [978-160-384-679-0](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Special:BookSources/978-160-384-679-0).

1. **[^](#cite_ref-:1_5-0)** Garland, Robert (26 January 2017). [*Athens Burning: The Persian Invasion of Greece and the Evacuation of Attica*](https://books.google.com/books?id=wla6DQAAQBAJ). Johns Hopkins University Press. [ISBN](/source/ISBN_(identifier)) [978-142-142-195-7](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Special:BookSources/978-142-142-195-7).

1. **[^](#cite_ref-6)** [Photius the Great](/source/Photios_I_of_Constantinople), *Excerpts of Ctesias' "Persica",* Paragraph 22, available online at [https://www.livius.org/ct-cz/ctesias/photius_persica.html](https://www.livius.org/ct-cz/ctesias/photius_persica.html) [Archived](https://web.archive.org/web/20161123082814/http://www.livius.org/ct-cz/ctesias/photius_persica.html) 2016-11-23 at the [Wayback Machine](/source/Wayback_Machine)

1. ^ [***a***](#cite_ref-:2_7-0) [***b***](#cite_ref-:2_7-1) Herodotus, Histories

### Bibliography

- Schmitt, Rüdiger (1994). ["Datis"](https://www.iranicaonline.org/articles/datis). *[Encyclopaedia Iranica](/source/Encyclopaedia_Iranica)*.

- [Asia portal](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Portal:Asia)

## External links

- [Livius.org: Datis](https://www.livius.org/da-dd/datis/datis.html) [Archived](https://web.archive.org/web/20141009162138/http://www.livius.org/da-dd/datis/datis.html) 2014-10-09 at the [Wayback Machine](/source/Wayback_Machine)

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