Ionia was situated on the western coast of Asia Minor and the neighboring islands. The country was inhabited by Greeks around 1000 BC. Around 8th and 6th centuries the Ionian cities Miletus, Samos and Eoufes were flourishing Greek colonies that dealt with a large part of the ancient trade and culture. In 550BC Lydia conquered Ionia, and later in 546 BC Persia ruled by Cyrus the Great took over the entire region. Ionians revolted against the Persian rule in 499 BC and the uprising continued for 6 long years. Not only did the Ionian lost, but a great many people were enslaved, the economy collapsed and the once flourishing culture declined. The revolt was the beginning of the Greek-Persian wars. The Ionian Revolt After the Persians conquered Ionia, the population of the trading country was forced to live under tyranny and constant difficulties with their trade due to the expansive policy of Persia. The Persians preferred the Phoenicians and thus further ruined the trade operations of the Ionians. The first flame of the uprising was lit by Aristagoras who failed an operation against Naxos assigned to him by the Persians. In 498BC Aristagoras, a Persian puppet ruler of the Ionian city of Miletus made a combined Persian-Ionian expedition in order to conquer the city of Naxos. The siege of Naxos continued for 3 months and failed in the end, so the Persian-Ionian armies had no choice but to return. Aristagoras, after losing the battle was not eager to return and once he failed