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Mazares

Median general of Cyrus who put down the revolt of Pactyes at Sardis, about 546 BCE

Mazares was a Median commander in the service of Cyrus. Herodotus says Cyrus sent him against Pactyes, the Lydian who rebelled at Sardis after Cyrus left, and that he began to subdue the Greek cities nearby before he died. Harpagus then took over his command.

In the game: The game names Mazares only in the event articles on the fall of Sardis and on Harpagus's conquest of Ionia. He has no mechanic of his own.

Sent to Sardis

Ancient account

Herodotus says Cyrus left Pactyes, a Lydian, in charge of the treasure of Croesus at Sardis and went east. Pactyes then hired troops with the gold, brought down men from the coast and besieged the Persian governor Tabalus in the citadel. Cyrus sent Mazares with a force to deal with him.

Herodotus 1.153-156

The flight of Pactyes

Ancient account

Herodotus reports that Pactyes fled to Cyme when Mazares approached. The Cymaeans consulted the oracle at Branchidae and were told to give him up, but sent him on to Mytilene and then Chios. The Chians surrendered him in return for the land of Atarneus.

Herodotus 1.157-160

Punishing the Greeks

Ancient account

Herodotus says Mazares attacked the Greeks who had helped Pactyes, enslaved the people of Priene and overran the plain of the Maeander, including Magnesia. He fell ill and died soon after.

Herodotus 1.161

Harpagus takes over

Ancient account

Herodotus says Cyrus then sent Harpagus, also a Mede, to take command. Harpagus took the Ionian cities by building siege mounds against their walls, beginning with Phocaea.

Herodotus 1.162

The advice to soften the Lydians

Later legend

Herodotus tells that Croesus advised Cyrus to forbid the Lydians arms and make them live as shopkeepers and musicians. This is a Greek moral story about luxury and softness, and it is not confirmed by any document of the time.

Herodotus 1.155-156

What the sources leave open

Disputed

Almost everything about Mazares comes from Herodotus. No Persian inscription or tablet names him, so his rank and the date of his death are uncertain. The revolt is placed soon after the fall of Sardis, about the mid-540s BCE, but the order of events is reconstructed from Herodotus.

P. Briant, From Cyrus to Alexander, 2002