pon it, pressed on by Scythic
invaders from the East, had sought a vent in this direction. Passing
the great mountain barrier either by the route of Mozdok--the Pylas
Caucasiae--or by some still more difficult track towards the Euxine,
they had entered Asia Minor by way of Cappadocia and had spread terror
and devastation in every direction. Gyges, alarmed at their advance, had
placed himself under the protection of Assyria, and had then confidently
given them battle, defeated them, and captured several of their chiefs.
It is uncertain whether the Assyrians gave him any material aid, but
evident that he ascribed his success to his alliance with them. In his
gratitude he sent an embassy to Asshur-bani-pal, king of Assyria, and
courted his favor by presents and by sending him his Cimmerian captives.
Later in his reign, however, he changed his policy, and, breaking with
Assyria, gave aid to the Egyptian rebel, Psammetichus, and helped him
to establish his independence. The result followed which was to be
expected. Assyria withdrew her protection; and Lydia was left to fight
her own battles when the great crisis came. Carrying all before them,
the fierce hordes swarmed in full force into the more western districts
of Asia Minor; Paphlagonia, Phrygia, Bithynia, Lydia, and Ionia were
overrun; Gyges, venturing on an engagement, perished; the frightened
inhabitants generally shut themselves up in their walled towns, and
hoped that the tide of invasion might sweep by them quickly and roll
elsewhere; but the Cimmerians, impatient and undisciplined as they
might be, could sometimes bring themselves to endure the weary work of a
siege, and they saw in the Lydian capital a prize well worth an effort.
The hordes besieged Sardis, and took it, except the citadel, which was
commandingly placed and defied all their attempts. A terrible scene of
carnage must have followed. How Lydia withstood the blow, and rapidly
recovered from it, is hard to understand; but it seems certain that
within a generation she was so far restored to vigor as to venture
on resuming her attacks upon the Greeks of the coast, which had been
suspended during her period of prostration. Sadyattes, the son of
Ardys, and grandson of Gyges, following the example of his father and
grandfather, made war upon Miletus; and Alyattes, his son and successor,
pursued the same policy of aggression. Besides pressing Miletus, he
besieged and took Smyrna, and ravaged the territory of C