In 491 B.C. Demartatus was removed
from the post of king and made a magistrate, he was to help organise the Gymnopaediae. Leotychides was now
king. After a while the public humiliation was too much and he fled
from Sparta, going to Zacynthos (and
ultimatley he went to the only place that was left open to him;
Persia and King Darius welcomed
him with open arms, giving him both land and cities.).
Now that Kleomenes
I had control over Sparta, with Leotychides in tow and a vast
army, they made their way to Aegina, around Sept 491 B.C. No resistance
this time from Aegina, as such a large Spartan force was assembled, and the men that the Spartan's wanted were
arrested, Kleomenes I made
special mention of Crius to be part of that group. These men were
promptly ferried off to meet their fate in the hands of the Athenias.
Once back in Sparta things fell
apart very fast. Kleomenes I
machinations at Delphi become known and made public, Cobon was forced
to fly from Delphi; while Perialla the prophetess was deprived of
her office. Kleomenes I part
was discovered, stripped of his kingship he was then imprisoned,
awaiting sentencing.
It is reported that while in
prison he asked the keeper for a knife and killed himself. Though this is how it is written in
history, It it seems more likely that he was murdered; killed by a family
member, someone who had a lot to gain, who also couldn't stand having
their family name and Sparta put through disgrace! There are alot
of reasons to believe a half brother like Leonidas, would have done
the deed, and historians and Ephors alike covered up the truth. Regardless of how he died, Kleomenes I left no heirs. Leonidas was now King of Sparta.
The way too was clear for Athens
to take on Aegina. With 50 ships and 10 from Corinth, Athens sailed
to meet the Aegina's fleet. But failed to take over the island. 
Meanwhile, Darius,
not being deterred by the previous attempt, put matters in the hands
of other generals. He wanted Eretria and Athens taken, and prisoners
to be captured and brought to his presence. Mardonius was still
incapacitated from a wound received in the previous expedition and
his place was taken by Datis, a Mede, who is credited with having
evolved a new plan for the attack on Greece. This was to ignore
the north and strike directly across the Aegean, secruing the Cyclades
islands, and then decending upon Athens and Eretria to punish them
of their behaviour during the Ionian revolt. The exiled Hippias also sailed with them, in high hopes - though now nearly eighty, of returning to Athens as dictator once more.
On
600 triremes, horses and troops enbarked from Ionia sailed to Samos
then through islands until they reached Naxos. This time the Persians
were better prepared and chased the inhabitants who took to flight
to the hills. The Persians succeeded in laying their hands on some,
and carried them away captive, buring temples in the process. This
done they had other business to take care of and left Naxos...next
stop Delos.
