page_title: Polycrates
section_title: Rebellion and Spartan attack
hierarchical_section_title: Polycrates / Reign / Rebellion and Spartan attack
caption_attribution_description: English: Polycrates leaving his daughter to encounter Oroetus
context_page_description: Polycrates, son of Aeaces, was the tyrant of Samos from the 540s BC to 522 BC. He had a reputation as both a fierce warrior and an enlightened tyrant.
context_section_description: Herodotus states that Polycrates later established a fleet 40 triremes, probably becoming the first Greek state with a fleet of such ships, which he manned with men he considered to be politically dangerous, and sent to the Persian king Cambyses  with instructions to put the crews to death. Modern scholars consider this story unlikely. The dispatch of these ships is usually connected with the Persian invasion of Egypt in 525 BC. Hermann Wallinga argues that the ships were built at Amasis' expense, manned by Polycrates, and sent by him to fight against the Persians. By contrast, Hans Van Wees thinks that this fleet was a gift from the Persians, manned by Polycrates, in order to assist the Persians against Amasis.
  The naval detachment turned back to attack Polycrates. They defeated him at sea but could not take the island. The rebels then sailed to mainland Greece and allied with Sparta and Corinth. Sparta and Corinth invaded the island of Samos in support of the Samian rebels around 520 BC. After 40 days they withdrew their unsuccessful siege.
caption: Polycrates leaving his daughter to encounter Oroetus.
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