for the Lydian cavalry were at this time excellent, and decidedly superior to the Persian.  But Cyrus, aware of their merits, had recourse to stratagem, and by forming his camels in front, so frightened the Lydian horses that they fled from the field.  The riders dismounted and fought on foot, but their gallantry was unavailing.  After a prolonged and bloody combat the Lydian army was defeated, and forced to take refuge behind the walls of the capital.

Croesus now in hot haste sent off fresh messengers to his allies, begging them to come at once to his assistance.  He had still a good hope of maintaining himself till their arrival, for his city was defended by walls, and was regarded by the natives as impregnable.  An attempt to storm the defences failed; and the siege must have been turned into a blockade but for an accidental discovery.  A Persian soldier had approached to reconnoitre the citadel on the side where it was strongest by nature, and therefore guarded with least care, when he observed one of the garrison descend the rock after his helmet, which had fallen from his head, pick it up, and return with it.  Being an expert climber, he attempted the track thus pointed out to him, and succeeded in reaching the summit.  Several of his comrades followed in his steps; the citadel was surprised, and the town taken and plundered.

Thus fell the greatest city of Asia Minor after a siege of fourteen days.  The Lydian monarch, it is said, narrowly escaped with his life from the confusion of the sack; but, being fortunately recognized in time, was made prisoner, and brought before Cyrus.  Cyrus at first treated him with some harshness, but soon relented, and, with that clemency which was a common characteristic of the earlier Persian kings, assigned him a territory for his maintenance, and gave him an honorable position at Court, where he passed at least thirty years, in high favor, first with Cyrus, and then with Cambyses.  Lydia itself was absorbed at once into the Persian Empire, together with most of its dependencies, which submitted as soon as the fall of Sardis was known.  There still, however, remained a certain amount of subjugation to be effected.  The Greeks of the coast, who had offended the Great King by their refusal of his overtures, were not to be allowed to pass quietly into the condition of tributaries; and there were certain native races in the south-western corner of Asia Minor which declined to submit without a struggle to the new conqueror.  But these matters were not regarded by Cyrus as of sufficient importance to require his own personal superintendence.  Having remained at Sardis for a few weeks, during which time he received an insulting message from Sparta, whereto he made a menacing reply, and having arranged for the government of the newly-conquered province and the transmission of its treasures to Ecbatana, he quitted Lydia for the interior, taking Croesus with him, and proceeded towards the Median capital.  He was bent on prosecuting without delay his schemes of conquest in other quarters—­schemes of a grandeur and a comprehensiveness unknown to any previous monarch.