consequently prior to the second year of Nebuchadrezzar, comes from Abu-habba.  On the other hand, the statement that all the revolts broke out while Darius was “at Babylon” does not allow of the supposition that all the events recorded before his departure for Media could have been compressed into the space of three or four months.  It seems, therefore, more probable that the siege lasted till 519 B.C., as it can well have done if credit be given to the mention of “twenty-one months at least” by Herodotus; perhaps the siege was brought to an end in the May of that year, as calculated by Marquart.

[Illustration:  166.jpg DARIUS PIERCING A REBEL WITH HIS LANCE BEFORE A GROUP OF FOUR PRISONERS]

     Drawn by Faucher-Gudin, from the impression of an intaglio
     at St. Petersburg.

The attempt of the Persian adventurer Martiya to stir up the Susians to revolt in his rear failed, thanks to the favourable disposition of the natives, who refused to recognise in him Ummanish, the heir of their national princes.  Media, however, yielded unfortunately to the solicitations of a certain Fravartish, who had assumed the personality of Khshatrita of the race of Cyaxares, and its revolt marked almost the beginning of a total break-up of the empire.  The memory of Astyages and Cyaxares had not yet faded so completely as to cause the Median nobles to relinquish the hope of reasserting the supremacy of Media; the opportunity for accomplishing this aim now seemed all the more favourable, from the fact that Darius had been obliged to leave this province almost immediately after the assassination of the Usurper, and to take from it all the troops that he could muster for the siege of Babylon.  Several of the nomadic tribes still remained faithful to him, but all the settled inhabitants of Media ranged themselves under the banner of the pretender, and the spirit of insurrection spread thereupon into Armenia and Assyria.  For one moment there was a fear lest it should extend to Asia Minor also, where Orcetes, accustomed, in the absence of Cambyses, to act as an autonomous sovereign, displayed little zeal in accommodating himself to the new order of things.  There was so much uncertainty as to the leanings of the Persian guard of Orcetes, that Darius did not venture to degrade the satrap officially, but despatched Bagseus to Sardes with precise instructions, which enabled him to accomplish his mission by degrees, so as not to risk a Lydian revolt.  His first act was to show the guard a rescript by which they were relieved from attendance on Orcetes, and “thereupon they immediately laid down their spears.”  Emboldened by their ready obedience, Bagseus presented to the secretary a second letter, which contained his instructions:  “The great king commands those Persians who are in Sardes to kill Orestes.”  “Whereupon,” it is recorded, “they drew their swords and slew him."*