View source for 498 BC

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{{Year nav|-498}}
{{BC year in topic|498}}
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Year '''498 BC''' was a year of the [[Roman calendar|pre-Julian Roman calendar]]. At the time, it was known as the '''Year of the Consulship of Siculus and Flavus''' (or, less frequently, '''year 256 ''[[Ab urbe condita]]'''''). The denomination 498 BC for this year has been used since the early medieval period, when the [[Anno Domini]] [[calendar era]] became the prevalent method in Europe for naming years.

== Events ==
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=== By place ===

==== Greece ====
* [[Alexander I of Macedon|Alexander I]] succeeds his father [[Amyntas I of Macedon|Amyntas I]] as king of [[Macedon]]ia.
* [[Athens]] and [[Eretria]] respond to the [[Ionians|Ionian]] [[plea]] for help against [[Persia]] and send troops. An [[Athens|Athenian]] and [[Eretria]]n fleet transports Athenian troops to [[Ephesus]]. There they are joined by a force of Ionians and march upon [[Sardis]], the capital of [[Artaphernes]] (the [[satrap]] of [[Lydia]] and brother to [[Darius I]] of [[Persia]]). Artaphernes, who has sent most of his troops to besiege [[Miletus]], is taken by surprise. However, Artaphernes is able to retreat to the citadel and [[Siege of Sardis (498 BC)|hold it]]. Although the Greeks are unable to take the citadel, they [[Looting|pillage]] the town and set fires that burn Sardis to the ground.
* Retreating to the coast, the Greek forces are met by the Persians under Artaphernes and defeated in the [[Ionian Revolt#Battle of Ephesus|Battle of Ephesus]].
* [[Kaunos]] and [[Caria]], followed by [[Byzantium]] and towns in the [[Hellespont]] also revolt against the Persians. [[Cyprus]] also joins the rebellion, as [[Onesilus]] removes his pro-Persian brother, Gorgos, from the throne of [[Salamis, Cyprus|Salamis]].

==== Sicily ====
* After the assassination of [[Cleander of Gela|Cleander]], tyrant of [[Gela]], power is transferred to his brother, [[Hippocrates of Gela|Hippocrates]], who subdues the [[Sicels]] and conquers the Chalcidian cities of [[Gallipoli, Italy|Callipoli]], [[Lentini|Leontini]], [[Naxos (Sicily)|Naxos]] and [[Messina, Italy|Zancle]] (now known as [[Messina, Italy|Messina]]). He also captures the [[Syracuse, Sicily|Syracusan]] city of [[Kamarina, Sicily|Camarina]], but is prevented from capturing Syracuse itself when [[Ancient Corinth|Corinth]] and [[Corcyra]] interferes in the war.

=== By topic ===

==== Literature ====
* The Greek poet [[Pindar]] composes his earliest surviving [[epinikion]] (Pythian ode 10).
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== Births ==

== Deaths ==
* [[Amyntas I of Macedon|Amyntas I]], king of [[Macedon]]ia (b. c. [[540 BC]])
* [[Cleander of Gela|Cleander]], tyrant of [[Gela]]

== References ==
{{Reflist}}

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[[Category:498 BC| ]]