In Babylon the King, after assembling his infantry and
cavalry forces, immediately assumed command of them and advanced against the Phoenicians. While
he was still on the way, Belesys, the satrap of Syria, and Mazaeus, the governor of Cilicia,
having joined forces, opened the war against the Phoenicians.
[
2]
Tennes, the king of Sidon, acquired from the Egyptians four thousand Greek mercenary soldiers
whose general was Mentor the Rhodian. With these and the citizen soldiery he engaged the
aforementioned satraps, defeated them, and drove the enemy out of Phoenicia.
[
3]
While these things were going on, a war
broke out in Cyprus also, the actions in which were interwoven with the war we have just
mentioned.
[
4]
For in this island were nine populous cities, and
under them were ranged the small towns which were suburbs of the nine cities. Each of these
cities had a king who governed the city and was subject to the King of the Persians.
[
5]
All these kings in common agreement and in imitation of the Phoenicians
revolted, and having made preparations for the war, declared their own kingdoms independent.
[
6]
Incensed at these actions, Artaxerxes wrote to Idrieus,
despot of Caria, who had just acquired his office and was a friend and ally of the Persians by
inheritance from his ancestors, to collect an infantry force and a navy to carry on a war with
the kings in Cyprus.
[
7]
Idrieus, after making ready immediately
forty triremes and eight thousand mercenary soldiers, sent them to Cyprus, having placed in
command as their generals Phocion the Athenian and Evagoras, who had in the former period been
king in the island.
1
[
8]
So these two, having sailed to Cyprus, at once led their army
against Salamis, the largest of the cities. Having set up a palisade and fortified the
encampment, they began to besiege the Salaminians by land and also by sea. Since all the island
had enjoyed peace for a long time and the territory was wealthy, the soldiers, who had
possession of the open country, gathered much booty.
[
9]
When word
of their affluence got abroad, many soldiers from the opposite coast of Syria and Cilicia
flocked over voluntarily in the hope of gain. Finally, after the army with Evagoras and Phocion
had been doubled in size, the kings throughout Cyprus fell into a state of great anxiety and
terror.
Such was the situation in Cyprus.