LampsakenesLampsacenes

The people who were most notable for their successful capture of the tyrant of the Khersonese (Chersonese), Miltiades.

Miltiades became tyrant of the Khersonese by the divine command of the oracle at Delphi circa 540 BCE; he effectively defended the peninsula from invaders and, being an aggressive man, waged war on the Lampsakenes but Miltiades was captured in battle and taken as a hostage.

The ruler of Lydia, Kroesus (Croesus), sent a message to the Lampsakenes and told them that if Miltiades was not released he would destroy them “even like a pine tree”; the Lampsakenes were unsure exactly what Kroesus meant by that statement but finally came to realize that once a pine tree is cut down, unlike other trees, it will not put out shoots and thus utterly dies; the Lampsakenes took Kroesus at his word and released Miltiades unharmed.

• Histories, book 6, chapter 37