(), a Persian, the son of Cherasmis, commanded
the Macrones and Mosynoeci in the expedition of Xerxes into Greece. He was at the time
governor of the town of Sestus and its territory on the Hellespont, where he ruled as an
arbitrary and reckless tyrant. When Xerxes passed through Sestus, Artayctes induced the king
by fraud to give him the tomb and sacred land of the hero Protesilaus, which existed at Elaeus
near Sestus; he then pillaged the tomb, and made profane use of the sacred land. This
sacrilegious act was not forgiven him by the Greeks. He did not expect to see an enemy at such
a distance from Athens; when, therefore, in B. C. 479, Xanthippus
appeared in the Hellespont with a fleet, Artayctes was not prepared for a siege. However the
town was strongly fortified and able to resist a besieging army. Xanthippus continued his
siege during the whole winter, but on the approach of spring the famine in the town became
insupportable; and Artayctes and Oeobazus, a Persian of high rank, succeeded in making their
escape through the lines of the besiegers. As soon as the Greek inhabitants of Sestus heard of
the flight of their governor, they opened their gates to the Athenians. The two
fugitives were pursued, and Artayctes and his son were overtaken and brought before
Xanthippus. Artayctes offered 100 talents to the inhabitants of Elaeus as an atonement for the
outrage he had committed on the tomb of Protesilaus, and 200 more as a ransom for himself and
his son. But the inhabitants would not accept any other atonement than his life, and
Xanthippus was obliged to give him up to them. Artayctes was then nailed to a cross, and his
son stoned to death before his eves. (Hdt. 7.33, 78, 9.116, 118-120 ; Paus. 1.4.5.)