Histories

Passing from Phrygia (region (general)), Turkey, Asia Phrygia into Lydia [27.516,38.683] (region (general)), Turkey, Asia Lydia, he came to the place where the roads part; the road on the left leads to +Caria [28,37.5] (region (general)), Turkey, Asia Caria, the one on the right to Sardis [28.0167,38.475] (Perseus) Sardis; on the latter the traveller must cross the river +Buyukmenderes Nehri [27.183,37.466] (river), Turkey, Asia Maeander and pass by the city of Callatebus, where craftsmen make honey out of wheat and tamarisks. Xerxes went by this road and found a plane-tree, which he adorned with gold because of its beauty, and he assigned one of his immortals to guard it. On the next day he reached the city of the Lydians.

After he arrived in Sardis [28.0167,38.475] (Perseus) Sardis, he first sent heralds to Greece [22,39] (nation), EuropeHellas to demand earth and water and to command the preparation of meals for the king. He sent demands for earth everywhere except to Athens [23.7333,37.9667] (Perseus)Athens and Sparta [22.416,37.83] (inhabited place), Laconia, Peloponnese, Greece, Europe Lacedaemon. The reason for his sending for earth and water the second time was this: he fully believed that whoever had not previously given it to Darius' messengers would now be compelled to give by fear; so he sent out of desire to know this for certain.