Hdt. 5.96 Athenians refuse to take Hippias back, thus making their dispute with the Achaemenid Empire public (so it shall be war between us). The Achaemenid are no longer the only open aggressors on the board, free to build their empire at will. Now the threatened territories challenging their authority. This sets up the conflict between the states and also echoes Herodotus' idea of cyclical nations. Nations move from barbarism to simple, masculine, civilization to effeminate opulence. Once a nation reaches a level of effeminate opulence it will surely fall to a more rugged simple-living people.

Hdt. 5.96 Artaphrenes responds to the pleas of the Athenians with an ultimatum commanding the Athenians to take Hippias back as their tyrant, 500 BCE.

Hdt. 5.96 Athenians sent a message to Artaphrenes in order to dissuade the Persians from believing or helping Athenian exiles (like Hippias), 500 BCE.

Hdt. 5.96 Hippias, the deposed tyrant of Athens, seeks help in re-securing power in Athens from Artaphrenes, the governor of Sardis (half brother to Darius)

Hdt. 5.73 The Athenians come to Sardis to speak to the Persians about becoming allies, -507 BCE. The reader sees the Achaemenids and their past members (current revoltees) being replaced as the active agents in the narrative. Herodotus now has the Athenians and Spartans (Hellenes) speaking for their own interests rather than being dominated by outside forces (Achaemenid or otherwise).