Naxos

or Naxia . An island in the Ægean Sea, and the largest of the Cyclades; is situated nearly half-way between the coasts of Greece and Asia Minor. It was conquered by Pis i stratus, who established Lydamis as tyrant of the island about 540 B.C. The Persians in 501 attempted, at the suggestion of Arista goras, to subdue Naxos, but failed; Arista goras, fearing punishment, induced the Ionian cities to revolt from Persia. In 490 the Persians, under Datis and Artaphernes, conquered Naxos, and reduced the inhabitants to slavery. The Naxians recovered their independence after the battle of Salamis (480). They were the first of the allied states whom the A then i ans reduced to subjection, 471. After the capture of Constantinople by the Latins in 1204, the Ægean Sea fell to the lot of the Venetians; and Marco Sanudo in 1207 took po e ion of Nuxos, and founded there a powerful state under the title of duchy of the Ægean Sea. His dynasty ruled over the greater part of the Cyclades for 360 years, and was at length overthrown by the Turks in 1566. Naxos now belongs to the kingdom of Greece.