The first expedition was a punitive expedition to punish Athens and Eretria for interfering in a Greek revolt (Miletus) in Persian territory where they took it too far by burning the Persian provincial capital Sardis. “Herodotus reports that when Darius heard of the burning of Sardis, he swore vengeance upon the Athenians (after asking who they indeed were), and tasked a servant with reminding him three times each day of his vow: “Master, remember the Athenians”.
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When this expedition failed against Athens at Marathon 490BCE, Darius realised the only way to stop interference from mainland Greece was to incorporate it into his empire and so establish an ethnic frontier. He died before he could impplement this, but his son Xerxes led the invasion ten years later in 480 BCE.
Basically Darius’ aim was to keep the peace in his empire.
