Many reinforcements to each side arrived, during this time, upon the scene. Slight advantages were gained by both parties. At Samos the people, staunch democrats, rose in rebellion, and treated their oligarchic landlords roughly. They slew two hundred of these political opponents, banished four hundred more of them from Samos, and shared their lands amongst themselves. A democratic government was established, with the exiled Hyperbolos at its head. He had gone there on his unsuccessful attempt to ostracize Alkibiades, and was now leader of the popular party at Samos. The new government would have naught to do with Sparta. On the other hand, the Spartan fleet, which was blockaded by the Athenians near the Peiræus, broke out, inflicting some damage as it went, and augmented by fresh ships under Astyochos, who was made Admiral of all the Peloponnesian fleet in Ionia, joined the rest of the Spartan force on the Ionian coast. Thus the two great fleets, each with its full force of hoplites, were drawing towards each other in the eastern Aigaian Sea. Miletos, the most important town upon the coast, and Chios were both invested by Athenian ships. Throughout the summer many small engagements, both by sea and land, were fought between the contending powers. In one of them Chalkideus, the friend and companion of Alkibiades, was slain. As autumn approached, the war concentrated round Miletos. A further supply of ships and men under one Phrynichos, and two other leaders, arrived from Athens, and with them came fifteen hundred Argives, still true to their allegiance. The ships joined the blockade of the port, after landing some troops, including the Argives, and laid siege to Miletos. But Alkibiades was in the town working day and night to get the Milesian militia, about eight hundred strong, in fit order to make a desperate sortie. Besides these Milesians there was a body of over a thousand Spartan hoplites and a good force from Klazomenai within the walls of Miletos. There was also another person there who was to play no unimportant part in the remainder of the life of Alkibiades—Tissaphernes had come with some Persian cavalry. It was the first time these two men had met—the first time the finest gentleman in Greece had come into actual contact with the Persian nobleman and high official. The Persian was captivated by the pleasant manners, the wit, the varied powers, the commanding presence and personal beauty of the descendant of the ancient heroes of a race which the Persians had such good cause to hold in high respect.