e: Aristion
slain.] Aristion fled to the Acropolis. Hunger forced him in the end
to capitulate, and he was killed. Sulla meanwhile had forced on the
siege of Piraeus still more vigorously. He got past the crescent wall,
only to find other walls similarly constructed behind it; but he
gradually drove Archelaus into Munychia, or the peninsular part of
Piraeus, and as he had no ships he could do nothing more. [Sidenote:
Archelaus sails from Piraeus, and joins Taxiles, sent by Mithridates
with reinforcements.] Either before or after the capture of the
Acropolis Archelaus sailed away, in obedience to a summons from
Taxiles, a new general whom Mithridates had sent with an army of
100,000 foot, 10,000 horse, and ninety scythed chariots into Greece.
With these forces and the troops previously sent with his master's
son he formed a junction at Thermopylae, marched into Phocis down the
valley of the Cephissus, attempted but failed to take Elateia, and
came up with Sulla near Chaeroneia. [Sidenote: Sulla forms a
junction with Hortensius.] Sulla had marched into Boeotia and joined
Hortensius, who had a brought some troops from Thessaly. But he is
said by Appian to have had not a third of the enemy's numbers, while
Plutarch affirms that he had only 15,000 foot and 1,500 horse.

[Illustration: Map to illustrate the March of SULLA and ARCHELAUS
before Chaeroneia.]

[Sidenote: Position of the two armies.] Sulla was on the west bank of
the Cephissus, on an eminence named Philoboeotus, and Archelaus on the
other side of the river not far off. Sulla's soldiers were alarmed by
the numbers and splendour of the enemy, for the brass and steel
of their armour 'kindled the air with an awful flame like that of
lightning.' [Sidenote: Manoeuvres of Sulla and Archelaus.] Archelaus,
marching down the valley of the Cephissus, tried to seize a strong
position called the Acropolis of the Parapotamii, situated on the
Assus, which joined the Cephissus to the south of both armies. But
Sulla, who had wearied out his men by drudgery in dyke-making, and
made them eager for a fight, crossed the Cephissus, seized the
position first, and then, crossing the Assus, took up his position
under Mount Edylium. Here he encamped opposite Archelaus, who, having
also crossed the Assus, was now at a place called Assia, which was
nearer Lake Copais. Thence Archelaus made an attempt on Chaeroneia;
but Sulla was again beforehand with him, and garrisoned the place
with one