<head>Battle of Chios</head>Philip, as his siege proved unsuccessful and as the enemy were blockading him with a considerable number of warships, found difficulty in deciding what to do.
But as the situation did not admit of much choice he put to sea contrary to the expectation of his adversaries;
for Attalus had expected that he would continue his mining operations.
His great object was to get out to sea suddenly as he believed he would be able to outstrip the enemy and afterwards proceed in safety along the coast to <a class="linkToPlace" target="_blank" href="/place?placename=Samos&groupId=944&placeId=1680">Samos</a>.
But his calculations proved entirely fallacious. For Attalus and Theophiliscus, as soon as they saw him putting to sea, at once took the requisite steps.
They were sailing loose order, since they believed, as I said, that Philip still adhered to his original intention, but nevertheless they attacked him, rowing their hardest, Attalus engaging the right and leading wing of the enemy's fleet and Theophiliscus his left.
Philip, thus anticipated, after signalling to those on his right orders to turn their ships directly towards the enemy and engage him vigorously, retired himself with a few light vessels to the islands in the middle of the strait and awaited the result of the battle.
Philip\'s fleet which took part in the battle consisted of fifty-three decked, warships, . . . undecked ones, and a hundred and fifty galleys and beaked ships, for he had not been able to fit out all the ships which were at <a class="linkToPlace" target="_blank" href="/place?placename=Samos&groupId=944&placeId=1680">Samos</a>.
The enemy had sixty-five decked warships, including those of the Byzantines, nine trihemioliae, and three triremes.
Walbank Commentary