Phillidas now sent the Eleans to <a class="linkToPlace" target="_blank" href="/place?placename=Lepreum&groupId=678&placeId=1241">Lepreum</a> and the mercenaries to Alipheira, and remained himself with his Aetolians in Typaneae to see what would happen.
The king, after ridding himself of his heavy baggage, crossed by the bridge the Alpheus which runs past Herae and arrived at Alipheira.
This city lies on a hill defended on all sides by precipices, the ascent of which is more than ten stades. It has a citadel on the summit of the whole hill and a bronze statue of Athena, remarkable for its size and beauty.
The origin of this statue — from what motive and at whose expense it was made — is a subject of dispute among the natives themselves, as there is nothing to show definitely who dedicated it and why;
but all agree as to the excellence of the workmanship, it being one of the most magnificent and artistic statues in existence, the work of Hecatodorus and Sostratus.
The next day broke bright and cloudless, and at early dawn the king distributed at various points the ladder-bearers supported by the mercenaries in front,
and dividing his Macedonians placed a body of them in the rear of each party. As soon as the sun was visible, he ordered them all to advance on the hill,
and the Macedonians, executing his orders with great alacrity and in formidable style, the Alipheirians kept always running to whatever spots they saw the Macedonians approaching.
But the king meanwhile with a picked force managed by climbing some precipitous rocks to reach unperceived the suburb of the citadel.
The signal was now given and all at one and the same time planted the ladders against the walls and began the assault of the town.
The king was the first to enter, taking the suburb of the citadel, which he found unoccupied, and when this suburb was in flames, the defenders of the walls, seeing what was likely to happen and in dread lest with the fall of the citadel they should find their last hope gone, left the walls and rushed to take refuge within it.
Upon this the Macedonians at once captured the walls and the town;
and afterwards the garrison of the citadel sent commissioners to Philip and, on his promising to spare their lives, they surrendered it to him by treaty.
Walbank Commentary