For the first three days he could not make any progress at all with his works owing to the reckless gallantry of the garrison's resistance.
But when owing to the constant skirmishing and showers of missiles, some of them had fallen and others were wounded, the resistance was slightly relaxed, and the Macedonians began their mines.
By unremitting exertion, notwithstanding the difficulties of the ground, they managed in nine days to reach the wall.
After this they worked in relays without any interruption by night and day and in three days had undermined and underpinned two hundred feet of the wall.
The props, however, could not support the weight, but gave way, so that the wall fell before the Macedonians had set fire to them.
They rapidly cleared away the ruins and were ready to enter the city, in fact just on the point of delivering the assault, when the Thebans in terror surrendered the town.
Philip, having by this achievement ensured the security of <a class="linkToPlace" target="_blank" href="/place?placename=Magnesia&groupId=729&placeId=1336">Magnesia</a> and <a class="linkToPlace" target="_blank" href="/place?placename=Thessaly&groupId=1028&placeId=1816">Thessaly</a>, deprived the Aetolians of their chief source of plunder, and at the same time made it clear to his own forces that he was quite right in putting Leontius to death, the failure of the siege of Palae having been due to his treachery.
Having thus gained possession of Thebes, he sold into slavery the existing inhabitants, and planting a Macedonian colony in the town, changed its name to <a class="linkToPlace" target="_blank" href="/place?placename=Philippi&groupId=1090&placeId=1914">Philippi</a>.
Just as he had settled affairs at Thebes further ambassadors arrived from <a class="linkToPlace" target="_blank" href="/place?placename=Chios&groupId=462&placeId=863">Chios</a>, <a class="linkToPlace" target="_blank" href="/place?placename=Rhodes&groupId=931&placeId=1665">Rhodes</a>, and <a class="linkToPlace" target="_blank" href="/place?placename=Byzantium&groupId=415&placeId=767">Byzantium</a> and from King Ptolemy to mediate a peace.
Giving them the same answer as on the previous occasion and telling them that he was by no means averse to peace, he sent them off enjoining them to approach the Aetolians also.
He himself, however, paid no attention to the question of peace, but continued to prosecute operations.
Walbank Commentary