Philip on the first day pitched his camp at Amyclae.
The district of Amyclae is one of the most richly timbered and fertile in <a class="linkToPlace" target="_blank" href="/place?placename=Laconia&groupId=662&placeId=1211">Laconia</a>, lies about twenty stades from <a class="linkToPlace" target="_blank" href="/place?placename=Sparta&groupId=660&placeId=1208">Sparta</a>, and contains a temple of Apollo which is about the most famous of all the Laconian holy places.
It lies between <a class="linkToPlace" target="_blank" href="/place?placename=Sparta&groupId=660&placeId=1208">Sparta</a> and the sea.
Next day Philip, continuing to pillage the country on his way, marched down to what is called Pyrrhus\' camp. After spending the next two days in overrunning and plundering the immediate neighbourhood he encamped at <a class="linkToPlace" target="_blank" href="/place?placename=Carnium&groupId=440&placeId=818">Carnium</a>,
and starting thence advanced on <a class="linkToPlace" target="_blank" href="/place?placename=Asine&groupId=372&placeId=703">Asine</a>, which he assaulted, but making no progress, took his departure and subsequently continued to lay waste all the country bordering on the <a class="linkToPlace" target="_blank" href="/place?placename=Cretan Sea&groupId=504&placeId=948">Cretan Sea</a> as far as Taenarum.
Changing the direction of his march he next made for the arsenal of the Lacedaemonians, which is called <a class="linkToPlace" target="_blank" href="/place?placename=Gythium&groupId=612&placeId=1127">Gythium</a> and has a secure harbour, being about two hundred and thirty stades distant from <a class="linkToPlace" target="_blank" href="/place?placename=Sparta&groupId=660&placeId=1208">Sparta</a>.
Leaving this place on his right he encamped in the district of <a class="linkToPlace" target="_blank" href="/place?placename=Helos&groupId=621&placeId=1142">Helos</a>, which taken as a whole is the most extensive and finest in <a class="linkToPlace" target="_blank" href="/place?placename=Laconia&groupId=662&placeId=1211">Laconia</a>.
Sending out his foragers from here he set fire to every part of it, destroying the crops, and carried his devastation even as far as Acriae, <a class="linkToPlace" target="_blank" href="/place?placename=Leucae&groupId=680&placeId=1245">Leucae</a>, and <a class="linkToPlace" target="_blank" href="/place?placename=Boeae&groupId=404&placeId=751">Boeae</a>.
Walbank Commentary