<head>Philip\'s capture of Lissus in Illyria</head>Philip\'s attention had long been fixed on Lissus and <a class="linkToPlace" target="_blank" href="/place?placename=Acrolissus&groupId=278&placeId=548">Acrolissus</a>, and being most anxious to possess himself of these places he started for them with his army.
After two days' march he traversed the defiles and encamped by the river Ardaxanus not far from the town.
Observing that the defences of Lissus, both natural and artificial, were admirable from land as well as sea, and that <a class="linkToPlace" target="_blank" href="/place?placename=Acrolissus&groupId=278&placeId=548">Acrolissus</a> which was close to it owing to tits height and its general strength looked as if there would be no hope of taking it by storm, he entirely renounced this latter hope, but did not quite despair of taking the town.
Noticing that the ground between Lissus and the foot of <a class="linkToPlace" target="_blank" href="/place?placename=Acrolissus&groupId=278&placeId=548">Acrolissus</a> was convenient for directing an attack from it on the town he decided to open hostilities on this side, and employ a stratagem suitable to the circumstances.
After giving his Macedonians a day's rest and addressing them in such terms as the occasion demanded, he concealed during the night the largest and most efficient portion of his light-armed troops in some thickly-wooded ravines above the aforesaid ground on the side farthest from the sea,
and next day with his peltasts and the rest of the light-armed infantry marched along the sea on the other side of the city.
After thus passing round the city and reaching the place I mentioned, he gave the impression of being about to ascend towards the town on this side.
The arrival of Philip was no secret, and considerable forces from all the neighbouring parts of <a class="linkToPlace" target="_blank" href="/place?placename=Illyria&groupId=647&placeId=1186">Illyria</a> had collected in Lissus;
but as for <a class="linkToPlace" target="_blank" href="/place?placename=Acrolissus&groupId=278&placeId=548">Acrolissus</a> they had such confidence in its natural strength that they had assigned quite a small garrison to it.
Walbank Commentary