Nonetheless, this was the judgment of the Telmessians: that Croesus must expect a foreign army to attack his country, and that when it came, it would subjugate the inhabitants of the land: for the snake, they said, was the offspring of the land, but the horse was an enemy and a foreigner. This was the answer which the Telmessians gave Croesus, knowing as yet nothing of the fate of Sardis [28.0167,38.475] (Perseus) Sardis and of the king himself; but when they gave it, Croesus was already taken.

When Croesus marched away after the battle in the Pterian country, Cyrus, learning that Croesus had gone intending to disband his army, deliberated and perceived that it would be opportune for him to march quickly against Sardis [28.0167,38.475] (Perseus) Sardis, before the power of the Lydians could be assembled again.

This he decided, and this he did immediately; he marched his army into Lydia [27.516,38.683] (region (general)), Turkey, Asia Lydia and so came himself to bring the news of it to Croesus. All had turned out contrary to Croesus' expectation, and he was in a great quandary; nevertheless, he led out the Lydians to battle.

Now at this time there was no nation in Asia (continent)Asia more valiant or warlike than the Lydian. It was their custom to fight on horseback, carrying long spears, and they were skillful at managing horses.

So the armies met in the plain, wide and bare, that is before the city of Sardis [28.0167,38.475] (Perseus) Sardis: the Hyllus and other rivers flow across it and run violently together into the greatest of them, which is called Hermus (this flows from the mountain sacred to the Mother Dindymene Identified with the Phrygian and Lydian goddess Cybele. and empties into the sea near the city of Foca [26.75,38.666] (inhabited place), Izmir Ili, Ege kiyilari, Turkey, AsiaPhocaea).