History of the Peloponnesian War

At the close of the same summer, there sailed from Athens a thousand Athenian heavy-armed, fifteen hundred of the Argives, (for five hundred of the Argives who were lightarmed, were provided with full armour by the Athenians,) and a thousand of the allies, in forty-eight ships, some of which were transports, under the command of Phrynichus, Onomacles, and Scironides: these sailed into port at Samos, and after crossing over to Miletus, formed their camp there.

The Milesians marched out, themselves to the number of eight hundred heavy-armed, the Peloponnesians who had come with Chalcideus, and a body of foreign [*](ξενικόν,]i. e. foreigners to Tissaphernes, not Asiatics.) mercenaries with Tissaphernes himself, who was present with his cavalry, and gave battle to the Athenians and their allies.

The Argives, advancing from the line with their own wing, and despising the enemy, while they pushed forward in some disorder, as against Ionians and men who would not receive their charge, were defeated by the Milesians, and not less than three hundred of them slain.

But the Athenians defeated the Peloponnesians first, then beat back the barbarians and the rest of the multitude, and without engaging the Milesians, (for they retreated into their city after their rout of the Argives, on seeing the rest of their army worsted,) they pitched their camp, as being now victorious, close to the very city of Miletus.

And it so happened, that in this battle the Ionians on both sides were superior to the Dorians; for the Athenians conquered the Peloponnesians opposed to them, and the Milesians the Argives. After erecting a trophy, the Athenians prepared to invest the place, (which stood on an isthmus,) thinking that if they could win Miletus, the other towns would easily come over to them.