Histories

Herodotus

Herodotus. Godley, Alfred Denis, translator. Cambridge, MA; London: Harvard University Press; William Heinemann, Ltd., 1920-1925 (printing).

Passing over with his army, Croesus then came to the part of Cappadocia [36,38.5] (region (general)), Turkey, Asia Cappadocia called Pteria [35.33,39.733] (deserted settlement), Yozgat, Ic Anadolu, Turkey, AsiaPteria (it is the strongest part of this country and lies on the line of the city of Sinope [35.15,42.0167] (Perseus)Sinope on the Black Sea [38,42] (sea)Euxine sea), where he encamped and devastated the farms of the Syrians;

and he took and enslaved the city of the Pterians, and took all the places around it also, and drove the Syrians from their homes, though they had done him no harm. Cyrus, mustering his army, advanced to oppose Croesus, gathering to him all those who lived along the way.

But before beginning his march, he sent heralds to the Ionians to try to draw them away from Croesus. The Ionians would not be prevailed on; but when Cyrus arrived and encamped face to face with Croesus, there in the Pterian country the armies had a trial of strength.

The fighting was fierce, many on both sides fell, and at nightfall they disengaged with neither side victorious. The two sides contended thus.