Histories

This was the course of their expedition into +Thessaly [22.25,39.5] (region), Greece, Europe Thessaly, while the king was planning to cross into Europe (continent)Europe from Asia (continent)Asia and was already at Abydus [26.416,40.2] (deserted settlement), Canakkale, Marmara, Turkey, Asia Abydos. The Thessalians, now bereft of their allies, sided with the Persian wholeheartedly and unequivocally. As a result of this they, in their acts, proved themselves to be most useful to the king.

When they had come to the Isthmus, the Greeks, taking into account what was said by Alexander, deliberated as a body how and where they should stand to fight. It was decided that they should guard the pass of +Thermopylae [22.5583,38.8] (Perseus) Thermopylae, for they saw that it was narrower than the pass into +Thessaly [22.25,39.5] (region), Greece, Europe Thessaly and nearer home.

The pass, then, which brought about the fall of those Greeks who fell at +Thermopylae [22.5583,38.8] (Perseus) Thermopylae, was unknown to them until they came to +Thermopylae [22.5583,38.8] (Perseus) Thermopylae and learned of it from the men of +Trachis [22.55,38.8] (Perseus) Trachis. This pass they were resolved to guard and so stay the barbarian's passage into Greece [22,39] (nation), EuropeHellas, while their fleet should sail to +Artemisium [23.2417,39.0083] (Perseus) Artemisium in the territory of Histiaea. These places are near to each other, and each force could therefore be informed of the other's doings. As for the places themselves, their nature is as follows.

+Artemisium [23.2417,39.0083] (Perseus) Artemisium is where the wide Thracian sea contracts until the passage between the island of Sciathus and the mainland of Nomos Magnisias [22.75,39.25] (department), Thessaly, Greece, EuropeMagnesia is but narrow. This strait leads next to +Artemisium [23.2417,39.0083] (Perseus) Artemisium, which is a beach on the coast of +Euboea [23.833,38.566] (island), Nomos Evvoias, Central Greece and Euboea, Greece, Europe Euboea, on which stands a temple of Artemis.