Sulla having landed with his army at Epirus, at once marched to Athens, for by this time both the city and the Peiræus were strongly fortified, and held by Archelaus, the general of Mithridates.
The Roman commander determined to besiege the citadel, and to surround Athens with soldiers, to prevent the citizens from escaping, or provisions from being sent to their relief.
As he had neither money nor material for the siege, Sulla robbed the temples of Greece of their treasures.
Timber was brought from far and near in carts drawn by mules, ten thousand, it is said, in number. When even this was found not to be enough, Sulla ordered the sacred groves to be cut down, as well as the trees which surrounded the famous academy of Athens.
But, in spite of the forts he built and the trenches he dug, Sulla could not take the Peiræus.
As they worked, the Roman soldiers were often interrupted by Archelaus, who with his troops would sally out of the citadel to attack them.
At length Sulla was convinced that without a fleet he need not hope to take the citadel, for the harbour was commanded by the ships of Mithridates.
CHAPTER XCVII
SULLA BESIEGES ATHENS
The Peiræus could not, indeed, be starved into submission as long as the king held the harbour, but Athens was already suffering from famine.