The Athenians under Xenophon marched into Thrace to attack Chalcis. They destroyed the crops outside Spartolus and began negotiating with pro-Athenian factions in Chalcis, but the anti-Athenian factions asked for help from Olynthus. An army from Chalcis, Spartolus, and Olynthus met the Athenians in battle, but their hoplites were defeated and they retreated to Spartolus; their cavalry, however, was victorious against the Athenian troops. Reinforcements soon arrived from Olynthus, and they launched a second attack on the Athenians. The Athenians panicked and were routed, with all of their generals and 430 other men killed.