The pass was guarded by ten thousand Persians.

Recognizing the impossibility of forcing it, Astyages again detached a body of troops, who marched along the foot of the range till they found a place where it could be ascended, when they climbed it and seized the heights directly over the defile.

The Persians upon this had to evacuate their strong position, and to retire to a lower range of hills very near to Pasargadge.

Here again there was a two days' fight.

On the first day all the efforts of the Medes to ascend the range (which, though low, was steep, and covered with thickets of wild olive) were fruitless.