 While the tyrant was busy with the recruitment of troops, Alexander II presented himself with his army in Larissa and seized the city.He then took the acropolis and, afterwards Cranon was won for his cause, and Alexander II presumably established a garrison at Cranon.That garrison was probably withdrawn as was a similar one from Larissa when Pelopidas at the head of the Boeotian forces invited by the Thessalians arrived to liberate their cities and overthrow the tyranny of Alexander of Pherae.