 After the Nicaean victory , John Palaiologos invaded Thessaly , while Alexios Strategopoulos and John Raoul Petraliphas were tasked with reducing Epirus proper . Strategopoulos and Petraliphas crossed the Pindus , bypassed Ioannina , which they left under siege , and captured the Epirote capital , Arta , forcing the Despot Michael II to flee to the island of Cephalonia . At Arta they found and released many Nicaean prisoners , including the historian George Akropolites . For this success , he was raised to the rank of Caesar . In the next year , however , the Nicaean successes were largely undone : Despot Michael with his sons and an Italian mercenary army landed at Arta , and the Epirote population rallied to his cause . The Epirote army clashed with Alexios ' forces at the <unk> pass near <unk> ; the Nicaean army was routed , and Alexios himself captured . 
