Emperor Basil II launches his annual campaign against Bulgaria in the summer of 1014.

From Western Thrace via Serres, he reaches the valley of the Strumeshnitsa river where his troops are halted by a thick palisade guarded by an army under the personal command of the Bulgarian Emperor.

To divert the attention of the enemy, Samuel sends a large force under his general Nestoritsa to the south to attack the second largest city of the Empire, Thessaloniki.

Several days later, Nestoritsa reaches the fields to the west of the city or, according to other historians near the river of Galik, where the Bulgarians confronts a strong army led by the doux (governor) of Thessalonica, Theophylactus Botaniates and his son Michael.

The latter charges the Bulgarians but is surrounded.

In the fierce fighting, the Bulgarians suffer many casualties and pull back under the cover of archers.

A second attack of Michael and the Greek cavalry results in a complete defeat for Nestoritsa's troops and they flee.

The victorious Greeks capture many soldiers.

After securing Thessalonica, Botaniates joins Basil's army at Belasitsa.

Later in the summer, Botaniates and his army are defeated in the gorges to the south of Strumitsa and he perishes in the battle, killed by Samuel's son Gavril Radomir.

Nestoritsa, who survived the defeat, will surrender to Basil II four years later in 1018, after the Emperor enters the capital of Bulgaria, Ohrid.