The people of Antiparah held the city of Antiparah, one of the cities the Lamanites had taken during the wars recorded in the book of Alma (Alma 56:14). The city was garrisoned by the strongest and most numerous Lamanite army (Alma 56:34).
The Lamanite king Ammoron sent Helaman, the Nephite commander, an epistle offering to deliver up the city in exchange for the prisoners of war the Nephites held. Helaman replied that his forces were sufficient to take the city by force and that he would give up prisoners only in exchange for prisoners, not for the city. Ammoron refused, and the Nephites began preparing to march against Antiparah. The people of Antiparah then left the city and fled to their other cities to fortify them, and the city fell to the Nephites without a battle (Alma 57:1-4).