In 657 BC, Prince Byzas of Megara, a Greek city-state on the Greek mainland (adjacent to Athens, to its southwest), prepared to lead his people to establish a colony on the coast of Asia Minor. He sought an oracle from Delphi to choose a suitable location for the city. The oracle gave him a vague answer: "Build opposite the blind."
Byzas initially didn't understand the meaning of the oracle. However, when his ships arrived at Chalcedon on the eastern side of the Bosphorus Strait, he suddenly understood the oracle's meaning. Chalcedon's geographical location was so poor that it couldn't even see the Golden Horn across the strait; clearly, only a blind man would establish a city there. So, he established a colony on the opposite shore of Chalcedon, naming it Byzantium.
Because Megara was not a strong state, the number of migrants it could provide was limited. After several centuries of development, Byzantium remained a small city, but its location gradually became important. After the rise of Athens, its grain supply mainly came from the city-states of the Euxine Sea. Therefore, Byzantium, having already conquered Chalcedon and controlling the maritime passage between the Euxine Sea and the Aegean Sea, naturally became a key target of Athenian attention. Subsequently, Byzantium joined the Delian League and became an ally of Athens.
After the Peloponnesian War, the victorious Spartans also recognized the strategic importance of Byzantium's location. They not only supported a puppet regime in Byzantium but also garrisoned troops within the city to control the Bosphorus Strait.
One early spring day in 399 BC, Bulkos' ship entered the port of Byzantium. Standing on the bow, he gazed at the densely packed warships, numbering over a hundred, moored in the harbor, and felt a temporary sense of relief: he thought he had arrived in time.
Just as he was following the instructions of the port officials, slowly guiding his ship to the designated dock, the people busy in the harbor suddenly screamed. In the chaos, many people jumped onto ships in panic, untied the mooring ropes, and tried to leave the harbor. Without coordination or command, ships collided with each other, creating a chaotic scene. Some ships were even overturned, and sailors fell into the water in terror...
Bulkos hurriedly ordered his crew to row the ship backward, and fortunately, he had not yet entered the dock, escaping the disaster. Unwilling to give up, he moored his ship outside the harbor and observed the situation. Many people had the same idea as him, and after a while, hundreds of ships, large and small, were anchored outside the harbor, floating up and down with the waves.
Looking at the harbor, which had been a busy scene just moments before, now deserted and littered with debris, Bulkos was filled with doubt. So he loudly asked a neighboring ship: "Hey, what happened?"
"It's those damned mercenaries! The mercenaries returning from Persia are going to attack Byzantium!"
"Mercenaries attacking Byzantium?!" Bulkos' heart leaped. "Why?"
"I don't know. I heard that the Spartans tricked them, saying, 'As long as you go to Byzantium, you will be paid!' But when they arrived in Byzantium, they didn't fulfill their promise and even tricked them out of the city and closed the city gates, so these mercenaries became angry. Alas, in this world, soldiers with shields and spears are like bandits, running rampant everywhere, and it's all the common citizens who suffer!" An old man, who seemed to be a captain, chimed in, saying, "Brother, you're not from Byzantium, are you? Where are you from?"
Bulkos hesitated slightly and said, "Thurii."
"Thurii... Oh, I know that city, isn't it in Magna Graecia? I haven't been there, but I've been to Tarentum, which is a great place, so rich! I say... your place is better! Now Asia Minor is very chaotic, and war can break out anywhere!..."
Bulkos had no intention of listening to an old man's rambling and asked, "Who is in charge of Byzantium now?"
"The Spartan general Cleander." The old man complained, "The Spartans only know how to kill, they don't know how to manage a city-state! It's only been a few years since they occupied Byzantium! Look, it's much worse than before... Alas!"
Bulkos' heart stirred.
He asked, "Old man, what's your name? You've been a captain for many years! You should be familiar with all the shipowners here!"
"Pysilas of Byzantium. I started sailing when Pericles of Athens became the chief general. At that time, he led the Athenian fleet to the Euxine Sea to buy wheat, and I even saw him! I know all the captains and sailors here. I watched many of them grow up..." The old man boasted about his past while seemingly casually asking, "Why, do you want to use a ship?"
"Well... maybe." Bulkos said vaguely.
"To transport something?" The old man continued to ask, unabashedly, "Grain? Timber? Stone? Olive oil?..."
Faced with the old man's nosy questions, Bulkos felt a little helpless. After thinking about it, he said, "...Maybe people."
The old man's eyes widened, and his experienced mind immediately realized something: "Could it be those mercenaries?! No wonder you asked me if I know all the shipowners here! Good! Great! Get them out of here quickly, and we Byzantines might have some peace for a while!"
Bulkos neither admitted nor denied it.
At this moment, a signal came from the port: indicating that everything was safe and that ships could enter the port.
"Hey, brother! If you need a ship, you can come to the port and say to any Byzantine, 'Find Old Pysilas,' and they will bring you to me!" The ships were successively entering the dock, and the old man was still on the stern, shouting to Bulkos.
"Okay!" Bulkos replied, thinking to himself: Should he visit the Spartan commander of Byzantium, Cleander, after going ashore?
.............
In some Thracian villages not far from the walls of Byzantium, the camps of the Greek mercenaries stretched continuously. It was already dusk, and most of the soldiers had already rested. However, candlelight still flickered in one large tent.
Deivos was deep in thought, so much so that he didn't even notice Christoia entering.
"Darling, what are you thinking about?" Christoia stretched out her snow-white arms from behind, hugging Deivos, and asked softly.
Deivos lightly smelled the fragrance of her hair, sighed, and said, "Today we arranged for the soldiers to put on a show, making them appear to be angrily attacking Byzantium, forcing the Spartans to temporarily soften and agree to give us some supplies, but this doesn't solve the fundamental problem.
Mersis sneaked into the city and got some news. The Spartan general Tibron has been appointed as the Spartan governor of Asia Minor, has arrived in Ephesus, and has begun recruiting soldiers. It seems that your judgment is correct, Sparta is preparing to go to war with Persia!
The Spartan Cleander has trapped us here, wanting us to help them eliminate the Thracians nearby, and perhaps also intending to recruit us to help them fight the Persians."
"Didn't Christosopus value you quite a bit? When he went back to report on his duties, he entrusted Anaxibus to take care of you, but unfortunately, you ignored Anaxibus's overtures, and now he's getting along famously with Xenophon." Christoia gently stroked his face, teasingly.
"Xenophon is good at that, but I'm not interested in Sparta." Deivos scratched his head irritably: "If we keep following Sparta to fight, I'm afraid we won't even have a place to be buried when we die. Unfortunately, we are now fish out of water, at the mercy of others!"
Christoia gently kissed him on the cheek: "Darling, don't be so depressed. I met someone when I came, and he might be able to solve your troubles."
"Who?" Deivos was invigorated upon hearing this.
Christoia turned her head and called out to the outside of the tent: "Martius, let him in."
Davos looked intently and saw a middle-aged man walking into the tent. He was of medium height and had a kind and amiable face.
This middle-aged man was also sizing up Davos. Although he had heard some rumors about this mercenary leader before, he was still surprised by his youth when he met him. However, Davos at this time was somewhat different from the one he was half a year ago during the Battle of the Kentrites River. Not only did he have a circle of stubble on his chin and a scar on his face, but the hardships and bloody battles along the way had also given him more vicissitudes and murderous aura, and his eyes were even sharper and more compelling.
"Burkos, a citizen of Thurii, greets Chief Davos!" The middle-aged man stepped forward and saluted Davos.
"Thurii?" Davos was a little confused. Not being a history major in his previous life, he knew nothing about the name of this city-state, and the uneducated residual memories of this body were of no help at all.
At this moment, Christoia saw his confusion and whispered an explanation: "The city of Thurii is located on the west side of the Gulf of Taranto in Greater Greece. It is the youngest Greek colony in southern Italy. After Sybaris was destroyed twice by Croton, the Sybarites who lost their homeland sought help from Athens. At that time, Pericles was serving as the chief general of Athens. He responded to the Sybarites' request and decided to build a pan-Hellenic new city-state on the old site of Sybaris. So he issued a call to the city-states of Greece, including Miletus, and people immigrated there. This is the origin of Thurii…"
"Madam, what you said is absolutely correct. I express my respect for your extensive knowledge!" Although Burkos was surprised by the woman's appearance in the important council chamber, he still behaved politely.
"Sybaris… Sybaris…" Davos felt that this name was somewhat familiar. He muttered a few times repeatedly, and suddenly remembered: "Oh, isn't that the Sybaris where the citizens lived a luxurious life, even using warhorses to train for dancing, and as a result, they were defeated by Croton with music?!"
"Yes." Burkos looked at Davos's excited appearance and couldn't help but wonder if his abilities were really as magical as rumored.
The reason why Davos remembered this story was because the history of Sybaris's demise due to extravagant living had become a fable in the Western world in his previous life, and this story was also related to the famous ancient Greek mathematician Pythagoras. Italy!… Davos thought for a moment, and suddenly became very interested: "What do you want from me?"
Burkos became nervous. At first, he was full of confidence, but the rejection of several leaders in a row made him a little apprehensive. Davos was his last hope: "Thurii is being invaded by natives, so we want to hire you and your soldiers to help us and repel these natives."
Davos and Christoia exchanged glances.
Burkos continued: "Of course, we will pay you generous remuneration!"
"How much can you pay?" Davos leaned forward, asking with interest.
Burkos felt hopeful and immediately perked up: "One Daric gold coin per soldier per month!"
Davos didn't say anything, but instead leaned back.
"Oh, I misremembered, it should be one and a half… Ah, no! No! It should be two, two Daric gold coins!…" Burkos saw that Davos remained expressionless, and his words trembled a little.
"What major event happened in Thurii that makes you so anxious?!" Davos suddenly showed a slight smile.
As soon as Burkos heard this, he thought: This is bad, I underestimated this young man. At the same time, he was anxious about whether the hiring would be successful, and under the young man's subtle temptation, he revealed his true intentions.
"Burkos, if you want me to cooperate with Thurii, then you better tell me the truth!" Davos's words revealed an unquestionable tone.
Burkos heard a glimmer of hope, so he adjusted his emotions and said heavily:
"The Lucanians, the natives of Italy, have launched a large-scale invasion of Thurii's territory. After discussion, the Thurii Citizens' Assembly unanimously decided to send troops to repel the Lucanians. So, we sent 10,000 hoplites and 1,000 cavalry, but suffered a disastrous defeat… The brutal Lucanians wantonly slaughtered our soldiers and cut their bodies into pieces, piling them up outside the city… Less than 300 citizens ran back into the city… When I set off, the natives had not yet attacked the city, but they had already occupied Amendolara, north of Thurii, which caused considerable panic among the citizens of Thurii… Now their hopes are pinned on me! So… So…" As he spoke, Burkos shed tears.
Davos, who had seen too many tragedies in the past year, had become callous. He ignored Burkos's sadness and asked in surprise: "So many soldiers, are they all citizens of Thurii?"
"Yes, Thurii is one of the most prosperous city-states in Greater Greece!" Burkos wiped away his tears and said with a hint of pride.
"An army of 11,000 men actually failed. Are the Lucanians very powerful?" Davos curiously continued to ask.
"No, in fact, the Lucanians seem to only have 8,000 men." Burkos was afraid that Davos would be frightened, so he had to say: "It's just… It's just that the internal affairs of Thurii… Um… Um… mainly because there was no good commander, and they were too reckless and fell into an ambush…"
"Oh, is that so." Davos stroked the stubble on his chin and asked again: "Why don't you ask other city-states for help?"
"Our South Italian Greek city-states have a defensive alliance, but for some reason in recent years, the natives have begun to invade the territories of various city-states on a large scale. Tarentum, Locri… and Croton don't have any extra strength to support us, and Syracuse is also facing an attack from the Carthaginians… I also asked the Spartans for help, but Sparta seems to be at odds with Persia and refused my request, but agreed to provide convenience for me to hire soldiers in Greece…" Burkos said helplessly.
"There is no shortage of soldiers in the whole of Greece now, why look for us?" Davos asked again.
Burkos immediately said flatteringly: "I originally recruited some soldiers in Ephesus, but I heard about you! I think being able to safely retreat from the heart of the Persians proves your bravery and strength most powerfully. If I can hire you with your rich combat experience, then repelling the Lucanians will definitely not be a problem! So, as soon as I heard the merchant ship docked in Ephesus mention that they had seen you in Chrysopolis, I immediately rushed over, but I didn't expect you to be in Byzantium again."
Burkos's flattery did not affect Davos's thinking. He nodded and continued to ask: "Are the Lucanians strong? What kind of troops do they have? What about their equipment? What are their combat characteristics?…"
One question after another was like iron nails hitting Burkos's brain. Burkos was able to cope easily at first, but it became very difficult later, because Davos had already asked some complex questions: such as how large is the Lucanian territory? How many cities are there? What is their main livelihood? What is the political system like? How is their external interaction?…
While Burkos racked his brains to answer Davos's questions, he was surprised that a mercenary leader could ask such profound questions. After feeling Davos's uniqueness, his confidence also increased, because only those who want to go will think of understanding the situation in detail.
"I have a general understanding of the situation." After Davos finished speaking, Burkos breathed a sigh of relief: This is several times more difficult than answering the citizens' questions in the Citizens' Assembly!
"I think Timason, Xanthippus, and Cleanor all rejected you, didn't they?" Davos said.
Burkos looked at him in surprise again.
"My camp is at the very back, you have to go through them before you can get to me. As far as I know, Timason wants to return to Aeolia—his hometown. Xanthippus and Cleanor were invited by Sethes, a tribal leader from Thrace, with a high salary and are preparing to serve him. And Xenophon is now with Anaxibius. I am your only chance, am I not?"
Davos's shrewdness made Burkos no longer want to hide anything. He frankly said: "Yes, Chief Davos, you are my only chance! So will you refuse or agree?"
Davos smiled and said, "My answer is to accept Turi's employment."
Despite having some preparation in his heart, Burkos couldn't help but look surprised.
"Don't be too happy! This is just my personal opinion. I still have to persuade the officers and soldiers under me. Many of them have been fighting in Persia for more than a year and are already tired of war and eager to return to their hometowns." Davos poured cold water on him first, and then said, "I will do my best to persuade them. Of course, the higher your employment salary, the more it will impress them."
"Two Daric gold coins a month for a soldier!" Burkos said decisively.
Davos calculated in his mind and asked, "How many people do you need?"
"Of course, the more the better!" Burkos blurted out without thinking.
"Heh, what big words! If I take 5,000 people there, the monthly salary and supplies would be a huge number. Can Turi afford it?"
"I said that Turi is one of the most prosperous city-states in Greater Greece! Even if you bring 10,000 people, Turi can easily support you for a year on its own!" Burkos said confidently.
"Okay, I hope so." Davos cautiously expressed optimism, and then asked, "Also, how do we get to Turi? How many ships do you have?"
"I have already negotiated with the ship owners of Byzantium. When the time comes, as long as you pay, you can have as many ships as you want!"
"Then, will the Spartans here agree to let us leave for Turi?" At this time, Davos asked the question he was most concerned about.
"I have already obtained the authorization of the Spartan Senate. At the same time, the Byzantine commander Cleander is having a headache over your existence. He is happy to see you leave," Burkos replied confidently.
So, Davos readily agreed: "It seems that you have already arranged everything. Then, I will tell you tomorrow morning the number of soldiers I will lead, and discuss a more detailed employment agreement with you."
"Okay, I'll come again tomorrow morning. I hope to get good news from you!" Although there were some twists and turns at the beginning, it was finally settled, and Burkos left in a happy mood.
"My dear, are you really going to Turi?" Christoya, who had been listening quietly, said.
"Yes!" Davos turned around, his eyes flashing with excitement: "Christoya, maybe this is a good opportunity! An opportunity for us to change from fish in the water to fishermen casting nets!"
… … … … … … … … … …
Matonis sat on the ground, feeling both excited and curious: You must know that since he became the squad leader, he has never participated in any decision-making discussions and formulations in the military camp. This time, the messenger Asistius urgently notified them squad leaders to attend the meeting. Could it be that there is some major decision?
He looked around and saw Oliverus not far away laughing and talking loudly with others. This kid has now become a squad leader, equal in status to him. Every time he sees him, he feels uncomfortable, so he shouted loudly: "Oliverus, there is a military meeting here, not your tent, please be quiet!"
Oliverus turned his head and smiled: "So it's the brave Matonis. Have you punished the two soldiers who violated military regulations and robbed Byzantine citizens?"
When Matonis heard this, although he was full of anger, he did not dare to shout loudly again.
Since entering Armenia, Davos has become an important leader of the mercenaries. His military talent has not only been recognized by the leaders and soldiers, but also conquered the hearts of his subordinates. So he began to gradually rectify and reform this army.
At that time, during the journey in Armenia, the mercenaries constantly had small conflicts with the local natives, and quite a few people were killed and injured, including the team officers. Moreover, Armenia and the later Fasia and Taukia were mostly mountainous areas, and it was not easy for large troops to deploy. So Davos, according to the actual situation, first merged the army composed of fourteen hundred-man teams into seven two-hundred-man companies.
A company governs four fifty-man squads. This is not only convenient for command, but also more flexible and changeable in mountain operations: because a squad has enough strong combat power to repel small groups of enemies, and a regiment has the ability to undertake independent combat missions, because it has four squads, it can use two squads to fight head-on, another squad to outflank the flanks, and another squad to be prepared, and so on.
After this merger and reorganization, the combat effectiveness of his team has been greatly improved. Some soldiers even privately proudly said: "Our Davos is not only a favored one of Hades, but also has been enlightened by Athena!"
Then, Davos took advantage of the death and injury of team officers and promoted capable confidants. For example, Hilos has been promoted to company commander, and Matonis, Oliverus, Georgis, etc. have successively become squad leaders, making his control over his troops more solid.
Next, he began to implement the second step of the reform plan, formulating a "Military Law" to strictly restrain the soldiers. This is simply killing them for free and undisciplined mercenaries. But the situation was special at the time. A considerable part of the conflicts with the local natives were caused by the soldiers' wanton theft and robbery of property, so standardizing military discipline was the best way to reduce conflicts. However, Davos not only rectified military discipline, but also made some regulations on military aspects such as marching, camping, and reconnaissance: for example, Davos was surprised at the simplicity of the mercenaries' construction of camps, and sometimes there was no protection at all, so he stipulated that when camping, the camp must dig trenches, set up deer villages, build earth fortresses, etc.
At first, the soldiers were unwilling to execute it. They were already very tired after marching and fighting, and they had to do this kind of hard work, which was tiring! However, in two night raids by mountain people, the soldiers in other camps collapsed and suffered casualties and property losses. Only Davos's troops were safe and sound under the protection of trenches and earthen walls. The soldiers began to accept this regulation from the bottom of their hearts. Of course, Davos only made some simple regulations in various aspects. He did not dare to be too serious. For example: running away during combat is a serious crime punishable by beheading from ancient times to the present in his previous life, but if he does so, the soldiers in the military camp will have to rebel, so he only adopted some lighter punishments: spanking (not daring to hit too much), fasting, etc. For Greeks who value honor, being stripped of their pants and spanked in front of their comrades is an extremely embarrassing thing. Unless there are special circumstances, they will try to abide by the regulations.
Of course, many soldiers could not bear the restraint and ran to other military camps. In addition to the dead and injured soldiers, the number of soldiers in Davos's military camp should have been greatly reduced. You must know that when the entire Greek mercenary returned to Byzantium, it decreased from the initial 13,000 people (purely referring to soldiers) to 9,000 people (which is already half more than the number in history. Davos played a big role in it). However, the number of soldiers under his command is still similar to when he first took over, about 1,400 soldiers.
The reason why the number of soldiers did not decrease is fourfold:
1. Davos manages the army as fairly and justly as possible. Whether it is a team officer or an ordinary soldier, they are treated equally and there are no special cases. Every time the spoils of battle and looting are distributed to the soldiers by Mariji according to their merits, he himself is empty-handed;
2. His troops have the strongest combat power and the fewest casualties, especially after the military reform. For soldiers who hope to return home alive, it is of course a strong reliance;
3. The medical camp he established cured a large number of injured soldiers, and half of the soldiers chose to stay, among which Christoya's deliberate guidance played a big role;
4. Davos's personal charm. The "Favored One of God", a military genius, is shrouded in mystery, but he is kind and amiable to the soldiers, and even carried the wounded on his own warhorse many times… The soldiers are happy to accept his command and affectionately call him "Our Davos".
Now, Davos is leading the mercenaries and has begun to gradually adapt to these military laws, which seem relatively simple to Davos but are already very strict for these soldiers, in more than half a year of war and in a special environment. Therefore, Matonis knows that his soldiers violated the regulations formulated by Davos before coming to Byzantium, and they will definitely be punished, which is somewhat unacceptable to him who is protective of his shortcomings. At this moment, he has no time to think too much, because Davos has opened the tent curtain and entered the venue with Mariji.
Davos's main tent couldn't accommodate more than forty people, so he had the captain of the guard, Martius, lead thirty men (the number of guards had also been increased) to create an open space in front of the tent, preventing strangers from entering and spying, and lit torches all around…
Davos's gaze swept across everyone's face:
First Heavy Infantry Company Commander—the steady and generous Capus
Second Heavy Infantry Company Commander—Antonios, skilled at recognizing people and seizing opportunities in battle
Third Heavy Infantry Company Commander—the brave Amintas
Fourth Heavy Infantry Company Commander—Alexis, good at thinking and planning
Fifth Heavy Infantry Company Commander—his loyal confidant, Hilos
First Light Shield Company Commander—Epithenes, with strong tactical abilities
Second Light Shield Company Commander—Tzepite, who admired Davos for his piety towards the gods
As well as the logistics officer Melchis, the medical officer Herpus, the messenger Asistetes, and the cavalry captain Lydes (although he had few horses left, Davos still retained this organization and soldiers, after all, they already had a lot of cavalry combat experience). There were also twenty-eight squad leaders, all experienced and talented officers. Plus, there were fourteen hundred veterans who had gone through more than a year of long campaigns. This was his entire foundation for establishing himself in this world!
Tonight, he had to convince them, after a year of long campaigns, to continue to follow him to a foreign land thousands of miles away to fight. He was not very confident about this. Thinking of this, he coughed lightly and said, "Brothers, the farce you performed in Byzantium today was excellent! Cleander immediately expressed sympathy for our situation and is willing to provide us with some food. This is all thanks to you!"
Everyone laughed.
Olyphus even said loudly, "Chief, this is not a farce, but a comedy. You didn't see the Byzantines fainting in fright!"
Everyone laughed again, but Matonis, with a guilty conscience, had to lower his head and chuckle.
"Yes, a comedy." Davos sighed softly and said, "But how long can this comedy last? We are trapped here, unable to go anywhere, and afraid to go. According to reliable sources, Sparta is preparing to go to war with Persia, and the Spartan general Thibron has arrived in Ephesus to recruit soldiers. How could he let go of us veterans with rich experience in fighting Persia! Before long, we may be fighting on Persian soil again!"
"Is this true? I'm tired of fighting the Persians, I don't want to go back!"
"How could this be?! I was planning to buy a piece of land in Crete and find a wife…"
…
The crowd immediately became agitated, discussing and arguing anxiously…
Davos did not answer them, but revealed another shocking piece of news: "Moreover, the rather kind-hearted Cleander is about to step down, and the Spartan Aristarcus will take his place!"
Someone gasped.
Davos glanced in that direction and said coldly, "Some of you know him, some of you don't. I'll tell you, this Spartan was very famous in the previous war with Athens! Not because he was brave in battle, but because—" Davos's expression was solemn, and he emphasized each word, "He twice sold defeated Greeks into slavery!!"
This was like pouring a can of cold water into a boiling oil pot, and the crowd immediately exploded.
"Does he want to sell us?!"
"If he dares to do that, I'll fight him to the death!"
"We are free people, not enemies of Sparta! They have no reason to do this, and it violates Greek tradition!"
"Sparta has always been tyrannical and domineering, and now it is the overlord of Greece, so it can do whatever it wants!"
…
Davos stared at the panicked crowd,
His voice full of emotion, he said: "We are free Greeks, living hard for survival. But, in the eyes of the Spartans, in the eyes of those city-state citizens, we are landless untouchables, thieves and robbers who threaten the stability of the city-states! Therefore, Anaxius can deceive us at will (referring to this Spartan naval officer who deceived them into going to Byzantium, saying he would pay them, but broke his promise as soon as they arrived)! Cleander can also deceive us at will, tricking us out of the city, closing the city gates, not giving us food, and making us face the numerous Thracians! Sparta is so powerful, do we dare to resist?! Either be sold into slavery, not having enough to eat or wear, until one day we die of exhaustion on a farm or mine, and then be thrown into the wilderness; or follow Sparta to fight, covered in wounds every day, until we die in some unknown wilderness; of course, it is also possible to return to our hometown safely, but so what?! As a landless freeman, we are outsiders in any city-state, unable to enjoy any rights of the city-state, and will be spurned until we die silently…"
The crowd listened quietly, so quiet that one could hear someone sobbing…
At this time, Davos was also full of tears: "Is this the result we wanted after fighting bloody battles in Persia for a year and struggling to return home! Don't we even have the right to a stable and happy life! Is there no place in this world for us poor freemen to live in peace!!!"
Davos's heartfelt roar and questioning awakened every officer present. They clenched their fists, gritted their teeth, their eyes angry and painful…
Hilos stood up, trembling, and stretched out his hands, saying: "Chief Davos! Our commander! Favored one of Hades! Please tell us, what should we do?! What should we do to get rid of our predicament!!"
"Yes, Chief Davos, we need your oracle!!" Hilos's words reminded many people, and Capus, Antonios, and others excitedly pleaded with Davos.
When everyone's eyes were focused on Davos's face, his expression became extremely solemn: "Last night… someone entered my dream. The golden light radiating from his body made it impossible for me to see his face clearly… He pulled me from the bed, through the window, and flew all the way into the sky… I looked down in fear, and the Mediterranean Sea appeared clearly before my eyes like a painting… The Peloponnese peninsula was like a hammer deep into the sea, and to the west, next to it, Italy was like a leather boot… Further west, I also saw the Pillars of Hercules like a door separating the Mediterranean from the ocean… The Mediterranean coast of Egypt was like a long green carpet extending all the way to Africa…"
Davos's dreamlike narration attracted everyone. They compared it with their own geographical knowledge and discovered that the Mediterranean Sea was actually like this, which made them deeply believe in Davos's words.
"At this time, the person radiating golden light said something to me?"
"What did he say?" Everyone asked in unison.
"He said, 'Davos, the mission of you and your soldiers is in the west of the Mediterranean Sea!' After saying that, he pushed me down from the sky, and then I woke up in fright." Davos said with lingering fear, as if still in a dream.
"The west of the Mediterranean Sea, where is that?"
"Is it in Sicily?"
"It could be Italy."
"Iberia is also possible."
"Why couldn't it be Nubia."
"Who is that golden man, Hades?"
"How could Hades have golden light? It should be Athena!"
… … …
Just when everyone was speculating, Davos sighed inwardly. Since he became the chief, he had deliberately avoided his identity as a "favored one of the gods" and instead won the trust of his subordinates through his own abilities. But this time was of great importance, and he had to rely on the Greek gods once again. He deliberately made the oracle ambiguous,
Because oracles are inherently ambiguous. For example: in the past, there was a kingdom of Lydia in Asia Minor, which wanted to go to war with Persia. They specially went to Delphi and spent a lot of money to seek the oracle of Apollo. The oracle said: A great country will be destroyed. The Lydians happily went back to war, but the result was the destruction of the kingdom of Lydia. The Apollo priest's explanation was: In Asia Minor, the kingdom of Lydia was also a great country.
"At first, I didn't know what 'the West of the Mediterranean' meant. But today, when the Thurii envoy came to me, I understood that the dream was coming true!" Davos excitedly gave a brief introduction to Bulkos's matter.
"Thurii wants to hire us to fight the natives?" Kappus asked.
"Yes, I heard that the entire Magna Graecia region is under threat from the natives, and Thurii is just the most severely affected city-state," Davos explained.
While everyone was still considering whether to accept the invitation, Antonios stood up and said, "But Persia is far away from us, and Thurii is equally distant. Going to Thurii to fight is no different from being in Persia!"
Davos secretly gave Antonios an appreciative look, because he raised the question on the surface, but in fact, it was to facilitate Davos to further explain. Davos said seriously, "We fought with Sparta against Persia. If we win, Sparta benefits, and we only get meager pay; if we lose, we fall on foreign land, and even our souls cannot return to Hades. But going to Magna Graecia is different—"
Davos looked around at everyone and said with slight excitement, "First of all, as I just said, Thurii's payment to us is two Daric gold coins per person per month, which is much more than what Cyrus the Younger gave us; secondly, the Magna Graecia region is full of Greeks like us, and we will not lack support in helping them fight on the land of the same race, and we will also receive care and attention; thirdly, Magna Graecia is different from the barren Greek mainland. There are many rivers and fertile land there, and every city-state is very wealthy. Who knows how many people there were in Athens during the time of Pericles?" Davos asked, but his eyes turned to Alexias, because this hoplite captain from Megara had studied in Athens for two years when he was young.
As expected, he did not disappoint Davos. After a little thought, he said, "About 300,000 people."
"Yes, 300,000 people, an amazing number! But do you know? Decades ago, Syracuse in Magna Graecia also had 300,000 people! And Thurii, Croton, Locri, Taranto, Rhegium, Agrigento, etc. are all large city-states like Syracuse (Davos learned all this information from Christoia)! So what we are going to is not a remote and backward area, but a prosperous city, where there are many opportunities waiting for us!" Davos tried his best to praise the prosperity of Magna Graecia.
"Chief Davos, what are the opportunities you are talking about? Defeating the Lu... Lucanians, getting rich rewards, or something else?!" The clever Epitenes noticed the hidden meaning in his words and asked.
"Good question! This is also the last and greatest benefit of going to Thurii that I am about to say—" Davos raised a finger and said spiritedly: "The envoy said, 'Due to the large-scale invasion of the Lucanians and Brutii, some small towns in Magna Graecia, especially Southern Italy, have been occupied by the natives.' What does this mean for us?!"
Davos turned his finger into a fist and waved it forcefully in the air: "It means that after we gain a foothold in Magna Graecia and recapture a small city, we will have the opportunity to become the masters of this city! We will no longer be landless freemen despised by others, we will be citizens of a city-state with land! We will no longer be mercenaries who are at everyone's beck and call and cannot decide our own destiny, but the masters of the city-state! I think this is the mission that the 'Dreamer' told me! No matter what your decision is, I have decided to go to Magna Graecia to fulfill my mission!!"
The venue fell into a strange silence, with only rapid breathing sounds. Everyone's eyes were fixed on Davos's raised fist, filled with extreme desire. For thousands of years, the Greeks of various city-states have fought each other for the not-so-large and sandy barren land of Greece, wasn't it all for land! The reason why Greeks became a seafaring people was also due to the pressure of overpopulation and lack of land! Mercenaries are Wandering for a living,
Isn't it just the helplessness of not having roots! Now, a hope of owning land is in front of them, how can they not be ecstatic, fearing that the flame of hope will be extinguished!
In this moment of silence, Zippetes weakly said first: "But there are many powerful natives there. The people of Magna Graecia can't stop them, how can we—"
"We are not the trash of Magna Graecia! The Lucanians will never be stronger than the Ducetians and Carducians! If you are afraid, don't go!" Amintas shouted disdainfully.
"Who said I'm not going! Chief Davos, since it is Hades's mission to you, I will assist you in completing it even if I sacrifice my life!" Zippetes opened his palms and gave Davos a sacred kneeling salute.
"Davos, I am your strong shield, how can going to Thurii be without me!" Hiros raised his right fist and stood up.
"And I, Amintas, am your pointed spear. It won't work to only have a shield without a spear!" Another fist was raised.
"Chief, please let me continue to handle military affairs for you, so that you have more time to think about how to win the war!" Philisius stood up.
"Chief, going to Thurii naturally requires me, the vanguard!" Antonios stood up.
"Chief, let me continue to manage the middle road for you!" Kappus also stood up.
"And I, Alexias, will always be your reserve force at critical moments!" Another fist was raised high.
"How can we light shield soldiers who can fight and surrender be missing from going to Thurii!" Epitenes stood up with a smile.
"Davos, don't forget, you still lack an important quartermaster!" A chubby fist was raised.
"My respected teacher, I still want to continue to study medical theory with you, so wherever you go, I will follow!" Herpus stood up solemnly.
"I am your messenger, you can't leave me behind!" Asistetes hurriedly stood up.
… … …
Davos looked at the forty or so fists stretched straight into the sky, like a small forest rising up, ready to greet the baptism of the coming storm, he couldn't help but feel his blood boil, his right hand suddenly waved forward: "Brothers, follow me, let's go to the West together to find our 'Elysian Paradise'!"
… … … … … … … … … … … …
After Davos received a warm response from the team officers, he discussed with them: to keep the true purpose of going to Thurii a secret, otherwise they would be hindered a lot.
Everyone immediately swore to the god of the underworld.
Then, Davos asked them to go back and try their best to persuade the soldiers to go. And he also asked them to secretly go to other military camps to secretly persuade the soldiers to join. These veterans with rich combat experience had fought together before, and Davos didn't want to give them up.
Then, Davos took Mariji back to the military tent. Before he could speak, Mariji said, "I am willing to go to Thurii with you."
Davos turned around and smiled, "You are very smart."
"Isn't that why you let me listen in?" Mariji said angrily, "If I don't agree, what will you do? Kill me?"
Davos shook his head and said, "I will only tie your hands and feet and throw you into the cabin. When we get to Thurii, I will let you out."
"Davos, I have always thought that you are a Greek with cultivation, knowledgeable and trustworthy. I didn't expect you to be the same robber as them!" Mariji said through gritted teeth.
"Is this what a slave says to a master who saved his life?" Davos said with feigned surprise.
"Slave?" Mariji looked shocked, with an expression of having misjudged Davos.
"What do you think you are in the eyes of Timason and Cleander? If I leave you, your wife, and your daughter here, what do you think will happen!" Davos sneered.
"You said you would send me to Asia Minor!" Marigis said with grief and indignation.
"There's going to be war in Asia Minor, didn't you hear just now!"
"I… I can go to the remote mountainous areas of Asia Minor and live in anonymity!" Marigis still stubbornly argued.
"That's such a waste of your talent, Marigis. I've always thought that Cyrus the Younger only using you as his personal merchant buried your abilities! Of course, in Persia, your background limited your chances of advancement! But following me, you won't be restricted in any way. I will give you a vast world to display your talents!" Davos promised him.
"Follow you?! Go fight and kill with the natives again, and then become a king in a 'small village'?" Marigis curled his lips.
"Marigis, there's a saying in the East, 'Thirty years east of the river, thirty years west of the river.' Your Persian founding monarch Cyrus was initially just the leader of a small Persian tribe, often bullied by the Medes. Who would have known that decades later he would establish a powerful empire! Today, I am just a mercenary leader, but decades later, I may not necessarily have a glorious day!!" Davos said with confidence and boldness.
"You… how can you compare to Cyrus the Great!" Marigis said disdainfully, but his voice was much lower. Davos's scorching gaze made him afraid to look directly at him. He hesitated again and again, and said squirmingly: "Do I have a choice?"
Davos smiled: "What do you think!"
"If… if you really succeed, what will you have me do?" Marigis raised his head, his eyes meeting Davos's.
Davos pondered for a moment, raised two fingers, and said seriously: "Two choices. One is to have you serve as the Minister of Foreign Affairs, responsible for diplomatic affairs with all city-states; the other is to newly establish a Minister of Commerce, responsible for all commercial and trade affairs."
Marigis hesitated again and again, and finally made up his mind: "The last negotiation with the Ksocontes tribe was enough to make me worried and afraid. I choose the second one!"
"Okay, I will keep it for you!" Davos made a promise.
… … … … … … … … … … … … …
The next day, Bulkos was very excited when he learned that all the company officers of the Davos army would go to Thurii. Davos asked Marigis to discuss the employment agreement with Bulkos, while he extricated himself to focus on persuading the soldiers to accept the employment of Thurii.
In fact, most of the mercenaries were extremely poor, with nothing to worry about, so they chose this life of licking blood from the knife's edge. The long war career made them unable to adapt to a peaceful life. Moreover, the strong contrast between their longing for their homeland in Persia and the treatment they received in the Greek city-states, under the charm of Davos and the attraction of Thurii's generous salary, only more than 300 people chose to stay, and the remaining soldiers were willing to go to Greater Greece with Davos. At the same time, the company officers' lobbying in other military camps also yielded results. Because they were about to return to their hometowns, the generals were both unwilling and unable to control the soldiers, which led to soldiers from other military camps joining one after another. By the evening, the total number of Davos's army reached more than 2,000 people, and even Hieronimus, a general, was among them.
The fierce debate also came to an end. The main contents of the final determined employment agreement were:
1. Thurii hires the troops led by Chief Davos, totaling 2,133 people, with a salary of two daric gold coins per soldier per month, which must be paid in full at the end of each month, and provides free residency and rations of one catty of wheat flour per person per day. If there are any arrears or delays, the salary and rations for the next month will be doubled. (This is to learn from the lessons of Cyrus the Younger. Due to his premature death, the mercenaries not only did not receive a penny of reward, but also had to pay for their lives and spend a year returning from Persia. Therefore, Davos learned to be good. If the mercenaries drove back the Lucanians early, wouldn't it be troublesome if Thurii no longer hired them! Therefore, he set a time limit, and regardless of whether the task was completed or not, he had to pay according to the agreement within the time limit)
2. The mercenaries are only responsible for defending Thurii and repelling the Lucanian's attack on Thurii's direct territory. Other requirements will be discussed separately. (This is because Davos was afraid that the people of Thurii would propose some additional difficult tasks, such as attacking the Lucanian territory, etc., which would greatly deplete Davos's troops.)
3. After the mercenaries arrive in Thurii, they must not violate Thurii's laws. If there is any violation, they will be punished according to Thurii's laws.
4. Without Thurii's permission, the mercenaries must not enter the city of Thurii.
5. In battle, the spoils of the mercenaries belong to the mercenaries.
… …
The agreement was signed on April 1st of the second year of the 95th Olympic Games (that is, 399 BC) and will end on April 1st of the third year. When the contract period expires, it will be decided whether to renew it according to the wishes of both parties.
Bulkos, in the name of the Thurii Council, swore an oath to the gods with Davos, and then signed his name on two copies of the agreement written on parchment (under the teaching of Christoya, Davos had initially mastered the Greek script).
Bulkos stuffed the parchment into his arms and asked seemingly casually: "Chief Davos, there is a question I don't quite understand. You are going to take all those slaves and women to Thurii, and you have to pay for their food yourself, and protect them from being looted by the Lucanians. It's obviously a burden. Why don't you just sell them here? Why do you have to bring them?"
There were nearly 500 slaves and women. To prevent Bulkos from becoming suspicious, Davos had to answer seriously: "Most of the mercenaries are single men, and they don't have money to buy slaves to help with work, nor do they have money to marry wives. Therefore, they regard these slaves and women looted from Persia as their precious property. If I don't bring them, the soldiers probably won't go to Thurii with us!"
"Actually, there's no need. They will all be rich people in a year." Bulkos said jokingly. The agreement was signed smoothly, and he was in a good mood.
"That also requires being alive!" Davos replied.
"Okay." Bulkos shrugged helplessly and said: "I'm just worried that they will affect your battle. Now that the agreement has been signed, we will set off next year. I have already contacted the ships. Now I have to rush to the city to prepare food and water according to the number of your team."
"Has Cleander allowed us to enter the city?"
"Oh, I almost forgot!" Bulkos patted his forehead: "Cleander allows you to enter the city, but requires you to enter the city empty-handed."
"Empty-handed?" Davos's heart trembled.
"That is, give up your round shields, spears, and swords." Bulkos comforted: "However, it doesn't matter. When you arrive in Thurii, we will equip you with new weapons and equipment."
"No, it matters, it matters very much!" Davos looked serious and said word by word: "We will never give up our weapons!" Not to mention the things that Clearchus and the others were deceived back then, but also the fact that the local natives greeted them with smiles and then turned their swords against them on the way back. If this is Cleander's conspiracy, wouldn't it be inviting death for the mercenaries to enter the city empty-handed! Davos would never allow his life to be in the hands of others! Weapons are his reliance!
"But if you don't give up your weapons, Cleander won't let you enter the city, and we won't be able to set off!" Bulkos said anxiously.
Davos thought for a while and made a concession: "I can let the soldiers wrap the spearheads with cloth and wrap the swords, but I will never give up the weapons!" He reiterated again.
Seeing that Davos's attitude was tough, Bulkos had no choice but to compromise: "Okay, I will negotiate with Cleander again."
Cleandridas finally agreed to the mercenaries' request to bring weapons into the city. Davos's request for the soldiers to wrap their weapons in cloth was not the main reason; the half-talent of Tarentum silver that Burcus gave to Cleandridas was the key to opening the city gates. After learning the truth, Davos couldn't help but sigh: The Spartans, known for their simple living, have also begun to accept bribes!
The next morning, the leaders, officers, and soldiers of the mercenary camps all came to see off the departing troops.
As comrades who had fought together for a year in difficult circumstances, not only the soldiers but also the officers and leaders offered their sincere blessings. Even Timason, who initially disliked Davos, gave him a strong hug: "If I were a few years younger, I would go to Magna Graecia with you."
"You're not old now," Davos said with a smile.
Timason pointed to his chest: "This part is old, and I just want to go home! Anyway, I hope you come back alive! And—" Timason took a deep breath and said softly, "Thank you for your great help to us. If it weren't for you, many more of us would have died!"
"This is the result of our joint efforts! It's an honor to fight alongside you!" Davos said modestly.
"It should be my honor. May Zeus bless you and make everything go smoothly!" Timason said sincerely.
"You too! I hope we can meet again!" Davos waved goodbye to him.
… … … … … … … … … …
After Timason, Cleanor, and Xanthippus led the soldiers back a few hundred meters, the gates of Byzantium opened, and Davos led his army into the city.
Xanthippus sighed: "Time flies so fast. The time to part has finally come! It seems like just yesterday that Davos was elected leader and gave his speech!"
Xanthippus's words evoked a sense of sadness among the leaders: After more than half a year of fighting side by side, the time had finally come for them to go their separate ways.
The men silently gazed at the city of Byzantium until the city gates closed.
At this moment, the messenger Tormides said: "Do you think Davos is truly a favorite of Hades?"
"If not, then he is a very capable leader. But have you ever seen a leader with such strong abilities who is also so young?" Timason retorted. He would rather admit that Davos was a favorite of the gods than admit that Davos was indeed more capable than them.
Cleanor and Xanthippus both shook their heads.
"I think that when Chrysopus finds out that Davos has gone to Magna Graecia, he will probably be very regretful. You all saw that Chrysopus clearly wanted Davos to become a Spartan guest and asked Anaxis to take care of him before he left. Unfortunately, Anaxis underestimated this young man, and Davos would rather go to Magna Graecia than go to Sparta," Cleanor said gleefully.
"No one likes Sparta; they are too domineering!" Timason's words resonated with everyone.
"But why did Hieronimus also choose to go to Magna Graecia?" Tormides asked.
"Isn't it because of that Athenian!" Timason raised his eyebrows: "The soldiers re-elected their leader in Sinope, and as a result, Hieronimus lost his position as leader and let that eloquent Cerophenes take his place. Perhaps he wants to get away from here and prove himself in Magna Graecia."
"It's good not to be a leader; at least there are fewer things to worry about. But soon we can also easily go home!" Xanthippus said, which also caused the other men to sigh with emotion.
Perhaps realizing that there was not much time left for gatherings, the four men solemnly saluted and then turned their horses and galloped toward their respective camps.
… … … … … … … … … … … …
Spartan soldiers, fully armed, lined both sides of the street. Under the watchful eyes of their gleaming spears, Davos's troops marched in formation toward the harbor.
The mercenaries tried their best not to look at the Spartan soldiers on both sides of the street and the Byzantine people behind them.
They looked straight ahead and moved forward with an attitude that was neither arrogant nor humble.
"Damn mercenaries, get out!" A Byzantine suddenly roared and threw a rotten date at Davos, who was walking in the front, immediately breaking the previous calm.
"Get out of Byzantium!"
"Robbers!"
"Thieves!"
"The gods will punish you and make you die a horrible death!"
… …
The Byzantine people cursed like a tide and kept throwing debris at the mercenaries walking in the middle of the road.
Although Davos had anticipated this beforehand and warned the mercenaries, he felt the danger at this moment. He protected his head with one hand and shouted urgently: "Assistantes, lead your messengers and quickly tell every officer to strictly control the soldiers under their command and not let them leave the ranks!"
Davos's order came in time. Some of the newly joined mercenaries began to get angry. If it weren't for the fully armed Spartan warriors on the side of the road, they would have rushed up and fought with the Byzantine people.
The officers ran up and down to prevent them from making mistakes. Davos also gave an order at the right time: "The whole army, run forward!"
… …
Cleandridas stood on the rooftop platform of the official residence, overlooking the mercenaries passing through the street. Seeing that these undisciplined mercenaries were able to restrain themselves and did not clash with the Byzantine people, his plan to confiscate the mercenaries' weapons failed, and he couldn't help but feel surprised.
"Who is the leader of this mercenary army?" he asked casually.
"It seems to be called…Davos," the adjutant thought for a moment and replied.
Davos? Cleandridas felt that this name was a bit familiar, but he couldn't remember where he had heard it: "The mercenaries he leads are not bad."
"Sir, do you want to stop them?"
"Forget it," Cleandridas waved his hand. He had accepted bribes from the Thurii merchants. The reason why he had designed this little conspiracy was that once a conflict occurred, he could justifiably confiscate the mercenaries' weapons to silence his subordinates.
The mercenaries endured the humiliation, suppressed their anger, and quickened their pace, wishing they could reach the port in a few steps.
After the mercenaries and slave women boarded the ships separately and everything was arranged, the fleet of fifty-seven merchant ships sailed away from the port of Byzantium, and the soldiers began to curse loudly. Even Assistantes, who had a good temper, couldn't help but shout: "Byzantines, one day—one day I will repay this humiliation!"
Davos ignored how the soldiers vented their anger. He stood quietly at the stern, watching the city of Byzantium disappear below the horizon…
The fleet entered the Sea of Marmara, then turned south, and was intercepted halfway by a dozen Spartan warships coming head-on.
Burcus had no choice but to have his flagship approach and personally board the Spartan flagship to request passage.
After a while, he had his men carry a large box to the warship.
After waiting for about an hour, he and his men returned to the ship. He breathed a sigh of relief and gave the order: "We can set off."
"What exactly is going on?" Davos asked curiously.
"The Spartans now control this strait. Any large fleet passing through here must be inspected by them, especially since I hired you from Byzantium," Burcus said, taking the water cup handed over by his men.
"Why is that?" Davos was even more curious.
"Since Sparta defeated Athens and controlled the Aegean Sea, there has been a regulation that 'any city-state that wants to hire soldiers within Sparta's sphere of influence must obtain their permission.' And Byzantium is now occupied by Sparta, so of course it is also within Sparta's sphere of influence. In the Magna Graecia region, only Dionysius of Syracuse has ever obtained Sparta's permission to hire soldiers in Sparta for a long time, even on their own territory."
"Dionysius?"
"A tyrant and dictator of Syracuse!" Burcus said with disgust, clearly having a bad impression of him, while Davos remembered the name.
"Fortunately, the situation is special this time. I persuaded the Spartan Council of Elders and obtained a certificate of permission to hire," Burcus said, taking a sip of water and sighing: "Even so, I still had to spend half a talent to smooth things over. Alas…how have the Spartan generals become so greedy!"
He looked at Davos and said, "I hope you will prove that my spending is worthwhile with your performance on the battlefield!"
"You will see!" Davos said seriously.
At this moment, someone on the opposite warship shouted: "Davos! Davos!"
Note: As of this chapter, Davos's story in Persia can be considered to have come to a real end. Will he still have any interaction with Timason, Cleanor, and other mercenary leaders, as well as the Persian governors Tissaphernes and Orontas?
Let's wait and see…