Kornelius and the other five nodded repeatedly, agreeing with Davos's words. They all felt that Davos was very calm and clear-thinking, perfectly suited to be the Archon. The new citizens, however, were somewhat disappointed, sighing repeatedly.
Just then, Hylos shouted from the crowd, "Since he can't be king, he can be a lifelong Archon! Just like Dionysius of Syracuse, Syracuse is not only not hostile to the surrounding city-states, but they even seek help from Syracuse!"
"That's right! Let him be a lifelong Archon! That way we don't have to worry about mediocre people managing Amendolara!" Olivus also shouted.
"Davos, lifelong Archon!" Matonis, GeoGris, and others followed suit.
The enthusiasm of the new citizens was reignited.
Listening to the increasingly loud calls, Kornelius was anxious. He wanted to tell the mercenaries below who only knew how to kill: Dionysius of Syracuse seized the city-state's power through bloody violence, not elected by the Citizen Assembly. Besides, Syracuse is the most powerful city-state in Magna Graecia, how dare other city-states be hostile to it.
Faced with the boiling crowd below, Kornelius retreated again. He once again cast his gaze at Davos, hoping that this calm-headed young leader could once again deny the soldiers' unreasonable demands, but Davos said, "Since the citizens of Amendolara have chosen me to be the lifelong Archon! I accept this position you have given me. I swear to Hades that I will use all my wisdom and ability to lead you to develop Amendolara into a more prosperous and powerful city, and give you a better future!"
The crowd cheered.
"These freemen who don't understand anything! They don't even know what a lifelong Archon means! Kornelius, you have to persuade that young leader!…" Listening to his companion's panicked low voice, Kornelius mustered his courage and stepped forward: "Davos… um… Amendolara has never had a lifelong Archon. This violates Amendolara's laws and traditions. We must make them stop this farce!"
Davos suddenly turned his head, his eyes shining: "A farce?! You say this is a farce?! Isn't the Citizen Assembly the highest authority in a city-state! Any bill doesn't necessarily have to be proposed by it, but it must be approved by it before it can be implemented, right?! Aren't the people shouting below citizens of Amendolara! Aren't they far more than half! Isn't the resolution proposed by them and passed by their vote in accordance with Amendolara's legal procedures!!…"
Davos's voice was like iron nails piercing into Kornelius. He couldn't resist at all, stammering in response: "But… but…"
"Or do you want to say to them, 'Citizens, your proposal is wrong, we will not approve it!'" Davos sneered and continued.
Kornelius looked at the dense, cheering crowd below. He swallowed and subconsciously shrank back.
Davos sneered at Kornelius and said, "After Athens, the model of Greek city-state democracy, was defeated, some citizens became suspicious of the democratic system. Athens was able to introduce the 'Thirty Tyrants' to power, which was inseparable from their support. Many Greek city-states in the east have already begun to abandon the democratic system. Isn't Amendolara's suffering today caused by the bad effects of the democratic system?"
Davos's voice was loud, and not only Kornelius, but also the other five citizens on the stage heard it clearly, and they were all speechless. Indeed, the Archon Marcellus at that time strongly advocated defending the city against the Lucanians and opposed leaving their hometown; while the other Archon, Grattabaflo, tended to temporarily move to Thurii, and the people were divided into two factions because of this. In a situation where the two sides couldn't agree, some people couldn't wait for a resolution to be reached and forcibly wanted to leave Amendolara, including Kornelius and the others.
In the end, in order to prevent division, the people of Amendolara had no choice but to pass a resolution to leave together…
Guilt and fear surged into his heart at the same time. Kornelius felt his throat dry. He swallowed again, and then he heard the terrible Davos solemnly say: "Don't worry, I swear to Hades that your rights will not only be protected, but will also be better!…"
Just as Davos was making a promise to Kornelius and the others, someone below said, "I agree that Davos should be the lifelong Archon!"
"I agree too!"
…
The citizens expressed their approval one after another.
Kornelius walked step by step, heavily, to the front of the stage. He didn't know what consequences this decision would bring to Amendolara, he only knew that if this matter didn't come to a conclusion today, the enraged mercenaries would definitely smash Amendolara to pieces.
No longer in the mood to regret whether he had "invited a wolf into the house", Kornelius stood at the front of the stage, calmed himself, and reluctantly said: "The proposal for Davos to be the lifelong Archon of Amendolara has been passed. From today onwards, Davos will serve as the lifelong Archon of Amendolara, until his soul returns to the underworld…"
"Long live!"
"Long live!!"
…
The new citizens below cheered as if they had won a great victory, forming an ocean of joy.
The original citizens of Amendolara: some were angry, whispering curses; some were indifferent, as if it had nothing to do with them; and some cheered with the new citizens…
Sesta and a very few squad leaders who had some different opinions on this were lost, but they all tried to squeeze out a smile.
Davos smiled, stepped forward, and said loudly: "As your newly appointed lifelong Archon, in order to better govern Amendolara, I propose that Kornelius serve as the Vice-Archon!"
"Agreed!!" Not only the new citizens who were in high spirits, but even many of the original citizens shouted in unison. They thought that with Kornelius's assistance, this young and unfamiliar lifelong Archon would at least not mess things up, but they didn't know that Kornelius's mood had fallen to the bottom.
Kornelius wasn't entirely concerned about Davos changing Amendolara's power structure and adding new positions, mainly because he had hoped to elect another Archon, even if it was a one-year election, at least to check and balance Davos's power. He didn't expect Davos to not give him this opportunity at all, directly erasing the Amendolara political tradition of "dual Archons". The position of Vice-Archon sounded like it was subordinate to the Archon. Davos wanted to be a dictator!
For Davos, more than half a year of training and the knowledge of his previous life made him not very agree with the democratic system of the Greek city-states in this world, especially in this era of war. He confidently felt that a rule led by himself and assisted by others was more efficient and powerful than a rule divided by many people!
After careful analysis and preparation, he believed that although Greeks have a tradition of independence and freedom, specific issues must be viewed specifically, especially for the special profession of mercenaries. Because they have been fighting abroad for many years, they are accustomed to obeying, otherwise they cannot win battles. Soldiers worship generals who lead them to victory, and Davos's great prestige accumulated over the past six months is enough to make the soldiers trust and entrust their lives. Moreover, after their previous experience in Persia, they saw the vastness of the Persian Empire, and their views on monarchy and dictatorship were naturally different from ordinary Greeks. Of course, if they had a stable life for half a year and then came to elect, the situation would probably be different.
Davos achieved his goal through careful planning. Lifelong Archon, in fact, is a lifelong dictator! In his memory, Sulla and Caesar in the Roman history of his previous life seemed to have held this position. Because he was afraid of causing resentment from other city-states, he changed "dictatorship" to "Archon" as a disguise.
Davos looked at the cheering crowd below, his heart surging and full of reverie: Under the western sky, the sun is about to set. After today, the old Amendolara will become a thing of the past. Tomorrow, a new Amendolara will be born…
That evening, the Amendorara Senate was brightly lit by candlelight.
Davos, Cornelus, the five prominent citizens who had previously stood on the platform with Cornelus, as well as the company commanders led by Sesta, Adrianks, Ikapus, and Antonios, and even Herpus, Mercis, Ledes, Yasistes, and the various squad leaders, all gathered to discuss the reconstruction of Amendorara.
As the sole lifelong Consul, Davos naturally became the chief elder of the Senate, sitting in the center of the round meeting hall: "Citizens, the reconstruction of Amendorara involves numerous and urgent tasks. Our first priority is to complete the selection and supplementation of senators."
Davos said solemnly: "The Senate, as an important power institution of the Amendorara city-state, is composed of the most experienced and wisest elites among the citizens. It provides advice and counsel to the Consul, nominates candidates for various high-ranking officials for the Consul's approval, and oversees the operation of the city-state, from auditing finances to the moral customs of the citizens, and has the power to propose laws. High-ranking officials of the city-state are also selected from among the senators. Therefore, senators must also possess a certain degree of administrative management ability, which is something you, as former mercenaries, lack. Fortunately, Amendorara does not have a large population. You must learn diligently from practice and humbly seek advice from respected elder citizens like Cornelus…"
A twenty-year-old youth lecturing in a condescending manner, with a group of men in their thirties and forties nodding attentively, this scene did not amuse Cornelus. What surprised him was that this young man, who supposedly came from a remote village in Thessaly and had never lived in a city, was so familiar with the political structure of the Amendorara city-state. Could it truly be the so-called divine revelation of Hades?!
In a daze, he intentionally or unintentionally overlooked Davos's partial alteration of the Senate's functions.
"Now, I propose Cornelus, Tritodemus, Strongboli, Scombulas, and Rafias as senators."
Except for Cornelus, who was already a senator, the other five were not. Davos rewarded them for their efforts in supporting the mercenaries and himself, and also fulfilled his promise. Apart from Cornelus, the other five could not help but show joy on their faces.
"Agreed!" The company commanders in the hall raised their hands. They were not entirely blindly following Davos, but also out of a sense of guilt: they had occupied their land and seized their power, so they had to compensate them somehow.
"Sesta, Adrianks, and Drakos, as leaders of the mercenaries, should enter the Senate," Davos continued.
"Agreed!" Not only the company commanders were raising their hands to express their opinions, but the newly appointed senators also began to perform their duties.
At this moment, Sesta whispered a few words to Adrianks, stood up, walked to the center of the hall, and said loudly: "Adrianks and Drakos have entrusted me to express their gratitude to everyone present, especially to the Consul! We came to Greater Greece, originally only thinking about earning some money to make a living, but we never expected to become citizens of Amendorara, let alone enter the Senate! This is all thanks to the Consul and everyone present. We have no way to repay this kindness and will surely contribute all our strength to Amendorara!"
"Clap clap" The applause rang out, and the former mercenary company commanders applauded vigorously. Davos watched Sesta return to his seat and had a new impression of this mercenary leader whom he had only met a few times.
"Felicius, Antonios, Kapus, Amyntas, Alexis, Hilos, Hironimus, Agasia, Epitennis, Zipit, Alpunus, Ledes, these twelve senior company commanders of the mercenaries, and Mercis and Herpus, the two heads of their respective departments, I recommend them to become senators," Davos continued.
"Agreed!!" This time, the voices of approval were even louder.
Davos's gaze swept over the familiar faces sitting in the back row, such as Matonis, Olivos, Yasistes, Georgis, and Martius, and he said calmly: "As for the various squad leaders and other personnel, I do not intend to recommend you to enter the Senate for the time being."
As soon as he finished speaking, someone in the back row sighed, but no one dared to question Davos's words.
Davos's expression remained unchanged as he continued to explain: "Because most of you are still very young (when saying this, Davos obviously did not include himself, and others also took it for granted). A few months ago, you were all still soldiers, lacking experience in managing the city-state and handling political affairs. But don't be discouraged. As long as you actively participate in the affairs of the city-state and strive to improve yourselves. As I said before, the Senate is always open to outstanding citizens of the city-state!"
Davos's encouraging words revitalized these squad leaders.
Davos then said to the newly appointed senators: "Although senators do not receive salaries, they hold a noble position in the city-state. I hope you will prove that you are worthy of this lofty position with your performance. As Cornelus and I discussed before, once you enter the Senate, you will be senators for life (this is a benefit that Davos gives to Cornelus and others, and it is also what Davos hopes for). But I don't want it to be entirely like this. I will discuss and formulate some regulations regarding senators with you. Anyone who is unable to perform this position or violates the laws of the city-state should consciously withdraw from the Senate or be removed by the Senate."
Upon hearing this, everyone's hearts tightened.
"I think the selection and supplementation of senators should end here. Cornelus, do you have anything to add?" Davos asked his vice-consul politely.
As the only former senator in this meeting, Cornelus had not had the opportunity to speak before because of Davos's assertiveness. Now, he felt it was necessary to give these newcomers a good lecture: "Everyone, first of all, I want everyone to know that not only do senators not receive salaries, but other administrative positions in Amendorara do not receive even a single obol of salary. It is an honor for every citizen to serve the city-state!…" Cornelus took the opportunity to educate these new citizens of Amendorara, and then reminded Davos: "Amendorara's Senate has a quota of one hundred senators, which is far from enough now—"
"If it's not enough, just leave it vacant for now and fill it in later when there are suitable candidates!" Davos interrupted him dismissively. He would not be constrained by Amendorara's traditional system, nor did he want to listen to Cornelus's self-righteous preaching. At the same time, he believed that hastily filling the number of senators would only lower the quality and ability of the senators. Moreover, more than twenty senators were already sufficient for Amendorara's population of nearly five thousand.
Cornelus opened his mouth but did not persuade him further.
"What administrative positions does Amendorara currently have?" Davos continued to ask him.
"The city administrator, who is responsible for assisting the Consul in managing the affairs of the city-state, maintaining urban order, and managing lawsuits. He has jurisdiction over the patrol team, fire brigade, and prison. This position is rotated annually, and the Senate—" Cornelus looked at Davos, and Davos was also staring at him. He hesitated for a moment and changed his words: "The Senate proposes candidates, which are submitted to the Consul for… final decision…"
Davos secretly breathed a sigh of relief. Cornelus was still sensible. He was not very familiar with the various public offices of the Greek city-states. Athens and Sparta were only typical examples.
There were hundreds or thousands of Greek city-states, and even if their political systems were generally the same, there were thousands of differences within. But he was very familiar with the Roman system. He had even taken courses in this area in his previous life. Amendorara's system was somewhat similar to Rome's, and the position of city administrator was somewhat similar to the Roman office of praetor.
Therefore, he had an idea and said to Cornelus: "It seems that the duties of the city administrator are not only the same as those of the vice-consul, but also more comprehensive and more accepted by the citizens. I think you should take the position of city administrator, Cornelus. The position of vice-consul was my oversight and is obviously superfluous, so it can be removed."
Davos's proposal was recognized by everyone, especially the new citizens, who were completely unfamiliar with Amendolara's laws and had no idea how to handle lawsuits. Now, with a large influx of mercenaries into Amendolara, conflicts with the locals would inevitably arise over time. Cornelius, as a person recognized by both sides, should be able to coordinate these conflicts.
Cornelius smiled wryly to himself: in less than half a day, his position as executive deputy had been removed. Although the city administrator had a larger scope of jurisdiction than this newly established executive deputy, the executive deputy was, after all, the deputy of the chief administrator and had some power to check and balance the chief administrator, while the city administrator was completely subordinate to the chief administrator. But Davos now completely controlled the Senate, and from the looks of it, although he was young, he seemed to be well-versed in the ways of politics. Even Raphias and the others thought he was more suitable for this position, so what could he say?
"I am willing to serve as the city administrator!" At this point, he had completely submitted.
Davos glanced at him and smiled, "Of course, Cornelius, you have a lot of affairs to handle, especially the order of the city-state. Therefore, we should equip you with a suitable patrol captain."
Saying this, he looked at the others, "Next, we need to elect a patrol captain. Although this is a low-level position, most of you have no experience in holding public office in the city-state. I suggest you start from the bottom and accumulate experience. All of you present, including the senators, can nominate yourselves!"
Davos's words made everyone thoughtful.
"Chief Administrator, the patrol captain already has someone in office!" Cornelius reminded him.
"Oh, who is it?"
"Antikles, he also serves as the fire chief. During his tenure, he was highly praised by the citizens. He was only cut off his right hand by the Lucanians, but it has now healed."
"Since he has been injured, he will not be able to subdue troublemakers in the event of a conflict. Let him only serve as the fire chief. Firefighting and disaster relief are of utmost importance to the citizens of the city-state, especially in Amendolara, where fires and mudslides are terrible disasters. Therefore, the fire chief has a great responsibility and truly needs an experienced and capable citizen to take on the role! I suggest adding a deputy fire chief, and you can also nominate yourselves to learn how to prevent disasters," Davos said solemnly.
"Chief Administrator, that makes a lot of sense." Cornelius had to admit that Davos's understanding of the importance of the fire brigade in the mountain city of Amendolara was quite profound. Of course, he wouldn't know that Davos had been a village official in a mountain village in his previous life.
"So, who is willing to be the patrol captain?" As soon as Davos finished speaking, two people stood up immediately, namely Sesta and Hilus, and several others stood up one after another.
Davos thought for a moment and said, "Sesta, the new citizens have the largest number of former mercenaries who participated in the Persian expedition. These soldiers have killed and plundered in Persia... they have done everything. It was okay in the barracks with military law, but now that they have returned to the city, I am afraid they will not adapt for a while and will cause some trouble. You are not familiar with them, and I am afraid they will not obey you, so I recommend Hilus to be the patrol captain."
"Chief Administrator, please rest assured! I will assist Lord Cornelius in maintaining order within the city!" Hilus promised.
Davos turned his head and asked, "Cornelius, what do you think?"
"I agree." Cornelius did not hesitate. He had already seen that Davos was determined to keep the only position in the city-state that usually had some military force in the hands of his own people.
Sesta did not show disappointment, but instead requested again, "Then I apply to be the deputy fire chief!"
"Okay, I have no objection." Davos nodded, willing to work is a good thing.
Naturally, the appointments of the two were also approved smoothly.
"Next, is there an inspector?" Davos asked.
"Yes." Cornelius had just nodded when he saw that most people were laughing.
Davos explained to the somewhat puzzled Cornelius, "When we were in Persia,
we once had a Spartan inspector who led hundreds of Spartan warriors and fought alongside us, so they thought they were a bit familiar with this position. However, I think the inspectors of Sparta and Amendolara must be very different."
"Why?" Olivs asked from the back row.
"Because the power of the Spartan inspector is so great that he can supervise their king, and the duties of the Amendolara inspector should not reach that level," Davos explained. Of course, even if there was such a thing before, he would not allow it to happen again.
"Can supervise the king?!" Olivs and some people revealed surprised expressions.
And Cornelius was no longer surprised why Davos knew so much. He began to believe the rumors of the mercenaries: Davos is a godsend!
"The Amendolara inspector is mainly responsible for reviewing the list of senators, supervising the senators' lateness and early departure during Senate meetings, supervising the morality of the city-state's citizens, conducting citizen surveys, and reviewing the expenditure of the city-state's public property, managing public works..." After Cornelius finished speaking, everyone took a breath of cold air: the power of this Amendolara inspector is also very great!
Seeing everyone eager to try, Davos spoke, "Everyone, please note that it is not easy to be a good inspector. First of all, you have to be able to write reports, and secondly, you have to be able to do arithmetic and understand financial reports." Davos didn't say that it doesn't matter if the inspector is illiterate or can't do arithmetic, as long as his slave can do it, but slaves who can read, write, and do arithmetic like this are high-end goods in the slave market, and ordinary people can't afford them, and they are reluctant to buy them.
Hearing this, most people gave up the idea. Most of the new citizens were born poor, and it would be good to recognize a few words. Writing reports and checking accounts was simply a luxury. However, there were still people who stood up to nominate themselves, Antonios, Alexius, and two nobles from Amendolara, Raphias and Stromboli.
The two company commanders under his command nominated themselves at the same time. Davos was not good at favoring one over the other, so everyone in the venue voted for these four candidates. In the end, Antonios won. The reason was very simple: Davos promoted almost all the members of the Hilus squad to the rank of officer, and the Hilus squad was under the command of Antonios that year, and he himself had a higher EQ, so his votes were naturally the most.
"Alexius, don't be discouraged. This position is elected once a year. By next year, it may be your turn," Davos joked to comfort him.
Alexius was not depressed, but instead smiled, "No need to wait that long, I will wait until Antonios can't do it anymore, and then I will take over."
Antonios glared: "Am I that bad!"
The new citizens laughed, while the old citizens such as Raphias remained silent, and Davos saw it in his eyes.
"In addition, we also have a treasurer, responsible for managing the national treasury, collecting taxes, and public property, such as stone mines, and also responsible for managing the city-state's population."
As soon as Cornelius finished speaking, Mercis stood up, and Raphias also stood up immediately.
In order to liven up the atmosphere, Davos said with a smile, "Olivs, why don't you nominate yourself?"
Olivs shook his head vigorously: "I get a headache whenever I think of arithmetic. If I collect less taxes and the inspector finds out, I will have to pay compensation, and I can't afford it."
Everyone laughed again.
"I think Mercis is most suitable for this position. He used to manage the logistics camp, and the accounts of money and materials were very clear. There were basically no shortages or embezzlements, and no one complained about him..." Olivs continued.
If they were to vote again, it would definitely be the people of the former mercenaries again. Although this achieved Davos's goal of completely controlling Amendolara, it was too detrimental to the unity of the city-state. Therefore, Davos thought about it and said to Cornelius, "I think we can set up a registrar.
The treasurer is only in charge of finance and taxes, and the registrar is responsible for the management of the population, citizens, citizen's families, and even slaves and freed slaves, all foreign freedmen, etc. are under his jurisdiction. The registrar's affairs are now very heavy, because there are thousands of new citizens to register, and in the future, it may be even busier. I recommend Mercis to be the treasurer and Raphias to be the registrar."
Cornelius now understood: Davos intended to rebuild the political structure of Amendolara from the ground up. With Davos already in control of Amendolara and the Senate, Cornelius could only nod in agreement.
Naturally, the appointments of these two individuals were also approved without any issues.
"Mag…istrate, after clearing out the supplies seized from the Lucanians, the Amendolara treasury only has a little over three thousand drachmas…" Melsis reminded him.
"Oh, he's already starting to work right after being elected. This public official's enthusiasm is too high!" Epithenius joked, and the crowd roared with laughter.
"Three thousand silver coins aren't even a talent…" Davos frowned slightly, muttering to himself.
Cornelius felt his face burning. He quickly explained, "Amendolara doesn't have a port, and not many merchants come to the city to trade. As for the stone quarries we've been excavating, many city-states have them. Only Heraclea buys some from us every year…"
"It seems we need to establish a trade commissioner to specifically manage trade and come up with ways to earn money for Amendolara," Davos said.
Melsis's eyes lit up, and he immediately said, "I recommend Marigus to serve as the trade commissioner!"
"Oh, have you improved your relationship with him now?" Davos asked, somewhat surprised.
In reality, it wasn't that Melsis had improved his relationship with Marigus, but rather that Melsis wouldn't argue with money. He knew very well that Marigus was indeed good at making money.
"Although Marigus is a Persian, his business acumen is indeed very strong. He did a great job with the market next to our military camp before!" Olivus shouted from the back row.
"I also agree with him being the trade commissioner. I've been to that market, and it's indeed very lively," Epithenius added.
"Olivus has taken a fancy to someone's daughter and wants to take the opportunity to please his future father-in-law," Matonis chimed in, exposing Olivus's secret.
"Shut up, you big oaf!" Olivus retorted angrily.
"Quiet! The Senate is a sacred place, not a place for insults! Anyone who speaks nonsense again will be kicked out!" Davos glared fiercely at the two of them. A good suggestion was being ruined by these two, and he feared it would cause others to have wild thoughts.
Matonis and Olivus quickly fell silent.
"This Marigus is a Persian?" Cornelius asked, puzzled.
"He used to be, but later, due to persecution by the Persian king, he brought his whole family to seek refuge with us. He fought alongside us in Persia and came to Magna Graecia with us, participating in the battles against the Lucanians. He is a member of our mercenary soldiers, so he is now a citizen of Amendolara. This morning, I already sent him as an envoy to Tarentum to discuss alliance matters. He is indeed a very outstanding talent! I believe that with him as the trade commissioner, our treasury's gold and silver will increase significantly!" Davos praised Marigus highly.
Cornelius listened attentively. He hesitated about Davos's proposal, glancing at Raphias several times, as if to say: Don't you, the new registrar, have any objections? Don't make me the only one to come forward and object!
Raphias hesitated for a moment, then stood up and said, "But he's a Persian… Greek city-states have never…"
"So what if he's a Persian! As long as he sincerely wants to become our citizen and has made so many contributions to us, we should accept him!" Davos suddenly stood up, facing everyone in the hall, and said loudly, "Originally, I wanted to wait for the right time to say some things, but since the registrar has already raised this sensitive issue, I will talk to you about some of my views."
"Everyone knows that in almost all Greek city-states, citizenship is very difficult to obtain, especially in wealthy and powerful city-states. For example, in Sparta, foreigners almost never obtain citizenship. In Athens, the current rule is, 'Only if both parents are Athenian can their child become an Athenian citizen after reaching adulthood.' Why is citizenship so difficult to obtain?" Davos asked loudly, and the audience fell silent for a short time, especially the new citizens, who remembered the sweat and blood they had shed and the enormous risks they had taken to obtain this citizenship. Davos's words resonated with them.
"That's because they're afraid that foreigners will share their city-state's political rights, land, and wealth!" Alexis said resentfully.
"That's right! This selfishness of the Greek city-states has led them to reject the addition of outsiders, and at the same time, they have given up the opportunity to strengthen themselves! Athens never recovered after its disastrous defeat in Sicily. Why? Because they didn't have enough young adult citizens anymore. Sparta, even though it now dominates Greece, mainly sends mercenaries and allies to fight abroad. Why? Because their citizens only number about 3,500, and they still have to prevent the helots from rioting. The war-loving Spartan citizens will only decrease with each battle and eventually lose their hegemony in Greece. Look at our neighbor Thurii. After the defeat in the battle with the Lucanian allied forces, knowing that we defeated the Lucanians, they cautiously didn't even dare to open their gates. Why? They don't have enough young citizens to resist us rushing in and plundering them."
The crowd laughed, and the old citizens did the same. On the issue of Thurii, everyone had the same understanding.
"Then look at Persia, where we once went. Is Persia's territory large?" Davos asked.
"Large, too large!" the new citizens answered in unison.
"Are there many Persians?"
"Many! There are people of all races!"
"You should know that Persia was initially just a small tribe, often bullied by the Medes. However, the tribe's leader, Cyrus, was very wise and enlightened. He treated the surrounding tribes kindly and generously accepted other tribes. The races that were originally oppressed by the Medes, who dominated the Mesopotamian Plain, flocked to him. Later, even the enemy Medes surrendered to Persia. Persia was like a snowball rolling down a mountain, growing bigger and bigger. In just a few decades, a small tribe became a great empire…"
The crowd listened attentively as Davos recounted the history of Persia. Even Cornelius and the others, who had received a good education, knew very little about the great eastern power of Persia and listened with great interest.
"Why is the Persian Empire strong? It's because it tolerantly accepted other tribes as its own people, just as the Mediterranean is large because countless rivers flow into it." Davos's words made everyone fall into deep thought.
"As I said before, if you are content to farm in a small city-state every day until other city-states and forces become strong and lead their armies to the city, forcing you to surrender and become their vassals, then I have nothing more to say. If you are not content with today's mediocrity and want to make Amendolara stronger, no longer bullied by other forces, then please remember that people are always a city-state's greatest wealth! We in Amendolara must not learn from other city-states' closed-door conservatism! We must be open, we must sincerely accept everyone who is willing to join Amendolara, willing to contribute their strength to Amendolara's prosperity, no matter where they come from. Only in this way will our strength grow rapidly! Perhaps you will say that Amendolara doesn't have that much land and wealth to share with them. That's because your eyes are only fixed on Amendolara's narrow land!"
Davos looked around at the crowd, pointing powerfully to the west with his left hand, and said with great enthusiasm, "Look around us, to the west are the Lucanians and the Bruttians, to the east are the Messapians, the Peucetians, and the Daunians, and I hear that to the north are the Samnites… and so many other indigenous people. Isn't the land and wealth they possess enough to share?!"
"Defeat them, take their land!…" The squad leaders, led by Matonis, shouted excitedly, and the other new citizens were also mostly excited, because this was the first time their leader Davos had shown them his grand ambitions. For these former mercenaries who had broadened their horizons in Persia, after satisfying the basic need of becoming citizens of a city-state, Davos gave them an even grander ambition, giving these mercenaries, who were no longer able to farm, herd, or do agricultural work, new motivation and making it their lifelong goal, which also became Davos's greatest support force in consolidating his power.
"But… but… fighting means people die… Amyntas died… too many people!" Cornelius stammered.
"Great statement Cornelius! 'People die when they are killed'! Following Chief Davos, we will only win battles. Don't you want revenge?! To attack the Lucanians?!" Amyntas looked at Cornelius with a hint of disdain.
Before Cornelius could answer, Protesilaus and Tritodemus behind him shouted, "Of course we want revenge! We must let those vile barbarians taste Amyntas's power!…"
Amyntas has been weak for too long, and people's hearts are changing! Davos was pleased to see this change, and he immediately said, "Although our goal is to conquer the natives, we will not blindly start wars. Instead, we must first strengthen Amyntas's power and wait for the opportunity. Therefore, do you all agree to submit this proposal to the Citizen Assembly for a vote: 'Any foreigner who aspires to join Amyntas and become a citizen of Amyntas, as long as he is willing to abide by Amyntas's laws and meets certain conditions, the Amyntas Senate will accept him as a citizen of Amyntas.' As for what conditions must be met and reached, we will discuss and decide later."
"Agreed!!" Everyone shouted in unison.
Cornelius sighed and closed his eyes slightly. He understood that from now on, Amyntas would no longer be the traditional, conservative Amyntas of the past, which would not change for decades, because according to Amyntas's current citizen composition (new citizens account for the vast majority) and the atmosphere at the scene, this bill would definitely be passed by the Citizen Assembly.
(A few days later, Davos's proposal was indeed passed by a high vote in the Citizen Assembly, and this bill is the "Davos Immigration Law" that later historians in this world wrote about extensively in European history. Its promulgation changed the tradition of the Great Greek city-states and also changed the political ecology of the entire Greek world, and ultimately changed the history of the Mediterranean. But that is a story for later.)
"In that case, I recommend Mariji to be selected as the Commercial Officer, making him the first beneficiary of our new bill and setting a good example for those who come later!"
"Agreed!"
"We have no objections!" The new citizens, especially the squad leaders, expressed their approval. This was the reason Davos insisted on having them participate. With their support, even if a few old citizens were dissatisfied, they could only remain silent.
At this moment, the atmosphere of the meeting was very different from before. With new goals, the enthusiasm of these new citizens was obviously high. Davos decided to strike while the iron was hot: "Does Amyntas have a Construction Officer?"
"Construction Officer?" Cornelius said he had never heard of it: "Do you mean someone who is responsible for building public buildings? Amyntas does not have a fixed position for this. If the Senate decides to build public facilities, it will temporarily designate a person in charge."
"The position of Construction Officer is not just about building certain public facilities. He is responsible for supervising and building various buildings in the city, and regularly maintaining them. At the same time, he must supervise the cleanliness, hygiene, and safety of the roads. He must also pay attention to the city's entertainment facilities. His scope of responsibility involves the daily life of citizens and is related to the image of the city-state. From building wells and roads to temples and arenas, all are within his authority. It can be said to be a very important position!" Davos said solemnly.
"Which city-state has this position?" Cornelius asked with some surprise.
Davos smiled and did not answer, because the city-state that had this official position was Rome, which was known for its architectural technology in previous world history. Of course, it is not known whether Rome already had this official position at this time.
"Since we are taking the offensive against the natives as Amyntas's development goal, then the public position of Construction Officer is very important, because we need to build strong, wide, and flat roads and bridges to facilitate our marching and transportation, and to connect and rule the land we will occupy in the future. We also need to build magnificent buildings to show the natives our superior culture and accelerate their submission to us." After Davos emphasized this again, he asked, "Who is willing to recommend themselves?"
"I'm afraid this requires someone with construction experience to take on the role," someone said, and everyone who had been eager to try because of Davos's words hesitated.
Alexius stood up decisively.
Davos asked with a smile, "Alexius, have you ever worked as a bricklayer before?"
"Governor, if I am the only one who recommends myself, does that mean I have already taken up this position?" Alexius asked back without answering.
"I have no objection. What about everyone else?" Davos looked at the others.
"There's no one else but him, it's him!"
"But can he do it well?"
Everyone said.
"Tell me, how will you be a good Construction Officer?" Davos asked.
"I don't know how to build, but I can learn, and I can also have experts in construction to serve as my subordinates. If there are no such people in Amyntas, I can also look for them among the free people of nearby city-states and apply for citizenship for them according to the bill you just proposed, Lord Davos…" Alexius said confidently.
The others suddenly realized: So this is how you can do things when you are a city-state official.
Many people began to consider: Should I also choose a position?
"It seems that you are already considering how to do the work of a Construction Officer well!" Davos said appreciatively: "I hope you and your subordinates will study construction technology carefully so that Amyntas's architectural technology can lead other Greek city-states!"
"I will do my best!" Alexius said cautiously.
"Amyntas's treasury is not rich, and if we want to build on a large scale, I'm afraid…" Cornelius reminded.
"Of course, we will not start building on a large scale now, but just set up the organization first, and then take action when we are richer," Davos comforted Cornelius a few words, and then continued: "Next, I suggest setting up a Military Officer, responsible for the city's defense, citizen military training, research and maintenance of weapons and equipment, pre-war preparation and post-war statistics… and other matters."
"Agreed!" For the bellicose new citizens, this position was the most important, so they seemed a little excited.
But when Davos asked, "Who do you think is most suitable for this position?"
The new citizens were speechless. It goes without saying that Davos is the most prestigious in the army, but he is already the lifelong Governor and the supreme commander of the city-state's army. Apart from him, Hieronymus seems to be a consideration, after all, he was once a mercenary leader, but he is a newcomer in Davos's team. As for the others, Kapus, Amyntas, Epitenes… etc., these company commanders have repeatedly made military exploits and have their own characteristics, but it does not seem obvious who is particularly outstanding.
Finally, everyone's eyes focused on Philius. This former adjutant of the mercenary army is usually very low-key and easily overlooked. In fact, he has been a mercenary for nearly twenty years and has rich military experience. He is familiar with military affairs. Since Davos took office as the leader, he has been carefully assisting him. Davos's victory is inseparable from his silent assistance, camping, training, pre-war preparation, post-war statistics, etc. Isn't he doing the job of the current Military Officer?! It turns out that the position proposed by Lord Davos was set up for him! Understanding this, everyone was at peace.
So, Philius was successfully elected.
"Before, our mercenary army had a military law, but it was still relatively simple. I hope that after you take office, you will gather everyone together in a few days, and I will also participate, to jointly discuss and formulate a more complete military law, so as to facilitate our training of citizens and guide combat," Davos said seriously.
"Understood." Philius nodded.
When Matonis and others in the back row heard that they were going to formulate stricter military laws, they immediately sighed.
After hearing this, Davos said sternly: "Before, we were mercenaries. In order to survive, we obeyed the orders of our employers and attacked others indiscriminately. We could kill and plunder at will. But from now on, you are citizens of Amyntas. Amyntas's interests are your interests, and the image of your operations abroad also represents the image of Amyntas. Meaningless killing and plundering will only attract more enemies to Amyntas and arouse the disgust of the Great Greeks towards Amyntas. What's more, now we have new grand goals. Without strict training and complete military laws, how can we build a disciplined and combat-effective Amyntas citizen army! How can we rely on the small Amyntas to defeat the numerous natives and dominate Magna Graecia!"
Hearing these words, the new citizens no longer complained. Their eyes shone, and they expressed that they would take the lead in abiding by the new military law!
Sesta and Adrian had previously heard that Davos's mercenaries had a military law with numerous articles. The soldiers' strong execution was closely related to the strict requirements of this military law. At that time, they were still curious: a small mercenary group actually formulated a unique military law for themselves. Now they finally had the opportunity to experience it firsthand!
As for the old citizens like Cornelius, they had only witnessed the ferocity of the mercenaries once in front of the temple. The annihilation of the Lucanian tribal coalition and the capture of Amendolara were just hearsay. Amendolara had fought with Thurii many times before, and there were of course some customary military rules in the city-state to ensure the smooth progress of military operations, but this was the first time they had heard of a complete military law being specially formulated.
Therefore, Cornelius reminded, "I hope that military training will not affect the citizens' daily work."
"I believe that Philius will coordinate the relationship between the two." Davos was full of trust in Philius. Then, he said to the squad leaders with a smile, "Military Officer Philius will definitely need some subordinates such as training instructors. You can discuss it with him."
As soon as he finished speaking, dozens of people crowded around, vying to recommend themselves, making Philius exhausted.
Although these squad officers were not good at literacy and arithmetic, marching and fighting were their professions. As new citizens of Amendolara, they also had a strong desire to show their abilities to the people.
"It seems that they are also eager to contribute to the city-state!" Davos said with emotion.
Cornelius nodded on the surface, but thought in his heart: These new citizens who are accustomed to fighting on the battlefield are indeed restless. I hope they can abide by the laws of the city-state!
"These are the main official positions of the city-state for the time being." Davos's words relieved Cornelius. Every new position proposed by this new magistrate was an impact on the tradition of Amendolara, causing Cornelius to feel a burst of entanglement in his heart.
"Now there is a very important matter that requires all the senators of our Senate and the squad officers to solve with all their strength." Davos's solemn expression made Cornelius nervous again.
"That is the resettlement of our new citizens and the issue of land distribution." As soon as these words came out, the squad officers immediately stopped pestering Philius, and everyone stared at Davos in front of them.
"In order to maintain the harmony and stability of the city-state, and in order not to disturb the people who have just been released from the Lucanians' imprisonment, even tonight and tomorrow night, our respectable new citizens will still voluntarily set up tents and live in the square, but this is not a long-term solution, nor is it reasonable! After all, the new citizens fought bloody battles to protect this land, and many of their comrades died on the battlefield in exchange for the peace of Amendolara today!" Speaking of this, Davos became a little emotional: "We must settle them down as soon as possible and allocate the land they deserve in order to repay their contributions and the rights they should enjoy as citizens! Otherwise, if we delay, it will be difficult to guarantee that there will be no problems!"
Davos's words made the new citizens present appear excited, while the old citizens looked solemn.
"Now, how many widows in Amendolara have lost their husbands?" Davos asked Cornelius.
"I'm afraid it's more than a thousand. We'll need to count to know the exact number," Cornelius said, looking at Raphaes.
The new Registrar Raphaes immediately said, "I will go to count as soon as the meeting is over."
"Then tomorrow morning, please gather them all in the square. Squad officers, you should also gather the unmarried warriors in the square. Let the two sides meet each other, without the arrangement of elders, and no coercion by force is allowed. Rely on your own ability and charm,
Men and women voluntarily combine. In addition, I suggest that unmarried girls in the city of Amendolara also participate in this meeting in the square." After Davos finished speaking, the old citizens like Cornelius were fine. On the way here, Davos had revealed this idea to them and finally convinced them.
The new citizens were in an uproar. You must know that among the mercenaries, in addition to a very small number of married people, there were also a small number who had robbed local women in Persia and forced them to be their wives. The remaining two thousand or so were still single. Under Davos's leadership, not only did these mercenaries become citizens of the city-state, but now they were also going to solve their single problems. This was a great thing! Because these women with city-state status were not free people, nor were they bought concubines. Marrying them also meant obtaining the land and wealth left behind by their former husbands.
"Great! My brothers will have hope now!"
"Matonis, don't be happy. If your subordinates are like you, it will be a little difficult to find a wife! If you want to be favored by women, it's not enough to just be strong!"
"Is it bad to be strong? At least it can give them stronger protection and can also do more farm work. I think that's what they need most now! And Olivus, if you dare to go to the square tomorrow, aren't you afraid that the Persian girl will ignore you."
"Hieronymus, you blockhead, you have to talk to women more this time. This is not only related to your happiness, but also to set a good example for your subordinates!"
"Giogris, why aren't you talking? Don't be nervous. When you get to the square tomorrow, you can do whatever you want. Aphrodite will always arrange a woman for you!"
"Captain Hilos, don't just care about me. You should solve your own marriage first!"
… …
Davos watched his subordinates excitedly talking to each other with a smile.
The old citizens like Cornelius felt a little helpless: Originally, women from Greek city-states were very traditional. They rarely showed their faces in public, could not meet with strange men alone, and their marriages were arranged by their parents. The husband was either a citizen of this city-state or a citizen of a neighboring city-state. After marriage, she was subject to her husband's control, and her responsibility was to have children and manage the housework. If the husband died early, it would be okay if there were children. The property would be in the name of the children, and she could manage it on their behalf, raise the children, and then be subject to the children's control in the future. If there were no children, then the husband's family would have reason to kick her out and let her remarry… …
Amendolara originally had about four thousand citizens, but now there are less than five hundred. It lacks enough strength to protect the city-state and lacks enough labor to support so many women, children, and old people. The main reason why Cornelius and the others took the initiative to agree to accept the mercenaries as citizens of the city-state was because of this reason, and of course there was also a factor of gratitude. Similarly, allowing women to break the tradition of Greek city-states and openly show their faces in such a large-scale meeting of men and women was also out of helplessness. After all, the best way is to quickly settle down this group of soldiers full of evil spirit, quickly integrate into Amendolara, and become true citizens of Amendolara.
"At the same time, I also want to remind you. When you marry the woman you choose, you must treat her previous children as your own and raise them well; you must also treat the elders in her family as your own and take care of them carefully; and… … Um… … As for the humiliation they suffered at the hands of the Lucanians, I hope you don't blame her, because it's not their fault! It's that the men of Amendolara failed to fulfill their responsibility to protect them! We are true Greek warriors, and what we have to do is to take good care of them and never let them suffer such humiliation again! Then prepare carefully until one day we attack Lucania and let those natives taste the power of the men of Amendolara!" Davos said solemnly.
"That's right, Chief!"
"Kill the Lucanians!"
"Don't worry, we will take care of the women, the elderly, and the children!"
… …
The new citizens clamored and made promises.
The old citizens felt that every word Davos said was like a whip, stinging their faces.
"After tomorrow's meeting is over, after each couple is confirmed, I suggest choosing a good day to hold a grand collective wedding, including all the men and women who have confirmed their relationship, including those who were robbed in Persia, and of course my wedding will also be held together!"
The venue immediately became lively again.
"Chief Davos, you've finally decided to marry Christoya!"
"It's really enviable. Christoya is such a good woman!"
… …
Davos ignored the booing of these people and asked Cornelius: "Do we have a priestess of Hera?"
"No, Amendolara worships Zeus. The nearest famous Temple of Hera is in Metapontum."
"Send someone to Metapontum to invite the priestess of Hera to preside over this grand wedding for us and give blessings to the newlyweds!"
Although Hera is the patron saint of marriage, the traditional Greek city-state wedding ceremony does not require the presence of a Hera priestess, so Cornelius looked puzzled.
Davos looked at him and said, "Because this wedding means the rebirth of Amendolara, I hope the great goddess Hera can give blessings to these newcomers who represent the future of Amendolara! And I remember that the magistrate has the right to supervise sacrificial rites and formulate festivals."
Cornelius wanted to say: That was the power that the magistrate had at the end of the monarchy era. In the current democratic era, the right to supervise sacrificial rites and formulate festivals has long belonged to the Senate.
But Davos had already obtained many rights that exceeded the regulations of the original Amendolara magistrate, and he was numb. Under Davos's sharp gaze, he helplessly nodded and said, "Yes." This nod meant that Davos, the lifelong magistrate, had also taken the most sacred religious supervisory power of Amendolara from the Senate.
"I suggest setting the wedding day as the Marriage Festival of Amendolara and the celebration of the goddess Hera, so that the citizens remember the suffering Amendolara once endured and the rebirth it has achieved, and also make them aware of the importance of marriage and family. This will be more conducive to the unity of Amendolara's citizens!..." Davos said solemnly, surprising Cornelius with the depth of his consideration and his genuine concern for Amendolara. So he nodded in heartfelt agreement and said, "Governor, I think all the citizens will be happy to have such a wonderful festival!"
"Yes, we all agree to establish the celebration of Hera and the Marriage Festival!" The old citizens also expressed their support, not to mention the new citizens.
At this moment, Hilos stood up and asked with concern, "Lord, what about those soldiers who haven't found women to marry? How should they be settled?"
Davos had already prepared for this, and he signaled Cornelius to answer.
Cornelius said with a solemn expression, "Before Amendolara participated in the war with the Lucanians, there were four thousand citizens… Now there are only five hundred citizens left, and over a thousand widows… Therefore, there are more than two thousand families where both husband and wife have died… So… there are enough houses to settle the new citizens. Of course, if the original owner has children or elderly relatives left behind, we hope that the new citizens can take responsibility for raising them…" Cornelius finished speaking, his eyes glistening with tears, and the other old citizens also looked sorrowful.
Davos stared at the new citizens and emphasized loudly, "It's not hope, but a must! Because you have accepted the original owner's inheritance, including land and wealth, you must also fulfill the responsibilities that the original owner should have fulfilled!"
"Lord, don't worry, we will have our brothers take good care of the elderly and children!" Hilos was the first to make a commitment, and the other squad leaders also expressed their support. Amyntas even said, "Whoever occupies a house but doesn't raise the elderly and children, I'll beat him to death!"
Davos nodded and said, "Very good, I hope you squad leaders will strengthen your supervision of the soldiers! At the same time, the Senate will also promulgate laws to supervise the implementation." As Davos spoke, he looked at Antonios, "This is the duty of the inspector. Antonios, if you find anyone violating the law, not raising or abusing orphans and the elderly, report it to the Senate immediately, and we will strip them of their citizenship and expel them from Amendolara!" Davos's stern words made everyone's hearts tighten.
"I will supervise diligently!" Antonios solemnly guaranteed.
The old citizens nodded silently, quite admiring Davos's firm protection of the rights and interests of the elderly and children.
"Alright, next, let's talk about the issue that everyone is most concerned about." To ease the atmosphere, Davos said with a smile, "The Senate will introduce a law to guarantee that each new citizen receives at least five acres of land. Of course, some people are lucky and find a good wife, inheriting more land, while others may have less. It doesn't matter, I will have the treasurer, Mercis, make a detailed statistics of the land and wealth owned by each person. In the future, when new land is acquired, priority will be given to supplementing the citizens who originally had less land. Are you satisfied with this arrangement?"
"Satisfied!!"
"Very fair!!" Everyone shouted excitedly.
The meeting had continued for nearly two hours, and it was already very late, but the citizens were in high spirits, which made Davos decide to raise an issue that he had been considering for a long time but had never been able to decide on. He took a deep breath, stood in the center of the venue again, faced everyone, and said loudly, "Everyone, as a citizen of a city-state, participating in all political activities of the city-state is his right. Enlisting in the army and defending the city-state is his obligation, and in fact, it is also his right. Because, except for special circumstances, freemen and slaves cannot join the city-state's army. Only citizens have the right to fight for the city-state, so it is also a kind of political right."
Everyone present, whether old or new citizens, nodded in agreement.
"However, it is not easy to manage a city-state well. Building various public facilities costs money; repairing city defenses and equipping weapons costs money; encountering major disasters and helping the people costs money; even sending troops to fight, if it's only four or five days, it's okay, and the citizens can solve it with their own rations, but over time, the required food still needs to be purchased by the city-state, not to mention hiring carts, ships, laborers, etc., which all cost money; moreover, the public officials of our city-state currently do not have salaries. Everyone is contributing to the city-state on a voluntary basis. In the future, when the area under management becomes larger and the affairs become more complicated, public officials may have almost no free time to manage their family's farmland and pastures, and their income will be less than that of citizens who are not public officials. This is not fair, and over time, people may be unwilling to take on public office. So, if a city-state wants to develop healthily, it must have enough money in its treasury!"
For most of the new citizens, who were born poor, they did not know that the operation of a city-state was so complicated, so they listened with great interest. The old citizens felt that this young lifelong governor could think so deeply about the problems of the city-state as soon as he took office, and their worries about his lack of experience dissipated a lot. But Cornelius felt his eyelids twitching, and he had a feeling that something big was about to happen.
Davos continued, "Amendolara's treasury revenue is quite small, and Cornelius has just explained the reason. This hinders the development of the city-state, and in the future, when we occupy more land and more people join Amendolara, will they be able to fight to the death for the city-state like we do? I'm afraid not, because they pay too little and get it too easily, so they won't cherish it too much!"
"That's right!" The old citizens shouted first, as they were somewhat dissatisfied with the immigration bill proposed by Davos.
Davos certainly understood their thoughts and sneered in his heart. He said loudly, "Therefore, I propose to collect a land tax of one percent per year from Amendolara citizens who own land!"
As soon as this was said, it was like a thunderbolt from a clear sky, and everyone in the entire venue was stunned, and then they clamored like a hornet's nest had been poked.
Cornelius felt his hands and feet tighten, and he secretly exclaimed: "Oh no!"
"Did I hear correctly? You want to collect land tax from the citizens of the city-state?!" Strongboli asked uncertainly.
This was still a polite attitude, while Scombrus, an old man, rushed over directly, pointed at Davos's nose, and questioned, "Are you Greek?! Don't you know that the tradition of Greek city-states is that they will never collect land tax from the citizens of the city-state! Are you crazy about money! If someone like you becomes the lifelong governor, how can we survive!"
Although the new citizens also had some criticisms about Davos's words, they could not allow others to insult their respected leader, especially those squad leaders. Led by Matonis, they quickly rushed over and pushed Scombrus away: "Hey, old man, how can you talk to the governor like that!"
"I just want to say it, what's wrong! You bumpkins who have never seen the world don't know the serious consequences of collecting land tax at all!" Scombrus said, his face flushed, and cursed contemptuously.
This angered the young and vigorous squad leaders: "What did you say! Say it again, and see if I don't beat you up!…" While scolding, they pushed and shoved Scombrus.
Scombrus's weak body couldn't withstand the slightest bit of strength from these squad leaders who had been through battles for a long time. He directly sat down on the ground, gasping for breath. Cornelius and several other old citizens hurriedly stepped forward to help him, while some quarreled with the squad leaders.
The two sides were in chaos.
"Quiet! Everyone be quiet!" Davos also became anxious and stepped forward to mediate.
Finally, the two sides separated.
Scombrus was still cursing under his breath. Matonis glared at him, and he lowered his head and dared not speak anymore.
At this time, Mercis stood up and said, "One percent tax is already very little! In Persia, we all know that their land tax is as high as 10% or more!…" As the treasurer, he was certainly concerned about the fullness of the treasury.
"That's Persia, Greece has never had the tradition of collecting land tax from citizens!" Strongboli retorted.
"There was such a thing in the era of monarchy."
"That was hundreds of years ago, now it is the era of democracy. Governor Davos personally promised in the square, 'Not to be a king'. I think that if land tax is to be collected, all citizens will object!" Strongboli looked at Davos, his voice not loud, but containing a hint of threat.
Davos looked at everyone: The new citizens did not speak out against it due to Davos's prestige, but just watched what would happen. The old citizens clearly wrote their dissatisfaction on their faces, and only Mercis truly supported him. He smiled and said, "You are so excited before I have finished my suggestion. Don't worry, let me slowly finish my suggestion. Citizens who have been living in Amendolara city before today will be exempt from land tax on the land they currently own, to thank them for being descendants of the city's founders and for their two hundred years of contribution to Amendolara. When the treasury has money, we will cast a batch of 'Amendolara Founder Silver Clasps', and each old citizen will receive one to keep permanently and wear on their Bolton on grand public occasions, so that later generations will know their family's long tradition and glory."
As soon as this was said, the old citizens were stunned, and Scombrus, who was still chattering, also stopped talking, and everyone straightened their chests: This is glory! Although they reluctantly allowed mercenaries to join Amendolara, the pride of being natives and the frustration of reality made them feel uncomfortable, and Davos gave them a chance to show their identity forever! Compared with this, what is that little bit of tax money, especially since it won't be collected from them.
"Agreed!" Scombrus shouted first.
"This is unfair! Don't collect taxes from them, but collect taxes from us!" Matonis shouted dissatisfiedly.
Davos ignored him and continued, "Those new citizens of Amendolara who defeated the Lucanian tribal coalition, recaptured the city of Amendolara, and joined Amendolara today will have their land tax-free! At the same time, we will also mint a batch of 'Amendolara Newborn Silver Clasps,' one for each new citizen to keep permanently. They can also be worn on their Bolton on grand public occasions, so that future generations will know of their merits!"
"That's more like it!" Matonis sat down with satisfaction.
Now, the new citizens also straightened their chests.
Davos gave both sides honor, and both sides accepted it with satisfaction, restoring peace to the meeting. Cornelius saw it in his eyes and had to admit Davos's political prowess.
"No one pays taxes, so what's the point of this bill? What's the use?!" Melsis complained.
"Don't you understand, Treasurer?" Cornelius smiled: "All current citizens do not have to pay land tax, but those who become citizens of Amendolara in the future must pay taxes after owning land."
"Please note that your existing land is tax-free, but you will still have to pay taxes on land you own in the future!" Davos reminded.
"If that's the case, then I can accept it," Antonios stood up and said: "Amendolara was founded by Cornelius and their ancestors, and they have endured too much suffering for it, which we should respect. And we have paid blood and sweat for Amendolara, and we should also get something in return. Future citizens will enjoy everything that we have done for this city-state, and of course they have to contribute something to Amendolara. Paying taxes—I think it's a good idea!"
"Antonios is right! We agree with this approach!" The new citizens expressed their approval.
"Yes, we are the founders of this new Amendolara! We must let future generations know everything we have done today. These tax-free lands and silver clasps are the best proof and glory!" Protosilaus shouted excitedly, and the other old citizens did not object.
… … … … … … … … … …
After the meeting ended,
The new citizens walked towards the square, while the old citizens walked on the rugged mountain road.
"Cornelius, you were too indulgent of that young man tonight! You didn't refute any of the bills he proposed, watching him easily persuade those ignorant mercenaries!" Stromboli complained loudly.
"Hey, Stromboli, don't shout young man, young man, Davos is our Consul, we should respect him!" Raphias looked behind him, not too far from the new citizens, and reminded him.
"Consul? I think he's more like a king. Has he ever consulted us before proposing anything! Has any proposal been discussed with the senators of the Senate in advance! He also let so many mindless mercenaries who only know how to obey her participate in this meeting, obviously wanting him to have the final say! Then what do we need these people for! To be puppets?! … …" Stromboli said angrily.
Scombras couldn't help but interrupt him: "Since you have an opinion on the Consul, why didn't you say it at the meeting?"
Stromboli was momentarily speechless, then he rolled his eyes: "You all didn't object, why should I object alone, I'm not stupid! Oh... I know. Cornelius has become the Chief Administrator, and Raphias is now the Registrar. You're all big shots now! This is a gift from that Consul, you're too embarrassed to oppose him, right?"
Scombras rushed to him, glared at him and said: "Shut up, Stromboli! Cornelius has done his best to protect this mountain city, you can't say that about him! And... although those soldiers are rude and beat me, to be honest, these bills proposed by this young Consul are very interesting, especially that bill about paying taxes. I was indeed a little surprised, but Amendolara hasn't changed for hundreds of years..."
"Uncle Scombras is right! We Amendolara have suffered so much, we can no longer live as we did before! Whether it's appointing Davos as Consul for life, or his proposals, as long as it can make Amendolara strong and no longer be bullied, even if the traditions of Amendolara are changed, I accept it!" Tritodemus said solemnly, causing several of them to nod secretly.
"More than just not being bullied, we also want to attack Lucania, defeat them, and avenge us!" Protosilaus, the youngest of the six, said excitedly.
"Lucania has a large population and a vast territory, and it's mostly mountainous. It's not that easy to attack them. That young Consul is just talking big," Stromboli questioned.
"Davos led a small number of mercenaries to annihilate a large number of Lucanian coalition forces. That's a fact, right! Recapturing Amendolara in one night, that's also a fact, right! Among the great Greek city-states, how many generals and citizens can do these two things, tell me?" Protosilaus retorted.
Stromboli "hmph"ed and didn't respond.
"Did you notice the way those new citizens looked at Davos? That expression is completely like staring at a deity!" Protosilaus said exaggeratedly.
"I heard they call Davos a Favored of the Gods, maybe he can really create miracles," Tritodemus said with some anticipation: "I've long heard that there's a beautiful lake in the northwest of our Amendolara, upstream of the Sinni River, which the Lucanians call Docala (today's Lake Senise). It seems I can not only go and see it, but I may even get a piece of land there."
Stromboli hmphed again, but there was less anger in his expression.
"Fighting is always going to kill people, it's better not to fight if we can avoid it," Cornelius sighed.
"Anyway, we don't have to go on the field, I think those mercenaries are very enthusiastic about it," Raphias said with an indifferent expression.
"Those are also citizens of our Amendolara," Cornelius reminded him. He paused and said with a sigh: "However, we all underestimated Davos. Don't look at him being young, but he's unusually familiar with city-state politics. Could it be that he really is, as the new citizens rumored, 'given wisdom by Hades'?"
His sigh did not receive a rebuttal from the other five, and everyone was obviously surprised by this.
"But how Davos actually governs still needs our further observation. We don't know how much impact and change these few bills he has proposed will have on Amendolara. All we can do is try our best to ensure the stability of Amendolara, discover problems, and remind Davos in time. At least from now on, Davos is not the same as Dionysius of Syracuse," Cornelius solemnly reminded everyone.
The other four nodded, while Stromboli asked in a deep voice: "If Davos makes a mess of Amendolara and doesn't listen to advice and acts recklessly, what should we do?!"
"If that's really the case..." Cornelius didn't know how to answer for a moment.
"Then drive them away!" Scombras said decisively: "For the sake of Amendolara, even if we cooperate with Thurii again!"
The others looked at each other and finally nodded silently.
… … … … … … … … …
Davos returned to the square, it was already very late.
He returned to his big tent, the tent was still brightly lit, and Christoya, who had been waiting for his return, was already asleep on the spread-out bedding.
Davos walked gently to the bedding, squatted down in front of Christoya, the flickering candlelight reflected her beautiful and sexy face, her breathing was light and long, and a smile hung on the corner of her mouth…
She must be having a sweet dream! Davos stared quietly, feeling a little dazed. Coming to this strange world alone, desperately living for survival, although there is a group of comrades who can entrust their lives to, the lonely and wandering heart truly has a port to moor because of her.
He couldn't help but reach out and gently stroked Christoya's smooth long hair, but he didn't expect her to wake up immediately, rubbing her sleepy eyes and saying lazily: "You're back."
Davos held her hands, put them together, and said gently: "Christoya of Miletus, are you willing to be my wife, Davos?"
Christoya's eyes suddenly brightened, and her beautiful face shone brightly in the candlelight. Following Davos east and west, the one thing she had always been most worried about no longer existed at this moment. She hugged Davos tightly and whispered the oath to entrust her life: "I do!"
… … … … … … … … … …
After a passionate entanglement, Christoya lay on Davos, listening to him talk about what happened at the meeting that night, and sleepiness gradually came to her mind…
At this time, Davos said: "Christoya, I'm hesitating whether or not to let you do something."
"What is it?" Christoya asked curiously.
"Have you ever heard of a bank?"
"I've heard of it. Isn't it just lending money? My father also runs this business in Miletus. I've heard him say that he admires the Athenian banker Pasion the most, because he not only became the richest man in Athens through lending, but also won the respect of the citizens of Athens…" Christoya thought of the past and felt a little sad for some reason.
"That's great! I want you to open a bank in Amendolara, specializing in lending to Amendolara citizens," Davos said immediately.
"Open a bank?! Me?!" Christoya was stunned.
"Yes, you!" Davos raised his head, looked at her, and his eyes were full of trust: "You can manage the medical camp so well, I believe you can also run this bank well!"
Christoya calmed down, thought for a while, and reminded him: "That requires a lot of silver coins."