Amidst the uproar, a voice cried out, "Dila's husband?! Urazza, you have no chance now!"
This sentence elicited soft laughter from the guests for the first time.
"I thought you were already killed by Grumetum's pursuit..." Urazza said bitterly, "So, I already have a wife."
"At that time, none of us could be sure if we could live to this day!" Bagule's words resonated with the guests. He continued, "So, we gather tonight, not to talk about anything else, just to drink! To celebrate that we are still alive today!"
"That's right!" Kesima, hugging a two-handled pottery jar filled with wine, took a sip and exclaimed loudly, "Good wine! This is the first time I've ever had such good wine! Tonight, I'm going to drink all of Bagule's good wine!"
Everyone burst into laughter.
Bagule secretly thanked Kesima for defusing the situation for him. He raised his glass and shouted, "Come, let us thank the god Asinu for his blessing!"
Bagule took the lead and led everyone to drink several cups of wine. The atmosphere of the banquet became lively. Glasses clinked, cups were exchanged, and amidst the noise, Bagule stood up and said to Asistestes, "Come, brother-in-law, let me introduce you to my guests!"
Asistestes held a wine jug in one hand and a wine glass in the other.
"This is Kesima, my childhood friend, and also a wrestling opponent, but he can never beat me!"
"Don't listen to his nonsense!"
"If you don't believe me, we can fight again another day!"
"Don't wait for another day, let's compete after the banquet is over, dare you?!"
"Compete then, I'm not afraid of you!" Bagule agreed readily.
Hearing that there would be wrestling to watch later, the other guests also became excited and clamored.
Asistestes performed the Lucanian salute with Kesima, clinked glasses, and drank it all in one gulp.
"Good!" Someone shouted. Obviously, Asistestes, as a Greek, used the Lucanian etiquette and straightforwardness to attract the attention of the guests.
"This is Urazza, my good friend, and also a former admirer of Tina!"
"Nice to meet you!" Asistestes stepped forward, clinked glasses, and said, "Don't worry, Tina is living very well, and I will always treat her well!"
Urazza glared at Asistestes and spat out, "I want to wrestle with you later, dare you?!"
"Sure!" Asistestes replied simply, raised his glass, and drank it all in one gulp.
"Good!!!" The guests, who were happy to have something to watch, shouted one after another. They began to feel that this Greek was to their liking.
"This is Uncle Hermon, who often took us fishing when we were young. His fishing skills are the best among all the Lucanians!"…
… … … … … … …
After this round, Asistestes felt a little unsteady on his feet after finishing a jug of wine, but the way the guests looked at him was no longer as wary as before.
"Brother-in-law, you need to know..." Bagule, who had returned to his seat, said loudly to Asistestes with earnest words, "In the past, we all lived in small tribes in the mountainous areas between the upper reaches of the Lao River and the Agri River. We often interacted with each other, and often united to fight against external enemies. However, after Grumetum and Niu Tuum formed an alliance, we were unable to resist their powerful strength. Some were forced to join Grumetum, some, like Kesima and Urazza, were forced to join Niu Tuum, and some, like us, escaped from the deep mountains... I didn't expect that we could still gather together..." Bagule said emotionally, "If my father knew, he would definitely not be able to sleep all night!"
Bagule's words also touched the memories of the guests present, and they all sighed.
At this time, Bagule patted Asistestes on the shoulder and said loudly, "My brother-in-law has another identity. He is a close follower of Davos, the chief executive of the Thurian League. This time, he was sent by Lord Davos to assist in governing Niu Tuum!"
As soon as these words came out, the guests were all amazed.
"Davos? Are you talking about the Greek who annihilated more than 10,000 Akbiru people with only a few thousand people?!"
"Asistestes, I heard that this Davos later defeated tens of thousands of Crotonians with a few thousand people. Is it true?!"
"I heard that he is also the son of a Greek god?!"
… …
No wonder the guests were so surprised. Although Niu Tuum and Thurii had cut off contact due to the war, Laos had a port. As long as there was foreign trade, news from the outside world could quickly reach Niu Tuum. When the Lucanians were surprised why the powerful Lucanian coalition had failed, Davos's name first entered their ears, and as long as they paid attention, they would hear more rumors about Davos from foreign merchant ships in the port of Laos…
For the more superstitious and power-worshiping Lucanians, this powerful and mysterious Greek who had achieved so much made them feel awe. Therefore, when Bagule learned this from the prisoners, he immediately realized that this could be used. Therefore, he didn't say Asistestes's position, but said that he was Davos's confidant, which immediately put a halo on Asistestes.
Asistestes took the opportunity to say, "Lord Davos once said, 'In Lucania, large tribes oppress small tribes, annex their people, and plunder their cattle and sheep. In the end, the leaders of the large tribes are as rich as kings, while the people from small tribes are more like slaves than slaves.'"
"That's right, that's how it is!"
"That's so true!"
Asistestes's words aroused the resonance of the guests.
"And we, the Thurian League, will never oppress you!" Asistestes said with unusual certainty, "Before I came, Lord Davos repeatedly instructed me, 'Treat the Lucanians as your own people!' He said, 'Under the rule of the Thurian League, Greeks, Lucanians, Egyptians, and other races will all be the same, regardless of status or social standing, enjoying the same rights and obligations!'"
"That's right!" Bagule immediately took over the conversation and testified for him, "The chief commercial officer of the Thurian League, Senator Marigi, is an Egyptian, but he is also a citizen of the Thurian League! And I am a Lucanian, now the captain of the Fourth Brigade of the First Legion of the Thurian League, and a senator! My father, Vesba, is also a senator!"
The guests let out incredible exclamations. The Lucanian region was surrounded by Greek city-states. Long-term contact and exchanges had made them roughly aware of the system of Greek city-states. A senator was equivalent to the leader of a large Lucanian tribal alliance, able to participate in discussions and decisions on matters in the tribal alliance. If they encountered a powerful leader, they could even influence the decisions of the great leader.
"How can one become a citizen of the Thurian League?!" Many people felt envious and couldn't help but ask loudly.
"As long as you are willing to join the Thurian League, you can now be probationary citizens of the Thurian League. As long as you abide by the laws of the League and perform well, you can become full citizens in five years." (The Thurian League Senate, taking into account the special circumstances of the Lucanians, has relaxed the conditions for Lucanians to become probationary citizens as long as they are willing to submit. However, for the sake of fairness, they will become full citizens in five years, just like the Greeks.)
"What is the difference between this probationary... probationary citizen and a full citizen?" Some careful people noticed the difference between these two words.
"Probationary citizens do not enjoy some of the rights of full citizens, such as the allocation of land by the League, the ability to hold public office… etc. However, probationary citizens enjoy the protection of the League and can receive assistance from the League. For example, if you become probationary citizens and are willing to farm, the League will lease the land of Niu Tuum to you for farming, with a tax rate of only five percent." (This is a new policy introduced to encourage probationary citizens to move to Niu Tuum.) "If you are willing to graze, we will lease cattle and sheep to you for grazing, with a tax rate of also five percent. You must know that in Thurii, it is not so easy for many Greek free people to become probationary citizens of the League. After applying to the League, they must undergo at least two years of observation before they can become probationary citizens."
"That's right. The Thurian League Senate, considering the Lucanians' wariness of the Greeks, has specially relaxed the conditions for Lucanians to become probationary citizens in order to show the League's sincerity. This has also been criticized by many citizens!" Bagule once again endorsed the League.
In fact, the two of them were too worried. Most of the guests didn't care about this. Compared with handing over half of their income to Niu Tuum City every year, and usually only being able to go out to fight and barely make a living by capturing prisoners, the tax rate given by the Thurian League was too good to be true! The guests exchanged eager glances.
"Aren't you afraid that we will take the cattle and sheep you give us and run away?" Someone joked.
"We are not afraid!" Asistestes said confidently, "We can identify a person who is not suitable to become a citizen of the League with just a few cattle and sheep. And where can the person who steals the cattle and sheep go? Run to another Lucanian tribe, and then have the cattle and sheep taken away and continue to be oppressed by a strange leader? Or go to another Greek city-state and become a slave? Or wander alone in the wilderness until you freeze to death, die of illness, or starve to death? Rather than that, wouldn't it be better to stay in a friendly and peaceful League and live a stable life! The League respects the culture and customs of Lucania, allowing you to have your own temples, to worship freely, and to have your own customs and festivals, as long as you do not violate the laws of the League and disturb public order…"
After hearing these words, every guest fell into thought.
At this time, someone shouted, "How can one become a senator of the Thurian League Senate?!"
Bagule recognized that the speaker was Hermon and smiled inwardly. Hermon's tribe was second only to Vesba's tribe and was considered large among the tribes in the area between the Lao River and the Agri River, but now he had only a few hundred warriors left.
"I led my people to painstakingly build a new road and a residential area for the Thurian League. I also led my people to participate in the battle against Croton, and now we have captured Nuceria, achieving these accomplishments. That's why I became a senator in the Senate!" Bagulus said proudly, "My father didn't do anything else, but before him, no Lucanian had ever joined a Greek city-state. He bravely led over two thousand of our people to voluntarily join a Greek alliance (the number included family members, Bagulus deliberately distorted the facts here), creating history. He also agreed and encouraged me to lead our people to do everything for the alliance. Lord Davos took the initiative to invite him to join the Senate!"
The crowd exclaimed in envious surprise. Remember in one second[Kuaikan ?^?Book\?Pavilion], wonderful novels are free to read without pop-up windows!
Asistius further emphasized, "The Senate is open to any citizen of the League. As long as you make enough contributions to the League, the Senate will actively include you!…"
Hemon nodded as if realizing something.
"But what if Grumentum, Picentia, or even Potentia to the north attack Nuceria, which has joined the Thurian League?" someone asked worriedly.
"I think you all know very well that Grumentum and Picentia are currently fighting each other, in complete chaos, and cannot take care of us in a short time. Besides, even if they attack, we are not afraid, we have Lord Davos!" Asistius said loudly, this sentence was worth ten thousand, and immediately dispelled everyone's worries.
"I am willing to lead my people to join the Thurian League!" Cysima stood up and said.
"I am willing too!" Uluzan stood up after him.
"I can't let Vespasian be proud in the Senate alone!" Hemon also stood up.
… …
Seeing that almost all the guests were willing to join the league and become prospective citizens of the league, Bagulus and Asistius smiled at each other. They raised their glasses: "Come, let us jointly toast the Thurian League, which belongs not only to the Greeks but also to the Lucanians!"
… … … … … … … …
The next morning, Avinogis's troops opened the city gates and, in coordination with the Thurian League army, easily defeated the Lucanian defenders. Finally, they rushed into the chief's residence and found the great chief Laos, Tula, hiding in bed, shivering. Beside him lay a Greek slave girl whom he had strangled to death, her body already cold. The enraged Thurian League soldiers immediately pierced his chest with spears.
Avinogis warmly invited Philius to camp his troops in the city, but Philius politely declined, saying: "Laos has just been recovered, and the order in the city still needs to be rectified.
There are too many of our soldiers, and we are afraid of causing trouble for you in the city, which would affect the friendship between Laos and the Thurian League! We will rest outside the city for a while, and then we will leave, Lord Davos gave instructions before we came!"
Philius's insistence and the Thurian League's proactive consideration for Laos moved Avinogis greatly, and he immediately divided half of the captured money and livestock to Philius to show his gratitude.
Philius did not refuse. Together with the spoils captured in Nuceria, the Thurian League gained a lot from this expedition. According to the Senate's order, all the cattle and sheep were left to Nuceria, so that Sestus could use them to assist the Lucanians who had joined the Thurian League. Most of the money was taken back to Thurii, part was used as military funds, part was turned over to the national treasury, and a small part was distributed to the soldiers as rewards. The captured weapons were donated to the Soldiers' Committee free of charge.
Philius left the Second and Fourth Squads to temporarily garrison Nuceria, led the remaining troops with five days' rations, left Laos, and arrived at the entrance of the previous pass, where the entire army stopped and began to build a camp according to Philius's order.
Alobomas, who accompanied him, felt strange.
Facing Alobomas's inquiry, Philius replied truthfully: "The Senate ordered (actually it was Davos's order), 'After capturing Laos and Nuceria, the army must build a fortress at the entrance of the pass and send soldiers to garrison it for a long time to prevent the Lucanian army from invading from the north in the future, surrounding Nuceria, and then quickly block the mountain road, cutting off the Thurian League's support for Nuceria and Laos.'"
Alobomas was silent for a while, and asked: "In the future, the trade and personnel exchanges between Laos and Nuceria…"
"Will not be affected in any way! They can pass through the fortress smoothly without any fees!" Philius said affirmatively.
In order not to damage the good alliance relationship just established between Laos and the Thurian League, Alobomas had to express his approval. In fact, both sides understand: building a fortress here to protect the mountain road leading to Thurii is not only so that the Thurian League can smoothly support Nuceria and resist the Lucanian army in the future. In addition, if Laos one day rebels against the alliance or there are other abnormalities, the Thurian League's army can still pass through the fortress and directly approach the city of Laos. This is an open conspiracy!
… … … … … … … …
In Sestus's temporary administrative office, a large number of Lucanians who wanted to join the league, rent livestock, and rent land poured in early in the morning.
Sestus was overjoyed and asked Bagulus and the soldiers of the Fourth Squad to maintain order and act as translators, while the assistant of the household registration officer and the assistant of the agricultural affairs officer accompanying the army were prepared.
Household registration, signing, stamping fingerprints…
Writing rental contracts, signing, stamping fingerprints…
Who knew that more and more Lucanians came. Not only because of the group effect, but also because of the "Intermarriage Law" specially formulated by the Thurian League to quickly consolidate the newly occupied Nuceria, some shrewd Lucanians realized that they must quickly get the benefits given by the Thurian League, otherwise Greeks from Thurii would compete with them.
Nuceria is backed by the Lao River on the northwest side, and the opposite bank of the river is a not-too-steep mountain forest; the southeast side is a narrow river valley area less than two miles wide, which is still relatively flat, leading directly to Laos; further east are continuous and insurmountable mountains, with only one narrow road leading to Thurii; only the northeast side, in the area between the upper reaches of the Lao River and the upper reaches of the Agri River, although the terrain is high, the soil is still fertile. It used to be the gathering place of many small tribes, and later belonged to the control range of Nuceria. This area is irregular in shape, and the terrain is also rugged, and some parts are divided by mountains and are relatively fragmented, making it difficult to measure and distribute. Therefore, Bagulus suggested to Sestus: divide the land to the tribes according to the number of people in each tribe, and the tax burden will be collected by the chiefs and the tribe members. Lucanians without tribes will be distributed separately (in fact, this situation is relatively rare), which saves time and manpower, and also avoids direct friction and conflicts between the league and the Lucanians of Nuceria.
Considering the particularity of the Lucanian mountainous areas and Lucanian tribes, after thinking, Sestus agreed with Bagulus's opinion.
… … … … … … … …
Just when Sestus was racking his brains to govern Nuceria and was very busy, Davos received an urgent battle report from the west. The victory in Nuceria and Laos was originally expected, and the only trace of unease caused by not personally commanding it had disappeared. He had repeatedly warned himself not to learn from Napoleon. The Mediterranean Sea is very large, and the Thurian League will encounter many enemies in the future. He needs more outstanding commanders who can command operations independently.
Sestus's performance in Nuceria was beyond his expectations, but… He handed the sandpaper scroll to Aristocrates and asked with a slight anger: "What do you think about Sestus's allowing Greek slaves to slaughter Lucanian prisoners?"
After making the decision to let Asistius assist Sestus in governing Nuceria, Davos did not intend to let Asistius come back to be a secretary again. The fledgling eagle will eventually grow up and soar independently in the vast sky, but the secretary must be found separately.
Davos remembered Aristocrates, who was facing Praesinas, who was demanding the runaway slaves in Amendolara, and was able to calmly defend himself and move the senators present. So he sent Aristillus to find him. As a result, he was working in the new restaurant opened by Clesithyra in the city of Thurii. When Aristillus told him that Lord Davos wanted to find a secretary (because the secretary was a public office, Aristocrates was just a freeman and could not take office), he gladly accepted.
As a result, Davos was complained by Clesithyra when he returned home at night, saying that he was digging people to his own head, and finally implemented "retaliation", almost draining him with his mouth and hands…
"Lord, I don't know Nuceria, so I can't comment." Compared with the quick-talking Asistius, Aristocrates, who had experienced hardships since childhood, was much more cautious.
Davos glanced at him: Is this a subtle reminder to himself?
Davos thought for a while and said slowly: "You are right, we will not know more about the situation in Nuceria than Sestus. Since he has been appointed to manage Nuceria, he should be allowed to do it… I just didn't expect this Sestus, who is usually not very conspicuous, to be so decisive and fierce in doing things. This is better than me!"
… … … … … … … …
Because the Thurii Senate Hall had not yet been built, the Senate meeting in the afternoon was still held in the Amendolara Senate.
At the meeting, Davos announced loudly: The Thurian League successfully captured Nuceria and helped its ally Avinogis recapture Laos.
Although the senators had already received the news before the meeting, they still cheered loudly.
Then Davos said with excitement: "Everyone, from today onwards, the Thurian League owns the territories of Thurii, Amendolara, and Nuceria, and we also have the two allied states of Castron and Laos, which regard us as their masters. Although Crimisa remains neutral and Poseidonia is still in the hands of the Lucanians, we have more Nuceria. Except that the population is still insufficient, trade is not prosperous enough, and prestige is not enough, the Thurian League has basically restored the territory and allied states of Sybaris a hundred years ago. We will recreate the glory of Sybaris in Magna Graecia!"
Map of Magna Graecia -