In the messenger's exaggerated account: a siege weapon could hurl round stones the size of clay pots hundreds of meters away, accurately hitting the city walls. The powerful impact could damage the walls, and prolonged bombardment could even cause them to collapse. Another weapon was like a mobile watchtower, built taller than the city walls. Archers at the top could easily attack the defenders on the walls, and once it approached the walls and lowered its drawbridge, enemies could easily rush onto the ramparts... The combination of these two siege weapons was a nightmare for any city, and Daonia possessed both!
Pianren was not only worried about Knapeteia, but also about Cosenza. Originally, his plan was to retreat to Cosenza in the worst-case scenario, using its solid walls to resist the Daionian attack until the enemy ran out of supplies and retreated. However, the messenger's account shook his decision. He didn't want to be trapped in the city, constantly bombarded by stones launched from dozens of such siege weapons... Therefore, Knapeteia had to be defended, otherwise, if Daonia captured it, Cosenza would face attacks from two sides.
But at this moment, with the natural barrier lost and Daonia possessing a significant advantage, the Brutti Alliance was in a predicament. Relying solely on defense was too passive, and the likelihood of failure was too high. Therefore, Pianren preferred to take a risky offensive. As long as he could defeat Daonia's main force, all difficulties would be resolved!
His gaze turned to Bisignia, which had already surrendered, because it was closest to Daonia's center—Thurii. Daonia's main force would definitely attack from here.
After repeated consideration, he finally made his final decision: to send two thousand reinforcements to Knapeteia, while persuading Bergam to return to Ambaria, and sending a messenger to Vig, hoping that the two alliance elders, Bergam and Sedorum, could bring as many warriors as possible to support the Brutti Alliance in its battle against Daonia.
.........
To wait for the arrival of supplies and meet combat needs, Davos waited two more days in Bisignia.
Although Bisignia was close to Thurii, transportation was difficult due to road conditions. To make future transportation more convenient, Davos learned a lesson and ordered each soldier to carry five more days of rations.
Early on the third day, Davos led the First Legion, the Second Legion, the Mountain Reconnaissance Brigade, the Cavalry Brigade, the Heraclea Allied Forces, the Castron Allied Forces, Bisignian warriors, the Legion Reserve, two thousand freedmen... Except for a small part of the Legion Reserve stationed in Bisignia, the number of people marching to Cosenza alone totaled about 24,000, forming a long line and marching west along the mountain road.
Pianren received the scout's report close to noon: the Daionian army had entered the Cosenza Plateau, and he saw the conspicuous military flag of the Daionian governor.
This news made Pianren unable to sit still.
He immediately convened an emergency meeting. Besides Petalu and Philotalu, Bergam and Sedorum, who had just arrived with troops last night, were also present. Pangaru was still struggling to resist the enemy's attack in Knapeteia, and Nicuru had already died in battle. The "Council of Seven Elders" actually only had five members present, which inevitably made people in the hall feel a sense of sadness.
"I estimate that the Daonians will arrive near Cosenza this afternoon and set up camp in this area." Pianren drew a circle on the map about six miles east of the Cosenza icon, and said with Passionate emotion: "With Amara's blessing, we should take advantage of their discomfort after entering Cosenza and launch a proactive attack while they are building their camp, forcing them to engage in a decisive battle!"
Sedorum understood what Pianren meant by "discomfort." Because of the high altitude of the area where Cosenza was located, outsiders who came here would have no problem with normal activities, but once they engaged in strenuous exercise, they would easily become tired and have difficulty breathing over time. But the Brutti warriors, especially the people of Cosenza, had adapted to this environment since childhood and would not have any abnormal behavior.
In addition, he already knew the battle situation in Knapeteia, so he did not have much hope for defending the city to the death.
He and Bergam looked at each other, their expressions were solemn, and they finally agreed.
So, they each returned to gather their teams, anxiously waiting for the arrival of the Daionian army.
But only half an hour later, Pianren urgently sent someone to call them again.
"Elders, just received news that the Daonians have stopped advancing near the Punate River and have begun to set up camp!" Pianren said anxiously.
Punate River! Sedorum and Bergam hurriedly went to look at the map in the center of the hall.
The Punate River, although called a river, was more like a stream. It eventually flowed into the upper reaches of the Crati River, and the area it flowed through was relatively flat. The key was that it was almost in the middle of Bisignia and Cosenza.
"So far from Cosenza, and so early, and they're already resting?!" Bergam muttered in confusion.
"Those traitors in Bisignia! The great god Amara will punish them!" Philotalu said with an angry expression.
Sedorum understood the reason for the high priest's anger. In his memory, the terrain at the Punate River was not as high as here, and the impact on people was not very obvious.
He hurriedly looked at Pianren and asked, "What does the great leader plan to do?"
Pianren also cursed along with the high priest. He also believed that the Daonians' actions must have been leaked by the Bisignians, disrupting his pre-designed plan.
He thought for a while, then looked at everyone and said with a serious expression: "Now, Knapeteia is being fiercely attacked by the enemy every day and may be breached by the Daonians at any time! As for us, do we allow the enemy to slowly advance, gradually adapt and become familiar with the weather and environment here, or do we make up our minds and concentrate all our strength to attack them?! The choice is yours!"
Sedorum and Bergam looked at each other again, their eyes gradually flashing with determination: "Do we still have a choice!"
"The great god Amara will surely bless our descendants of Brutus!" Philotalu chanted loudly...
............
Davos chose to camp near Punate, indeed out of caution.
When Bagili Pi reminded him that 'outsiders who enter the Cosenza area will experience some discomfort,' a word immediately popped into his mind—altitude sickness: the higher the altitude, the thinner the air, the less oxygen, and people will be tired due to lack of oxygen. Of course, compared to Tibet in the far east, the altitude of the Cosenza Plateau is nothing, but in fierce battles, it is very likely to become a decisive factor.
Davos now had the advantage in hand, and he didn't need to take risks. He only needed to steadily advance towards Cosenza, allowing the soldiers to gradually adapt to the altitude sickness here and become familiar with the geographical environment, while also gradually putting pressure on Cosenza, preventing it from dividing its forces to reinforce Knapeteia.
Although he could not grasp the battlefield dynamics of Knapeteia in time, out of trust in Hilos and the Fourth Legion, which possessed two types of siege weapons, he believed that the Fourth Legion was at an absolute advantage in Knapeteia. Once Knapeteia was breached, the Daionian army would advance from the east and west, not only greatly increasing their advantage, but also shocking the entire Brutti region, possibly directly leading to the disintegration of the Brutti Alliance, and even causing the Brutti people to surrender without a fight!
Although the idea was good, Davos did not relax his vigilance. According to the "Daionian Military Law" regarding the construction of camps in battlefield areas, he did not let all the soldiers devote themselves to the busy construction of the camp, but only allowed the soldiers of the First Legion and the reserve to start working first, with the freedmen assisting, while the Second Legion and its allies, as well as the Bisignian warriors, were responsible for guarding.
"Why are we the ones building the camp this time? We are the First Legion of Daonia!" Haitbarus stared at the soldiers of the Second Legion who were sitting and resting in front of him, complaining resentfully while digging the earth.
"Perhaps it's because the Second Legion just finished fighting the Bruttians the day before yesterday, and the commander is giving them a reward!" Pesias speculated.
Leo Tizides listened to his teammates' words, and his mind was full of thoughts: Although the Spartans also attached importance to marching and camping, they did not attach importance to it to a degree that he considered to be obsessive. When the troops arrived at an important location, the first thing they considered was how to build an extremely solid camp, and even engineers came to measure and inspect it, and those who failed would be punished... Even though he had practiced many times in the recruit training camp and had truly practiced it in Taranto, he was still a little unaccustomed to it.
"If we replaced the Second Legion with our First Legion to attack Bisignia, we would have done better! Isn't it because the commander is unfair, giving this key task to the Second Legion, while commanding our First Legion to either climb mountains or march, I don't know how many roads we've walked these days, and my soles are blistered!..."
Haitbarus babbled and vented his depression, and then his head was lightly slapped: "Haitbarus, stop talking nonsense and work hard! If you slow down our camp construction progress and cause our brigade to lose to Olivos' brigade, Captain Matonis will never spare you!" Captain Sitalcis scolded.
At the mention of Matonis, Haitbarus dared not say any more.
Leo Tizides felt a little emotional: Matonis, the burly captain, took great care of the soldiers under his command, and could even be said to be extremely protective. Leo Tizides had personally seen him arguing with the military law officers, whom the soldiers considered "terrible," several times because the soldiers had violated discipline and were about to be punished by military law, and even once argued to Davos. In addition, he was amazingly strong and highly skilled, so the soldiers both loved and respected him.
However, this battalion commander was strict with his soldiers in two matters: First, in battle, soldiers were only allowed to advance and not retreat, otherwise he would kick the cowardly soldiers out of the battalion. Second, they could not lose to Olivius's Sixth Battalion in anything.
This kind of competitive behavior seemed somewhat amusing, but in the Daonian army, competition between companies, battalions, and legions was common. Moreover, officers at all levels did not prohibit this competition; instead, they vigorously promoted it. Tug-of-war, rugby, soccer... these popular sports and games in the military camp were all team competitions between squads and platoons, with intense struggles for victory.
Leotychides felt that it was precisely because officers at all levels valued victory that these Daonian citizen-soldiers, who were previously just farmers, fishermen, and merchants, quickly developed a sense of honor for their team, and would bravely strive to be the first in battle!
"Prossous, I heard that you Lagosians and Spartans are enemies. Have you ever fought against Spartans?" Haitbarus was a chatterbox, and after being quiet for a while, he started talking again.
After the previous incident on the ship, and after the fierce battle with the Pucetians, the friendship between him and his teammates, especially with Haitbarus, had become quite friendly. Hearing this, Leotychides, in order to conceal the unnaturalness on his face, did not look up, but continued to bend over and dig, softly uttering, "I have fought them."
Haitbarus became interested and leaned closer to ask, "Do you think the Spartans are stronger, or are we stronger?"
Leotychides did not expect him to ask this question and was immediately stunned.
The other teammates seemed very interested in this as well, and they all gathered around. Captain Sithalces actually did not reprimand them.
In fact, Haitbarus had asked the right person. Leotychides was indeed the best person to answer this question: he was a Spartan, and he had also been in the Daonian army for half a year and had participated in battles, so he had a considerable understanding of the military situation between the two forces.
Facing the curious gazes of his comrades, Leotychides could not refuse, but for a moment he did not know how to start. He put down his pickaxe, patted the dirt off his hands, thought seriously, and then said, "Spartans start receiving brutal 'Agoge' combat training from the age of six. Except for a small amount of time learning to read, they live in military camps until adulthood, and the ritual of adulthood is to kill any Helot they encounter alone..."
"Oh, that's too cruel!" a teammate exclaimed.
Leotychides remained unmoved and continued, "After adulthood, Spartans do nothing but fight, until they die... So Spartans are the best warriors in the world. They are familiar with every detail of combat,
Killing enemies is as easy as drinking water!" As he said this, his pride as a Spartan resurfaced.
Some teammates booed in dissatisfaction.
"Prossous, you praise the Spartans so much, are you really a Lagosian?!" someone complained.
Leotychides was startled. He had gotten along well with his teammates during this time and had become a little less vigilant. He quickly said, "However, there are too few Spartan warriors. The number of their young and middle-aged citizens is probably only a little more than half of a Daonian legion. Even with the Pixians, it would only exceed 10,000. And Daonian soldiers are the best among the city-state soldiers I know who do not make a living by fighting! Moreover, your military system is very unique and very complete. I personally think that some systems are even better than Sparta's! Most importantly, there are many Daonian soldiers. After defeating the Brutii this time, I am afraid the number will continue to increase..."
"I understand what you mean, Prossous. In a one-on-one fight, we can't beat Spartan warriors, but in a real war, Spartans can't beat us because there are too few of them, right?!" Haitbarus interjected.
"Our Daonian legion emphasizes teamwork and cooperation. No matter how powerful a Spartan warrior is, he can't defeat four or five closely coordinated Daonian legion soldiers!" Pearsis continued.
"That's right! Just like a running back in a rugby game, no matter how good he is, he can't score without the help of his teammates!" another teammate shouted.
Leotychides recognized him as a Daonian reserve citizen who had repeatedly violated discipline and been punished during recruit training. In the last battle against the Pucetians, a soldier in Leotychides' squad was seriously injured, so he was added to the squad. But now he is already a qualified legion soldier. This is the terrifying aspect of the Daonian military system. In a short period of time, it can transform free and undisciplined Greeks into qualified soldiers through training, sports, competitions, and other means.
Sparta, a country established by military force, had learned a truth in long-term warfare: whether a city-state's army is strong or not, individual martial prowess is secondary; what is important is strict discipline, unconditional obedience, and persistent training. Most Greek city-states could neither understand nor achieve this, but the newly established Daonia had been demanding this from the beginning. It is said that all of this was the work of the divinely favored Archon Davos. It seems that compared to Sparta, what is truly terrifying about Daonia is this young man!
Leotychides did not want his teammates to have the wrong impression that Sparta was weak, so he reminded them, "Although there are few Spartan warriors, Sparta rarely fights alone. Don't forget that it is the leader of the Peloponnesian League and now the hegemon of the entire Greece, with countless allied soldiers fighting for it. And most Spartan generals are qualified commanders..."
"Hey, I'm just comparing Sparta with our Daonia. Speaking of alliances, our Daonia also has them, Laos, Castron..."
"And Heraclea... the Southern Italy League also counts, Croton, Siris, Terina and..."
"Caulonia."
The teammates shouted to be the first to speak, which made Leotychides feel somewhat emotional. In the eastern Mediterranean, many city-states turned pale at the mention of Sparta, and even great powers like Athens and Corinth feared Spartan warriors. However, these Daonian soldiers in front of him were discussing who was stronger between Daonia and Sparta without fear. It was not that they were ignorant, but that repeated victories had given them confidence.
Their shouts finally alarmed the platoon leader Parmanius not far away. He was furious when he saw this, "Not digging trenches properly, but talking nonsense! Are you not afraid of military law!"
The teammates quickly dispersed and went about their business.
Squad leader Sithalces came over and said in a low voice, "Prossous, you spoke well! But next time, be careful to change 'you' to 'we'."
Leotychides was embarrassed when he heard this. In his heart, he had not truly integrated into Daonia and regarded himself as a Daonian...
.........
Just as the soldiers of the First Legion were busy, Davos was talking with Trifeas, the commander of the Heraclean Allied Forces.
"You want to ask our engineers to build bridges in Heraclea?"
"Yes, Lord Davos. I heard in Heraclea before that your Daonian bridge-building technology is very good. This time, when I brought troops here, I gained a deeper understanding after passing through the two wooden bridges in Thurii. As you probably know, there are many rivers in the territory of Heraclea. The main city of Heraclea is built on a delta formed by the Agri River and its tributaries. The rainy season in March and April every year is the most difficult season for us Heracleans." Trifeas sighed and said helplessly, "At that time, the river water rises sharply, and the pontoon bridges are often washed away. We even have to sail out to sea every day and then go ashore to go to our farmland for farming. Therefore, we urgently need several solid and sturdy real bridges, just like the wooden bridge on the Crati River!"
After listening to Trifeas's request, Davos happily promised, "Heraclea is an ally of Daonia, and we are happy to provide such assistance!"
"I heard that Little Heraclides is a master of bridge building, but he also holds the public office of managing roads in Daonia. Our Heraclea is willing to donate 50 tons of wheat to Daonia to thank Little Heraclides and his team for providing us with assistance in their busy schedule," Trifeas said sincerely.
Davos did not decline. Daonia was currently short of food, and Trifeas's move was a timely help. Davos looked at him with admiration. Although Heraclea has a dense network of waterways and fertile land, 50 tons of wheat is by no means a small amount. Heraclea's gift is not just a reward for building bridges, but also shows Heraclea's attitude. Davos kept this in mind.
After this agreement, Davos and Trifeas's conversation became more intimate and casual.
Davos even happily mentioned that he did not expect the Cosenza region to have such excellent pastures, which could be used to breed warhorses.
Just as the two were talking happily, the herald Tolmides rushed over with a nervous expression: "Commander, Lydes urgently reports that 'a large force of Brutian troops has been discovered marching towards here!'"
"How many people?" Davos immediately asked.
"According to the scouts' judgment, there may be 20,000 people!"
Twenty thousand people! Davos's expression was no longer calm: The Brutian League clearly wants to have a decisive battle with us here!
Davos originally had no intention of engaging in a decisive battle with the Bruttian League at this moment, which is why he chose to set up camp here. At the same time, he believed that the Bruttian League would be more cautious after their failed siege the day before. He thought it unlikely that they would abandon their advantageous position and march dozens of miles to challenge them, but he didn't expect the enemy to actually come. Since they're here, then let's fight!
The two sides had comparable troop strength. Although half of the Daonian soldiers might be somewhat fatigued from building the camp, that was not a reason to avoid battle. The enemy had come out in full force, which was exactly what Davos wanted. He suddenly stood up and asked, "How is the camp construction progressing?"
"The trenches have been dug, and we are building the earthworks," Tolmid replied, then asked, "Should we have the soldiers retreat behind the trenches?"
Davos waved his hand, indicating his refusal. The Daonian legion had always been offensive-oriented. Although trenches could increase the difficulty of the enemy's attack, they also limited their own offensive capabilities and prevented the soldiers' morale from being fully utilized. He would not do this unless under special circumstances.
"Sound the assembly horn, and then bring over the legion commanders Kapus and Drakos, as well as the cavalry captain Lydes… Oh, and also bring Epitenes and Zipit," Davos ordered.
"Yes," Tolmid quickly left to deliver the orders.
"Are we going to have a decisive battle with the Bruttians here?" Terpifias asked somewhat nervously.
"Yes, it seems the day the war with Bruttium ends will be sooner than expected!" Davos said with a confident smile. Terpifias was infected by his smile and relaxed, giving a Greek military salute: "Then please allow me to gather my soldiers first."
… … … … … … … … … … …
Pianlen led the army towards the Prunato River. After crossing a high slope, there was a wide, flat meadow below. On the meadow, countless Greeks were gathering and forming ranks. From above, it looked like an ant nest that had been dug up, a chaotic scene that made him somewhat underestimate them.
"Halt the advance, prepare to form ranks!" he immediately ordered.
Although the Greek formation didn't have a clear shape yet, standing on the high slope, he had a general impression: the Daonians' right flank was the confluence of the Prunato and Crati rivers, and the entire left flank was flat grassland without any terrain obstacles, with the messy dirt pits they had dug behind them.
After observing for a while, he made a decision: because the river side was difficult to wade through, with little room for attack and maneuver, he placed the 5,000 tribal warriors forcibly conscripted from various tribes on the left wing; the center was composed of more than 5,000 warriors from Ambaria and Vige; and the right wing was composed of 12,000 warriors from Cosenza.
Clearly,
He wanted to use the Cosenza warriors, who were the most numerous and strongest, to secure victory on the right wing.
Pianlen's original thought was: take advantage of the enemy's disorganized state and quickly form ranks to attack!
However, a force of more than 20,000 men, coming from different tribes, needed a complete command system, long-term military training, and highly disciplined soldiers to form a formation in a short period of time. The Bruttians met none of these requirements, so the entire army began to slowly deploy its formation in an extremely chaotic state, with horns blowing, drums beating, people shouting, horses neighing, pushing and shoving, and noisy arguments.
Pianlen was originally in a leisurely mood, observing the enemy's movements while waiting for his own formation to be completed. But after a while, his expression became somewhat unpleasant.
Because the previously disorganized Daonians quickly formed individual "small squares," and then these countless small squares moved to fixed positions quickly but without interfering with each other, as if building blocks. Soon, the Daonian formation began to take shape.
It was a formation that Pianlen had never seen before. The "small squares" were not close together, but rather had many gaps. Looking down from above, it looked like pieces of green and white woolen blankets (because the linen cuirass was white). Although Pianlen didn't know how powerful this strange formation was, the speed at which the Daonians formed their ranks made him feel uneasy.
He loudly said to Petalu beside him, "Go urge Bergam to make them move faster!"
… … … … … … … … … …
The chaos of the Daonian formation that Pianlen initially saw was the moment when the First Legion soldiers hurriedly crawled out of the bustling camp, putting on their armor and returning to their units. Now that the formation was initially deployed, Davos's slightly nervous mood also calmed down.
"Commander, our right wing is still forming and hasn't deployed yet!" Tolmid anxiously came to report.
"Don't worry, the right wing has allied forces and the legion reserve, and the source of soldiers is the most mixed." Davos, sitting on his horse, looked to the left: late autumn, it hadn't rained for ten days in a row, the land was dry, and the movement of tens of thousands of soldiers had long stirred up dust, making it impossible to see any situation on the right wing.
Davos said with a rather leisurely expression: "Terpifias didn't rush to form ranks, but instead reorganized his troops first, which makes me feel relieved."
He pointed forward: "You see, the Bruttians on the grass slope haven't moved either, probably also forming ranks, which gives us time to let the soldiers of the First Legion rest for a while and recover some strength."
Tolmid stared intently: 500 meters ahead, the same dust and fog filled the air…
"Go inform Lydes," Davos ordered again: "Have him send seven or eight cavalry detachments to harass the enemy's left, center, and right flanks, delaying their formation speed, and at the same time observe their response and report back to me."
"Yes."
"Wait a moment. Tell Lydes that I said harass, not a head-on fight. If the enemy cavalry chases, retreat immediately, don't let the cavalry be damaged!" Davos repeatedly instructed.
"Understood, sir."
… … … … … … … … … … …
"Lads, keep up!"
"Uncle, we can run faster than you even without riding a horse."
"You little brat, your skin is itching, isn't it? You'll be in for it when we get back."
"Captain, you should have done this a long time ago!"
The cavalry detachment led by Sorikos had already traversed the entire battlefield amidst laughter and reached the banks of the Prunato River.
"Stop!" Sorikos held his spear horizontally, and the entire detachment stopped moving forward.
"Everyone dismount!"
"Why, Captain?! We haven't reached the enemy's lines yet!" The cavalrymen shouted.
"Obey the order!" Sorikos shouted loudly.
Although the cavalrymen were unwilling, they had to comply due to military regulations, but they shouted unwillingly, "Captain, the other detachments have already thrown javelins at the enemy. Are you going to make us deserters?!"
"Shut up! Our detachment is ordered to harass the enemy's far left flank. The running distance is the longest, and the horses are a bit tired. Let them rest for a while so they can better complete the mission! I brought you out here, and I will bring you back safely!"
"Alright, Captain, we'll listen to you. But how long do we have to wait?!"
"Wait for my order."
The cavalrymen had no choice but to gently pat their restless warhorses, while observing the hazy battlefield ahead, watching their teammates in the distance occasionally rush into the dust and fog, and then retreat… Shouts and screams reached their ears, making them eager.
Time passed so slowly. Just as they were becoming impatient, Sorikos's shout of "Mount up!" was like a timely rain, greatly invigorating them.
Fifty warhorses spread their hooves and began to trot, gradually forming a wedge shape as they advanced.
Sorikos was at the forefront. He raised his spear and waved it forward twice: "Accelerate!"
Ahead was a 30-meter-high grassy slope. Although not steep, they had to prevent the cavalry from slowing down when going uphill and being attacked by the enemy.
The warhorses' hooves flew, and the cavalrymen hugged their horses' necks, leaning forward to speed up the warhorses' ascent.
Sorikos was the first to leap onto the grassy slope. Just dozens of meters away were densely packed Bruttians extending from the banks of the Prunato River, stretching out indefinitely. It was difficult to count how thick their formation was in a hurry.
Sorikos felt that standing in front of the enemy's formation was like an ant standing in front of an elephant. An invisible, enormous pressure accumulated in his chest, making him feel a little breathless. He took a deep breath, drew a short javelin, and squeezed his legs against the horse's belly, causing the warhorse to accelerate again.
The cavalrymen followed closely behind.
50 meters, 40 meters, 30 meters… The raised hooves landed on the cracked soil, as if drumsticks were hitting the drum surface, making a "da da! da da!" sound. Coupled with the cavalry detachment's rapid charge, it actually created a considerable momentum, causing a burst of commotion in the newly formed Bruttian ranks.
Just as the Bruttian warriors were pushing each other and exclaiming in alarm, Sorikos threw the javelin in his hand, followed by dozens of javelins that plunged into the enemy ranks, and screams rang out one after another.
The Bruttians were even more chaotic, some panicking and retreating, some angrily rushing up…
Sorikos waved his spear to the left, leading the cavalry detachment to quickly turn left about 20 meters away from the enemy formation, galloping along the front of the Bruttian ranks. And wherever they went, it was like a stone thrown into a calm lake, the ripples not subsiding for a while. At the same time, the enemy's panic and chaos were all reflected in Sorikos's eyes. He felt that his mission had been accomplished and decisively ordered: "Turn left!"
As soon as the cavalrymen turned back, the Bruttian cavalry arrived, resulting in a chase.
The Daonian light infantry arrived in time to meet them, using javelins to repel hundreds of Bruttian cavalry.
Davos cleverly used the cavalry's "reconnaissance by fire" to make the Bruttian formation on the opposite side react. Through Lydes's report, he had a general understanding of the Bruttian formation. Judging from the response to the cavalry harassment, the Bruttian left wing was the worst, while the strongest was the right wing, which cost the Daonian cavalry more than a dozen casualties. Obviously, the Bruttians' idea was the same as Davos's, placing the weakest troops on the river side and the strongest troops on the outside, after all, this was in line with the principles of warfare.
Davos placed the allied forces and the legion reserve on the right wing, the First Legion in the center, and the Second Legion, which had not expended any energy, on the left wing, intending to use the strongest force to break through from the outside and ultimately encircle the enemy.
With a plan in mind, Davos said to Lydes, "The cavalry squadron has worked hard! Have the brothers retreat to the rear and rest well!"
Upon hearing this, Lydes hurriedly said, "Lord Davos, the enemy has five or six hundred cavalry on their right wing. If we retreat to the rear, who will deal with them?"
"They will have their own people to deal with them, and your cavalry will deliver a fatal blow to the enemy at a crucial moment! Until then, let your men recover their strength and their horses' stamina!" Davos explained, unmoved.
Lydes reluctantly withdrew.
Davos immediately had Tolmidus summon Epithenes and Zippetes, and said with a serious expression, "When the enemy attacks, I want you to lead the light infantry and freemen to launch a ranged attack on the enemy's right wing. At the same time, you must also repel the enemy's cavalry and light infantry attacks. This is a difficult task. Can you do it?"
"In Persia, we fought against Persian cavalry and archers many times, and defeated them many times. Are the Bruttian cavalry stronger than the Persian cavalry?" Epithenes said confidently.
"Hades will protect us!" Zippetes chanted piously.
Davos looked at their firm gazes and gave them a solemn and forceful military salute: "I await news of your victory!"
After seeing them off, Davos's battle plan was fully implemented, and he was just waiting for the Bruttians to attack.
At this moment, Martius and Rhodom, Bargylius's nephew, came over and asked for instructions: "Lord, the Bithynian chiefs Brim and Crelus insist on seeing you!"
Davos looked back at the two Bithynian chiefs who were being blocked outside by the guards and were shouting loudly. He immediately dismounted and strode over.
"Strategos of Daonia, we Bithynians strongly demand to go to the front to meet the enemy, instead of hiding in the back like cowards. This is an insult to our warriors!" Brim shouted, his emotions agitated.
Insult? After listening to Adipigis's translation, Davos looked questioningly at Tolmidus, the herald who had followed him.
Tolmidus hurriedly explained, "I have patiently explained it to Chief Brim many times, but he doesn't seem willing to accept the idea of being a reserve team…"
Upon hearing this, Davos's expression immediately became serious. He said coldly, "Since Bithynian warriors are now Daonians, they must know that Daonian soldiers must unconditionally obey the orders of their superiors in battle. If you cannot do this, then please take your troops and leave! Let our true Daonian soldiers enjoy the glory of victory alone! That's all!" After saying this, he threw another sentence to Adipigis: "Translate verbatim!" Then he turned and left.
Tolmidus followed behind, looking back from time to time. He saw Brim and Crelus leaving dejectedly.
"Lord, aren't you afraid that the Bithynians will leave in anger after you say that?" Tolmidus said with some concern.
Davos smiled: "For some stubborn people, the more you explain, the more they demand. It's better to cut off their thoughts from the beginning! Besides, even if the Bithynians leave, it won't affect our victory!"
Tolmidus was dubious and secretly sent a herald to observe the movements of the Bithynian troops. As a result, he found that after Brim returned, he obediently led his troops to wait in the rear, without making any noise. He couldn't help but feel secretly ashamed: After dealing with many mercenary leaders for more than ten years, his understanding of human nature was not as good as a 20-year-old youth. It could only be explained by being a 'Chosen of the Gods'.
Because of the harassment of the Daonian cavalry, it was almost afternoon when the Bruttians finished their formation. Pianren was a little anxious when he saw that the warriors' expressions were no longer as excited as they were at the beginning. He knew his people too well. The Bruttians—this race lived in the gap between the two major forces of the Greeks and the Lucanians.
These warriors who lived freely in the mountains and plateaus,
They were brave but also timid, passionate but also inferior. The key was to inspire their fighting spirit.
So, he led his guards out on horseback and came to the front of the array. The guards attracted the attention of tens of thousands of warriors with neat shouts, and he shouted loudly: "Bruttians, my dear compatriots! For hundreds of years, we have lived freely on this beautiful plateau. Amala has nurtured us with her sweet * * *, and Brutus has given us peace. But now our peace has been broken! Our land has been invaded! Who is occupying our towns! Slaughtering our clansmen!"
"Daonians!!!"
"Damn Greeks!!!"
… …
The warriors began to respond angrily.
"Are we going to let these vile foreigners occupy our land, destroy our temples, insult our women, turn our children into slaves, lose our freedom, and live like cattle and sheep!!!" Pianren and the guards asked loudly together.
"No!" The warriors in front of him responded angrily, and this response gradually spread throughout the array.
"No!!!" Twenty thousand Bruttian warriors shouted in unison.
"Defeat the Daonians and return our freedom!" Pianren raised his spear high.
"Kill them!"
"Kill them!!!"
Tens of thousands of warriors roared hysterically.
"Roar! Roar! Roar!… …" They kept pounding the ground with their spears, and their fighting spirit rose sharply.
Affected by this, Pianren also felt his blood boil. Facing the warriors who could no longer restrain themselves, he pointed his spear forward and said loudly: "Attack!"
The trumpeter behind him blew the ox horn, and then bugles sounded everywhere in the army at the same time.
"Woo!!!… …" The Battle of Prunate, which determined the ownership of the Bruttian region, began.
… … … … … … … … … …
Hearing the thunderous roar from the opposite side, Tolmidus couldn't help but ask: "Lord Davos, the Bruttians are boosting their morale, shouldn't you… …"
"In boxing matches, it's not whoever shouts louder who wins. The winners are often calm players. Besides, what the soldiers need now is to block the enemy's attack first. Pointless roars will not only consume their little energy, but also make them lose their defensive positions because they are too excited," Davos said, staring at the front.
Tolmidus nodded convincingly.
"The Bruttians are attacking, blow the defense horn!" Davos heard the bugle from the opposite side, began to give orders, and led the guards quickly through the gaps in the small phalanx to the rear of the formation.
More than a dozen curved copper horns blew out low commands, and the soldiers who were sitting and resting immediately picked up their guns and shields, stood up, moved their sore limbs, and the teammates leaned together to arrange the somewhat sparse formation more closely to meet the upcoming battle.
The small phalanxes at the front of the entire formation began to quickly connect with each other. The center and left wings responsible for the Daonian Legion quickly connected with the right wing responsible for the Allied Forces into a whole.
Epithenes and Zippetes led a total of 4,000 light infantry and freemen and walked from the outside of the left wing to the front of the left wing. They each had their own divisions: Zippetes led more than 2,500 people forward 50 meters and then stopped, with slingers, archers, and a few javelin throwers lined up in order; while Epithenes led nearly a thousand light shield soldiers and javelin throwers to continue walking to the outside of the left wing, walking and walking, they became a stretched column, almost breaking away from the battlefield.
In the sound of horns, the Bruttians' long line, stretching nearly eight miles, did not leave any reserve troops, and moved forward slowly together.
The Bruttians evenly dispersed their light infantry in the front of the army, with archers accounting for the vast majority of the light infantry. The Bruttian mountains were high and the forests were dense, and there were many wild animals, so archers were abundant. Behind the light infantry were infantry, mostly shield and spear soldiers holding leather shields and spears. On the far right wing were 600 unarmored cavalry. Although the Bruttians occupied the entire plateau, they used this precious land mainly to graze cattle and sheep to raise a large population. Although they also raised some horses, they were mainly pack horses. Not many people actually owned war horses, and most of them were concentrated in the tribal nobles. 600 cavalry was almost the largest number that the Bruttians could gather.
As soon as the Bruttians walked down the grassy slope, the right wing was bombarded by the Daonian slingers' flying stones. The infantry continued to advance slowly with their leather shields on their heads. They were still far from the Daonian formation and could not charge too early. But the Bruttian light infantry had already begun to sprint. Their responsibility was to clear the obstacles for the main battle.
The Bruttian cavalry on the far right wing had already begun to accelerate. At the beginning of the battle, according to tradition, the cavalry on both wings always fought first because they were the fastest. The previous harassment by the Daonian cavalry could be said to have slapped them in the face, and now they wanted to fight back.
The cavalry shook their reins and repeatedly clamped their horses' bellies, making the horses speed up. The feeling of galloping at high speed made them even more excited. They could clearly see the enemy's cavalry just 300 meters away on the outer rear side of the light infantry.
First disperse the light infantry in front, and then attack these enemy cavalry who are standing still. The chances of winning are quite high. The cavalry leader charging at the front was calculating in his mind, and out of the corner of his eye, he saw that a lot of figures had appeared dozens of meters away on the right. They were running quickly towards the cavalry.
The leader immediately felt uneasy. Before he could react, countless javelins flew over the 30-meter distance and landed in the galloping cavalry group.
In an instant, people screamed and horses neighed. In the fast run, whether it was a person or a horse, once they were shot and rolled to the ground, it was not only difficult to survive, but also affected the surrounding charging cavalry.
Epithenes knew the cavalry too well. He did not confront the cavalry head-on, but pretended to break away from the battlefield, but in fact he was preparing to strike the cavalry from the outside.
The Bruttian cavalry's advance slowed, and stalled cavalry are easier targets. Amidst the dust and haze, the cavalrymen were terrified, not only guarding against enemy javelins but also wary of being tripped by fallen comrades ahead.
Seeing the cavalry behind them in disarray, the leading cavalrymen, led by their commander, had to turn back and charge the Daonian light infantry to relieve their comrades' plight.
Epithenius quickly learned of the enemy cavalry's attack and, instead of dispersing his troops, led some light infantry forward. He knew that the terror of a cavalry charge lay not in the lances of the riders but in the charging horses, which could easily cause fractures or severe injuries to lightly armored infantry. A dense spear formation was the best way to stop a cavalry charge, but the light infantry lacked the means and time to prepare.
Facing the onrushing Bruttian cavalry, he and his seasoned Thracian light infantry calmly attached leather loops to their javelins.
"Throw!" Epithenius roared, hurling his javelin with all his might. The javelin flew straight and true, sinking deep into the neck of an enemy horse.
The horse shrieked, immediately throwing its rider.
With this volley from the light infantry, a chaotic scene of men and horses falling erupted before them. They didn't watch the effect of their throws but quickly drew the reverse-bladed swords from their waists, raised their leather shields, and crouched low in an archer's stance, watching the approaching enemy cavalry, nimbly rolling to the left and right. When they couldn't avoid being hit, they would fall to the ground, curl up, and use their leather shields to protect their heads and chests from trampling hooves. Seizing opportunities, they would use the curved blade of their reverse swords to slash at the horses' legs, startling the horses and throwing the riders.
… … … … … … … … …
Just as the Bruttian cavalry was in trouble, the troops led by Zipetes engaged with the Bruttian light infantry.
The intersecting arrows in the air were as dense as heavy clouds, and when they rained down on both sides, they took away many fresh lives.
After a few rounds, the Bruttian light infantry couldn't hold on. After all, all of Daonia's archers were concentrated on the left flank, and their numbers were unmatched by the Bruttians, who had evenly distributed their light infantry.
But in the center and right wings of the Daonian formation, the Bruttian light infantry could freely rain down arrows on the Daonian soldiers, even approaching within 50 meters to throw their javelins.
The Daonian legionnaires raised long shield walls, using their thick bronze shields and iron helmets to block the enemy's ranged attacks.
And the officers kept shouting, "Hold! Hold! Don't rush!…" to prevent the soldiers from impulsively throwing their javelins, which could easily alert the enemy, disrupt the overall defense, and needlessly increase casualties.
Fortunately, as the Bruttian infantry drew closer, the light infantry had to retreat immediately, quickly passing through the gaps between the infantry formations, retreating to the rear; otherwise, they would be swept up by the infantry and pushed to the front lines, facing the heavily armored Greek hoplites in direct combat.
The Bruttian infantry finally began to run, roaring and charging towards the waiting Daonian phalanx.
Compared to the fiery Bruttian warriors, the Daonian soldiers were as calm as mountains, gripping their javelins and keeping a close eye on the distance to the enemy.
When the officers shouted, "Javelins!"
Clouds of projectiles emerged successively from the left, center, and right flanks of the long, seven- or eight-mile-long formation.
Caught off guard, the charging Bruttians were instantly struck by the sharp spear tips, taking the lives of hundreds, even thousands, of warriors. However, the javelin rain did not slow the Bruttian warriors' advance; on the contrary, they quickened their pace over the bodies of their comrades, so much so that many Daonian soldiers did not have time to throw a second javelin before they slammed into the Daonian shield wall, immediately creating countless cracks.
The Bruttian warriors fearlessly charged in, attempting to widen the gaps, while the third and fourth ranks of Daonian soldiers quickly raised their shields to meet them,
using their thrusting spears to force back the enemy.
For a time, the soldiers of both sides clashed shield to shield, spear to spear, dust filled the air, and the sounds of battle shook the heavens…
… … … … … … … … … …
When the midday sun cast a shadow on the small sundial, Onatas, the Greek language teacher, announced, "The morning's lesson is over."
As the children cheered, he said sternly, "Children, after you go back, I want you to read Hesiod's poem carefully, and it's best if you can memorize it. You must remember the new words I taught you, and I will check them tomorrow, do you all remember?!"
"We remember, teacher!" the students replied in unison.
"Especially you, Patroclus," Onatas pointed to a child sitting in the distance, reminding him: "Put your heart into it this time. I don't want to see you standing as punishment again tomorrow, understand?"
Patroclus lowered his head in embarrassment.
The surrounding classmates burst into laughter.
Patroclus's poor performance in Greek class was in stark contrast to his speed and accuracy in solving math problems.
Onatas left the classroom, and the students cheered and ran out.
Styphlos grabbed Patroclus's arm and urged, "Hurry! Hurry! If we're late, they'll all be gone!"
The two ran out of the classroom, and as soon as they turned a corner, they heard a cry of "Ouch!" as a little girl fell to the ground.
"Hey, are you two blind?!" Cynthia scolded, bending down and asking with concern, "Gittia, are you okay?"
"I… I'm fine," Gittia replied weakly.
Cynthia helped her up and glared fiercely at the two boys: "Come over here and apologize! Otherwise, don't even think about leaving!" Despite being the youngest, Cynthia seemed to intimidate the two boys, who were usually very active in class. They hurriedly nodded and bowed: "We're sorry, Gittia, we were going to…"
"I'm fine. You should go buy cream buns, or you'll be too late," Gittia said softly, not angry, but reminding them.
The two boys were relieved and quickly ran away. Patroclus didn't forget to look back at Cynthia as he ran, then quickly averted his gaze.
Cynthia snorted: "Gittia, you're too nice. If it were me, I would never let them off so easily!"
Gittia smiled gently, brushing the dust off her body.
"Oh, right! Come to my house for lunch today. We're going to eat real cream buns!" Cynthia suddenly remembered something and invited her: "When I left home this morning, my mother told me to bring you home for lunch!"
Gittia didn't speak, nodding shyly.
The afternoon at Thurii Elementary School was usually reserved for sports: boys did simple military training and practiced rugby and football, while girls ran, jumped, and played games, so the lunch break wasn't very long.
Except for the children from Thurii itself, who had time to go home for lunch, children from farther away could only solve their hunger problems nearby. Fortunately, with the school's growing influence, the increase in students, teachers, guards, and other personnel allowed merchants and vendors to see business opportunities. They established shops in designated areas outside the school, selling books, paper, stationery, clothes, food… The most famous was the small restaurant built by the wife of the ruling official, Christoia. She provided lunch to students at low prices, and the students' favorite lunch recently was the restaurant's newly launched cream bun. Every day, students, even teachers, lined up to buy them, and the demand exceeded the supply.
As classmates in the same classroom, Cynthia and Gittia quickly became good friends. Cynthia invited her to her house for the first time and was warmly welcomed by Christoia. Especially after learning that Gittia was the adopted daughter of Davos's old comrade-in-arms, the First Legion captain, and Senate Elder Alexis (Alexis still lived in Amendolara and had not moved to Thurii), Christoia warmly invited her to dine at the mansion every noon. Christoia's enthusiasm also brought her closer to Cynthia.
… … … … … … … … …
This delta between the Crati and Cosenza rivers was originally the main residential area for the city-state's slaves, a place for collecting and storing stone and copper mines, and a refining area. Not only was the security poor and the environment terrible, but also a lot of slag was poured into the two rivers every day.
After Davos took over Thurii, he saw this situation and repeatedly discussed with Kunogorata and Marigi how to manage this area.
In the end, the alliance's public slave residential area was moved to the north of Thurii's main city, next to the barracks. This not only kept it away from the Thurii residential area, but also allowed the army to monitor it closely and suppress any anomalies immediately. At the same time, the stone mining workshops were moved to the market next to the port, and the copper mining workshops were moved to the newly built commercial park in Amendolara at the beginning of the year, next to the Salaceno River, so that they could get enough technical manpower nearby and form a good interaction with other workshops. Most importantly, the Crati and Cosenza rivers, which were related to the lives and health of thousands of residents of Thurii, were no longer polluted.
Next, Davos planned this vacant land as the cultural center of the entire Daonian League. The Daonian School was established here, and the Daonian Academy, which represents the highest level of scientific and cultural level of the alliance, is under construction. It has been clearly stated that Herpus, the director of Thurii Hospital, will build a medical school in the academy; Mentotikers will also move the Institute of Mathematics; Anstanos plans to establish a history research group.
In order to ensure that students and teachers can study and research with peace of mind, Davos also asked Little Heraclides to build another wooden bridge in the middle reaches of the Cosenza River, so that the frequently traveling ore-carrying pack animals could pass through the north of the delta. Only the two wooden bridges carrying the traffic of north and south pedestrians could not be closed temporarily, but Little Heraclides had already begun to study building a real stone bridge directly between the north and south cities of Thurii.
After Patroclus and Stiphilos finished lunch, they ran to the Temple of Athena, not far from the school.
This temple was built by the local people to thank Athens for the great help it provided in rebuilding Thurii (the original patron god of Thurii was Apollo). After the end of the Peloponnesian War, when Thurii forcibly cut off relations with Athens and expelled the Athenian Thurians, fewer people came here to pray, and now there are very few.
The children liked to play rugby and soccer in the flat, open square in front of the temple. In these sports, Patroclus was a little star, because at the age of 13, his strength, speed, and agility far surpassed other children, and everyone loved to be on his team.
But these days, he and Stiphilos had no interest in playing. The two children lay on the wall of the temple, bored, throwing stones into the Cosenni River.
"Stiphilos, I haven't seen my father for almost two months. I'm telling you, this is the first time I've been separated from my father for so long since I was a child, and I don't know how he is now..." Patroclus stared blankly at the rushing river, a little worried and a little resentful, and said, "Last time, when their First Legion passed through Thurii, Lord Davos didn't even let them go home to see! They left so quickly that I tried my best to catch up after school, but I couldn't..."
Stiphilos grinned broadly and said, "I heard my father say that the requirements for soldiers in the legion are very strict, much stricter than the requirements of our school. If you violate them, you will be spanked. Your father is afraid of being spanked, of course he doesn't dare to run to see you!"
Patroclus glared at him: "I don't think you're too worried about your father."
Stiphilos stopped throwing stones into the river and loudly reminded him: "I told you, Amyntas is not my biological father! But...he is very good to me and my mother..."
Stiphilos tilted his head and thought for a while, then said, "He often tells me stories about fighting with the great Archon Davos in Persia. He is a hero, I like him very much, and I believe he will be fine! Because the battles commanded by the great Archon Davos have never failed!"
His optimism infected Patroclus: "You're right, the Daunian Legion is invincible!"
At this moment, a child ran into the temple excitedly: "Good news! Good news!"
"Procles, what good news makes you so happy?!" The children stopped playing and looked at him one after another.
"Cheer, classmates! The Third Legion, led by my father, has wiped out the invading Picentes!" Procles shouted excitedly.
"Is this true?" Patroclus asked quickly.
"Of course it's true!" Procles raised his head: "If you don't believe me, go to Thurii, the whole city is cheering!"
"No one doubts this victory, but the victory mainly comes from the command of Archon Davos, right?" Stiphilos saw Procles' excited appearance, and remembering that his adoptive father had not yet sent any news back, he couldn't help but retort.
Procles was speechless for a moment, glared at Stiphilos fiercely, and couldn't help but shout: "Anyway, it was my father who commanded the troops in Grumentum, and what is your father doing now?!"
This time it was Stiphilos' turn to be speechless.
Just as the two were arguing, the other children had already cheered: "Great, victory!"
"Long live Daunia!"
"Long live the Legion!"
...
The cheering children began to line up in military formations according to the military movements taught by the instructors, playing the "Triumphal Ceremony" game. Procles and Stiphilos were pulled into the team by Patroclus. But soon, the two began to argue again about who should be the flag bearer...
............
At the same time, in the Thurii Senate, the senators were discussing the affairs of the Daunian League.
The rotating chairman, Marigi, took out a papyrus scroll and said:
"The administrator of Crimea, Lord Scombrius, sent a document saying that he has tried many methods, but many people in Crimisa are still unwilling to subscribe to wheat bonds. So far, the bonds allocated to several other cities have been snapped up, even including Aspurustum. Only Crimisa—" Marigi increased his volume: "The amount allocated to it was originally the least, but even half of the quota has not been completed! Do you think we should bring the remaining bonds back and hand them over to Castellon? Amyclis has sent people to say several times, 'The citizens of Castellon are eager to subscribe to the bonds we issue!'"
"Agreed!"
"I have no objection!"
"Borrowing 100 pounds of wheat and returning 115 pounds within a year, what a generous profit! Daunia has not taken the slightest advantage of its citizens, so why are so many people in Crimisa unwilling to subscribe? We should think carefully about the reasons!" Cunogorata reminded everyone.
As soon as these words came out, most of the senators turned their attention to Antaoris.
He looked quite embarrassed, coughed a few times quickly, stood up and said: "Lords, I...I think there are several reasons for this...First of all, Crimisa was the last to join the Daunian League, and it has only been half a year now! The most important thing is that it is different from Aspurustum..." Speaking of this, he stabilized his emotions, cleared his throat, and said solemnly: "Although it is uncomfortable to tell the truth, it is a fact. The outbreak of the Croton War was not caused by the Daunians, but many Criminans believe that Daunia should bear some responsibility. Many people in Crimisa died in the war with Daunia, and half a year is not enough to resolve the resentment in their hearts. With resentment, they naturally cannot fully trust Daunia..."
Antaoris's words caused a brief silence.
After a while, Cornelius said in a deep voice: "The war with Croton was unavoidable in the first place. Although Crimisa has become a part of Daunia, it seems that we still need to make more efforts to resolve the grief in the hearts of the Criminans. I also hope that Lords Antaoris, Euricpus, and Plerades can provide more help!"
"Whether as senators or as Criminans, this is what we should do!" Euricpus said firmly: "I believe that before long, the Criminans will be fortunate and proud to be Daunian citizens!"
Euricpus's words were unanimously agreed upon by the senators.
At this time, Polyxus stood up and said: "Respected senators, we just talked about the issue of wheat bonds. It reminds me of what Lord Mercis once said, 'This batch of military grain obtained from the people can only maintain the use of the Daunian expeditionary force for more than two months.' Am I right, Lord Mercis?"
Although Mercis hated Polyxus, he had to nod and say: "Yes, I said that. But—"
"Thank you!" Polyxus interrupted Mercis loudly and said quickly: "Even if we have captured Bicinia, it will be difficult to conquer such a vast area of Bruttium with a population of hundreds of thousands in just two months! More importantly, when we concentrate our forces to deal with the Bruttians, the Lucanians in the north are also taking the opportunity to cause trouble. Now, does the Senate have any good solutions to the matter of Bagules...um...Lord Bagules being seriously injured and his life or death unknown, and the Picentes launching a large-scale attack on Grumentum?!" When Polyxus said this, he cast sympathetic glances at Vesba and Hemon. Although he hated these "barbarians who sneaked into the Senate" in his heart, he needed these staunch supporters of Davos to become suspicious of that young man.
"No! Because all the soldiers are fighting the Bruttians! If this continues, I am afraid that before we conquer the Bruttian region, the Picentes will have occupied Grumentum and invaded our Niotum! At that time, our Daunian League will be attacked on both sides, and the army will face a shortage of military grain. A great disaster will befall Daunia... Lords, please think carefully, this terrible situation is very likely to occur!" Polyxus shouted loudly with grief and indignation.
A few senators changed their expressions, while others were thoughtful.
Seeing this scene in front, Marigi hated in his heart: This damned Polyxus has only been quiet for a few days, and he's causing trouble again!
Davos's plan to lure the Lucanians was only known to Avinogis, Sesta, Chironimus, and the main officers of the Third Legion in order to keep it secret. The uninformed Marigi anxiously winked at Plenas in the back row, hoping that he could stand up and refute Polyxus.
"We are too warlike! We just repelled Croton and soon attacked Grumentum. We helped Taranto and a few days hadn't passed before we launched a war against the Bruttians...Our crazy expansion has caused unease among the surrounding forces, and they will join forces to deal with us! The Picentes' attack is just a harbinger. For the long-term security of Daunia, we should seriously consider enacting some laws to restrict this practice of launching wars at will!"
Polyxus's words did not mention Davos, but anyone could hear that they were clearly aimed at Davos, and the Great Assembly Hall suddenly became very quiet.
At this moment, with a "bang," the sound of the door being pushed open was particularly clear in the quiet, enclosed space.
Philius walked into the venue quickly, with an excited look on his face.
Marigi's heart moved, breaking the silence, and said: "Lord Philius, you are late!"
---
"My apologies, esteemed sirs!" Philius bowed slightly to those around him, unable to conceal the joy on his face, and excitedly said, "I was delayed because I had to receive a messenger from the Third Legion at the Ministry of War. He brought good news—"
Philius surveyed the senators and announced loudly, "The Third Legion has defeated the rebel forces of Picentia and Grumentum outside the city of Grumentum! With the exception of a very small number who escaped, the majority were captured, while the Third Legion suffered only a few dozen casualties. Legion Commander Hieronimus is leading the army towards the city of Picentia. It is reported that the city is sparsely defended, and taking Picentia is only a matter of time!"
The assembly hall immediately erupted in excitement: "Excellent! This is truly a glorious victory!"
"Picentia! We will finally possess a true coastal city on the western coast that belongs to us!"
… …
The senators, who had been terrified by the scenario described by Polychius just moments ago, burst into unprecedented cheers.
Polychius stared dumbfounded at the jubilant senators, unable to recover from the sudden reversal… After a long while, he grudgingly muttered, "…I didn't expect that Hieronimus could also achieve a great victory like Lord Davos…"
"No." Philius loudly corrected him, "In fact, this victory was planned in advance by Lord Davos together with the Third Legion, and it also received assistance from the allied states of Laos and Elia. Otherwise, how could they have won so easily!"
"Oh…" Cunnogolata, Cornelius, and the others wore expressions that suggested they thought it was only natural, and then they began to inquire with interest about the detailed course of the battle.
Polychius said nothing more.
… … … … … … … … … …
The Battle of the Bradanus River had lasted for more than an hour, and the battle lines between the two sides had changed from the initially winding straight line into a crescent-shaped arc.
On the right wing of the Daonian army, the troops led by Threphias had barely moved from their initial position. The Bruttian left wing, composed of a dozen or so Bruttian tribal warriors, was unable to effectively unite into a single force, and continued to put pressure on the Daonian right wing formation.
In the center of the Daonian line, the warriors of Vigge, Ambalia, and some from Consentia were attacking fiercely. The First Legion's phalanx began to gradually retreat after holding its ground for some time, causing the entire center to cave in. The proud soldiers of the First Legion had indeed done their best, but the long hours spent constructing the camp had exhausted too much of their physical strength, and after re-equipping their heavy armor, they were somewhat weary and struggling.
On the Daonian left wing, the Second Legion and the Consentian warriors were still engaged in fierce fighting. The Consentian warriors wiped away the shame of their previous failed siege, relying on the superhuman endurance they had developed from living in the highlands since childhood (in modern terms, they had more red blood cells due to the altitude, resulting in a higher oxygen carrying capacity), as well as their taller physique compared to the Greeks, and maintained a high-intensity offensive for a long time. The Second Legion maintained a balance of power by relying on its solid defense and the full cooperation between its brigades.
On the far left wing, Daonia held its only absolute advantage. The light infantry led by Epithenius inflicted casualties on the Bruttian cavalry from the very beginning, and in the close-quarters combat, the Bruttian cavalry suffered greatly from the experienced Daonian light infantry. If this were not a major battle concerning the life and death of the Bruttians, the cavalry leader would have long led the remaining cavalry away, but in order to prevent the Daonian light infantry from supporting other battlefields, he led his men to keep their distance from the Daonian light infantry, using the cavalry's speed to roam the periphery, occasionally launching surprise attacks on Daonian light infantry who strayed from the formation. However, the Daonians' javelins and arrows were not to be underestimated, and the number of Bruttian cavalry continued to decrease little by little.
The light infantry led by Zipetes encountered some trouble. Although the Bruttian light infantry could not compare with the Daonians in terms of either numbers or ability, the angry Bruttian light infantry, after tasting the enemy's bitterness, abandoned long-range attacks and rushed up to engage Zipetes' troops in close-quarters combat with javelins and short blades.
Zipetes could have retreated and kept his distance, which was the usual tactic of light infantry. However, Zipetes, who had been campaigning with Davos for a long time, knew that if the light infantry and freemen under his command, as part of the larger battle, suddenly retreated, it would expose Epithenius' flank and cause great losses to the light infantry who were already fighting the enemy cavalry. Therefore, Zipetes did not retreat, but gritted his teeth and engaged in a close-quarters battle with the Bruttian light infantry. He had few light infantrymen to begin with, and while the freemen could handle shooting arrows and throwing javelins, they quickly became overwhelmed when they had to engage in close combat with the ferocious Bruttians.
Fortunately, Davos still had a few cards up his sleeve. Upon learning of the predicament on the far left wing, he quickly dispatched the Mountain Reconnaissance Brigade. These lightly armored soldiers, armed with leather shields and short swords, raced to the far left wing and immediately joined the battle, quickly turning the tide.
In the dust and mist, a messenger cavalryman galloped rapidly towards Davos at the rear of the army.
Tolmidas hurried to meet him.
"Commander, Capys has sent someone to report to you that the soldiers of the First Legion can't hold on any longer, they are so tired that they can barely lift their bronze shields!" Tolmidas reported to Davos as soon as he received the information.
"It seems the First Legion has reached its physical limit." Davos concluded.
"Not only the First Legion, but Dracotas also sent someone to report earlier that some of his Second Legion soldiers are beginning to feel dizzy and weak, and they dare not even order a front-to-back rotation, fearing a major disruption." Tolmidas reminded him.
"If our soldiers are this exhausted, the Bruttians, no matter how good their stamina, probably aren't doing much better." Davos stared ahead. The front was filled with dust, shadowy figures, and deafening battle cries, but he seemed to see the opportunity for victory: "Quickly inform the two Bithynian chieftains, Bloom and Crelus. Haven't they been clamoring to go into battle? Now is their chance! I want them to lead the Bithynian warriors to the left wing immediately, attack the enemy's flank, and crush the Consentians with the most swift and fierce attack, showing us how formidable the Bithynian warriors are!"
"Yes!" Tolmidas replied excitedly.
"At the same time, Lyde's cavalry squadron should have rested enough. Have them immediately assist Epithenius and Zipetes in quickly defeating the enemy's cavalry and light infantry, then turn north, cross the battlefield, attack the enemy's center rear, and join forces with the First Legion to crush them in one fell swoop!" Davos clenched his right fist and slammed it down heavily.
"Understood, Commander!" Tolmidas led two messengers, jumped on their horses, and galloped to the left, where he would personally issue the orders.
Davos turned his head to look at the two units on the far left, behind the phalanx, which had not yet participated in the battle. At a distance of several miles, they were just hazy shadows, impossible to see clearly.
After a while, Tolmidas returned: "They have already moved out."
"Sound the attack horn!" Davos immediately ordered.
"Toot! Toot! Toot!..." The high-pitched bugle call drowned out the clamor of the battle and spread throughout the entire battle formation.
"It's the attack horn! Brothers, hold on, our reserves are moving out!" Zanteparis was greatly encouraged upon hearing the horn. Before the battle, Davos had told the two legion commanders his battle plan, and the two legion commanders had passed on Davos's tactical intentions to their brigade commanders, company commanders, and squad leaders. Therefore, even in such a passive situation, the First and Second Legions were still able to hold their lines, precisely because the officers had confidence, and now they had finally waited for the sound of the attack horn.
"Beat the drums! Beat the drums!" Zanteparis shouted the order in a voice that was already hoarse.
The drums sounded, and the battle flag moved forward. Although the soldiers were physically exhausted, their spirits were lifted.
Almost all the brigade commanders of the First and Second Legions were doing the same thing as Zanteparis.
… … … … … … … … … …
When the sound of the bugle reached Pianren's ears, he was in the Bruttian right wing formation, following the warriors as they pushed forward with all their might. Although every step was very difficult, the Consentian warriors were advancing.
The Daonians are about to collapse! The thought flashed through Pianren's mind. Although he was also somewhat exhausted, the desire for victory spurred him to work even harder. But just then, the Daonian bugle call shocked him: Could it be that the enemy had reinforcements?
A sense of urgency surged in his heart. He was in the middle of the formation and could not understand the overall situation, so he could only intensify his efforts to defeat the enemy in front of him: "Descendants of Brutus, put in more effort! The enemy is about to collapse!..." he shouted, and the surrounding guards followed suit, thereby infecting the other warriors... The Consentian warriors used all their remaining strength to attack desperately.
However, the defense of the Second Legion was also greatly strengthened, and the advance of the Bruttians' center and right wings was even more difficult than before.
Under the leadership of Bloom and Crelus, more than two thousand Bithynian warriors, who had been holding back for more than an hour and had no way to vent their energy, ran wildly, bypassed the outside of the two armies' formations, roared, and fiercely pounced on the rear of the Bruttians' right wing.
The earth-shattering shouts and rumbling footsteps caused the Consentian warriors to hurriedly look back, and then they saw countless Bruttian warriors, dressed similarly to them and with ferocious faces, waving their spears and killing them fiercely.
"It's the Bithynians! We are surrounded!!" The Consentian warriors turned around in panic to resist.
At this time, Lyde's cavalry squadron easily defeated the struggling Bruttian cavalry and light infantry. Just as the cavalry squadron, reconnaissance brigade, and light infantry gave up pursuing the defeated soldiers and marched mightily north, preparing to cross the rear of the enemy's right wing and attack the rear of the Bruttian army's center, the exhausted Consentian warriors began to collapse after being fiercely attacked from the rear by the Bithynians…
The failure came so quickly that Pianlun was still unwilling to believe it, because he felt that victory was so close to him: "Attack! Keep attacking! The enemy is about to be defeated!!..." He shouted hysterically, trying to stop the surrounding warriors from fleeing, but was almost pushed down.
"Great Chieftain, run! If you don't run now, you won't be able to!" The guards forcibly pulled him back.
.................
"Commander, we have won this battle!" Tolmides came to report with a face full of joy: "The enemy has completely collapsed and fled!"
This result was within Davos' expectations. He said calmly, "This battle is not over yet. It is not enough to just repel the enemy. We have to see what the final result is!"
Usually, in a frontal battle, the losing side's soldiers rarely lose more than 10%, but after a rout, if pursued properly, the casualty rate of the losing side will often increase greatly, because the routed soldiers have no intention of resisting.
Therefore, Davos kept the attack horns blowing.
The Daonian soldiers simply threw away their heavy bronze shields and helmets, held their spears in both hands, and continued to pursue forward despite their exhausted bodies, cooperating with the reinforcements rushing from the front and flanks to encircle and annihilate the enemy.
The Bithynian warriors, the light infantry led by Epithenes and Zipetes, and the free people, and Izamus' mountain reconnaissance brigade pulled up a "big net" behind the right wing to the middle of the Brutian army formation. Although this "net" was not very strong and the mesh was too large, it was enough to deter the Brutians who only wanted to escape.
In the midst of the shouts of killing from the Daonians everywhere, some of the routed soldiers simply threw away their weapons and sat on the ground.
The Ledes cavalry brigade pursued the fleeing enemy in two extremely sparse and wide horizontal formations. The cavalry, with their horsepower fully charged, swept back and forth like a large sieve, clearing away the fallen branches and leaves...
Near dusk, the Daonian cavalry stopped their pursuit. When they returned from the Cosenza Plateau, which was full of routed soldiers, everyone was covered in blood, which was very frightening. Later, the good-natured soldiers gave them the nickname "Blood Cavalry", which eventually became their official name.
At this time, the battle was completely over. Daonia suffered nearly 5,000 casualties at the cost of 1,500 casualties, captured more than 5,000 people, and won a great victory.
Ledes came to see Davos excitedly, but was told that the commander had gone to the crematorium.
Walking on the battlefield covered with corpses, Davos' joy of victory had long since disappeared.
The soldiers neatly placed the bodies of their dead comrades on the grass, and could not see the end at a glance. They carefully placed two obols on the eyes of the dead, while praying to Hades with tears for the dead.
Looking at the pale faces that seemed familiar, Davos' pace was a little heavy. Finally, he stopped, and a dozen soldiers were crying around a corpse by the roadside in front of him. He happened to know the leader, Kertipus, the company commander of the Second Legion.
His heart moved, and he stepped forward and asked in a low voice, "Who is the deceased?"
"Commander!" The officer and soldiers saw him and hurriedly saluted.
In the gap that was opened, he saw the face of the deceased, which was a very familiar face. Arsinis, a warm and cheerful young man from Amendolara, the hero of the Second Croton War, the flag bearer at the triumphal ceremony. In the final attack of this battle, Arsinis, as a squad leader, rushed to the front and was stabbed in the chest by a spear thrown by a bold enemy who was not in a hurry to escape...
Listening to Kertipus's painful words, Davos took two obols from the soldier's hand and placed them on Arsinis's closed eyelids... A year ago, this brave young man had boldly competed with him in swimming, but now his body was as cold as a stone. At this moment, Davos hoped so much that Hades really existed in this world, so that according to Daonia's respect for the King of the Underworld, these Daonian soldiers who died in battle would definitely be given preferential treatment in hell...
Coming out of that group of soldiers,
Davos walked forward for a while, then stopped and looked at the crematoriums with raging fires in the distance with a gloomy expression...
After a long time, he said to Tolmides, who had been silently following behind him: "Do you think... is Daonia's war against Bruttium... right or wrong?"
"Uh..." Tolmides didn't know how to answer for a while.
However, Davos' expression quickly became firm, and he answered himself in a firm tone: "Of course it's right! In this era, either we destroy others, or others destroy us. There is no other way but to strengthen ourselves!"
Tolmides deeply agreed with Davos' words: In the Eastern Mediterranean, he had seen the Persians oppress weak races, and also seen the Spartans rampage in the Ionian and Asia Minor regions; after coming to the Western Mediterranean, he had also heard of the power of Carthage and the tyranny of Syracuse. What he didn't expect was that what Davos was worried about at this moment was a Latin city-state in central Italy that he had never heard of—Rome.
.................
"Commander, the brothers of the First Legion, and the soldiers of the reserve team... they are seizing the time to rest. They are too tired! They fall asleep almost as soon as they fall to the ground, and they don't even have time to take off their breastplates," Capus said with some heartache.
"In this battle... whether it is the First Legion, the Second Legion, or other teams, they have all made their best efforts, and the battle was quite difficult!" Davos said with emotion, but he still reminded Capus: "However, now it is autumn, and I heard that the nights in the mountains are much colder than in Thurii. Brothers fall asleep on the ground after strenuous battles and sweating all over, so be careful not to catch a cold! Now our medical camp is already overcrowded, and I don't want to see any unnecessary increase in injuries!"
Antonios, who was beside Davos, once again served as the military officer in the army during this expedition. He was obviously already familiar with this position, and suggested at this time: "I think we can let the auxiliary soldiers of the logistics battalion take out the blankets carried by the soldiers of the First Legion and cover themselves with them."
Davos nodded in agreement, and then looked at Dracos, the commander of the Second Legion, who was lowering his head slightly, with his hands behind his back, and his left leg shaking gently.
Davos looked at him carefully for a few times and asked, "Can our camp be built by night?"
"The brothers of the Second Legion are escorting those prisoners to speed up the construction, and the mountain brigade, the Bithynian warriors, and the allies led by Lord Triphylas and Lord Gorgis (generals of Castron) are also building the camp under the guidance of the engineers... It will definitely be built before nightfall!"
Triphylas and Gorgis also nodded to show their understanding after Dracos mentioned their names.
Davos thanked them, and then asked: "How are those Brutian prisoners behaving?"
"We severely punished more than a dozen prisoners who dared to resist, and the Bithynians set an example next to them, so their performance is considered obedient."
Davos nodded, and he paced back and forth a few steps, and said in a deep voice: "Don't abuse them! If you find that any Bruttians can't persist in labor, you should allow them to stop and rest... Oh, you can handle the specific situation yourselves."
"Yes."
"What's wrong with the injury on your right hand?" Dracos was so focused on how to complete the task assigned by Davos that he didn't notice that Davos had already walked behind him.
He hurriedly retracted his hand, took two steps back, and shook his head and said, "No... it's nothing, it was accidentally injured by a soldier's... bayonet..."
As soon as he shook his head, a blood groove under his chin happened to fall into Davos's eyes. Davos, who was respected as a teacher by Herpus, knew that this wound was near the crucial carotid artery, and one could imagine the danger of the scene at that time and Dracos's luck.
At this moment, Davos's face sank: "You rushed to the front again, didn't you! How many times have I told you, you are the commander of a legion of more than 7,000 people, not an ordinary soldier. If you die in battle, how much impact will it have on the entire battle, do you know! Is Daonian military law just a child's play to you, isn't it! You don't want to obey if you don't want to obey!..."
Davos scolded him severely, and Dracos drooped his head, not daring to say a word.
In the eyes of outsiders, it was a bit comical for a young man to scold a strong man in his 30s like a father scolding his child. But the senior generals of Daonia and the important figures of the allied states around him were all serious, trying to hold their breath, which showed Davos's power.
"Temporarily hand over the command of the Second Legion to Adrianx. You immediately go to find Stesichidas (the director of the medical camp of the expeditionary force, one of Herpus's capable assistants), bandage the wound, and then go to the military judge to accept punishment!"
As soon as Davos finished speaking, Dracos answered yes repeatedly, and turned around and ran away as if he had been granted amnesty.
"Commander, in fact... the soldiers were very tired during the final attack, and Dracos also wanted to use this method to inspire the soldiers..." Antonio whispered an explanation for Dracos.
"Arsinis, you should all know him. After the victory in the second battle with Croton, he was the flag bearer at the triumphal ceremony, and now he is a squad leader in the Second Legion, a very promising young officer!" Davos sighed: "I just paid the ferry money to Charon for him... How the legion commander does it, the lower-level officers will learn. I don't want to see the position of officer in the Second Legion always being vacant. This Dracos, who doesn't want his life in battle, has to be beaten hard!"
After Davos said this, Capus, Antonios, and the others couldn't say anything more.
After calming down, Davos asked, "Capus, is the First Legion responsible for guarding the Bruttian prisoners tonight?"
"Yes, it is."
"While ensuring they don't escape, try to make them as comfortable as possible."
Capus hesitated for a moment and said, "I will do my best."
"You need to understand that although they were enemies before, after this battle… well… it's certain that soon, the Bruttians will become our own people. To make this transition smoother and avoid increasing hatred, we must make an effort." Davos patiently explained to Capus and the others. War is always a continuation of politics, and Davos' position dictated that he had to look further and consider more comprehensively.
Triphylias and Gorgias exchanged glances. The continued expansion of the Daonian League should be a good thing for Heraclea and Castron.
"In a while, I might send someone to help you appease these Bruttian prisoners. However, I'm not sure if he's willing to help with this?" Davos stroked his chin, pondering.
Capus was curious about who Davos was talking about, but the steady man didn't ask.
"How is the situation at the medical camp?" Davos thought of another question.
"There are too many wounded! Stacycadas and the others are so busy they don't even have time to rest. Now, Epitenes and the others have sent light infantry and freedmen to help the medical camp carry the wounded…" Antonios said worriedly.
"So, are those Bruttian wounded being ignored?!" Davos widened his eyes, immediately realizing the seriousness of the problem. "Um… Antonios, go find Stacycadas immediately and tell him it's my order. He must spare one or two doctors no matter what… At the same time, have the First Legion spare a thousand infantrymen to assist in performing simple debridement and bandaging for the Bruttian wounded."
"Okay," Antonios quickly turned and left.
"Also… Tolmid, I'll write two letters right away. Have a messenger take the letters and return to Thurii at full speed, delivering them to Herpus and Mercys. I want them to send as many doctors and nurses as possible, and transport more medicine, medical supplies, and food…"
After the generals left to complete their assigned tasks, Davos finally had time to face Triphylias and Gorgias alone. "My two lords, I'm truly sorry! I didn't expect so many things to happen after this victory, keeping you waiting for so long."
"It's nothing," Triphylias sincerely praised. "It has given me an opportunity to witness the extraordinary management skills of the Daonian Consul! And I really didn't expect that so many matters would need to be handled after a battle, such as medical care for the wounded, treatment of prisoners, construction of the camp, arrangement of sentries… I have really learned a lot of military knowledge."
Triphylias' words came from the heart, and Gorgias next to him felt the same way. Indeed, most battles in the Greek city-states of this era took place near the alliance's territory, and the requirements for logistics were not high, so they were not taken seriously. Only strong states such as Athens, Sparta, and Syracuse, which needed to fight abroad for a long time, had higher requirements for army logistics, but even so, situations of soldiers rioting due to lack of pay and food still occurred from time to time. Davos felt that the logistics of the Daonian army were still relatively crude and imperfect, but in the eyes of Triphylias and the others, it was already a very complex arrangement.
Therefore, Davos simply smiled and said, "This battle was thanks to the full support of Heraclea and Castron! With this victory, I believe the war with Bruttium will end soon. When that time comes, our quartermaster's scribes will carefully and meticulously count the spoils obtained and distribute them to you proportionally."
Duke Castron had cooperated with Daonia two or three times, and Gorgias was very confident in Daonia's credibility.
Heraclea was relatively wealthy, and Triphylias was not very interested in the spoils of war. Of course, being able to obtain them would not be in vain for the citizens' trip, lest they complain upon returning. What he was more concerned about was another matter: "Lord Davos, I also have a request."
"Please speak."
"Could Daonia's officers use your combat methods to help train Heraclea's citizens?" Triphylias was a little embarrassed, and explained, "Because during the battle, I found that Daonia's combat methods are very different from those of Heraclea and Castron. This difference in combat greatly affects the cooperation between the various units, so…" In fact, in the initial stages of the battle, it was those 3,000 Daonian reservists who resisted the Bruttian charge and played a pivotal role on the right flank in the subsequent battle. The reserve team was already like this, so the strength of the Daonian Legion can be imagined, which is why Triphylias made up his mind and made the request.
Davos was surprised on the surface, but overjoyed in his heart: Finally, an allied city-state has made such a request!
He pretended to hesitate and asked, "Does Heraclea's Senate agree with this approach?"
"I will make them agree!" Triphylias said firmly.
"Since that's the case, after the war with Bruttium ends, I will have Military Affairs Officer Philistius discuss the training matters with you." Davos said half-jokingly and half-seriously: "Lord Triphylias, but Daonia's military training is very strict, you must first prepare the citizens of Heraclea."
With Heraclea as an example, Gorgias also did not want to fall behind and made the same request to Davos.
After sending away Triphylias and Gorgias, Davos felt very tired, but he still couldn't rest, because there was someone he had to meet: "Go bring that Bruttian big shot that Lycos captured."
… … … … … … … … … …
Sedulum regretted not having earnestly prayed to the goddess Amara before the expedition, which led to him unfortunately tripping and falling off his horse during the escape. Immediately afterward, his personal guard was scattered by the swarming defeated soldiers. He struggled to get up from under the injured warhorse with great difficulty, but because his clothing was different from ordinary Bruttian soldiers, he became the target of the pursuing Daonian cavalry.
After becoming a prisoner, he did not hide and directly stated his name.
Now, with his hands tied behind his back, he was being escorted forward by Daonian soldiers. From afar, he saw a golden military flag erected on the grassy slope, with hundreds of soldiers standing neatly in two rows. A person was sitting under the military flag, which should be the Daonian Consul, Davos.
Sedulum thought to himself, his pace unconsciously quickening.
Upon reaching the front, the two men sized each other up face to face. Sedulum was surprised by Davos' youth, while Davos was surprised by Sedulum's age. As far as he knew, this great chieftain of Viggiano was not yet 50 years old.
Davos spoke first, "Untie him."
Sedulum rubbed his wrists, which had been reddened by the ropes, and took another step forward.
Davos sat still.
Sedulum raised a white eyebrow: "Aren't you afraid I'll attack you?"
Davos smiled slightly: "You can speak Greek, saving me the trouble of finding a translator. I don't want to look up to others, so you can sit down."
His voice was not loud, but it had an irresistible power.
Sedulum hesitated for a moment and reluctantly sat down.
Only then did Martius behind Davos breathe a slight sigh of relief.
"Answering your question just now," Davos said unhurriedly, "First, I have brave guards, and it will be difficult for you to succeed. Second, even if you succeed, not only will the plight of the Bruttians not be resolved, but the angry Daonian soldiers will bring unimaginable punishment to the people of this land!"
Sedulum snorted: "Aren't the Daonians already occupying our land, slaughtering our people, and plundering our property! If I could beat the leader who started the war to a pulp, at least it would temporarily make the Bruttians happy!"
"Are the Bruttians victims?" Davos said sternly: "No! For decades, the Bruttians have never stopped attacking and plundering the Greek city-states. Countless Greek families have been ruined by you! Now that we Greeks have finally come to take revenge, you feel wronged instead. What a joke!"
"You Greeks are outsiders, occupying our land. We… of course we have to take it back!" Sedulum retorted unwillingly.
"As far as I know, you Bruttians originally lived in central Italy, and only migrated here more than 200 years ago, driving away the original inhabitants of this land, settling down, and now you actually claim to be the masters of the land in southern Italy. Is this ignorance? Or arrogance?" Davos sneered.
"You're talking nonsense!" Sedulum shouted somewhat exasperatedly.
"It seems you really don't know. Fortunately, the Greeks have writing and records. The scholars of Thurii have collected the records of other city-states about the major events that have occurred here for hundreds of years. If you go to the city of Thurii one day, you can see detailed historical records about the Bruttians."
Davos had indeed consulted Ancytanos in detail about the Bruttians, so Sedulum, seeing Davos' serious face, seemed a little discouraged and simply said, "What are you going to do with us?"
"Are you referring to the captured Bruttians, or your so-called Bruttian League?"
"Of course, I mean us who were unfortunately captured," Sedulum said unwillingly. "Although we lost the battle, as long as Pianlen and the others fully defend the city, no matter how many soldiers you have, it will be difficult to break through the strong city of Consentia, and in the end, you can only retreat due to lack of food."
"Rest assured, we will easily break through the city of Consentia!" Davos said confidently.