Athens was liberated, and Thrasybulus and others who regained power restored Athens' original democratic system. However, they did not retaliate against the supporters of the former oligarchic tyranny. Instead, they issued a proclamation of political amnesty and strictly enforced it. At the same time, they also tried their best to bridge the contradictions and resentments between the common people and the wealthy, and between the democrats and the nobles, making Athens today even more united than during the Peloponnesian War. In terms of foreign policy, Thrasybulus and his associates also adopted a cautious and moderate policy, forgetting the betrayals of the allied states in the former Delian League, and treating each city-state equally and interacting with them. As a result, these city-states gradually gathered around Athens through trade and diplomacy. Athens was not as domineering as it was during the Pericles era, but its national strength was rapidly recovering its former glory.
This was precisely what Isocrates admired about Thrasybulus. Moreover, despite his great contributions to the revival of Athens, the people, fearing his dictatorship, deliberately did not elect him as a general for several years. Yet, he still made suggestions for the city-state as always without complaint.
"Isocrates, I believe you already know about the war that Daunia declared on Locri some time ago," Thrasybulus asked with concern. "You have been to Thurii. In your judgment, do you think Daunia will go to war with Syracuse?"
"A war will definitely happen!" Isocrates said decisively without hesitation.
"Oh?" Thrasybulus was surprised by Isocrates' certainty.
"I have not been to Syracuse, but judging from Dionysius' brutal actions in Sicily, he has successively destroyed several Sicilian Greek city-states such as Catane and Leontini. This man is extremely greedy for land and has even sent people to disrupt the political order of Daunia. I am afraid that he was the mastermind behind the assassination of the Daunian ruler not long ago. It can be seen that Magna Graecia is the next target he wants to annex. Therefore, Daunia wants to wipe out his only ally in Magna Graecia. How could he ignore it and will definitely send reinforcements to fight Daunia! As for Daunia—"
Isocrates carefully considered his words and slowly said, "I think it will not be afraid to go to war with Syracuse. Although its strength is weaker than Syracuse, the citizens of this city-state alliance are as eager for war as cats seeing mice. They will enthusiastically participate in the war, and they also have the assistance of the South Italian allies such as Croton and Rhegium... Perhaps they are preparing to give Syracuse a heavy blow in Magna Graecia."
"Like cats catching mice... Haha, Isocrates, your wording is too exaggerated. No one is fond of war," Thrasybulus said with a smile, his expression relaxing. "Hearing what you said, I am relieved. If Daunia can go to war with Syracuse, then the pressure on our anti-Spartan allies will be less. I hope Daunia can defeat Syracuse and completely cut off Sparta's support, so that we can focus more on dealing with Sparta."
"Thrasybulus, my idea is exactly the opposite of yours. You'd better pray to Athena that these two city-state forces will suffer a mutual defeat," Isocrates said with a serious expression.
"Why?" Thrasybulus was surprised.
"I do not deny that I have a good impression of Daunia," Isocrates said in his unique hoarse voice. "But this good impression, upon closer thought, is frightening... It is no joke that Daunian citizens love to fight, because the 'Daunian Law' stipulates that 'citizens can only obtain better land if they have military merits'. You can imagine what crazy things the Greeks can do for land. In fact, it is Daunia's law and another immigration law 'willing to accept freedmen as Daunian citizens' (i.e., the Deves immigration law) that have attracted thousands of freedmen and foreigners to Daunia. Conversely, these former freedmen who have become Daunian citizens, or what they call 'probationary citizens', have promoted Daunia's rapid expansion outward in order to obtain more land. Although Daunia does not wantonly annex the land of Greek compatriots like Syracuse,
But its territorial expansion is also obvious. In addition to absorbing Greek freedmen to become Daunian citizens, they even allow foreigners to become citizens of their alliance..."
Thrasybulus nodded: "I have read Aristophanes' 'Daunians'."
"The Daunian League not only allows foreigners to become citizens, but also allows the leaders of these foreigners to become elders of the Daunian Senate and senior generals of the army! Because of this, the Bruttian Mountains and the Lucanian region have successively become Daunian territories. Daunia's current land area is probably larger than the sum of our Athens and Sparta.
Moreover, under the advocacy of their ruler, Daunia vigorously builds roads and bridges, promotes the worship of Hades, and even builds temples for foreigners, builds schools and academies, absorbs scholars and doctors, and a rugby game is popular throughout Daunia... If undisturbed, according to Daunia's development trend, in a dozen years, a powerful city-state alliance may appear on the Italian peninsula. Not only will it far surpass the city-states of mainland Greece in terms of territory and population, but it will also be no weaker than our Athens in terms of trade and culture, but it is already very different from the traditional culture of Greece..."
After listening to Isocrates' words, Thrasybulus' expression also became solemn. After pondering for a while, he said, "Isocrates, are you thinking too much? You must understand that any rapidly expanding force cannot expand forever. It will either collapse due to internal problems or be frustrated by external forces. Argos a long time ago, Persia before the Hippo War, including us before the war with Sparta, were all like this. People will hurt their stomachs if they eat too much, and the same is true for countries."
"But Thrasybulus, Daunia may be an exception," Isocrates hurriedly reminded him. "Because this alliance adopts a political system that is completely different from any country and city-state in the Mediterranean."
"Oh? What kind of polity is Daunia?" Thrasybulus asked with interest.
"According to my observations there, Daunia is said to be a city-state alliance, but in fact, those city-states belonging to it are not city-states at all, but cities directly ruled by the Daunian Senate. The Daunian Senate holds the highest power. It sends senators to serve as administrative officials in various cities such as Thurii, Cosenza, and Grumentum, responsible for the internal affairs management of the city. The city's financial revenue and taxes must be turned over to the Senate, and the city's army is managed by an organization under the Senate called the 'Department of Military Affairs'. These cities have no independent administrative capacity and completely obey the command of the Daunian Senate..."
"This... is a bit like Persia," Thrasybulus muttered, but was interrupted by Isocrates: "Daunia is still different from Persia. As far as we know, the city lords and governors of Persia have considerable autonomy. In addition to paying taxes and providing troops, the Persian king has no stronger way to control them. Therefore, a few days ago, Pharnabazus, the Persian governor of Asia Minor, could make his own decision to send the fleet built with Persian money to our Athens for use, and also agreed to let us Athens rebuild the city walls to protect the Piraeus port. If it were any administrative official in the Daunian League, it would be impossible to make such a decision, because the Daunian Senate firmly controls everything. In my opinion, it can effectively concentrate all the resources, population, gold and silver within its territory to do things that other city-states and countries cannot do."
After listening, Thrasybulus pondered for a long time with a solemn expression, and finally exhaled and said with a smile: "Isocrates, I originally asked you to talk about whether Daunia could go to war with Syracuse, but I didn't expect you to talk to me about the threat of the Daunian League. Since Daunia is so powerful, it seems that we don't have to worry about Syracuse anymore. We should also strengthen diplomatic ties with Daunia, hoping that it can help us deal with Sparta."
Seeing that Thrasybulus didn't seem to take his words to heart, and still wanted to say something, Thrasybulus said sternly: "Isocrates, you must understand that the key issue that Athens is now focusing on is to take advantage of Persia's support and the favorable situation to concentrate its efforts to defeat Sparta as soon as possible and weaken this long-time enemy, so that Athens will have better development! There are so many city-states and races in the Mediterranean, each with its own unique system. We don't need to worry about this or that at all. The future is only in the hands of the goddess of fate, and no one can say for sure. As long as we Athens can maintain the unity and stability of our city-state, handle our relations with other city-states, develop our trade, and strengthen our arms, Athens will still be the glorious Athens, and we are not afraid of anyone!"
Thrasybulus' words just hit the mark on the mind of Isocrates, an orator and educator who believed in the concept of "Athens Above All". He sincerely said: "You are right, Athens will surely recast its glory!"
… … … … … … … … … … …
In early August, Pu Amote, the great chief of Potentia, received an invitation from Daunia—to participate in the Hades Festival. As in previous years, he politely declined and still sent his younger brother, Polet, to participate.
It was not because he had any other ideas about Daunia, but because he had never left the territory of Potentia since he was a child. He just liked to stay in his own territory, guarding his people and living a comfortable life.
Since Potentia joined the Daonian League, its situation has greatly improved. The south, which it originally had to defend against, has become its rear. Not only does it have trade relations with Grumentum and Pyxous, but its subordinate city of Poseidonia has also benefited, with its maritime trade with the South Italian city-states increasing year by year. The lives of the Potentian people have improved, and Potentia's treasury has become more abundant, making Puamoet feel gratified every time he thinks about it: joining the Daonian League was the most correct decision he ever made!
Of course, the frequent interactions between Potentia and Daonia have naturally been influenced by some Daonian culture. For example, the Potentian people have also begun to like the sport of rugby, and some Potentians, while worshiping the mountain god Asinu, have also begun to pray to Daonia's patron god—Hades, the King of the Underworld. The priests of Potentia have repeatedly reported this problem to Puamoet, and he is also very helpless.
He understands that this is a spontaneous behavior of the people. The Daonians have not deliberately guided it, but the people, in their frequent contact with their compatriots in Grumentum, feel that the crude clay statue of the mountain god Asinu cannot compare with the majestic bronze statue of the Greek Hades. They have also heard that the Temple of Hades in Thurii is even more grand, so how can they not feel awe and begin to shift their faith?! Moreover, Hades has so many attractive stories (from the 'Doctrine of the Underworld' compiled by Praexinas and others, many of which are very different from the original legends)...
Puamoet feels that Daonia's cultural influence on the Potentian people is not a bad thing, because he himself is enjoying Daonia's elegant culture. Just like the lunch he just ate, which was a Daonian delicacy—lamb hotpot. He thinks it is much better than the roasted lamb and boiled lamb he used to eat, so he is now too full. He contentedly touches his bloated stomach and is preparing to take his hunting dog for a walk in the yard to digest through exercise.
At this moment, his servant came in to report that Chief Sasidates was seeking an audience.
"Let him in," Puamoet said with a frown. He felt a little uneasy in his heart. Sasidates' tribe is located in northern Potentia, adjacent to Samnium's Kopsa, and can be said to be Potentia's front line against Samnium. Therefore, Sasidates rarely leaves his territory to come to the city of Potentia.
Could it be that the Samnites are making a move? Puamoet was thinking worriedly when Sasidates strode into the backyard. As soon as he saw him, he exclaimed urgently: "Great Chief, it's bad! The Samnites are about to launch a large-scale attack on our Potentia!"
"What?!" Puamoet immediately became nervous and asked urgently: "What happened?!"
"A few days ago, my tribesmen observed that many Samnites had entered Kopsa, and the city of Kopsa became very lively. We thought they were doing some Sacrifice or celebrating, but it also made us more vigilant. In the past few days, tens of thousands of Samnites have suddenly poured in from the north of Kopsa. They are fully armed and have built several camps near Kopsa... Great Chief, the situation is not good! Seeing this celebration, the Samnites are probably going to launch a large-scale attack on our Potentia again!" Sasidates said anxiously.
"Tens of thousands? How many people are there?!" Puamoet was a little flustered, but he tried his best to calm down and find out the situation first.
"Um... about... at least 20,000! The Samnites have sealed off the area near Kopsa, and my scouts can't get in at all!" Sasidates also felt that he was being too vague, so he explained: "But we found that the Samnite banners include not only the Hirpini banners, but also the Pentri and Caudini banners!"
Puamoet was really taken aback and said anxiously: "Could it be that all four Samnite tribes have gathered in Kopsa?!"
"The Caraceni banner has not been found yet." Sasidates said anxiously: "Great Chief,
you must immediately send a large army to support me! I think the Samnites may launch an attack within the next few days. My few hundred warriors can't stop them at all!"
"In the past, dealing with just one Hirpini was already very difficult for Potentia! According to what you said, now at least three Samnite tribes have come. Even if I send out all the reinforcements, it is impossible to defeat them. Instead, the Samnites will take the opportunity to eliminate our main force in the field and weaken the strength to defend the city of Potentia! Alas..." Puamoet's brows were furrowed with worry.
The Lucanians have many tribes, and the tribes are united with each other, eventually forming several large tribal confederations. Potentia, Grumentum, Pyxous, Galaguso, Niuetum, these tribes united for their own interests, and also united and fought with each other, with constant conflicts, until the appearance of Daonia, which restored peace to the Lucanian region.
The Samnites are different from the Lucanians. Samnium—this race occupying the mountainous area of central Italy, although divided into four tribes, Hirpini, Pentri, Caudini, and Caraceni, is not only relatively united within each tribe, but also has harmonious relations between tribes, with few disputes. Each tribe has a great chief, who is jointly elected by the various tribes. Unless it provokes public anger, it rarely happens that he is ousted midway. After all, only people with talent and moral integrity can be recognized by the tribes. He will serve as the great chief until his death. Unlike the Lucanian great chief, the Samnite tribal great chief has much more power. The tribes of the tribe, whether they live in the mountains or valleys, no matter how far apart they are, must obey the great chief's orders in major matters such as military affairs and diplomacy. From this point of view, these four tribes of Samnium are more like four kingdoms, rather than the tribal confederations of Lucania and Bruttium. It is because of this characteristic that the Samnium, a race living in barren mountainous areas, can make the surrounding Latins, Greeks, and Lucanians feel fear.
Originally, Potentia was only facing the Hirpini, the largest of the four Samnite tribes, located in the southern part of the Samnite-occupied mountains, bordering Potentia. Now that two more tribes have come, how can Puamoet not feel nervous? He paced anxiously back and forth in the yard, and finally he made a decision: "Sasidates, you go back immediately and let your tribe prepare. First, secretly transport some supplies to the city. Once you find that the Samnites have launched an attack, don't risk resisting. Lead your tribesmen to retreat to the city... And I will immediately notify other tribes to make the same preparations."
"This... this... Great Chief, are we going to throw the land outside the city to those damned 'mountain chickens' to trample on (Samnite warriors like to insert pheasant feathers on the top and sides of their helmets as a distinction between warrior levels, hence the nickname)?! It is bearable to have farmland and pastures destroyed and houses burned." Sasidates' tribe had often been invaded by the Samnites in the past, and the entire tribe was used to living a life of hiding and seeking. He didn't think much of it, but he still worriedly said: "If the city of Potentia is besieged by the Samnites for a long time, with so many people in the city, our food will not last long!"
"It won't be long before the Daonian army will come to support us. Don't forget, we Potentia are a member of the Daonian League!" Puamoet has never been so grateful for his decision to join the Daonian League as he is today.
"Yes! Yes! Daonia! Daonia will come to save us!" Sasidates nodded repeatedly like a chicken pecking at rice, obviously very confident in this powerful ally to the south of Potentia. You know, in the three years since Potentia joined the Daonian League, his tribal territory has never been invaded by the Samnites again.
Watching Sasidates leave in a hurry, Puamoet's face became even more gloomy. He had already heard about Daonia's declaration of war on Locri. If Potentia asks Daonia for help at this time, will Daonia come to help in time?
............
Alexios walked into the city hall of Grumentum, where the magistrate Bagulus was already waiting: "Commander Alexios!" Bagulus was wearing a burton, but he gave a military salute.
"Lord Bagulus!" Alexios, dressed in military uniform, gave a hand salute to greet a senator.
"What lord, don't make fun of me. I can't wait to take off this robe and put on armor and become a centurion under your command!" Bagulus said with a helpless wry smile.
Bagulus once held the two positions of First Battalion Commander of the Third Legion and Magistrate of Grumentum, which was only an expedient measure taken to stabilize the situation in Lucania after the recent occupation of the Grumentum region. Neither the Senate nor Davos would allow the highest administrative power and the highest military power in a region (at that time, Third Legion Commander Hieronimus was in Thurii, and the position of First Battalion Commander was the highest military position in the Lucanian region) to be concentrated in one person, so after Daonia gained Pyxous and its rule in Lucania had gained an advantage, the Senate proposed that Bagulus relinquish one position.
Considering that Grumentum is located in the center of the Lucanian region, consolidating Daonia's rule over it will completely stabilize the entire Lucania, so Davos temporarily removed him from his position in the legion, and he painstakingly persuaded him for several days.
Now Alexios understood his meaning and immediately asked: "What's wrong? Is there any situation?!"
"There's a situation, and it's a big one!" Bagulus said, both excited and serious.
"Tell me about it," Alexis said, preparing to listen attentively.
Bagulus, however, played coy. He first pulled Alexis down to sit, then had his men bring over freshly marinated prime beef jerky and beer (ever since Davos invented this kind of marinated beef jerky as military rations, it had gradually become popular among the citizens, becoming a delicious snack for the people of Daonia, like dried figs and dates): "I usually come to your military camp to bother you. Today, you've made a rare trip to Grummentum. As a reward, I have to treat you well. Let's talk while we drink."
What Bagulus said was true. The Third Legion's camp was built between Pichesis, Grummentum, and Niu Tum. Alexis, the current commander of the Third Legion, certainly couldn't stay in Thurii like the former commander Hieronymus (the system wasn't perfect at that time). During his term as legion commander, he had to live in the camp. Of course, the construction inside the camp was not simple, more like a militarized town. Although Bagulus had retired from military service, he still ran to the camp every few days when he had free time, participating in military training, military competitions... Over time, he actually became good friends with Alexis.
Alexis also knew his forthright character, so he didn't decline. He grabbed a piece of beef, chewed it, and said, "What exactly is the big situation?"
"The Samnites have gathered a large army on the border of Potentia, said to be at least 20,000 men!" Bagulus said with some excitement.
Twenty thousand men! Alexis was shocked. He put down the beef jerky in his hand and asked urgently, "Are you sure the Samnites are going to attack Potentia?!"
"The envoys from Potentia have come to me for help, how can it be false!" Bagulus took a sip of beer, half-jokingly and half-seriously saying, "Puamotes, that stubborn old man who usually doesn't bother with us Daonians, really can't sit still this time. The envoys from Potentia just asked me for help and then hurried off to Thurii..."
"Bagulus, this matter must be taken seriously, especially at this crucial time when we are declaring war on Locri!" Alexis said in a deep voice with a solemn expression. He obviously considered the issue more deeply than Bagulus, and before he took office, Davos had solemnly reminded him: the Third Legion's garrison is located in the Lucanian region, and the current task is to stabilize the situation in Lucania, eliminate those who oppose Daonia, but the future goal is the Samnites to the north. This is a powerful and terrifying race, and we must not be careless!
"I must go back immediately, gather the soldiers of the Third Legion to prepare for battle, and at the same time send the soldiers of the mountain reconnaissance team to investigate the strength of the Samnites and report to Lord Davos as soon as possible." Saying that, Alexis immediately stood up.
Bagulus, who had lived in southern Lucania since childhood, didn't have a deep impression of the Samnites. In addition, the Daonian legions had won consecutive victories in recent years, so he inevitably had some arrogance and underestimated the enemy. But seeing Alexis being so cautious, he also took it seriously: "Should we also prepare the citizens of the legion's reserve team?"
"Of course! I have a bad feeling, this may be a big battle!" Alexis said with a solemn expression.
"Well, a big battle!" Bagulus echoed, his face more excited.
… … … … … … … … … …
"Lord! Lord Davos! Martius is awake! Martius is awake!…" Herpus shouted excitedly as he entered the living room.
"Really?!" Davos, who was talking to Little Heraclides, stood up with a "whoosh", his face full of surprise.
"Just like you said before, 'The venom is separated from the mother (referring to the poisonous creature) and exposed to the outside for a long time, the toxicity may be reduced…'. It seems that this is indeed the case, Martius's awakening is a good example!" It's no wonder Herpus was so excited. Most of Daonia is mountainous,
Every year, people are bitten by snakes and insects. The Thurii Hospital doesn't have a good treatment method for this. At most, they clean and bandage the wound, and use some medicines to nourish the body, mainly relying on the patient's own healing. And this time, under Davos's guidance, the hospital gave Martius meticulous care and medication, and finally saw results, providing them with valuable experience and confidence for treating snake bites and other poisonous creature bites in the future.
Davos was not in the mood to discuss medical issues with him at the moment, and asked urgently, "How is Martius doing now?"
"Oh, he's awake, he can open his eyes and move, but his limbs are weak, and he has some difficulty speaking. He can only lie in bed now, and it seems he will need a period of recovery."
"Take me to see him," Davos said, pulling Herpus out.
"Lord, are you still going to see the construction of the Saracen River stone bridge today?" Little Heraclides asked quickly.
"Haven't you just put up the bridge piers? I'll go see when you're laying the bridge deck," Davos waved his hand and said apologetically.
"Okay." Little Heraclides understood how much Martius's awakening meant to Davos, so he could only helplessly follow Davos out of his mansion, but he ran into Rodom, the captain of the guard sent by the Senate.
"Lord Davos! And the two lords! The Senate has notified you to attend an emergency meeting!"
"What happened?!" Davos asked quickly, seeing Rhodum's nervous expression.
"Potentia is asking us for aid, saying, 'The Samnites are preparing to invade Potentia on a large scale!'"
The Samnites are attacking Potentia at this time?! Davos was suddenly shocked, and this news was like a bucket of cold water extinguishing the joy in his heart.
… … … … … … … … … …
The Senate held a heated debate on the matter of "whether to send a large number of reinforcements to rescue Potentia."
Supporters argued that: Potentia is an ally of Daonia, and according to the alliance and morality, Daonia must provide assistance! Moreover, although the Lucanian region has been governed for nearly five years, the Daonian League's rule over it is not very stable. If the Samnites are allowed to rush into the Daonian-controlled area, it will inevitably re-ignite the turmoil in this region. Daonia should repel the Samnites as soon as possible before starting a war with Locri or even Syracuse, in order to avoid fighting on two fronts.
Opponents argued that: the Lucanian region has its own army in Potentia, as well as the Third Legion stationed there, and the ally of Helia. The combined army is more than enough to deal with the Samnites, and there is no need to send more reinforcements. As Daonia is about to wage war against Locri and Syracuse, it is not advisable to withdraw troops to the north, which would instead leave the forces in its own territory empty.
Davos did not make a final decision, and he was very conflicted: He had felt the power of the Samnites from the history of his previous life. This mountain race fought continuously with the vigorously rising Rome for decades, repeatedly defeating the Romans and making them endure the "humiliation of the yoke gate"... Davos did not believe that the Third Legion and the Potentian army alone could cope. Before the flames were ignited and had not yet turned into a fire, he should do his best to extinguish it.
However, just before the war with Locri was about to begin, the Samnites launched a large-scale invasion. He would not believe it even if he was beaten to death if it had nothing to do with Dionysius. He thought he had designed a trap for Dionysius to jump into, but he did not expect that Dionysius directly instigated the Samnites to launch an attack from the north first, in order to make Daonia unable to take care of both ends. Before fighting with Syracuse, he felt the difficulty of Dionysius. This is a terrible opponent! He had to re-examine this Syracuse tyrant who had taught him a lesson.
However, now he can be sure that Syracuse is determined to fight Daonia, but he is worried about what other tricks this Syracuse tyrant has up his sleeve, and he has raised his vigilance about this, which is also one of the main reasons why he has not made a rash decision.
Davos returned home with a heavy heart. Before he had time to drink water, he learned that Ansitano was visiting him, and hurriedly greeted him: "Lord Ansitano, I have finally waited for you to come back!" Davos said half jokingly and half expectantly.
"I have traveled more in this period of time than I have in the past few years combined," Ansitano replied with a smile.
"That's because you didn't travel enough in the past few years. In the future, you will have to go out more for diplomatic activities like this."
"Please don't. This has already delayed me a lot of time writing history books."
"Going out more can allow you to conduct on-the-spot investigations of the situations in other city-states, so that your history will be written more vividly and in more detail. Herodotus traveled all over the Mediterranean in those years..."
The two entered the living room while talking and laughing.
"Your Excellency, the Carthaginian Senate rejected our proposed alliance," Ansitano said solemnly after sitting down. "They even refused to sign a friendly trade treaty with us."
Davos could understand Carthage's refusal to form an alliance. After all, Carthage had just ended its war with Syracuse and was said to have been severely damaged and in urgent need of recovery. Now that Daonia and Syracuse have tense relations, Carthage, as a neighbor, can naturally deeply feel the tension between the two sides, and will certainly not easily jump in again. However, it is a bit strange to refuse to sign a trade treaty with Daolia! Carthage is known for its maritime trade in the western Mediterranean!
"Is Carthage so afraid of Syracuse that it doesn't want to have anything to do with us?" Davos was a little surprised.
"I carefully learned about some situations in the city of Carthage. The Magonid family, which used to hold a dominant position in the Carthaginian Senate and has always had a strong interest in Sicily, lost its power due to the failure of the previous war and was forced to accept the task of building a new colonial city in the Iberian Peninsula assigned by the Carthaginian Senate and moved its entire family. Now, another large family, whose patriarch is named Hanno, has the right to speak in the Senate. He is not only conservative, but also prefers land to maritime trade, so he put forward a slogan, 'March inland and let citizens acquire more land.'..." Ansitano said slowly.
Does this mean that Carthage will go to war with Libya? Davos's heart moved: Compared to Syracuse, which has always caused Carthage to lose battles, Libya, although vast, has many tribes, but it is a mess and easier to deal with. Carthage is playing the good idea of "recovering what was lost from Sicily from Libya". However, in this way, Carthage will be even less likely to provoke Syracuse.
Ansitanos bluntly stated his deduction: "Perhaps in their eyes, Daonia's chances of winning are not great. In fact, Carthage doesn't pay much attention to our Daonia either. The ruler Hanno didn't even receive me..."
Davos really didn't expect Carthage, which was evenly matched with Rome in his previous life's history, to be so cowardly. But thinking about how Carthage and Rome fought for hegemony a hundred years later, Carthage's development a hundred years later was naturally incomparable to what it is now. Recalling that Carthage, which he had quite a good impression of in his previous life (mainly due to Hannibal's influence), actually looked down on Daonia, made him somewhat depressed, and he said in his heart: "One day, you will regret your neglect of Daonia!"
"Lord Ansitanos, do you think the Samnites' invasion of Potentia was instigated by Dionysius?" Davos wanted to confirm his judgment again.
"I heard the news as soon as I came back." Ansitanos took a sip of pulque and said thoughtfully: "Hmm... I think it's very possible. You know, Syracuse and Campania have had close relations since the time of Dillon, with frequent trade exchanges between the two sides. Syracuse has also sent troops several times to help the Greek city-states in Campania defend against the Samnites' attacks... It is said that most of Dionysius' mercenaries come from Campania, so Dionysius should be relatively familiar with the Samnites in the Campania mountains. As long as he is willing to pay the price, it is not impossible to persuade the Samnites. Moreover, the Samnites are probably always worried about Daonia's strength."
After Ansitanos's reminder, Davos suddenly remembered: Since Potentia joined the Daionian League, the Samnites' incursions into Lucania have never occurred again, obviously out of fear of Daonia...
Davos secretly regretted that he had spent the past few years stabilizing the country and had invested too little energy in the surrounding situation and the entire Mediterranean situation.
This is a lesson! He warned himself in his heart, and then humbly asked Ansitanos for advice: "Where else do you think Dionysius might use similar conspiracies like the Samnites against Daonia?"
Upon hearing this, Ansitanos stroked his gray beard and began to ponder. After a long while, he suddenly opened his eyes and said: "Tarentum! Tarentum is very likely!"
Davos was suddenly shocked: That's right, Tarentum is very likely! Although Syracuse has little contact with Tarentum, Syracuse's ally Sparta is Tarentum's motherland, and the two sides have a good relationship. It is very likely that they will act as a go-between... Moreover, in recent years, because Daonia has taken Heraclea and Metapontum from Tarentum (many Tarentines think so), the relationship between the two sides has become somewhat stiff. Despite the alliance agreement, there are occasional small frictions. This time, since Daonia declared war on Locri, Tarentum, as an ally, has not expressed support or opposition as in the past. There has been no movement at all. It's too quiet, which is abnormal!
… … … … … … … … … … …
The next day, at Davos's request, the Daionian Senate immediately sent envoys to Tarentum.
The Tarentine Senate showed an extremely impatient attitude towards the Daionian envoys' request for their opinion on the "declaration of war on Locri", and they all said that Daonia's war with anyone was irrelevant to Tarentum, and that Tarentum needed to recuperate in order to recover from the wounds of the last war.
The envoy returned to Thurii and reported the attitude of Tarentum to the Senate in detail. Most of the senators were relieved, but Davos still did not relax his vigilance. He sent people to remind the magistrates of Metapontum and Heraclea to increase their defenses against Tarentum, and at the same time asked Aristilas to strengthen his attention to Tarentum... That was all he could do, after all, Tarentum had not taken any unusual actions so far.
At this time, Davos put more thought on the Lucanian region to the north.
The next day, an urgent report from the Third Legion was sent to Thurii.
Compared to the scouts of Potentia, the reconnaissance soldiers of the Third Legion were much more capable.
They had all undergone rigorous training in Izamus's reconnaissance brigade. Under Davos's guidance, Izamus, combined with his own reconnaissance combat experience over the years, had developed a relatively complete set of reconnaissance training methods, including many aspects such as mountain climbing, wading, ambushing, disguising, and reconnaissance... Especially in judging the enemy's strength, the reconnaissance brigade had many methods, such as inferring based on the size of the enemy's camp, the number of tents, and the amount of supplies. Of course, the most direct method was to count the number of people, so most of the reconnaissance brigade's soldiers came from citizens engaged in accounting, banking, trade, and other industries that required strong calculation skills.
In the military reform of the previous year, Davos drew personnel from Izamus's reconnaissance brigade and equipped each legion with a hundred-man reconnaissance squad, so that the "eyes and ears" of each legion were more complete. After all, Italy was a mountainous region, and reconnaissance cavalry was often useless.
This military report from the Third Legion described the Samnites in much more detail: ...Comprehensive intelligence from the reconnaissance soldiers indicates that the Samnite army gathered in Compsa may be composed of warriors from the entire Hirpini, Pentri, and part of the Caudini. The current force has reached more than 40,000 people. Given that the Samnites' camp has not continued to expand in the past few days, and at the same time the number of Samnites entering the city of Compsa from the north has clearly decreased, it is very likely that the Samnites' attack will be in the next two or three days! The situation is urgent, and the Third Legion requests to exercise "emergency command authority" (that is, in an emergency situation, the battle situation is complex and changing rapidly. Repeatedly requesting the Daionian Senate for every major military action will only delay the battle opportunity and even put the legion in a dangerous situation. Therefore, after the Daionian territory expanded, Davos realized that he alone could not take care of the entire Daionian League's territory at any time, so he formulated this important military regulation to give the legion commander in the battlefield the autonomy of military action, so as to avoid slow and rigid command and stifle the fighting desire and enthusiasm of the legion commanders and soldiers)! And earnestly request the Senate to send reinforcements! — Signed: Alexis, Commander of the Third Legion.
Forty thousand people?! The senators of the Senate were shocked by the Samnites' strength, but they still argued endlessly about the "whether to send reinforcements" issue, but Davos finally made up his mind. He stood up and said in a firm tone: "Gentlemen, the military situation in Potentia is urgent and does not allow us to delay any longer! The Samnites' huge force of more than 40,000 people cannot be resisted by the Third Legion and Puamote's army! In order to prevent the Samnites from defeating them, occupying Potentia, and taking the opportunity to enter our Lucanian territory, I have decided to lead the First and Second Legions to reinforce Potentia and try to repel the enemy in the shortest possible time!"
"I support the Consul's decision!" As soon as Davos finished speaking, Vesbas jumped up happily, and Hemon also loudly expressed his support, but the others were temporarily silent.
Of course, Davos's status did not allow the senators to remain silent for too long. Soon, Cornelius stood up and asked: "Will the attack on Locri still proceed?"
"Temporarily stop! The Fourth and Fifth Legions return to their garrisons to stand by, and at the same time send envoys to Croton, Siris, and other allied city-states to explain. I believe they will be able to understand our situation, but —" Before Davos finished speaking, Cunogolata anxiously interjected: "But Syracuse may take advantage of our main force going north to attack Magna Graecia!"
Cunogolata's words caused a stir among the senators.
Amintas shouted: "It's best if the Syracusans come, we don't need to go to Sicily anymore, we can directly inflict a heavy blow on them in Magna Graecia!"
"But by the time they come, Lord Amintas, you, and the bravest and strongest citizens of Daonia will probably still be playing hide-and-seek with the Samnites in the Lucanian mountains!" Scombrus immediately retorted.
"We will defeat the Samnites soon and return soon!" Amintas argued loudly.
"That's hard to say. In the mountains, we Greeks can't catch up with those Samnites who are good at climbing mountains. You can't even catch up with them, how can you repel them?!" Scombrus retorted without showing weakness.
"Old man, you have to understand that it is the Samnites who are attacking us. We don't need to chase them at all. They will take the initiative to fight us!" Amintas was so anxious that he became a little incoherent.
"Okay, gentlemen, please be quiet!" Davos said loudly: "The current situation is very clear. If we don't act, the Syracusans will probably only be watching in Sicily, waiting for an opportunity. Then we will still be at a disadvantage, because the Samnites' threat is right in front of us. If we sit idly by, the situation in Lucania will probably be unimaginable..." Davos paused for a while, giving the senators time to think, and then continued: "Therefore, we can only seize every minute and second, concentrate our forces, and give priority to attacking the enemies that can be attacked! No matter how many routes the enemy comes from, we must concentrate our forces to attack in one place, so that we can guarantee the greatest victory!"
The senators were in another low discussion.
Cunogolata once again asked the senators' inner thoughts: "Consul, what if Syracuse really launches a large-scale attack on Magna Graecia after you leave?!!"
Davos had been prepared for this. He calmed down and slowly told the senators his conjectures and plans: "With our Daonia sitting in Magna Graecia, if Syracuse wants to attack Magna Graecia without more than 50,000 to 60,000 people, Dionysius can't even think about attacking Magna Graecia! But it will inevitably take a considerable amount of time for such a huge force and supplies to land safely on the land of Magna Graecia..."
Davos continued slowly, "During this landing period, soldiers, laborers, and supplies will inevitably be in considerable chaos and lack organization. Dionysius would never dare to risk landing elsewhere; he can only land at the port of his ally, Locri. Therefore, after the military department receives news of Syracuse's attack, it can dispatch our Fourth and Fifth Legions to quickly rush to Caulonia to join the reinforcements from other allied states. Utilizing Caulonia's narrow terrain and the Lamato River south of Terina, we can construct a strong camp to defend against the enemy's attack, delaying them while I defeat the Samnites, and then lead the main force back for a decisive battle with Syracuse.
To facilitate unified command of the Fourth and Fifth Legions, I will appoint Lord Philius as the commander of the Fourth and Fifth Legions, responsible for the southern front."
Davos chose Philius because of his seniority and his consistent involvement in military affairs. He could ensure that the stubborn Draco and the impulsive Epithenius would listen to him. However, his personality lacked assertiveness, and he might sometimes be swayed by his subordinates' opinions. But this was unavoidable. Among the army's generals, some were more capable, and the legion commanders of the Fourth and Fifth Legions were not weak either. However, they either had similar seniority to Draco and Epithenius, such as Capys and Antonios, or lower seniority, such as Hiros. Promoting them rashly might lead to the two legion commanders being unconvinced, which would negatively impact the battle.
The elders carefully considered Davos's 'defend first, then counterattack' plan. Most found it feasible, as they had great confidence in Davos's military command abilities, believing that as long as he commanded the decisive battle with Syracuse, the chances of victory were high. At the same time, they also approved of Davos's proposed candidate for the temporary commander of the southern front, as Philius had always been amiable in the Senate, and everyone had a good impression of him. The legion's elders also had no objections; Philius was indeed capable.
"Then who will take over as the administrative officer of Cosentia? Will Philius hold both positions concurrently?" Cornelius asked, as Philius was currently serving as the administrative officer of Cosentia.
"Simultaneously holding the positions of administrative officer and military officer" had precedents. Hiros had held both the position of administrative officer of Asprustum and commander of the Fourth Legion after the Second Croton War, and Bagulus of Grumentum was another example.
But Davos said, "The war with Syracuse will determine the life and death of the League, and it is the most important matter, requiring our full effort! The administrative officer of Cosentia must be replaced!"
Davos's gaze swept across the members of the Senate, and most of the non-legion elders revealed their eagerness, especially the Bruttian elders. This was understandable, as the Daonian League now had several cities, but the three most important were: Thurii, the center of the Daonian League; Grumentum, the largest city in the Lucanian region and the hub of the League's north; and Cosentia, the central city of the Bruttian region. Although the administrative officers of each city held the same rank, the administrative officers of these three cities were implicitly superior, and it was also a matter of honor.
Davos naturally understood what the elders were thinking, so he patiently explained, "Considering that once the war with Syracuse begins, the Bruttian region and the Croton Plain will quickly become the front lines closest to the battlefield for Daonia, the administrative officers of these regions need to cooperate with the army's military actions and meet their operational needs, such as accommodating the wounded, providing new soldiers, and transferring grain and supplies... Therefore, we need an elder who has both administrative experience and understands the operation of the legions, to temporarily—" Davos emphasized the word "temporarily," not wanting some elders to be too disappointed: "To serve as the administrative officer of Cosentia, my suggestion is that Hiros temporarily assume this position."
Davos's proposal did not encounter opposition. Hiros's outstanding performance during his tenure in Asprustum was evident to all. Only Petalus, Cadulk, and others showed disappointment.
Moreover, since the trial of Poluxis and others, there were far fewer elders opposing Davos's proposals, so it was passed.
At this moment, Hiros, who had just been appointed, asked, "Consul, if I go to Cosentia to take office, who will take over my current job?"
"Lord Hieronimus, I hope you can temporarily take on the position of quartermaster." The affairs of the army were decided solely by Davos, and no one else could interfere. Davos had already chosen the candidate, as the war was about to begin, and military training would naturally be suspended.
"Very well," Hieronimus replied softly.
Although he did not express it with passionate words, Davos was very relieved. He understood Hieronimus. Unlike Draco, who stubbornly only wanted to command battles, Hieronimus was taciturn but meticulous in his work. As long as he was given respect and space to use his talents, he could complete tasks silently and well.
But considering that this was a major war, and the pressure on military logistics would be great, Davos still wanted to find him an assistant: "Melchis, you need to assist Hieronimus more!"
Melchis immediately complained, "I'm already too busy with my own responsibilities, the finances and taxes of so many cities..." Facing Davos's silent, direct gaze, his voice gradually faded, and then he shrugged helplessly and said, "Alright, alright, I'll do my best."
Davos then asked, "Lord Hieronimus, how many legion reserve soldiers are there in Thurii and Metapontum combined?"
"Approximately twenty-two thousand," Hieronimus replied without hesitation, as he was very dedicated to his job.
Davos nodded, then looked at everyone and said loudly, "Gentlemen, I propose establishing two reserve legions in Thurii. Once the war breaks out, these two legions can protect our city and deal with emergencies."
"I have no objections," Cunogolata said.
"I agree," Cornelius also expressed his approval.
Even these two elders, who usually opposed war the most, expressed their agreement. The other elders were even more supportive. The key was that after Davos left with the First and Second Legions, the depleted forces in Thurii made them feel insecure. Having two new legions made them feel much more at ease.
"Consul, there are enough soldiers for the new legions, but they don't have unified new legion weapons and equipment, and may not even have old equipment. You need to know that most of these reserve soldiers are reserve citizens and registered freemen, and they may not have that much money to buy them," Hieronimus reminded.
Davos thought for a moment and said, "You and Melchis should convene Theos, the legion weapon shops, and other weapon merchants, as well as the managers of Christoia Bank, to sit down together and discuss a feasible solution to solve the new legions' weapon and equipment problems, and try to achieve uniformity."
"I understand," Hieronimus replied simply.
Melchis wailed, "More money! More money!"
At this time, Cunogolata said, "If a war with Syracuse breaks out, it will be a huge war of attrition, costing gold and silver in all aspects. Therefore, I suggest that the Senate come forward and, on behalf of the soldiers, reach an agreement with the weapon merchants to temporarily allow the soldiers to purchase weapons on credit, and repay them with interest after the war... I believe the credit of the Daonian Senate is worth this much."
"Lord Cunogolata, your suggestion is excellent!" Melchis immediately cheered up and said repeatedly, "As citizens of Daonia, these weapon merchants should make such a contribution to Daonia!"
"I don't care how you solve the new legions' weapon and equipment problems, but you must not force them, otherwise Tritodemus will talk to you," Davos reminded.
"The Consul is right, the property of citizens is protected by the laws of the League, and no one may infringe upon it!" Tritodemus warned.
Melchis's fat face was full of smiles as he said, "Rest assured, Judge. As a senator, a noble among Daonian citizens, how could I make such a mistake."
Davos ignored him. He walked to the center of the venue, stood still, looked around at everyone, and encouraged them with a passionate voice, "Gentlemen, the Daonian League has been able to achieve its current strength and prosperity in just a few years, thanks to your efforts and dedication! Now, we are facing the greatest test since the founding of the League. Syracuse—this Greek city-state, which has dominated the western Mediterranean for centuries, is like a mountain blocking our path in Daonia, not only hindering our progress but also crushing us! Senators of Daonia, the elites of the citizens, the leaders of the people, are we willing to submit to this mountain and be crushed by it? Or will we bravely face it together and overcome it through hardship?!"
"Overcome it, and ahead of Daonia will be a smooth road!"
"Defeat Syracuse, and Daonia will no longer have powerful enemies in the western Mediterranean!"
"Even if all the citizens of Daonia tighten their belts, we must defeat Syracuse!"
"Under the protection of Hades, even the greatest difficulties can be overcome, and even the most powerful enemies will eventually be defeated by us!"
The elders, under Davos's leadership, were united against the enemy and expressed their willingness to fight Syracuse to the death.
When the Daonian Senate received the Third Legion's urgent report, the situation in Potentia had already changed: The Samnites, who had been gradually gathering soldiers, suddenly launched an attack on the territory of Potentia. Since High Chieftain Puamot had already issued the order to "retreat into the city" to the various tribes of Potentia, the Samnites advanced quickly without any resistance, with some units even bypassing the city of Potentia and advancing south...