Pu Amote, inspecting the enemy's situation within the city, was extremely anxious, but he didn't dare send troops out to intercept them because Potentia had already been surrounded. The Samnite forces far exceeded the intelligence he had received beforehand.
Some tribes in the southern Potentian territory, thinking the Samnites were still far away, were negligent and didn't evacuate in time. As a result, they were either annihilated or captured by the wave of Samnites, or fled in panic to the more southern territory of Grumentum.
The panic brought by these fleeing Potentian tribes naturally spread to the tribes in the northern Grumentum territory. Just as they were also starting to clamor for a retreat to the south, Alexius, having received the news from the scouting soldiers, felt the urgency of the situation and resolutely decided: he could no longer wait for the Senate's orders and would immediately lead the more than 8,000 soldiers who had all returned to the military camp to advance north.
In the legion reforms of recent years, Davos not only equipped each legion with a reconnaissance centuria but also considered that, when fighting in Italy, with its towering mountains, the light infantry, after completing long-range attacks, would have sore and numb arms. They also had to assist the heavy infantry in attacking the enemy's flanks, outflanking and pursuing them, their physical exertion was no less than that of the heavy infantry, but their combat efficiency was reduced. Therefore, after consultation and discussion with the generals, he added a light armor battalion to each legion. They wore leather helmets, leather cuirasses, carried triangular leather shields, wore leather greaves, and leather sandals. Their combat weapon was a 1.2-meter-long, double-edged, thick iron sword. He specifically selected strong young citizens and reserve citizens who were good at running and climbing mountains to join the battalion, to assist the main force of heavy infantry in combat.
At the same time, Davos also reformed the original light infantry battalion. Because Daonia's excellent slingers mainly came from Rhodes (another island group that produced slingers, the Balearic Islands, was under the control of the Carthaginians), the scarcity of soldiers made it difficult for the later legions to recruit slingers. Therefore, except for the First and Second Legions, which still had slingers, the other legions' light infantry battalions were half archers and half javelin throwers. In addition, the number of excellent Thracian light shield soldiers could no longer meet the expansion speed of the Daonian legions. Therefore, from the Fourth Legion onwards, there was no longer a light shield soldier formation in the light infantry battalion, its functions were mainly undertaken by javelin throwers and light armor soldiers, thus making the legion formation more simplified and unified.
In addition to the engineering battalion, artillery battalion, cavalry squadron, medical battalion, and other auxiliary institutions in the legion, the number of a Daonian legion is now close to 8,700, which can be said to be a fully functional and enormous legion.
While marching north, Alexius also sent people to inform Bagules to prepare for the defense of the northern territory of Grumentum.
The Lucanian region is mainly mountainous, and Potentia is the highest area in this region, with an average altitude of over 500 meters. Fortunately, the vast majority of the soldiers in the Third Legion were Lucanians, who had lived here since childhood and were already accustomed to the environment.
The Third Legion marched in three columns through the lowlands and river valleys between the mountains, like a long dragon winding through the towering mountains, stretching five or six miles from the head of the column to the tail…
At this moment, on a small mountain,
Gaelnus, the son of Veranius, the great chief of the Hirpini, was closely watching the movements below the mountain.
"Chief, look quickly!" a warrior next to him suddenly shouted.
"Fool, keep your voice down!" Gaelnus kicked him and cursed, "Don't scare the enemy away!"
He saw a gleam of gold in the distance of the mountain road hidden by trees. After a while, this gleam of gold turned into a high-held banner. The bronze statue of Hades holding a double-pronged fork on the top of the banner was exceptionally dazzling under the sunlight. The standard bearer was a tall man in military uniform, he was also draped in a complete animal fur, making him appear particularly burly (actually, it was the fur of a large hunting dog, hunting dogs have the meaning of loyalty and bravery, Hades' loyal dog is Cerberus, and besides, with Davos' modern thinking, he would not allow his subordinates to hunt animals wantonly for decoration).
"Humph, it looks good." Some Samnite warriors muttered in a low voice, feigning disdain, "It's just that I don't know if it can fight."
Gaelnus didn't speak. He concentrated on watching the Daonian army slowly approaching him. He knew very well in his heart that the reason why his father contacted the two major tribes of Pentri and Caratini to attack Potentia together was not only because of Syracuse's strong financial support and instigation but also because of the pressure from this suddenly rising powerful neighbor in the south.
At this moment, he had to open his eyes wide and see clearly what the unfamiliar and powerful enemy he was about to face was like.
Behind the standard bearer was the flag bearer, holding high the tall black flag embroidered with the golden letters "Daonian Third Legion", fluttering in the air. Originally, it was a red flag, which was influenced by Davos' previous life in Rome, but as he became more and more integrated into this era, and the faith in Hades had penetrated into the hearts of the Daonian people, considering that Hades was the Lord of Darkness and advocated black, he changed the color of the military flag.
And behind the legion's flag bearer, the flag bearer of the First Battalion closely followed, holding high the statue of the God of Death, which was smaller than the statue of the King of the Underworld. Then came the legion drummers and buglers…
Gaelnus rubbed his slightly tired eyes: the Daonian army looked majestic, but there were too many fancy things.
He slandered in his heart. The Daonian legion soldiers who appeared next made him open his eyes wide: the black bronze helmet was not like the Corinthian helmet worn by the Greek soldiers he had seen in Campania, which completely covered the head, leaving only two eye holes, but like an inverted bowl, the entire face was exposed, with cheek guards blocking the sides of the face. Its style was very similar to the helmets of Samnite warriors, except that there were no decorative feathers or colorful horsetails on the top of the crown. Black linen armor, black greaves, holding a thrusting spear in his right hand, and carrying a shield in his left hand…
This shield… Gaelnus was shocked to discover that the shields held by the Daonian soldiers were very similar to the shields of their Samnite soldiers, half a person tall, rectangular, with the center protruding forward and the sides concave, making the shield surface curved. The only difference was that the shields of the Daonian soldiers were all painted black, not red…
Isn't Daonia a Greek city-state? Why didn't they use the traditional Greek round bronze shield and Corinthian helmet, but are so similar to us Samnites?!
The surprised Gaelnus certainly didn't know that in recent years, Daonian Consul Davos had finally completed the updating of the legion's weapons and equipment, abandoning the bulky Corinthian helmet and round shield, and changed to a new-style helmet and long curved shield. Moreover, such a large shield could not be copper-clad, it was only wooden, covered with a layer of cowhide, which reduced the weight of the soldiers by at least ten catties, enhanced their mobility, and also brought some new tactical changes.
In the Daonian army, except for the occasional top crowns with red, white, purple, and other colors on the helmets worn by some people, which should be squad officers and generals, the others were almost all black, making the entire team like a black snake crawling out of hell, filled with death and coldness.
Gaelnus took two breaths unconsciously, put on the helmet with a row of colorful horsetails on the top crown that he had put aside, pulled down the cheek guards, and ordered in a low voice: "Notify Abrinius on the opposite mountain to be ready. When the enemy's vanguard passes, we will launch an attack and give these pretentious enemies a good look."
"Yes, Chief!" The rider waved a red battle flag with a wolf's head painted on it on the top of the mountain. The Daonian soldiers below the mountain could not see it, and the Samnites on the opposite mountaintop also waved their military flag in response.
The Samnite warriors held their breath, grasped their javelins and stones, and lay prostrate on the mountains, waiting for the Daonians to pass through the mountains below.
But just then, the Daonians stopped advancing. A mounted general rushed to the front of the team, seemingly saying something to the soldiers.
After a while, the team started moving again, but after only a few steps, they stopped again. The general was talking to the soldiers again.
Three times in a row, they walked and stopped. The Daonians were almost about to enter the ambush circle, but they dawdled in this short distance, wasting too much time.
Gaelnus felt that his patience was about to run out. He rubbed his stiff body with his hands and cursed the Daonians in his heart for their slow movements.
Just then, there was a sudden commotion on the top of the mountain.
"The enemy is coming! The enemy is coming!…" the warriors shouted loudly.
"What's going on?!" Gaelnus couldn't care about the ambush at the moment and hurriedly asked the people around him.
"Chief, the Daonians… the Daonians are pressing up from the back of the mountain, trying to surround us!" The guard who had gone to check the situation rushed back to report.
In fact, he didn't need to say much. Gaelnus had already overlooked the black shadows flashing between the trees on the mountainside behind him.
We've been tricked! The cunning Daonians already knew we were ambushing here, deliberately attracting my attention in front, but were thinking of surrounding and annihilating us! A thought flashed through Gaelnus' mind, but he didn't panic. He immediately ordered, "Blow the horn! Since the Daonians dare to come up the mountain, let them taste the power of us Samnites!"
The low and long horn sound reached the foot of the mountain. Alexius, the commander of the Third Legion, who was riding a horse at the front of the team, immediately looked up.
"It seems that the Samnites have discovered our flanking troops." Lizalus, the commander of the First Battalion, said in relatively fluent Greek. Since being humiliated at the Isthmian Games, he had spent a lot of time improving his Greek, and it had improved significantly.
"Cricolus, are you sure there are only 1,000 Samnites on these two sides of the mountains?" The legion adjutant once again confirmed with Cricolus, the captain of the reconnaissance team.
"I'm certain!" Criegolu confidently pointed to the mountains ahead and said, "These Samnites came here chasing the Potentian tribes, but I don't know where they got the news from. They actually want to ambush us here, but they don't know that their every move has been seen clearly by my men."
"Criegolu, your squad has done a great service today, I've noted it all down." Alexis patted the restless warhorse under him: "Although our legion hasn't trained in Potentia, I think Lizarrus, you guys haven't forgotten the terrain here, right?"
"You've brought us to the southern mountains of Potentia in disguise several times, how could we forget! Our military law has strict regulations that each level of squad officer in the legion must engrave the terrain within their jurisdiction in their minds!" Lizarrus pointed to his head.
"Davos is a great man!" Alexis exclaimed. It was Davos who formulated this military law and strictly enforced it by the squad officers and soldiers, which allowed the army to be prepared in times of war. He then recalled Davos' instructions when he took office as the legion commander of the Third Legion, and said solemnly: "Now is the time to test you, and also let us see how powerful the Samnites are!"
… … … … … … … … …
Gernie saw the flags waving in the mountains on the opposite side. Obviously, the enemy was also attacking Abrini's team at the same time. At this moment, he didn't have the heart to worry about his good friend. He led his more than a thousand warriors down the mountain. Except for the colorful crest on his helmet, his equipment was no different from other warriors: a golden bronze helmet, a loose red short-sleeved robe that only reached his knees, tightened at the waist with a leather belt, a spear in his right hand, and four or five javelins in his left hand, and nothing else.
Because he had considered ambushing the Daonian army in advance, Gernie brought out light infantry. They regarded the steep slopes as flat ground, shuttling between rocks and trees, as agile as apes. They felt no pain stepping barefoot on thorns and gravel, and soon approached the Daonian army that was climbing up.
Compared to the Samnites' rapid descent, the Daonian army's ascent was slower. They were composed of a mixed force of light infantry, light armored soldiers, and heavy infantry, forming a loose arc formation, trying to encircle the entire forest side, so that the Samnites could not escape, but they did not expect the Samnites to come so quickly.
As the temporary commander of this mixed force—Ksimas, the captain of the Second Battalion of the Third Legion—was not flustered at all. If it were a few years ago, when the Lucanian region had not yet merged into the Daonian League, Ksimas would have led the tribe's warriors to meet them and have a melee. But now he is already a qualified squad officer in the Daonian Legion.
"Archers, get ready! Heavy infantry, protect!" As Ksimas issued the order, the legion's heavy infantry had already leaned against the tree trunks and rocks, erecting long arc-shaped shields to protect themselves and the archers behind the shields. The light armored soldiers and javelin throwers retreated further back. Unless the Samnites broke through the heavy infantry line,
it would be difficult for them to attack them.
Under the protection of the long shields, the archers calmly drew their bows and aimed at the rapidly approaching Samnites. The Samnites' more scattered formation, coupled with the mountains and plains, the lush trees, and the team-style volley, I'm afraid the effect would be minimal, so a more precise one-on-one direct shot is needed.
The Samnites were condescending. Although the distance was hundreds of meters, the javelins they threw while running carried strong kinetic energy, and flew to the heavy infantry in an instant. Only a series of "bang! bang! bang!..." sounds were heard. More than half of the javelins accurately hit the long shields. The heavy infantry couldn't help but feel a little palpitated when they saw the sharp spear tips coming out of the holes: They are actually heavy javelins!
And the Daonian archers' sharp arrows also shot out. The Samnite warriors, who had no protection and were lightly armed, quickly prostrated themselves under the rocks or hid behind the tree trunks to avoid the arrows.
For a time, spears and arrows flew back and forth in the mountains and forests.
The Daonian soldiers had more solid protection, and the archers had a more stable platform to shoot arrows from the spot; the Samnites relied on flexible movement and the powerful penetrating power of javelins to contend. Even if their casualties were gradually increasing because they had no protection, it did not weaken their fighting spirit.
Gernie and his men, relying on the cover of the trees, had approached within forty meters of the Daonians. When he saw that the javelin he had thrown with all his strength made the long shields erected by the Daonian heavy infantry shake a few times, and the soldiers almost fell, he weighed the last javelin in his hand and muttered in his heart: A little closer, a little closer, I can definitely kill another one!
He thought confidently, and suddenly drilled out of the hiding tree, agilely winding around the serpentine route, and continued to Charge downward.
The entire Samnite skirmish line had roughly approached within 30 meters of the enemy. Gernie, relying on a big tree, like other warriors, dodged the enemy's arrows, and took advantage of the archer's time to take arrows to come out again, preparing to throw the javelin in his hand at the heavy infantry in front. At this time, he saw a surprising scene: those Daonian heavy infantry suddenly threw away the long shields in their hands and made a throwing motion.
"Not good, javelin!" Gernie's eyes widened instantly.
The heavy infantry on the opposite side actually threw javelins. Thousands of javelins mixed with arrows flew out, catching the Samnites off guard. Many Samnite warriors who had no time to hide were immediately stabbed by the javelins, and there were screams.
Gernie had no time to make a judgment. When the Daonian heavy infantry threw the javelins, the javelin throwers ten meters behind them also rushed up and threw the javelins in their hands again. And following them were the light armored soldiers, taking advantage of the Samnites' dodging the javelin attack, they crossed the heavy infantry line and quickly approached the enemy.
"Retreat! Retreat quickly!..." Gernie knew that he could no longer be brave at this moment. The Daonians' peculiar tactical combination disrupted their offensive rhythm. If they delayed any longer, they might not be able to leave.
Gernie gestured while quickly retreating, and the trumpeter who had been following him immediately blew the horn.
But the speed of the Daonian light armored soldiers was not slow either. As Lucanians, climbing mountains and ridges was also their specialty. Moreover, they were also wearing light armor and had been resting before, so the Samnites were caught up by them after a slight hesitation, not to mention those wounded warriors.
On the hillside with intertwined trees and rocks, spears against leather shields and short swords, it was not easy for the Samnite warriors to constantly widen the distance to exert the power of long weapons, and once the Daonian light armored soldiers got close, the Samnites would be in danger.
One fled and the other chased on the mountain ridge, and one-on-one fights with spears and swords were often seen.
When Gernie crossed the mountain ridge, escaped the pursuit of the Daonians, and reassembled the team, he found that only more than 500 people were following him. He had lost almost half of his warriors.
And when he waited to meet with Abrini's team, his good brother had been hit by a javelin and was dying, and his thousand warriors were only more than 300 people left.
Originally, he wanted to ambush the Daonian army, but he didn't expect to be ambushed by the Daonians. Filled with anger and frustration, Gernie led the defeated soldiers and retreated rapidly to the north without resting.
… … … … … … … … … …
"This is the Samnite?!" Alexis carefully looked at the corpses on the ground, even disregarding the dirt and touching the thick calluses on the soles of their bare feet with his hands: "Very hard, like wearing a pair of shoes. Ksimas, you just fought a battle with the Samnites, talk about the feeling of fighting them."
Ksimas thought for a while and said: "Legion Commander, the Samnites are quite brave. You see, they are all light infantry, but they dare to rush to a place less than thirty meters away from our line to throw javelins… Their formation is quite loose, with large intervals, which reduces the accuracy of our light infantry's long-range attacks. This tactic is very similar to our light infantry tactics… Moreover, you see—" Ksimas grabbed a Samnite javelin and handed it to Alexis.
Alexis weighed it in his hand, then brought the spear tip to his eyes to take a closer look, and his expression became a little dignified: "It's a javelin with a heavier spearhead, not much different in weight from our javelin, so nearly a hundred of your men were injured because of it?"
Ksimas nodded and said solemnly: "I think their javelin technique is no worse than that of Captain Epitenes' light shield soldiers. As long as the long shield is hit by it head-on, it can often pierce the shield, and the brothers were injured like this…"
Alexis looked down at the long shield that had been pierced by several javelins, and said again: "I heard the soldiers say that the Samnites run quickly in the mountains and forests, and you can't catch up with them no matter how you chase them, so they escaped."
Ksimas retorted unconvinced: "The Samnites run very fast, but our Lucanians are not bad at climbing mountains and forests. If we weren't wearing heavier armor than them, we would have caught up with them long ago!"
"I heard from the Potentians that although the Samnites also have heavy infantry wearing breastplates, most of them are light infantry who throw javelins…" Alexis looked at the continuous mountains in front of him, and a sense of worry arose in his heart: "Order the legion to speed up the march and rush to the upper reaches of the Basento River valley closest to us to camp!"
… … … … … … … … … …
In a village of former Potentians less than a mile north of the city of Potentia, Gernie lowered his head in frustration and stood in front of Veroni, the great chieftain of the Hirpini.
Veroni did not criticize him for his son's unauthorized attack on the Daonians, which led to the loss of soldiers. He knew that Abrini's death had already made Gernie very self-reproachful, so he asked in a gentle voice: "Gernie, you are the first Samnite leader to have fought with the Daonians. Although you suffered a little loss, you also took this opportunity to learn about this powerful enemy to our south. Tell us, what is the difference between the Daonians in battle and the Campanians?"
His question made Gerny raise his head, and also aroused the interest of the other leaders in the wooden house.
Daonian people! At this moment, Gerny felt a surge of hatred in his heart when he heard this name, and he tried his best to recall the scene at that time: "...Their soldiers are mostly heavy infantry, but their heavy infantry is not quite the same as the Greek heavy infantry we have seen before... Their helmets are very similar to ours, and they hold long shields similar to ours instead of round bronze shields..."
"Ah?!" The Samonai leaders were all surprised.
"What is especially noteworthy is that their heavy infantry, like our heavy infantry... can throw javelins!" Gerny recalled the painful scene.
The leaders became agitated: "When did the Greeks start learning our tactics?"
"The Daonians have never been in contact with us, how could they learn our tactics?"
…
While the leaders were discussing, Verroni asked with concern: "Then are the Daonian heavy infantry's other equipment the same as our heavy infantry's?"
"Not the same. Their breastplate protection is more strict, covering their arms, chest, back, and even their crotch and thighs, and they also have shin guards on their calves..."
"That means we will be at a disadvantage when facing javelin throws head-on," said Lutherni, the leader of Capua, worriedly.
"We have long shields, so even the thickest armor will be injured by javelin throws. On the contrary, the Daonian heavy infantry is too heavily equipped and not conducive to moving in the mountains," said Lesguk, the leader of Beneventum, not very concerned about this.
"Leader Lesguk is right!" Quinn Duk, who was responsible for leading the Cautini warriors to participate in the battle this time, said confidently: "We have had many battles with the Greeks of Campania. Their heavy infantry appears cumbersome in the mountains and has difficulty moving, unable to keep up with us. Instead, because they are not flexible enough to avoid the javelins we throw around their flanks, we will never easily fight the Greeks on the plains."
"What Leader Quinn Duk said is our decades of experience in dealing with Greek heavy infantry. The mountains are the territory of us Samonai people. The Daonians dare to come in, we will make sure they never get out!" Lutherni loudly encouraged.
"That's right! Kill the Daonians! Let them know how powerful we Samonai people are!" Many leaders echoed.
"But... the Daonians don't only have heavy infantry," Gerny had to remind these overly confident leaders: "They also have archers, javelin throwers who don't wear armor or carry shields, and light infantry with small shields and short swords. They also move very quickly in the mountains. I estimate they may be Lucanians... And what should attract our attention even more is that in the Daonian army, whether it is heavy infantry, archers, javelin soldiers, or that kind of light infantry, their cooperation is quite tacit, obviously after a long period of training, and there is a clear difference from those Greek city-state citizen soldiers temporarily recruited in Campania..."
After Gerny finished speaking, the leaders fell into deep thought.
At this time, Verroni said thoughtfully: "The Daonians have arrived in Potentia so quickly, then this army must not be the main force from Thurii, and the number must not be too large. Since they have the courage to come, then we will let them taste the power of the Samonai warriors!"
His words cheered up the leaders.
"Quinn Duk, you lead 7,000 Cautini warriors to stay behind at the camp, and the other leaders lead all your warriors to attack the invading Daonians with me."
"Great Chief, are you talking about all the Hirpini warriors?" Lesguk asked in surprise.
"Yes, 25,000 Hirpini warriors!" Verroni said clearly.
"Isn't that too many?"
"I still think it's too few. If Torrek hadn't taken his 18,000 Pentri warriors to attack Poseidonia, I would have asked his Pentri army to go with us," Verroni said with a heroic look: "This time, I will swallow in one bite this Daonian army that dares to enter the territory of Potentia alone!"
"What if the Lucanians in the city of Potentia suddenly attack?" Lutherni asked with some worry.
"I'm just worried they won't dare to come out," Quinn Duk looked at Verroni and smiled.
Verroni nodded and said: "There are only ten thousand warriors in the city of Potentia. If they dare to come out—hmph, Quinn Duk, don't rush to defeat them, but entangle them. I will return with the army as soon as possible and attack them from the front and back to annihilate them!"
"Understood," Quinn Duk's eyes flashed with cold light.
… … … … … … … … … … … …
"Philiscus, I'm glad to have you back," Davos happily greeted him out of the living room, held Philiscus's hands, and said with a smile: "I heard that you did a good job in Consentia. The chiefs of the Bruttian tribes and the herders are lining up in front of your official residence every day, wanting to see you... Haha, you've been the administrative officer for more than a year, and you can't bear to unload it!"
"Lord, please don't make fun of me. Next time, no matter how much you persuade me, I don't want to go to the Bruttian region to be any administrative officer," Philiscus shook his head with a wry smile: "The people there simply don't believe in judges. No matter how big the dispute is, they come to me, the administrative officer. If it weren't for the full assistance of Hegesistratus (the former leader of the Sileni tribe), I don't think I could have stayed in Consentia for three months."
"But you have stayed in Consentia for more than a year, and the Senate Public Office Management Committee has investigated several times and believes that you have done a very good job in Consentia. I believe it will be very easy for you to serve as the administrative officer of other cities," Davos praised him with a smile: "Come on, let's go inside and talk more."
The two sides sat down, and the slaves served the pulp water.
Philiscus didn't feel like drinking, and immediately said to Davos: "Lord, this time you proposed that I serve as the commander of southern Daonia, commanding the Fourth and Fifth Legions, which is no problem. But to serve as the commander-in-chief of the entire Southern Italy Alliance Army and command the operations of this coalition, I think it's too difficult! Can large city-states like Croton and Rhegium willingly listen to my command?!"
After listening, Davos earnestly persuaded: "Philiscus, this task is indeed a bit troublesome. But even if it is troublesome, you must do your best to do it, and you must try your best to do it well! You must know that although the Southern Italy Alliance agreement says, 'All city-states, regardless of size, are treated equally.' But all the allies understand that, in fact, we Daonia are the leader of this alliance. If we don't serve as the commander-in-chief of this coalition, if we are not responsible for organizing, if we are not responsible for commanding, which city-state dares to serve as this leader! So you don't have to worry, boldly manage and command the coalition army! Moreover, I have already written letters to the councils of these allied states such as Croton and Rhegium, asking them to actively cooperate, and the envoys have already sent them. At the same time, the Senate has also arranged for Lord Ansitano to serve as your diplomatic liaison officer, responsible for coordinating matters with the various city-states."
"That's great!" Philiscus felt confident and the expression on his face relaxed a lot, but he continued: "Lord, you asked us to set up defenses in Caulonia and Terina, but now Syracuse has not declared war. Will Caulonia and Terina allow us to set up camps on their land in advance? And if Syracuse declares war, the army will quickly land in Locri, but our coalition forces come from various city-states, and it will take a lot of time just to gather together, let alone rush to Caulonia and Terina to build camps. What if the camps are not built yet, and the Syracuse army has already broken through Caulonia?"
"This is indeed a problem. After the war breaks out, there will be many unexpected factors, and no one can make accurate predictions," Davos tapped the armrest with his fingers, pondered for a long time, and finally said: "You try your best to do it according to the initial plan. If things cannot be done, try to preserve our strength and don't blindly confront the enemy. But there is a bottom line that you must keep in mind!"
Davos tapped heavily on the table with his finger and said firmly: "Defend Cnape and Aspru, and assist the Crotonians in defending the city of Croton! As long as this line of defense is not lost, we can block the enemy outside the territory, accumulate strength, and wait for a counterattack!"
"Okay, Lord, I will defend the southern territory and wait for you to come back!" Philiscus made a promise, but he asked again: "What if the Syracusans use the fleet to bypass Croton and land in our rear?"
Philiscus's forward-lookingness made Davos a little disappointed. He said impatiently: "It is not so easy to land tens of thousands of soldiers on our land. Don't we have two newly built legions? And this is not a problem you should be concerned about, it's Secrian's business."
… … … … … … … … … … … …
"Secrian, once war breaks out between Daonia and Syracuse, what preparations does your navy have?" Davos asked with a serious expression.
Secrian said very confidently: "Lord, we hope to concentrate the warships of the allies first, and we will directly command them... Since Rhegium took the initiative to hand over 35 triremes to our navy, Caulonia and Terina have also merged their fleets. Siris has expressed its agreement, but has not yet taken action. Only Croton is still hesitating, but I think they will agree soon... By then, Daonia will have a powerful fleet of nearly 200 warships of various sizes, and I will equip all the triremes with 'ravens'…"
"But—" Secilian touched his nose: "Since your Lordship is about to take away the First Legion, which has been coordinating and training with us in 'new tactics' for several months, I still need to retrain the newly established legion soldiers in these tactics. But it won't take much time, and I believe I can quickly lead this brand-new fleet south to find the Syracuse navy for a decisive battle. I believe the Syracuse navy will be greatly surprised!"
Secilian appeared high-spirited, obviously full of confidence in the new tactics.
Davos shook his head slightly in his heart and earnestly reminded him, "Secilian, even if you defeat the Syracuse fleet somewhere in the Ionian Sea, our warships will inevitably suffer damage. Soldiers who fall into the water need rescue, damaged warships need urgent repairs, and captured warships also need to be towed back... You have so much aftermath to complete, but you must know that Syracuse has more than just one fleet. What if—" Davos emphasized, "—what if the enemy reinforcements appear while you are busy?!"
Seeing Secilian eager to explain, Davos raised his hand to stop him and continued, "Even if the enemy reinforcements don't appear, it won't be easy to handle all these aftermath matters well. And we only have this one fleet. I hope it becomes stronger with each battle, not weaker. So, I suggest you arrange the first naval battle at…"
After listening to Davos's detailed plan, Secilian said sincerely, "I understand, Your Lordship! I will execute according to your plan! ... However, I have something that needs your help now, otherwise, it will affect the navy's preparations."
"What is it?"
"With the arrival of warships from other allied states, our dry docks are not enough."
This is a problem! Davos thought for a while and said, "I will have Lord Kunogorata expedite the construction of more dry docks along the Krati River from Thurii city to the sea, establishing a naval base to meet your needs!"
… … … … … … … … … … … …
The Daonian Third Legion arrived in the Pinio River Valley. The Pinio River is a tributary of the Basento River, the largest river flowing through Potentia—although it is only a small river, it is sufficient to meet the water needs of a legion. Moreover, the soil in this river valley is soft, the aquatic plants are lush, and the two sides are steep and unclimbable mountains, making it a good place to camp. Therefore, Alexis chose to build a camp at the opening of the valley.
The entire army unloaded their luggage and just began digging trenches when reconnaissance captain Krigolu rushed to report: "Legion Commander, the brothers discovered Samnites heading here five miles north, about 20,000 people!"
More than 20,000 people! Alexis was shocked: The Samnites arrived so quickly and in such large numbers, which was really beyond his expectations.
This also showed how fierce the Samnites were and how strong their desire for revenge was.
Alexis looked regretfully at the trench that had not yet been dug. If he had two or three more hours, the Third Legion would be able to build a crude camp, and then they would have a chance to fight the attacking Samnites!
"Retreat!" He decisively issued the order.
What?! The signal officer thought he had misheard.
"Retreat immediately!!" Alexis shouted again.
After the bugle sounded, Litoru came after a while.
"Legion Commander, why are we retreating just after arriving at the campsite?! Could it be that the bugler misheard the order?!" Litoru's tone was questioning.
"He didn't blow it wrong. More than 20,000 Samnite warriors are rushing towards us. We can't fight the Samnites, who outnumber us two to one, without building a camp and while the brothers are extremely exhausted. We can only retreat first and then look for an opportunity to fight." Facing the first captain, Alexis explained a few more words to show respect.
"Retreating without fighting is too demoralizing! The soldiers and Daonian people will think we are timid and afraid of death! We won't be able to hold our heads up in front of soldiers from other legions!" Litoru retorted unconvinced: "Moreover, I believe that even with 9,000 people against 20,000, our legion can withstand the enemy's attack and defeat them!"
"Lord Davos once said that the Samnites are quite fierce. Even if we can defeat them, if the Third Legion is crippled, will we still want to participate in future battles?! More importantly, this will affect Lord Davos's next plan!" Alexis explained a few more words, suppressing his anger.
"I believe that repelling the enemy's attack and building a camp here is what Lord Davos wants!" Litoru retorted without showing weakness.
"Execute the order!" Alexis decided not to argue with him anymore. The "Daonian Military Law"emphasized army discipline: during wartime, subordinates must absolutely obey their superiors.
Litoru glared at Alexis angrily, but in the end, he chose to obey. This also shows that Litoru has broken away from the level of a tribal warrior and become a qualified Daonian general.
He reluctantly gave a military salute, and when he turned back, he deliberately said loudly in a fit of pique: "If Lord Hieronimus was still the legion commander, he would never retreat!"
Alexis turned a deaf ear to his angry words. He now had to think carefully about how to retreat safely.
… … … … … … … … … … … …
Potentia is located on the upper reaches of the Basento River, where the ground is relatively flat, but the terrain is higher, which should be regarded as a small plateau, and the city is built on a huge and gentle hillside.
The Potentians spent decades building a large city with stones. Now, Puamo Te and the tribal leaders are anxiously observing the movements of the Samnites outside the city on the city wall every day.
"Great Chief, look quickly, the Samnite army has gone south!" Shasida pointed to the distant, dusty, and noisy area outside the city and said loudly.
Puamo Te's heart moved, and he shouted excitedly: "People, the Daonian reinforcements must have arrived!"
This sentence immediately excited the leaders and warriors: the powerful Daonians have come to rescue them!
This good news immediately relieved much of their worries these days.
"Should we send troops to meet them?" A leader said excitedly.
"No!" Puamo Te refused him without hesitation, and said cautiously: "The only thing we can do now is to desperately defend this city and then wait for the Daonian reinforcements to arrive!"
… … … … … … … … … … … …
The Samnites arrived at the Pinio River Valley and saw only a circular ditch several miles long that had not yet been completed.
"The Daonians are as timid as rabbits and have run away!" Liesi Guk took a breath and regretfully plunged the spear in his hand into the soil.
"Father, most of the Daonians are heavy infantry and shouldn't be able to escape far. We should take this opportunity to catch up and defeat them!" Geerni, eager for revenge, said anxiously to the Hirpini Great Chief.
Veroni, of course, was also unwilling to come for nothing, and he immediately ordered the troops to continue the pursuit.
The rash Samnites were quickly ambushed by the light infantry battalion of the Third Legion. After paying hundreds of casualties, they still could not catch these Lucanian light infantry, who were more lightly equipped and equally good at climbing mountains. Even if Veroni was angry, he had to become cautious.
Therefore, the Third Legion was finally able to get rid of the Samnites' pursuit and entered a military camp at the border of Grummentum and Potentia in the evening.
Yesterday they set off from Grummentum, only showed their faces in the Potentia area, and were forced to return to Grummentum again today. Alexis and the soldiers of the Third Legion were also a little depressed.
… … … … … … … … … … … …
Poseidonia, a coastal city not far north of Elia (not the Poseidonia city in the Aegean Sea), was a colony built by the Sybarites. It was once a Greek city-state in Italy famous for its roses and three goddess temples (two temples of Hera and one temple of Athena). However, the southward migration of the Lucanians a hundred years ago caused this Greek city-state to eventually fall under the continuous attacks of the Lucanians for many years and become a town in the Potentia tribal alliance.
For decades, Poseidonia has not suffered any invasion. Elia in the south is still struggling to protect itself, so where does it have the strength to attack others; and the Samnites in the north prefer mountainous areas and would rather invade the stronger and more heavily defended city of Potentia than stroll by the sea. Therefore, when the Lucanians of Poseidonia learned that the Samnites were launching a large-scale attack on Potentia, they did not show much concern for the safety of the city, only made slight preparations, and put more energy into discussing "how many warriors to send to reinforce Potentia."
However, today, the sentry on the city tower rang the alarm bell.
When the leaders and warriors climbed the city wall, they were stunned: the Samnites outside the city were densely packed and endless, and they didn't know how many people there were…
Penteeni, the Great Chief, stood in front of the formation, looking at the not-so-large city in front of him. He saw and heard the Lucanians' panic and shouts on the city wall, but he didn't care too much. Instead, he turned back and said to his subordinates: "Bring the few catapults sent by the Syracuse people that are called… what are they called?"
"Great Chief, they are called ballistae," a leader beside him reminded him.
"I know, I don't need you to say more." Tolek glared and said: "Bring the… the ballistae up and let us see how powerful this thing is!"
Six ballistae were placed in front of the formation, and the ones operating them were Syracusans.
Lead balls the size of fists bombarded the city walls of Poseidonia, causing stone chips to fly everywhere, further increasing the Lucanians' panic…
Amidst the cheers of the Samnite warriors, Torek's face was filled with excitement. He knew that the Samnites' weakness in siege warfare had been compensated for by this terrifying weapon, and he was now fully confident in capturing Poseidonia. Occupying this city would not only provide a better port, making it easier for the Syracusans to transport more food, but also allow his impoverished people to plunder and gain more wealth...…
… … … … … … … … … …
In the evening, a family dinner was being held at the magistrate's residence in Thurii. In attendance were Davos' two wives, his adopted daughter Cynthia, his adopted son Adoris, his son Crotokartakes, as well as the household manager Asuna, the slave manager Libazo, and the intelligence chief Aristilas.
The main dish tonight was hot pot with beef and mutton, so everyone had a wooden table, copper pot, and iron stove in front of them, except for Crotokartakes. Because he was still young, Christoia wasn't comfortable with him eating hot pot alone. However, Christoia herself was nine months pregnant and found it difficult to move around, so she didn't have the energy to take care of him. Crotokartakes' other mother, Agnese, was two months pregnant and experiencing the most severe morning sickness, unable to even look at beef and mutton, so she had to switch to fruits, mushrooms, seaweed, and other vegetarian dishes. Of course, she couldn't look after him either. Therefore, Crotokartakes sat with Asuna.
At this moment, Davos, sitting at the head of the table, looked at everyone and said earnestly, "Tomorrow, I will lead the troops and leave Thurii for Potentia, so I won't be able to look after the house. Christoia and Agnese are both pregnant, so the household affairs will need Asuna, Libazo, and Aristilas, the three of you, to take careful care of! Here, I want to thank you in advance!" As he spoke, he picked up his wine.
As he spoke, Christoia and Agnese gazed at their husband with concern, the worry on their beautiful faces difficult to conceal.
Asuna and Libazo hurriedly stood up.
Davos quickly waved his hand: "Sit down! Sit down! You are already Dionean prospective citizens, and we are all family, so don't make yourselves seem like strangers! Learn from Aristilas!"
Aristilas forced a smile on his stern face. The reason he didn't stand up was simply because, as a former Katane citizen, he wasn't accustomed to the humility of Asuna and the others. He also raised his glass and replied seriously, "Lord, rest assured. I will have my men closely monitor the entire Thurii, and if any abnormalities are discovered, I will go to Capys and Kunogoratas immediately, as you instructed, to eliminate any hidden dangers!"
"Good! The safety of this home depends on you!" Davos raised his glass in salute and drank it all in one gulp, then refilled it.
Asuna immediately said, "Master, I will manage the maids in the yard and take good care of the two mistresses! And I will regularly ask Lord Herpus to come and check, and the home is also blessed by the two gods Hades and Hera…" Asuna looked at Christoia and Agnese,
Smiling, she said, "When you return, master, the two mistresses and the children will be very healthy!"
"Good! Asuna, if everything is safe and sound, when I return, I will reward you handsomely! I'll find you a husband who will satisfy you, how about that!" Davos joked happily.
Asuna immediately protested disapprovingly: "Master, you, the dignified magistrate of Dionea, are making fun of me, that's not fair!"
"Master, you're so busy every day, you probably don't know, but Asuna already has someone she likes," Christoia said softly from the side.
"Oh, really?!" Davos became interested and quickly asked, "Who is it? Can you tell me?"
Asuna blushed, glanced at Aristilas at the next table, and lowered her head without speaking.
Davos' heart fluttered, but he didn't ask further: "Come, Asuna, thank you for always taking care of the two mistresses and the children, drink this up!"
Asuna drank it down crisply.
Davos looked at Aristilas, who seemed completely oblivious to this, and then said to her, "I'll give you a suggestion, you should ask Agnese for advice more often. With Hera's blessing, are you still afraid that your wish won't come true!"
Asuna was greatly moved upon hearing this.
Who knew that Agnese would bluntly remind her: "Love between two people is under the jurisdiction of the love goddess Aphrodite, Hera is only responsible for marriage and family."
"Love without marriage is all a lie," Davos said half-jokingly, half-seriously, "In Dionea, Hera is also responsible for love before marriage."
"Master, you don't need to worry about Asuna's affairs, that's my responsibility," Christoia said with a smile, relieving Asuna from her embarrassment, then said sternly to Libazo: "Libazo, I'm leaving all the affairs of the outer courtyard to you, don't let any trivial matters disturb me during this time."
"Mistress, rest assured, I will handle it well! This is my duty anyway!" Libazo respectfully finished the wine in his glass.
At this time, Cynthia said, "Father, I will also take good care of mother and my younger brothers."
Davos was overjoyed upon hearing this: "Good! Good! Our daughter has grown up and can help with household affairs! Come, let's have a toast!"
"Daddy, daddy, I want to drink this too, I want to take care of mommy too!" Little Crotos also started clamoring.
"Good! Good! Good!…" Davos swayed his slightly drunk head, beside himself with joy.
… … … … … … … … … …
Late at night, in Christoia's bedroom, Christoia's languid voice sounded: "I think you should go and accompany Agnese, she needs you more at this moment…"
"Don't talk, rest well," Davos said softly, gently patting her shoulder with his left hand, which was wrapped around her snow-white neck.
Christoia turned slightly, nestled her head further into Davos' arms, smelling the scent on his body, and murmured, "You said, if I give birth to a daughter, we'll name her Eunice, okay?"
"Eunice…" Davos softly recited the name (the meaning of Eunice is joyful victory), a gentle smile appearing on his face: "What if it's a son?"
"Then we'll call him Apoxes (meaning courage)," Christoia said softly without hesitation, obviously having thought it through long ago.
"Davos Apoxes, Davos Crotokartakes… Good, we'll use that name!" Davos happily agreed.
But after a long time, Christoia didn't respond.
Davos looked down and saw that his wife had already fallen asleep, pregnant women are very sleepy at this time.
Davos gently adjusted her sleeping posture, gave her a affectionate kiss on her plump, smooth face, then draped a robe and walked to the outer room where Asuna was guarding.
"Christoia is already asleep, where is the child?"
"Little Crotos is also asleep."
"You take good care of them, I'll go see Agnese."
As soon as he entered his second wife's bedroom, he heard Agnese's soft and expectant voice: "Davos, is that you?"
"Why aren't you asleep yet?! That's not good for the baby!" Davos gently chided, lovingly picked her up as she sat on the bed, wanting to put her on the bed, but Agnese hugged his neck instead, and she murmured worriedly, "I'm a little worried…"
Davos held her delicate body and lay down on the bed together: "Worried about what? There's nothing to worry about! With Hades' blessing, your husband has never lost on the battlefield! I promise you, I will be back soon!…"
Davos' confident promise dispelled some of Agnese's worries, she hugged her husband tightly, and after a long time, gently asked: "Are… are my parents in danger?"
Davos was stunned. In fact, with the outbreak of war between Dionea and Syracuse, Rhegium was the most dangerous, cut off by Locri and its allies, far from the center of Southern Italy, and most vulnerable to enemy attack.
But at this moment, Davos couldn't tell the truth, he said in a deep voice: "Our Southern Italian Allied Forces will not easily allow Syracuse to threaten Rhegium! However, for safety, you'd better advise your family to come to Thurii to take refuge during this time."
Thurii has Atilikulus' shipyard, making it relatively easy to contact them.
"Mm!" Agnese responded softly.
… … … … … … … … … …
The next day, the fully mobilized soldiers of the First and Second Legions swore an oath in Thurii's Victory Square, and then nearly 20,000 soldiers and the baggage train marched westward in a mighty procession.
The people of Thurii and Amendolara came to see them off. In their view, this was the first time the First and Second Legions had fought in a distant and unfamiliar area. Previously, the army had reached Caulonia at the farthest, but that was, after all, a Greek city-state, and there were frequent trade exchanges, and it could be reached by boat in a day. This time, they were fighting in unfamiliar mountainous areas where natives roamed, so the concern and worry for their loved ones were naturally greater.
So the people saw them off again and again, reluctant to leave for a long time.
At the rear of the departing column, Davos was saying goodbye to the senators: "Lord Kunogoratas, Lord Cornelus… Lords, I leave the affairs of Dionea to you for now!" Davos solemnly gave a military salute to the senators who were seeing him off.
"Lord, if there is anything, we will send someone to discuss it with you in a timely manner!" Kunogoratas promised.
"Return with victory soon! Return soon!" Cornelus said expectantly.
Davos nodded and turned to Vesper: "Rest assured, the Samnites will never be able to break into our Lucanian territory!"
"Magistrate, please pay more attention to the Lucanians of Potentia!" Hermon requested.
"I'll do my best!" Davos replied, looking at Hieronimus and Capys, who saluted him. The affairs of the army had already been arranged, and he didn't need to say more.
His gaze finally rested on Marigus and Praesinas, who nodded slightly, almost imperceptibly.
Davos leaped onto his horse, restrained the restless warhorse, and said with confidence, "My lords, await news of my victory!"
Having said that, he turned his horse around, squeezed his legs hard, and the restless warhorse carried him speeding away, galloping north along the long line of the army, accompanied by the people's spontaneous cheers and expectations: "Lord Davos, please bring them back safely!"
"May Hades bless you with an easy victory!"
… … … … … … … … … …
There were two routes from Thurii to Potentia: one was to cross the wooden bridge over the Crati River, go west to Bice, then to Cosenza, then turn north to Vibo Valentia, to Laos, take a boat to Pyxous, and finally reach Potentia; the second was to go west from Thurii, trek the Thurii-Neutum road, reach Neutum, and then go north to Potentia.
Due to the construction of the Thurii-Neutum road, it only took three days for a large army to reach Neutum from Thurii, so for Davos, who knew the importance of speed, he naturally chose the latter route.
On the second day of entering the western mountains, Davos received an urgent battle report from Grumentum: the Samnites had captured Poseidonia.
Davos fell into deep thought. Soon, he summoned the two legion commanders, Antonios and Amyntas, to discuss the matter. In the end, he changed his initial plan and sent a messenger back quickly to notify Grumentum and Pyxous to prepare immediately.
Three days later, Davos led his army to the Laos River fortress, where he unexpectedly met Hieron I.
"Hiero, why are you here?!" Davos asked, slightly surprised.
"It's been a long time since I last saw you, my lord! I heard that you were going to lead an army to Potentia, so I came here to greet you." Hieron I smiled happily, expressing his greetings to him.
Davos looked at Hieron I, who was not much older than himself, and couldn't help but feel a little touched, but he still cautiously asked, "How is Laos doing now?"
"Very stable!" Hieron I blurted out, and seeing the suspicious look on Davos's face, he added, "It's really much better! Ever since Master Ancytanos advised me, I now discuss everything with my uncles, and my uncles are now willing to implement some of the laws I promulgate…"
"That's good." Davos nodded and didn't say anything more. After all, Hieron I was already the ruler of a state, and he didn't want to interfere in the internal affairs of Laos. He looked at Hieron I and said seriously, "But you've come at the right time, I was just about to look for you.
I just heard a piece of news, the Samnites have occupied Poseidonia."
"I've heard about it too." Hieron I was a little puzzled: "Does this have any impact on Laos?"
Davos said bluntly: "I plan to lead the army from the port of Laos to Pyxous by boat. I've calculated that a passenger ship can carry 50 people. To transport this army, we need at least 400 ships, and that doesn't even include the cavalry and the baggage train… Hiero, do you think Laos can provide so many ships?" Davos looked at Hieron I with concern.
"Of course, no problem!" Hieron I said happily: "Laos can requisition merchant ships to transport your troops… but I have a small request." Saying this, Hieron I showed a smug smile.
"What request?" Davos didn't have time to joke with him and asked directly.
"As a member of the Daonian League, Laos should send troops to join Daonia in the expedition according to the alliance treaty. I hope to lead the Laos army to Potentia with you!" Hiero I looked at Davos expectantly. After the initial excitement of serving as the city-state's governor, he was a little tired of dealing with so many affairs and facing so many obstacles. Davos's arrival provided him with a good opportunity to relax.
"Okay." Davos pondered for a moment and agreed. As an ally of Daonia, it was Laos's duty to send troops, and Hieron I's leadership could also increase the prestige of this young man who had just taken office as governor.
… … … … … … … … … …
Just as Davos changed his marching route and turned to Laos, the port of Syracuse was already filled with thousands of ships, and there were thousands more ships outside the port. This almost concentrated all the passenger and merchant ships of the Sicilian city-states controlled by Syracuse on the sea off Syracuse, completely turning the Great Harbor (the naturally formed circular bay outside the port of Syracuse) into a land paved with planks. In the port and urban area, hundreds of thousands of people were busy preparing for the army's overseas expedition…
Such a grand and spectacular scene left Phibidas from Sparta dumbfounded.
Dionysius glanced at him, pointed to the troops huddled in the port, a sea of people, waiting to board the ship, and said with emotion: "Decades ago, Athens sent an army of more than 40,000 people to Sicily, attempting to conquer Syracuse. Although we Syracusans did not succumb at the time, we were all in constant panic, believing that the disaster of Syracuse was about to come… If today—" Dionysius waved his fist forward forcefully, his tone full of pride and boldness: "If the Athenians dare to come again, I only need to send half of the army to ensure that they will never return!"
Phibidas still said bluntly: "Dionysius, putting aside everything else, isn't it because of the existence of your enemy—Daonia—that you are sending out such a huge army?!"
Dionysius twitched the corners of his mouth a few times, then laughed and said: "The Daonians are probably racking their brains right now on how to defeat the Samnites… Phibidas, the reason why I am mobilizing a powerful army of nearly 80,000 people is mainly to deal with the Southern Italian League. Although each of these Magna Graecia city-states is not very strong, they are still a bit of a problem when combined. In addition, after defeating those city-states, we have to station some troops in the city to make them obey, don't you think?"
Listening to Dionysius's smug laughter, Phibidas felt very harsh.
Recalling that Dionysius was not so arrogant when he came to Syracuse last time, and he was more respectful to him as a Spartan envoy, but now Sparta is deeply mired in the quagmire of war, while Syracuse's strength has increased dramatically, and Sparta's need for Syracuse is far greater than Syracuse's need for Sparta, times have changed… Thinking of this, Phibidas forcibly suppressed the unwillingness in his heart and stopped talking.
Of course, Dionysius also stopped at the right time and stopped stimulating this young and energetic Spartan general, after all, he still needed him when fighting against Daonia.
A silence fell between the two, and they both turned their gazes to the harbor below the watchtower.
After a while, the naval commander Leptines climbed to the watchtower built on the western end of Ortygia Island and said respectfully to Dionysius, who was feeling helpless: "Brother, the soldiers have all boarded the ships and are waiting for you to go down and issue the order, and then lead them to Magna Graecia."
"Understood." Dionysius nodded, then said to Phibidas: "We should go down too, don't keep the army waiting."
After saying that, he turned and went down the tower, and Phibidas followed him down.
A magnificent four-horse chariot was already waiting at the foot of the tower. Dionysius stepped directly onto the chariot, with no intention of inviting Phibidas to ride with him.
A guard led a warhorse next to him, and Phibidas and Leptines successively mounted their horses.
"Set off." Dionysius said, and the hundred cavalrymen in front galloped towards the way they came. The coachman shook the reins, the horses neighed, and began to pull the chariot.
The hundred cavalrymen behind also followed the chariot forward. Dionysius was tightly surrounded in the center. The entire team passed through the tall city wall that separated Ortygia Island from Syracuse proper, and drove through the city center. Many people had already been waiting on both sides of the street.
When these cavalrymen passed by, they cheered. Dionysius also waved his hands constantly on the chariot in response, which made Phibidas, who was riding a horse alongside him on his side and rear, feel confused: Wasn't it said that the Syracusans hated Dionysius's dictatorial rule? How does it seem that Dionysius is still very loved by the people?
In fact, the Syracusans' feelings for Dionysius were complicated: on the one hand, they hated Dionysius's high-handed rule and exorbitant taxes; on the other hand, they also enjoyed the security, strength, glory, and pride that Dionysius brought to Syracuse. Being able to conquer Magna Graecia would inevitably bring a large amount of wealth and land back to Syracuse, which was exactly what the people longed to obtain.
At this moment, Dionysius, standing on the chariot, was enjoying the feeling of waving to the people. Because he was afraid of assassination and riots, he had not held a public gathering for seven or eight years. He was even thinking: I heard that Daonia has a "triumphal procession" victory celebration that can bestow great glory on the victorious general. After conquering Magna Graecia this time, I must also hold my own triumphal procession in the city of Syracuse!
The team entered the port, and the ministers were already waiting in front of the dock.
"Lord Dionysius!"
"General!"
"Generalissimo!"
… …
Everyone saluted and paid their respects.
Dionysius, wearing golden armor, got off the chariot and waved goodbye to everyone.
Finally, he came to Philistus, and shook his hands forcefully: "Philistus, after I leave, Syracuse will be entrusted to you!"
"My lord, don't worry! I will definitely do my best to ensure the safety of Syracuse until you return victorious!" Philistus said solemnly: "After Masiacus leads his team to destroy the city built by the Reggians on the Milazzo Peninsula, you should let him immediately lead his troops back to garrison the city of Syracuse!"
"Although, from the current perspective, Carthage is unlikely to take any action, we must not lower our guard! Also… Gela, Leontini, Camarina, Agrigentum… if these allied city-states show even a hint of rebellion, have Macias immediately dispatch troops to suppress them!" Dionysius instructed in a deep voice.
"Understood, Your Excellency," Philistus nodded with a focused expression.
Dionysius stared at him for a moment, then stepped forward and gave him a strong embrace: "Everything here is entrusted to you, my friend!"
Philistus was about to reply when he heard Dionysius whisper coldly in his ear: "These are critical times. If you discover any disturbances within the city, immediately arrest and behead the perpetrators to deter those traitors who Delusion Disturbance this great expedition, understand?!"
Dionysius's chilling words made Philistus's heart tremble.
At that moment, Dionysius happened to see Herolitus, not far behind Philistus, talking to someone. He added in a low voice: "And—do not trust Herolitus too much. During my absence, do not allow him to participate in any city-state affairs!"
"Uh… understood, Your Excellency," Philistus said, startled, then responded.
Dionysius, Phibidas, and their entourage boarded a trireme.
Dionysius waved to the crowd on the pier, full of ambition: "Everyone, you will soon receive news of my victory! Next year, I will bring Syracuse a Magna Graecia with wealth and land area no less than Sicily!"
After saying this, he fastened a purple cloak and took a golden helmet decorated with colorful plumes from a servant, which made him look even more heroic.
"Set sail!" He gave the order amidst the cheers of his ministers.
...............
On this day, almost all merchant ships sailing the Strait of Messina witnessed this unprecedented spectacular sight: tens of thousands of warships, merchant ships, and passenger ships sailed north in a mighty formation, their length stretching from the southeastern corner of Sicily to the toe of the Apennine Peninsula, almost severing the eastern shipping lanes of the Strait of Messina…
Each ship's sail was painted with a striking "three-legged" symbol, so that no ship dared to cross this seemingly endless fleet, lest it be mistaken for an intruder and sunk.
Many experienced shipowners immediately sensed that something big was about to happen, and they turned back or detoured, rushing to their own city-states to deliver this shocking news.
...............
The messenger from Henipolis quickly returned to Laos,
conveying the order from Arolobamas that "the Daunian army is to use the port of Laos to reach Picoxis."
Arolobamas was genuinely nervous when he learned that Davos had suddenly changed his marching route. He immediately agreed and went all out to supervise the matter.
Therefore, by the time the Daunian army arrived at Laos, the hundreds of requisitioned merchant ships and the Laos troops participating in the battle were basically ready.
"Lord Davos, welcome to Laos!" Arolobamas led the important officials of Laos to greet him at the city gate.
Davos sat on his horse, and seeing Arolobamas leading a group of people to salute him, he couldn't help but have a strange feeling: Arolobamas was the master of this city, while this little guy beside him…
He glanced at Henipolis, suppressed this strange thought, then jumped off his horse, took off his helmet, and handed it to the guard beside him: "Lord Arolobamas, thank you for the help you have provided to Daonia!" He returned the salute to Arolobamas earnestly.
"This is Laos's responsibility as an ally!" The forty-year-old man replied respectfully with his head lowered.
Henipolis shouted from his horse: "Uncle, this time I want to go with Lord Davos to fight in Potentia!"
Arolobamas raised his head and looked at him, a complex expression flashing in his eyes: "I have no objection to this, but you have to discuss it with your mother."
"Understood, I will go and talk to her now," Henipolis immediately spurred his horse into the city.
At this time, Davos said: "Henipolis is still a child and lacks experience in politics. He has brought a lot of unrest to Laos during this period. Thanks to you, Laos has been able to maintain stability!"
"Heni is not that much younger than you, Your Excellency, but look at him…" Arolobamas blurted out impulsively when he heard this. When Davos looked at him with a slightly surprised expression, he realized that his tone was a bit heavy and hurriedly changed his words to complain: "Alas, Heni has been a willful child since he was little! But managing a city-state is not something you can do whatever you want! During this period, the officials have been a bit resentful towards him!…"
"He is still young and needs time to hone his skills so that he can gradually become familiar with city-state affairs. Therefore, your help as his uncle is very important! Of course, during this expedition, I will also enlighten him more," Davos was ostensibly comforting Arolobamas, but his words revealed his support and protection for Henipolis.
Of course, Arolobamas could understand the meaning of his words. He felt a sense of loss in his heart, and the thought that had been suppressed in his heart was slowly loosening.
"Lord Davos, I heard that tens of thousands of Samnites have invaded Potentia this time. Will it be difficult to repel them?" Arolobamas suddenly asked.
Davos glanced at him and said: "As long as an ally is in trouble, no matter how difficult it is, Daonia will do its best to help! Besides, for Daonia, repelling the Samnites is only a matter of time."
"Yes, yes," Arolobamas said with a smile, "Lord Davos, you are a famous general who has won every battle."
Davos smiled, turned back to see that the troops were ready, and asked: "Can we enter the city?"
"Of course," Arolobamas said quickly: "600 cargo ships are already waiting in the port, uh… Lord Davos, you must be tired from this march. I have prepared a banquet at home to celebrate your arrival. Please have a meal before you leave. There is still plenty of time."
"Lord Arolobamas, thank you for your invitation! But the war situation is urgent now. Let's wait until I return victoriously and then attend your banquet. You'll have to prepare more sumptuous food then, because not only me, but also several legion commanders will be attending," Davos politely declined, jokingly.
"Then I will wait for your early return in triumph!" Arolobamas said with a smile, although he had no intention of inviting guests. He was just panicking inexplicably standing in front of Davos and said it casually.
The bugle began to sound, the war drums beat rhythmically, and the Daunian army began to enter the city. At the front was a flag bearer in bright armor, holding a large flag high. In the center of the flag was a double-pronged fork entwined with black hair, surrounded by colorful gems. This was the flag representing the Daunian city-state alliance.
Following was the cavalry. Since the Bruttian region was incorporated into the Daunian alliance, the number of Daunian cavalry had greatly increased. The cavalry's organization had been increased to 2,000 men, officially promoted from a cavalry battalion to a legion. Although the mountainous area of Potentia was not conducive to cavalry operations, and although he heard that the Samnites did not have many cavalry, Davos still brought a thousand cavalry, led by the cavalry legion commander Lydes.
The leading cavalrymen held high the "Pegasus" battle flag. The subsequent cavalrymen were arranged in three columns, each wearing a black leather helmet and black leather armor, holding a lance in their right hand and a black "teardrop-shaped" leather shield in their left hand, entering the city in a relatively neat formation.
After that came the First Legion…
Although Daunian troops had entered the city of Laos during the conquest of Bruttium, today, years later, when the legion soldiers with unified equipment and uniforms were presented to the people of Laos, it gave the people here a considerable shock: the entire army was almost completely black, and even the shields, on which the Greeks liked to express their free nature, were all uniformly painted with the "double-pronged fork" pattern. The consistency, orderliness, and order, combined with the large number and high morale, made the Daunian army march in a parade-like manner on the main road of Laos, leaving the nobles, officials, commoners, and slaves of Laos speechless and terrified, including Arolobamas, who accompanied Davos.
He quickly made an excuse that he had to "arrange for Henipolis's expedition" and hastily took his leave, then hid on the roof of his mansion, watching the Daunian army heading towards the port with a complex expression. During this long time, he kept thinking about one question in his heart: Is the Daunian army so strong, can Syracuse really defeat it?
It was not until the Daunian army had completely left the urban area that he breathed a slight sigh of relief.
...............
The news of the Syracuse army's invasion first reached Rhegium, which not only caused panic among the entire city's population, but also threw the council in the town hall into chaos.
"Lord Atilicrus, what should we do? The Syracusans are coming!"
"According to the shipowners who brought the news, the Syracusan fleet covers the entire sea! Oh, it's terrible! The number of soldiers they are transporting is estimated to be no less than 100,000!"
"Lord Atilicrus, you must immediately request reinforcements from the Daunian League and the Italic League!! Otherwise, when the Syracusans land in Magna Graecia, Rhegium will be finished!!!"
...
Just then, a guard rushed in to report: "My lords, the lighthouse at the port reports that a fleet has sailed out of Messina, with about 80 warships heading towards our port!"
This new message was like pouring oil on the fire, causing the entire town hall to explode: "That's right, Lord Atilicrus, what about our fleet! What about our fleet?! I said long ago, don't hand over our warships to Daonia, but you wouldn't listen! Look what's happening now!!"