During this brief respite, Portitus also summoned his trusted slave: "Hurry home and get me some food. Quickly!" he said loudly, tapping his cane incessantly.
"Honorable master, what would you like for dinner?" the quick-witted slave immediately asked loudly.
"Are you an idiot? Have you forgotten what I like to eat? Do I have to tell you again!" Portitus grumbled impatiently, as the slave nodded and bowed, drawing closer.
"No bread, my teeth are bad, I can't chew it. Bring me a large bowl of hot barley porridge, and..." Portitus trailed off, his voice growing softer, seemingly from exhaustion.
The slave had to lean in closer and closer, then he heard his master's whisper: "Immediately send someone to notify Camillus, regarding the Daunian army's invasion of Latium!"
Watching the slave leave the assembly, Portitus felt a little dazed: Even if there's only a slight possibility, Rome cannot be harmed. I can only wrong you, Camillus! But as long as I'm here, no one will dare accuse you in the Senate!
Portitus scanned the assembly and, finding that no one seemed to have noticed his little maneuver, leaned back against the ivory chair and closed his eyes to rest.
Meanwhile, the senators were discussing: Carthage is already at war with Daonia, and war reports are coming back from Sicily, so why aren't the Daunians concentrating all their forces to deal with Carthage, and instead dare to send a large army to Rome?!
"Could it be that Carthage has already been defeated by Daonia, so Daonia is able to spare troops to attack us?"
"That was just a minor defeat. Carthage is a powerful state in the western Mediterranean. How could a victor be decided with Daonia in such a short time! I think it must be because the war has only just begun, and Carthage hasn't used its full strength, allowing Daonia to cope easily, so they dare to send troops to attack us."
"We should send envoys to inform the Carthaginians and tell them to increase their attacks on Daonia, and fully fulfill their obligations as allies!"
"That's easy for you to say, but how do we notify them?! The coast of Latium is now completely controlled by the Daunian fleet."
"There are ways, as long as you're willing to use your brain, Abinius. Although the Daunian fleet has blockaded the coast of Latium, they haven't blockaded the coast of Etruria, and southern Etruria has many of our affiliated city-states. Messengers can travel north by their ships, along the coast, and eventually reach the coast of Iberia, which is the sphere of influence of the famous Carthaginian royal family, the Magonids, and their patriarch was recently appointed commander of the Carthaginian army, responsible for fighting against Daonia..."
"That's a good idea! As long as the Carthaginians know that Daonia has sent a large army to Rome, they will definitely increase their attacks on Sicily. Daonia will have to cope with wars on two fronts, and it will definitely be difficult for them to sustain it. They will definitely withdraw from Latium to avoid being defeated by the Carthaginians."
"We can't rely too much on Carthage. In fact, with our current 100,000 citizen soldiers and allied troops, led by the capable Camillus, we are fully capable of defeating the attacking Daunian army! ..."
"Great Scipio is right! We are fighting on our own land, there is no need to fear the Daunians. We should take this opportunity to defeat them, establish Rome's prestige, and then completely control Latium! ..."
Amidst intense debate, the senators passed the proposal to "send envoys north to Etruria tomorrow to take a ship out to sea and seek help from Carthage," and also had the idea of seeking an opportunity to fight the Daunian army after Camillus led his troops back.
By evening, news finally arrived: Paulus, Maesius, and Pantilius led a large army of 25,000 soldiers and were utterly defeated by a nearly equal number of Daunian troops.
This terrible news plunged the entire Senate into a long silence.
After a long time, some senators began to clamor nervously: The Daunian army is so powerful, Camillus should immediately lead his troops back to defend Rome!
A very few even suggested: Simply negotiate peace with Daonia and return the occupied Volscian territory...
This was, of course, strongly criticized by most of the senators, while Appius and Marrucinensis, who supported him, were trying to comfort the panicked senators. Their biggest reliance was: No news had come from Ostia, indicating that it had not yet fallen into the hands of the Daunians...
Portitus watched the scene of endless disputes in the assembly with cold eyes, without saying a word, feeling fortunate for the decision he had made earlier...
......................
That night, not only was the Senate brightly lit, but so was the Roman Forum, and it was filled with a cacophony of voices.
After receiving the emergency notification from the Roman patrol, countless people came out of their homes one after another and gathered in the square.
These people were mainly divided into two categories: teenagers aged 15 to 17 and old people over 50. Because in addition to the 3,000 young and middle-aged citizen soldiers stationed in the city of Rome, other Roman citizens suitable for military service had followed Camillus to conquer the Hernici. In addition, there were also a small number of women wandering around the square, inquiring about the news of the "Daunian invasion" from the Roman soldiers maintaining order.
Compared to their expressions of panic and anxiety, the old people gathered in the square mostly appeared calm. They had already experienced multiple wars in their lives and had long been unfazed by change, while the teenagers seemed very excited. They had long yearned to grow up and serve in the army, like their fathers and brothers, to fight on the battlefield and win glory for themselves. Therefore, although there were many people in the square, it was orderly and not chaotic.
People came to the recruiting officer one after another, reported their names, clans, tribes, and previous military resumes, and then the recruiting officer used this information to assign the applicants to a certain century and give them a certain military position. In addition, most of the veterans had their own armor and weapons, while only a small number of the teenagers had them, so they needed to be equipped.
Ambustus stood on the platform of the square, looking at the dark crowd below, and felt a little relieved, and his original worries were also greatly dispelled.
"Father!" A clear voice rang in his ear. He turned his head and showed a kind smile: "Cornelia, why are you here?"
Ambustus's little daughter said with a worried face: "Stolo heard the patrol's notification and wanted to know if Rome was really in danger?"
"Don't worry, this is just a precaution. Let Stolo stay home and recover from his injuries." Ambustus waved his hand and said with a relaxed expression.
After sending away his little daughter, the people in the square were also gradually dispersing, but Ambustus's expression became more and more solemn. He couldn't help but ask the patrol captain Cassius again: "Have the people in the Aventine region really been notified?"
"I can swear to Jupiter that I really sent a patrol to notify the Aventine region along the streets!" Cassius pleaded anxiously.
"Then why haven't they come yet?!" Ambustus was a little anxious. In his opinion, compared to these old people and children, the commoners and freemen in the Aventine region should be the main force in defending the city of Rome.
Cassius said with a wry smile: "Sir, it's not like you don't know that the people there either have been constantly confronting our nobles and opposing the Senate; or they are immigrants who have only joined Rome in recent years and are not loyal enough to Rome at all."
"Don't say any of this." Ambustus interrupted him and reminded him softly: "Now that a great enemy is at hand, all Romans should unite..."
Ambustus suddenly stopped speaking because of the noisy voices coming from the distance. He finally showed a trace of a smile: "Look, they're here!"
......................
Why didn't any news from Ostia return to Rome that night? This was because Davos had imposed a strict land and sea blockade on the city of Ostia, and after the city was captured, not a single person or ship escaped Ostia. Moreover, during the siege, he ordered Midolades to send all the fast trireme warships to blockade the offshore area of Ostia, not allowing any ships to approach. At the same time, on land, he also sent out all the mountain reconnaissance teams to blockade the surrounding area of Ostia, so that the Roman and Latin allied spies could not understand the battle situation in Ostia. It wasn't until evening that he ordered Izam to withdraw the reconnaissance team. Even if the Roman spies later noticed the abnormality, it was already the next day when they rushed back to Rome.
When Amyntas's messenger arrived at the city of Ostia, Davos was going to the port with Midolades.
"Your Majesty, in fact, you don't need to go to the port anymore. We have made many statements to the laborers in the port, and most of them have expressed their willingness to assist us..." Midolades persuaded Davos as he walked.
"Midolades, I believe in your ability to handle affairs." Davos said seriously: "But you must know that this is the first time our Daonia has occupied Latin territory. They are very unfamiliar with us and even more afraid of our power. With me, the king, personally coming forward, it will be easier for them to believe in the promises we make and provide us with more help. Moreover, with them as an example, it will be much easier to manage when we occupy other Latin towns."
Midolades nodded as if he understood, knowing that Davos was determined, so he didn't dare to persuade him anymore.
Of course, Davos did not expect a naval general to be able to understand his approach from a global perspective. After all, he was conceiving a very big game of chess, so he changed the subject and asked: "Where do these laborers and sailors in the port come from?"
"The majority of the laborers are slaves and Latins, and among the sailors, there are some Etruscans, as well as some Campanians…"
Davos was slightly surprised: "No Romans?"
"There are Roman merchants and some residents, but due to the short time, no laborers or sailors in the port have been found to be Romans yet…" Midolades explained.
Hearing this, a glimmer of hope rose in Davos's heart, because according to the information collected before, there were many impoverished people living in Rome, and some even sold themselves into slavery, and the conflict with the nobles was quite prominent.
But then he thought: Ostia is a small city, and there are not many Roman citizens to begin with. Or perhaps in the past year or so, Rome invaded the Volsci and attacked the Hernici, gaining a lot of land, giving the Roman commoners new places to go…
Thinking of this, Davos asked again: "What about those slaves? Who are they?"
"There are our allies, the Volsci, as well as the Hernici, Marsi, Aequi, Etruscans… basically, they are all foreign races captured after being defeated by Rome, so they are very welcoming of our arrival and are willing to pull the towlines for our warships because we promised them freedom." Midolades said with some excitement.
Davos nodded, and then his attention was drawn to the noisy sounds ahead: it was an open space illuminated by torches, with thousands of people huddled in the center of the open space under the guard of soldiers. March is still early spring, and the weather is relatively cool, but half of these people are still wearing thin and simple linen clothes, and some are even completely naked. Those wearing clothes and those not wearing clothes are gathered in two separate piles, clearly distinct, but all are constantly and uneasily glancing at the fully armed soldiers around them.
Martius led the guards into the open space first, and their gorgeous attire and orderly, powerful steps immediately attracted their attention.
"King Davos of Daonia has arrived!" Martius announced loudly, and the herald behind him immediately repeated it loudly in Latin.
Immediately, a considerable commotion broke out in the crowd in the open space.
Then, two tall and strong guards were seen holding high the kingdom's flag and the golden scepter, walking into the open space. After that, a middle-aged man wearing golden helmet and armor, with colorful feathers fluttering on his head, and a heroic appearance, walked in slowly, surrounded by a group of Daonian officials wearing gorgeous Boton.
The noise in the open space suddenly disappeared, and people crouched uneasily, subconsciously shrinking back, but also secretly glanced with some curious eyes, but when Davos's eyes met theirs, they hurriedly lowered their heads like frightened rabbits.
"I am King Davos of Daonia!" After Davos introduced himself with a simple sentence, he then said loudly: "For more than ten years, the Romans have continuously attacked the surrounding races and forces, plundering land, slaughtering people, and forcibly turning captives into slaves, extremely greedy and bloody! The Volsci and Hernici are precisely worried about being destroyed by Rome, so they have successively allied with our Daonia (Davos had already allied with the Hernici before leading his army north).
We sent envoys to negotiate with Rome, hoping that it would stop its invasion of Volsci and Hernici and return the land it occupied. Who knew that the Romans not only did not listen to advice, but instead accelerated the invasion of the territories of these two races. Now the Hernici have been surrounded by the Romans in the city of Ferentinum and may be destroyed at any time, while the Volsci warriors have been scattered in the past resistance to the Roman invasion and are unable to prevent the next Roman invasion.
In order to prevent our Daonia from stopping its invasion, Rome even instigated its ally Carthage to tear up the peace agreement that had been observed with Daonia for many years and brazenly declared war on Daonia! Therefore—I led the Daonian army here to fulfill the alliance and protect Daonia's allies, the Volsci and Hernici, to punish Rome and its allies who dared to violate Daonia's majesty and provoke war, and to completely defeat them!"
The reason why Davos patiently said these words to a group of humble commoners and slaves was to show the Latin region, and even all the surrounding forces and races, why the Daonian army came here and what its purpose was.
As soon as a few heralds had spoken his words in Latin, someone in the field mustered up the courage to shout: "Kill the Romans! Save the Hernici (Volsci)! We want freedom!…"
Davos looked up and saw that the group of naked people looked excited, and some even shed tears. A bigger commotion appeared in the entire open space.
Martius immediately put his hand on his short sword, took a step forward, and shouted: "Silence!" The guards immediately made a neat and consistent roar.
People were silent again.
Davos looked around at them and said sincerely, "Daonian's enemies are only the Romans and the Roman city-states that assist the Romans in fighting us. Any city-state or people who remain neutral in this war or even provide assistance to Daonia will be regarded as friends by Daonia and will gain the friendship of the Daonians! You—" Davos pointed to the slaves: "You will be released in a few days. In order to ensure that you can safely return to your families, we will provide you with some rations. If you can provide assistance to the army during your stay in Ostia, you will also receive some salary rewards."
Davos's words made the slaves smile, and some even bowed to Davos using their native etiquette to express their gratitude, and Davos immediately returned the salute, disregarding their lowly status.
His kind actions not only won the favor of the slaves, but also eased the tension of the laborers.
At this time, Davos's expression became serious, and he once again said loudly: "Before coming to Latium, I thought that the only people who were disrupting the peace of this area were the Romans, but after coming here, I realized that there is another equally terrible demon that is making the people of this land live as if they were in hell, suffering miserably, and that is—"
Davos saw that the laborers' attention was drawn to him, and he said loudly, word by word: "The nobles! The nobles of Rome! The nobles of the Latin city-states! They are like ferocious wolves, completely disregarding the friendship of their compatriots, and shamelessly using their power and money to seize the land of their city-state's people, and then forcing the people who have lost their land to become their slaves, endlessly creating wealth for them like cattle and sheep, and finally working themselves to death in the fields, and they are even reluctant to bury their bones! And those people who are unwilling to become slaves and serve the nobles high above are forced to flee the city-state, but wander around, living hard lives, unable to support their wives and children…"
Davos spoke in a heavy tone, and after listening to the translator's emotional translation, the laborers were reminded of their own tragic experiences, and some even sobbed softly.
Seeing this scene, Davos took the opportunity to say to a proclaimer, "What is your name? Where are you from? How do you make a living now?"
The young proclaimer immediately replied: "My name is Adrius. I was originally a citizen of Gabii in the Latium region. More than ten years ago, the Gauls invaded the Latin region, not only occupying Rome, but also capturing Gabii, which was not far from Rome. When the Gauls were repelled and we returned to our homes, we found that the good land of my family on the banks of the Anio River, a tributary of the Tiber River, had been occupied by nobles. Because the village was destroyed by the Gauls and the city hall had also been damaged, we could not produce evidence that the land belonged to my family, and that noble bribed the judge... Not only did we lose the lawsuit, but my father was also sentenced to false accusation and was flogged... My father dragged his unhealed body and took my mother, me, and my younger brother away from Gabii in anger..." As he said this, his eyes were already a little red.
"Oh my god, you are just like me. My land was also seized after the war!"
"Not me. It was because my wife was sick and I borrowed money from a rich man to treat her. I thought that I could pay off the debt after selling the grain in the autumn harvest, but I didn't expect him to say that the money could only pay off the interest, and finally my land was forcibly taken away by that rich man!"
"What you borrowed was usury! Damn nobles! Damn rich people! The city-state's Senate only helps these rich people speak. Where is our way to survive!"
…
The experiences narrated by this black-haired, black-eyed Latin proclaimer quickly aroused the resonance of the Latin laborers who had been silent before.
After reading in detail the information collected from the Latium region, Davos realized that the fierce conflict between nobles and commoners was not only in Rome, but also in other Latin city-states, and even the situation was more serious. The nobles were greedy and plundered, and the commoners were burdened with extremely heavy debts and could hardly survive. After all, Rome could expand its power through military expansion to obtain more land and slaves, which could give the commoners a chance to breathe. However, other city-states not only did not have this condition, but also rebelled against Rome in the past and were defeated by Rome, and were instead deprived of some land by Rome, which made their arable land tight, and the competition and annexation of land more intense, and this was exactly what Davos wanted to see.
"How did you live later?" A laborer couldn't help but ask curiously loudly.
So Adrius pointed to his feet and continued, "My father used to work here, but the port of Ostia was not as busy as it is now. The money my father earned was not enough for our family to live on. He risked taking us to Naples in the south—"
"Oh, that is the Campania region occupied by the Greeks, but their maritime trade is indeed much more prosperous than here!" Someone exclaimed.
"But not long after, my father's old injuries relapsed and he was almost unable to walk. Through the introduction of kind people, we supported my father and went to Pompeii, not far from Naples, to ask for help from the priests of the Temple of Hades in the city. The kind old priest not only cured my father for free, but also allowed our family to live in the temple for a period of time and provided free food. He also told us that there was a city of the Daonian kingdom, Aenona, not far south of Pompeii, which not only had a large number of job opportunities, but also allowed people to apply to the city hall as long as they were willing to become Daonian citizens, and it was easy to get through. As long as they abide by the law and work diligently in that city for a few years, they can smoothly become Daonian citizens and be allocated land…"
"This is impossible!" Several laborers exclaimed in unison, their faces etched with surprise.
Others seemed to forget the soldiers standing guard around them, and a clamor arose.
Maltius once again struck his short sword against his long shield, quickly restoring order.
Adrius continued loudly: "Because this Hades priest is a Daunian, my father decided to believe our savior and took us to Aenona… Now, eight years have passed. My father is now a Daunian citizen, owning land in Aenona and holding a public office in the kingdom. I studied at the Aenona school for four years at a very low cost, learned to write in Greek, and after reaching adulthood, I passed the examination for a public office in Aenona, receiving a considerable monthly salary. My younger brother is still studying at the school… Now, my family lives prosperously and is respected, never again experiencing the oppression, hunger, and suffering of the past…"
Adrius finished speaking, and silence fell over the area. The laborers looked at the young speaker with a mixture of disbelief and hope. Although he was a Latin with black hair and dark eyes like them, his figure was well-proportioned, his skin fair, and he exuded a refined air, completely unlike them, who toiled daily at the docks, struggling and bearing the scars of hard labor. They were indeed somewhat tempted.
Clotho Cataks listened to Adrius's story and carefully examined him. He had not expected that this inconspicuous young official who had been following them would have such an extraordinary experience, which piqued his curiosity.
Davos, seeing the people fall silent, seized the opportunity and immediately pointed to the other speakers, saying loudly: "Besides Adrius, who is a Latin, these others are also Latins, but they are all Daunian citizens. In recent years, many of you Latins have become Daunian citizens. Why?
Because these Latin city-states are controlled by nobles who oppress the common people, making it impossible for them to live. Our Daunian kingdom treats all citizens equally. Every citizen is allocated land, and every citizen's land is protected by law! Anyone! Whether rich or noble, anyone who dares to plunder the wealth of the common people will be severely punished by the court. Therefore, they live peacefully in the Daunian kingdom. This peace, with sufficient food and a worry-free life, is something you cannot enjoy in your current city-states!"
As he said this, the other speakers nodded repeatedly, their expressions sincere.
In fact, Davos exaggerated the number of Latin citizens in the Daunian kingdom. The actual number did not exceed ten. This was after Davos specifically asked the Minister of Census, Lafias, to carefully search the kingdom before the expedition. They were mainly concentrated in Aenona because the Latium region was not adjacent to the Daunian kingdom. In addition, the Latin city-states' maritime trade was underdeveloped, and their ports were backward, resulting in less information exchange with the outside world. Moreover, the Latins were mostly engaged in agriculture, and farmers were reluctant to leave their homes. Furthermore, there were significant differences in language and culture between Daonia and Latium. Only as a last resort,
would people be willing to go south.
But now, Davos saw the laborers on the field listening attentively, each lost in thought, with a glimmer in their eyes. He knew they were tempted.
At this moment, someone in the slave group shouted: "Can we also become Daunian citizens?!"
After Adrius translated the man's words to Davos, he did not expect that the slaves would be the first to take action. He immediately said: "Regardless of your origin or race, as long as you are willing to become Daunian citizens, willing to abide by Daunian law, and willing to fulfill the obligations required of citizens by the Daunian kingdom, our Daunian kingdom welcomes you to join us and will grant you all the rights that Daunian citizens are entitled to!"
Davos finished speaking and waved his hand to the side.
Maltius immediately ordered the palace guards beside him to remove their helmets. It was clear that their hair color and appearance varied greatly. As a unit that had long been in contact with King Davos and held a special position, the palace guard was known in the Daunian kingdom for its diverse ethnic composition. This was to publicly demonstrate the kingdom's leader's equal treatment of all races, and now this practice had a very good demonstration effect in a foreign land. In addition, with the slaves competing, the laborers became less reserved.
"How can we become Daunian citizens?" Several laborers asked almost in unison.
"This is my secretary, Henipolis. Next, he will explain in detail the procedures for becoming a Daunian citizen. You can ask him any questions you have, and he will provide you with detailed answers." Davos pointed to Henipolis, who was holding a wooden board and nervously taking notes, and said to them.
Henipolis hurriedly put away the wooden board and earnestly stated: "Your Majesty, I will satisfy them."
Finally, Davos faced the crowd and asked loudly: "Is there anyone among you who has stayed in Rome and is very familiar with every street and corner of the city, and also knows the various Roman nobles? I would like to invite him to be my advisor. Of course, there will be compensation, and if he is willing to become a Daunian citizen, it will help him shorten the years required to become a citizen."
As soon as the speaker finished speaking, several people in the field immediately raised their hands.
After some questioning, Davos chose a slave named Varks, because he had once been a Roman citizen.
When Davos first arrived, the slaves and laborers were full of fear; but when he left, these people respectfully watched him go.
Davos looked back at the scene of the crowd surrounding Henipolis in the torch-lit open space, eagerly asking questions, and felt that this was a good start, because in his plan, it was not just about turning these people into Daunian citizens, but about making them sparks that would ignite a raging fire on this land full of Latin city-states.
Of course, this was a long process, and now time was tight. He still had many things to do that night.
Davos strode back to the city, just in time to meet Chief of Staff Tolmid hurrying over: "Your Majesty, Amyntas's battle report has arrived."
"What's the situation?"
"The Roman army was defeated. Amyntas led the entire army in pursuit, especially the two cavalry legions, desperately driving the Romans south, all the way to the south of Lavinium, and seizing this small city in the process. Many Roman soldiers were captured along the way. Amyntas said he didn't have time to count them and was worried that these prisoners would hinder their military operations tomorrow, so he adopted our old method from Persia." Tolmid's voice became much softer at the end.
Davos glanced at Clotho Cataks beside him and said calmly: "Let the messenger go back and tell Amyntas, 'He won this battle cleanly and beautifully! But tonight, let the soldiers rest well, recover their strength, and also find a way to solve the soldiers' food problem. They must ensure that they can lead the energetic soldiers to set off at dawn tomorrow and meet us in Rome, preferably not late.'"
"Yes!"
Clotho Cataks asked curiously: "Father, what is the old Persian method?"
Tolmid looked at the Daunian prince, who had just come of age and still had a childish face, and wisely remained silent.
Davos hesitated for a moment, but still said in a deep voice: "It is to cut off the hands and feet of the prisoners, making them unable to move, and then abandon them on the battlefield… This was when we were fleeing in Persia, constantly attacked by some of Persia's affiliated city-states. We used this method to deal with the prisoners we defeated, so that we would not completely anger the enemy by killing the prisoners, and we could force the enemy to take care of these wounded soldiers…"
"But… isn't that a little too cruel…" Clotho Cataks was somewhat reluctant. Facing Davos's serious gaze, he mustered his courage and said: "They have already surrendered. We should guarantee their safety. This will help us win the favor of these Romans and conquer this land more quickly, shouldn't it, Father!"
Davos was criticized, but he was not angry. Instead, he smiled: "Clotho, I am very happy that you can have your own opinions! But you must understand that the Romans are our enemies now. Even though we have just won two battles, our army, far from the kingdom, is still in danger and may be defeated by the Roman and allied forces, which far outnumber us, and die on this strange land or become slaves of the enemy. Therefore, our primary goal now is to do everything possible to ensure that we can continue to win victories and reduce the casualties of our soldiers, even if that is more cruel, unless we have already gained an absolute advantage, then we will consider the issues you just mentioned…"
Davos patiently taught his son, saw that he was thinking, then encouragingly patted him on the shoulder, turned back and asked Tolmid: "Have the soldiers' accommodations been arranged?"
"They have all been arranged. There are many warehouses in the city. We simply renovated them, which is much better than living in tents. In addition, we have concentrated the people of Ostia for detention, and the vacated residences, in addition to housing the officers and soldiers, still have some remaining—"
"Then arrange for those slaves and laborers to live there. After all, some of them will be acting with us tomorrow, and they also need to rest well. Besides, it can also let them enjoy the benefits of joining our Daunian kingdom in advance."
"Yes, I will arrange it in a while."
"How is the food situation?"
"Not much collected. The Ostian people don't have many grain reserves, and no stored grain was found in the port warehouses. However, the soldiers' rations are enough for two days. By then, the grain transport fleet should have arrived."
"It seems the grain is all concentrated in Rome, after all, they have to supply the Roman army attacking the Hernici." Davos said thoughtfully.
"However, we collected nearly two hundred carts and a lot of pack animals in the city, as well as some fodder. Moreover, we found a lot of stored wood in the warehouse, and the engineers are using them to make siege equipment…" Tolmides continued.
"That's good news." Despite saying it was good news, there wasn't a trace of joy on Davos's face. Talking about tomorrow's battle made his face particularly solemn: "We must urge them to speed up the production of siege equipment. The more siege vehicles they make, the more confident we are of victory!"
"Your Majesty, the more than 500 highly skilled engineers and carpenters you brought from Thurii, plus the engineering battalions of each legion, add up to a thousand people. With the soldiers assisting, they can completely manufacture enough siege equipment to meet the needs of the next two days." Tolmides immediately comforted him.
"Hopefully." Davos nodded slightly, quickened his pace, and walked into the Ostian City Hall.
"Your Majesty!" The three legion commanders, Oliveros, Georgoris, and Tenotilas, and Midolades and Izam, were already waiting in the meeting room.
"Have your legions all been settled?" Davos asked casually.
"Your Majesty, everything is arranged. They are eagerly awaiting the battles of the next two days!" Oliveros rushed to say.
"I think you're the one who can't help but want to fight." Entering the meeting hall, the expression on Davos's face turned relaxed, and his teasing made everyone laugh.
Amidst the laughter, Davos walked to the head seat, Croto Catakes stood quietly behind him. His gaze swept over Oliveros, Georgoris, Trottilas, Izam, and several other generals who had followed him through life and death since the Persian period and made countless achievements, and his mood inexplicably settled down.
He glanced at the crude Roman map placed on the wooden table in the center of the room, drawn by the Military Affairs Department based on intelligence, and then said loudly: "Before we discuss tomorrow's battle plan, let a former Roman citizen introduce the current situation in Rome in detail. Everyone can ask him any questions directly."
"This is really great!" Oliveros said happily.
Varx was called into the meeting room with a confused look, looking at the Daonian generals wearing bright armor and colorful crowns around him, and King Davos directly in front of him,
He felt very nervous.
However, as he answered one more and more detailed question about the city of Rome, the nervousness in his heart gradually turned into shock: Could it be that the Daonians are going to directly attack the city of Rome?!
… … … … … … … … … … … … … …
Late at night, Croto Catakes woke up needing to urinate. After he sleepily relieved himself, he was about to go back to bed, but the candlelight coming through the door of the next room made his heart move.
He gently pushed open the half-closed door and saw Davos sitting at the wooden table, concentrating on looking at the map of the city of Rome, thinking about something. A corner of the map drooped down, and he could vaguely see some dense markings added based on Varx's description.
From the time he could remember, Croto Catakes had often seen his father diligently handling government affairs in the study late at night. This time, following the expedition, his father had applied this habit to military affairs. Everyone said that his father was a wise king and a great commander. They all believed that this was a gift from Hades, but they did not know the hardships and efforts his father had put in for this over the years! … Croto Catakes looked admiringly at his father's unusually tall figure, and quietly closed the door again.
Davos had no idea that his son had been peeking outside the door. His mind was immersed in this map. The strings of numbers on the map had turned into countless fresh soldiers in his eyes. The battle would only begin tomorrow, but at this moment, thousands of troops had already begun to fight in his mind…
… … … … … … … … … … … … … …
Corlius, Pontitus's trusted house slave, immediately took two slaves and rode out of the city after receiving the order.
They were lucky. Appius had just conveyed the Senate's order to the city guard officer Milushius, and Milushius had not had time to convey the order to the guards at each city gate, allowing Corlius and his party to leave the city smoothly.
Then the three of them sped southeast. When they passed Preneste, it was already evening. Continuous running not only made the horses pant, but also made the three people's buttocks ache, and the inside of their thighs rubbed blood.
"Corlius, we can't go forward anymore. It's already dark, and there's no moon tonight. The front is going into the valley, and the terrain will become more and more uneven, and we can't even see the road clearly. If we're not careful, we might fall off our horses. It's too dangerous!" One of the slaves advised Corlius not to continue.
Another young slave said loudly: "We can light torches—"
"Fool!" Before he could finish speaking, the slave who had spoken first interrupted him: "There are not only wild beasts wandering here at night, but also natives. Lighting torches will make us easily discovered by them in the dark and become their target!"
Hearing his words, Corlius hesitated. After all, this slave was a Vestinian from the east of the Aequi, familiar with the terrain here. This was why Corlius brought him along. He looked at the dark front and pondered for a moment, barely saying: "Not far ahead, there should be a Roman military camp. We'll rest there."
The three of them gripped their reins, controlled their horses, and continued to walk slowly for a while, when they heard a shrill wolf howl, "Awoo! … …", followed by pairs of green eyes appearing around them.
"Quick! Run back! … …" The slave immediately shouted nervously.
Corlius reacted quickly and quickly turned his horse around. Only the young slave wanted to say something, but the horse under his crotch neighed in panic and raised its front hooves, throwing the unprepared him off the horse…
While the wild wolves pounced on the slave and the horse, Corlius and the other slave rode their horses and fled all the way back into the city of Priness.
… … … … … … … … … … … … … … …
When Midolades woke up in the morning, the first thing he did was ask the guard: "What's the weather like today?"
"General, the weather is very good, no rain, and there is a small wind, it is a southeast wind!"
Midolades was so happy that he almost jumped up: "The old sailors at the port were right, there is indeed an east wind today! Tell the adjutant to order the crew to be ready within half an hour, and then gather at the port and take the warship to Rome!"
"Yes, General!" The guard turned to notify the adjutant.
"Wait a minute! Hmm… and those laborers and slaves at the port, don't forget to notify them to prepare for towing!"
The Daonian fleet has never had the experience of having people tow the ships since its establishment. After all, Thurii is closer to the sea, the downstream river channel of the Crati is straight and wide, and the water flow is relatively gentle, so it is not too difficult to go upstream. The downstream of the Neto River is also the same. However, according to intelligence, Rome is more than 50 miles away from the mouth of the Tiber River, the river channel is winding, and the water flow is sometimes fast and sometimes slow. To go upstream from the port of Ostia to Rome, the ships need to be towed, so under normal circumstances, merchant ships unload their goods at the port of Ostia and then transport them to Rome by land.
For this reason, a flat and wide road was built between Rome and Ostia. Now, walking on this road are the Daonian troops, and compared to the fleet, they set off much earlier.
King Davos left three large teams of Thurii Legion reserve soldiers to garrison the city of Ostia (this unit was originally used to replenish soldiers when the First and Second Legions suffered losses), leading the Fourth Legion, the Fifth Legion, the Sixth Legion, the Mountain Reconnaissance Brigade, the Engineering Battalion, the Medical Battalion, and the pack team carrying siege equipment… Relying on the fact that this is a plain area, the entire army is arranged in more than a dozen columns, marching eastward along the south bank of the Tiber River.
King Davos rode his horse in the middle of the team, surrounded by 250 court guards, more than 20 staff officers from the Military Affairs Department, as well as messengers, buglers, and even a band.
At this moment, Staff Officer Tolmides was reporting to him: "Your Majesty, Amyntas sent scouts to report that they have already set off with their troops and will go to Rome first to wait for us."
"Amyntas is very motivated, wanting to get to Rome before us!" Davos smiled and looked around: "Are we going to lose to him?"
"We will definitely get to Rome first!" Croto Catakes and the young people in the staff office shouted in unison, and although the court guards did not speak, their eyes were bright.
"Good!" Davos said loudly: "Let the band play the 'Battlefield March' and let the soldiers speed up their march!"
The high-pitched and Passionate melody sounded in the team, making the soldiers excited and dispelling their still sleepy sleepiness. Someone, first, sang the Hades hymn, and soon the singing resounded throughout the entire team. The soldiers, facing the morning light, stained with dew, stepped on the soft ground, and marched forward in large strides.
… … … … … … … … … … … … … … …
The big movements made by the Daonian army could not be concealed from the Roman scouts and spies at all. Therefore, before dawn, the spies sent the news that "the city of Ostia was occupied by Daonia" back to Rome.
The senators were roused from their sleep and rushed to the Senate to convene a meeting and discuss countermeasures.
As a result, by morning, more scouts arrived in Rome at full speed, bringing even worse news: "Davos' army has been spotted departing from Ostia, marching east along the Tiber River!"
"Davos' army has been spotted departing from Lavinium, advancing rapidly eastward!"
Without a doubt, Davos' army was clearly heading for Rome! The senators' last hopes were shattered, and they all felt a sense of urgency.
"How many soldiers are in the attacking Dionysian army?" The question came from Publius Cornelius Scipio, father of Miliusius, also known to the people as "Scipio the Great."
Miliusius had been appointed by the Senate as an envoy and had already departed for Hernici to deliver a message to Camillus. The Senate appointed his father to succeed him as commander of the city guard, not because the position was hereditary, but because Scipio the Great was a senator with remarkable military achievements. About 20 years ago, during the Roman capture of Veii, he served as the cavalry commander under Camillus. In this moment of crisis, with a formidable enemy at hand, it was natural to have an experienced veteran in charge.
"Because the Daonians have dispatched cavalry to patrol around their army, our scouts cannot get close enough to observe. However, based on their experience, they estimate that the two armies combined likely number between forty and fifty thousand."
This number caused many senators to gasp and exclaim, "So many enemies! And we only have 3,000 soldiers in the city! Rome... Rome—"
"Rome has more than 3,000 soldiers within its walls! Including the citizens mobilized last night, we have exceeded 10,000!" Ambustus said loudly, trying to dispel the unease in his colleagues' hearts.
"But they are all old men and children!"
"Silence!" Portitus roared. "At this moment, Roman citizens are either dead or still fighting. There is no distinction between old men and children!"
With that, he tore open his robe, revealing his gaunt right arm, raised it, made a fist, and said, "I propose that citizens over 65 and boys over 13 be conscripted as auxiliary soldiers to participate in the defense of the city! I will be the first to volunteer!"
"How can that be! A 60-year-old man can't even lift a shield—" Appuleius was about to object, but Portitus glared at him, and Appuleius wisely kept silent.
Portitus glanced at Marrucinensis beside him, suppressed the anger in his heart, took a light breath, and said in a deep voice, "From here to Ferentium is more than 100 miles,
and the road is not easy to travel. Even if the envoy rides at full speed, it will take at least half a day to reach the Roman camp. And for the army to return to Rome, it will take at least two days, even at the fastest. Do you still want Camillus to spend a day attacking Ferentium? Then tell me, how many days will it take for Camillus to lead his army back?!"
"Four days! It will take at least four days!" Ambustus seized the opportunity to shout, "Judging from the current situation, the Daonians have come with all their strength to attack Rome. And you have all seen the situation within the city. Can Rome withstand the Daonians' attack and hold out until Camillus leads his army back?! Even if we can hold it, how many casualties will we suffer with a defense force composed of old men and boys?! Miliusius hasn't been gone long. A messenger riding fast should still be able to catch up. Therefore, I propose that we rescind the previous proposal to Camillus and order him to lead his army back to Rome immediately!"
The Senate fell into a moment of silence. After all, the senators present knew that if Camillus led his army back, they would inevitably be unable to attack Hernici for some time to come in order to fight against the Dionysian army. This would allow the Hernician people, who were already in dire straits, to revive, and all the hard work Rome had put in for more than a month would be in vain.
At this moment, the old senator Lucretius stood up and said emotionally, "Land can be acquired again if it is lost, but if Rome is gone, everything is over! I don't want to see Rome ravaged by foreigners again!"
His words evoked painful memories for the senators, and many were moved, shouting, "Agreed! Agreed to let Camillus return immediately, defend Rome, and repel the enemy!"
Amidst the shouts, Marrucinensis silently looked at Scipio the Great, who shook his head slightly at him. Although Marrucinensis did not agree or disagree, he remained silent.
At this moment, Appuleius stood up and said, "Ambustus, didn't you go to notify our allied states to send reinforcements last night? Why haven't we seen any action?"
"I sent messengers to Gabii, Trustulum, Labicum, Politorium... Their replies were all, 'Their young and middle-aged citizens responded to Rome's call a month ago and followed Camillus to Hernici. Now there are no reinforcements to send.'"
"Then... Praeneste, Bonea, Tibur... Have you asked these city-states?" Appuleius asked again.
Ambustus was somewhat angry. As a respected senator, he felt humiliated by being questioned in such a tone. He immediately said angrily, "Unless you are not Roman, you should know how far these city-states are from Rome. Our messengers would probably arrive there late at night. No senate of any city-state would handle government affairs at that time, even if we are Rome. It would only be ridiculed!"
Appuleius smiled awkwardly and muttered, "Look, this is all Camillus's fault..." but dared not ask any more questions.
"Before the Daonians arrive, shouldn't we notify the people in the villages outside the city to evacuate to the city? This will not only ensure their safety but also strengthen our defense," Abinius suggested.
At this moment, Marrucinensis spoke, "It's best not to do that! The young and middle-aged citizens of the entire Roman region have either gone to Hernici or to Antium, Velitrae, and Satricum in the west. What's left in the villages outside the city are old people, women, and children, as well as some slaves. Their entry into the city will not only fail to help defend the city but will also increase the chaos... Uh... Also... Uh..."
Scipio the Great quickly continued, "There are many residents outside the city. Once they receive the news, they will panic and flood into the city. I am afraid it will take two or three hours to get them all into the city, which will keep the city gates open. You must know that the Dionysian army is accelerating its march and may arrive here in two hours... At that time, it will be a disaster for both the city of Rome and the people gathered at the city gates! I suggest—immediately send cavalry to notify the people in the villages outside the city to take food and evacuate to Gabii or Praeneste. After Camillus leads his army back, they can return together."
Portitus looked at Marrucinensis and did not object, unusually agreeing with him.
Not only him, but most of the senators also expressed their approval. Although they all lived in the city, they owned a lot of land outside the city, and therefore had their own houses or even villas, and of course, their families and clans lived there. Letting them evacuate Rome was also a prudent way to spread the risk and preserve the family, a tacit understanding among the senators.
"While notifying Camillus to lead his army back to Rome, we must also send messengers to notify Paulus, Maenius, and Pontius, asking them to reorganize their troops as soon as possible and lead the soldiers back to support Rome! In addition, we must send messengers to our Latin allies such as Trustulum, Tibur, and Praeneste... to request reinforcements, even if they can only send a few soldiers, it will be a help to defend our city of Rome," Scipio the Great said, his gaze fixed on Ambustus.
This time, Ambustus did not object.
"Don't forget our colony of Veii, and the Etruscan allies on the north bank of the Tiber. We should also immediately ask them for help! Although they also sent reinforcements to participate in the war against the Hernicians before, compared to the Latin allies, they should still have the strength to send more reinforcements," Portitus loudly reminded.
"Respected Portitus, you are right!" Scipio the Great's tactful response was much more skillful than Appuleius's: "However, in this case, we must keep the Pons Sublicius on the Tiber and send heavy troops to guard it."
"Could it be that my family could guard that bridge with hundreds of people in the past, but now we have tens of thousands of soldiers, but we dare not defend it and can only destroy it?!" Ambustus noticed Scipio the Great's intention and immediately questioned loudly.
A hundred years ago, the entire Fabius clan mobilized to guard the Pons Sublicius in Rome, resisting the Veientes' attack, and eventually almost the entire army was wiped out. This became a painful memory that the Fabius clan could not forget, but it also became their capital to boast to the Roman people. As the current head of the Fabius clan, how could Ambustus allow this bridge to be easily destroyed.
"Of course we must guard the Pons Sublicius! However, the two wooden bridges on Tiber Island must be destroyed, and the people on the island must be evacuated back to Rome!" Marrucinensis saw that Scipio the Great was somewhat hesitant, and in order not to create a gap between the Cornelius and Fabius clans, he immediately expressed his opinion. He felt that with the current strength of Rome, guarding one bridge was still bearable, but guarding two bridges would require too many troops.
Ambustus expressed his agreement with this.
The subsequent discussions went much more smoothly, and the Senate quickly reached some resolutions and acted quickly. They began to mobilize the people of the whole city, encouraging them to resist the Daonians' attack and hold out until Camillus's army returned, to avoid Rome being sacked again.
The Roman populace, united in shared hatred of the enemy, quickly overcame their panic and enthusiastically volunteered to defend the city once more. Roman cavalry also patrolled the fields outside the city, urgently notifying the villagers to evacuate immediately. A dozen messengers also rode out of Rome, heading in all directions to seek aid from the colonies and allied states…
… … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … …
Ostia was more than 50 li away from Rome, with no other city-states in between. The nearest allied state was nearly 30 li from Rome. This was the result of the Romans' aggressive expansion over the past century. They had continuously defeated nearby city-states and then moved their populations into Rome. The city of Rome grew steadily, and its directly controlled territory also increased. However, this left a blank area of dozens of li around it, allowing the two armies of Daonia to advance unimpeded, as if entering an uninhabited land. One wonders if the Romans now regret their short-sighted and tyrannical actions of the past.
In particular, the two cavalry legions of Daonia sped ahead, rushing to the front of the entire army.
At this moment, they saw thick smoke rising in the distance.
"Damn it! The Romans must be burning their granaries!" Lydes recalled the death order issued to him by King Davos last night via messenger: After the entire army sets out at dawn tomorrow, your First and Second Cavalry Legions must reach the river port on the banks of the Tiber River west of Rome as quickly as possible, and seize the granaries at all costs!
Lydes couldn't help but feel anxious and shouted loudly, "Move faster! Prepare to put out the fire!"
In his haste, Lydes even ordered the bugler to sound the charge and led his soldiers to gallop forward.
The river port of Rome was built after the Romans seized Ostia. It became another route for the Romans to connect with the outside world. Because the population within Rome was constantly surging at that time, and there was no prior planning for a river port, there was simply no extra space within the city to accommodate the port, so it was built outside the city.
In the initial decades, the river port facilities were extremely rudimentary. It was not until the last ten years or so that Carthaginian aid and trade promoted the great development of this river port. The expansion and improvement of the river port also allowed more and more merchant ships to transport goods via river transport. At the same time, it also led to the establishment of Rome's granaries right next to the river port. This was because Rome had frequently launched wars in the past ten years, consuming a large amount of grain. Sometimes it could not supply enough on its own, so Carthage provided assistance, with grain basically unloaded at the port via river transport. After experiencing a fire, the Romans learned their lesson and no longer transported grain into the crowded and chaotic city, which was prone to fires. Instead, they parked it directly near the port, which was both convenient and safe. Later, they also stored the grain collected from other allied states here, and then the army would collect the grain here when they went on expeditions and transport it to the camp.
When Lydes led the Daonian First Cavalry Legion to the scene, he saw a very large rectangular camp in front of him.
A three-meter-high stone wall, with several towers built inside the wall. Thick smoke billowed from the camp, but no one could be seen or heard. The walls of Rome, less than two hundred meters away, were full of soldiers, and the city gates were tightly closed.
Lydes immediately jumped off his horse, drew his short sword, and was about to run towards the gate of the camp.
"Legion Commander, be careful!" Several guards next to him immediately pulled him back and blocked the cavalry shield in front of him. Two sharp arrows pierced the shield with a "bang bang" sound.
Lydes broke out in a cold sweat and immediately calmed down. He focused his eyes and saw many figures shaking on the walls of the granary. After a little thought, he shouted loudly, "First Battalion, attack the enemies inside with javelins! Second Battalion, dismount and see if you can ram the gate open! The other battalions, go around this camp and climb the walls for me!"
"Yes, Legion Commander!!"
After a burst of shouts and neighing, the cavalry of the Third, Fourth, and Fifth Battalions began to gallop around the camp, while the soldiers of the Second Battalion ran directly towards the camp gate. This forced the Roman soldiers on the wall to show themselves and attack the Daonian soldiers approaching the camp with javelins and arrows.
The Daonian cavalry of the Second Battalion, who were already prepared, immediately attacked the enemies on the wall with javelins.
The walls were not high, and there were no moats or caltrops. The Daonian cavalry could approach and attack, and they also had more people. Although the Roman soldiers were high above, they were at a disadvantage in the long-range attack.
At this time, the cavalry of the other battalions had already circled to the other sections of the wall of this granary camp, dismounted one after another, carried the cavalry shield on their backs, left their spears on the horses, hung their short swords on their waists, and stood against the wall. One person squatted down, and another stepped on the other's shoulders. The two men slowly stood upright. With the three-meter-high stone wall, the two men overlapped, and the soldier above could already put his hand on the edge of the wall. The soldier below then pushed his shoulder up, and the soldier above took the opportunity to flip over the wall… Soon, hundreds of Daonian soldiers stood on the wall.
They saw that many of the dozens of parallel circular granaries in the granary had already caught fire, and more than a dozen Roman soldiers were carrying asphalt and holding torches, running between the granaries. They immediately divided more than half of the soldiers and quickly ran down the wall to put out the fire. The other soldiers followed the walkway on the wall and killed the Roman soldiers who were fighting fiercely.
… … … … … … … … … … … … … … … …
The soldiers on the west wall of Rome could see the situation in the granary camp because of the height of the wall, and they felt very anxious when they saw that their compatriots were in danger.
"General Scipio, Gaius and the others refused to retreat to the city in order to completely burn the granary. They are heroes of Rome, and we should go out of the city to save them!"
"The Daonian cavalry only has less than two thousand people, and they have basically dismounted to fight, and they are all wearing light armor. If we send troops out of the city at this time, we can definitely severely damage this Daonian cavalry!"
Compared to the soldiers' pleas, the senator's suggestion made the city defense commander, Scipio, somewhat tempted.
Now, not only Roman citizen soldiers were standing on the city wall, but also some senators. Facing the menacing Daonians, they were all a little curious, after all, this was the first time they had faced the Daonian army directly. Of course, their arrival also brought some trouble to Scipio.
Initially, Scipio's plan was to "transport all the grain in the granary into the city and then burn the granary." Because according to the previous reports from the scouts, the Daonian army was still on the way, Scipio believed that there was enough time to complete this plan. For this reason, he organized nearly ten thousand people and many pack animals to go out of the city to transport grain, thinking that he could complete this task before the Daonian army arrived.
But not long after the grain transport team left the city, he received another report from the scouts: the Daonian cavalry was galloping towards Rome, less than 30 li away from the city of Rome.
The speed of the Daonian cavalry's march completely exceeded Scipio's expectations. Not only could he not complete the previous plan, but he also had to immediately withdraw the grain transport team back into the city. In order to maintain order and prevent the people and pack animals from causing chaos and blocking the city gates, he did not immediately burn the granary. However, the evacuation of the grain transport team took a lot of time. By the time the people had basically entered the city, when he wanted to set fire to the granary, the Daonian cavalry was already very close to the city of Rome, and according to the scouts' reports, they were heading straight for the granary.
At this moment, Gaius, the captain of the centurion guarding the granary, and his 120 soldiers voluntarily chose to stay in order to complete this task.
The bravery and tragedy of this Roman centurion amplified Scipio's mistakes and were clearly seen by the senators on the city wall. Scipio did not have time to think about how much impact this would have on his future political career in Rome. Therefore, if the colleague's suggestion could be successfully implemented, it would not only be able to strike a blow to the Daonians, but also restore his image.
Just as Scipio was thinking about how to send troops out of the city to launch a surprise attack, "Daonian cavalry! More Daonian cavalry is coming!!" The soldiers' screams made him raise his head. He saw a cloud of dust rolling in the distance, and countless black-helmeted, black-armored Daonian cavalry were looming in the dust. Judging from this situation, their numbers were definitely not small.
When he saw that the number of the newly arrived Daonian cavalry approaching the city was about two thousand, Scipio hesitated: The number of the two Daonian cavalry made him not confident that he could resolve the battle in a short time. After all, he only had 3,000 elite soldiers in his hands, and it was impossible to send all of them out of the city to launch a surprise attack. But if he sent the new recruits formed by the elderly and children out of the city to fight the cavalry in the wild, he was worried that these soldiers' physical strength would not be able to support it.
But soon he didn't need to hesitate anymore. The soldiers' screams again made her see the dust rising in the distance: Several hundred more Daonian cavalry, wearing bright armor and red cloaks, arrived under the city and joined the ranks of attacking the granary!
The Daonian cavalry's repeated arrivals gave Scipio the illusion that the Daonian army was constantly rushing towards this side at the fastest speed. He couldn't send troops out! Otherwise, not only would these soldiers be in danger, but Rome would also be in danger!
Not only did he think so, but probably the senators and soldiers on the city wall had similar thoughts. Therefore, the previous pleas and cries for battle that resounded in unison were gone, and the surroundings were very quiet. Only the screams from the granary camp under the city were heard from time to time, and their expressions were unusually painful.
… … … … … … … … … … … … … … … …
The second to arrive at the river port granary was the Daonian Second Cavalry Legion. Legion Commander Kuchius quickly found Lydes, who was supervising the battle, and saluted the former old commander, saying, "Lord Lydes, what do you need us to do?"
Lydes didn't stand on ceremony and said directly, "The enemies in the granary will soon be eliminated. You divide half of your men to monitor the enemies on the city walls to prevent them from sneaking out of the city to attack, and the other half prepare to put out the fire."
Kouchius immediately returned to his legion, and soon nearly a thousand soldiers jumped off their horses, took out the linen bags they carried, and began to fill them with soil on the spot. This was something the two legion commanders had prepared in advance after receiving Davos's order last night, considering the possibility of the enemy burning the granary. After all, it was not easy to carry jars, and soil was readily available everywhere.
Before long, more than 200 members of the palace guard also arrived on horseback, surprising the two legion commanders: "Has His Majesty arrived so quickly?!"
"His Majesty was worried that the Romans would hold the granary and send troops out of the city to fight you, so he sent us to reinforce you. The light infantry troops are also on their way here," Martius replied.
Lydes pointed disdainfully towards the city walls: "His Majesty is too worried. In fact, the cowardly Romans didn't dare to leave the city at all!"
At this moment, the shouts of killing within the camp disappeared, the gate was opened, and the cavalry immediately rushed in with linen bags filled with soil.
Lydes then saw the commander of the Third Battalion rushing over and quickly asked, "What are the casualties?"
"…32 brothers died, 67 were injured, of which 15 are seriously injured…" The commander of the Third Battalion looked slightly Frustration.
"So many casualties?!" Lydes did not expect that his side would suffer nearly a hundred casualties despite having an absolute numerical advantage, which made him feel very heartbroken. It should be known that the First Cavalry Legion had suffered great losses in the previous battle of Setia in Volsci. Although Thurii sent some soldiers to replenish the ranks after the war, the legion was not fully staffed.
"What about the enemies inside?" he asked with hatred.
"All died in battle, none surrendered."
Lydes stopped talking and strode towards the granary camp.
Inside the gate, he saw a Roman soldier sitting against the wall, with sword wounds all over his chest. Blood was constantly gushing out, dyeing his whole body blood red. He was motionless, his eyes tightly closed, and he was still tightly clutching a thrusting spear in his hand, like a statue. On the top of his helmet was a bright red plume, obviously an officer.
Lydes stopped and sized him up.
Who knew that the seemingly dead Roman soldier suddenly opened his eyes, glared at Lydes angrily, and struggled to thrust the spear in his hand.
"Legion Commander, be careful!" The cavalry behind him immediately rushed over.
"Don't move!" Lydes waved his hand to stop them, then stood still in place, staring at the opponent with sharp eyes.
Roman Centurion Gaius wanted to raise his thrusting spear, but the thrusting spear, which was usually as light as nothing, now weighed a thousand pounds. All the strength he had accumulated was lost with the gushing blood. He could only stab the leader of the enemy with all his anger through his eyes, but his eyelids became heavier and heavier. He unwillingly wanted to shout, but blood poured out of his mouth at once…
Watching the opponent collapse, Lydes was silent for a moment, then strode in.
… … … … … … … … … … … … … …
Seeing the towering city in the distance, Davos couldn't help but rein in his horse: Rome, the center of the first and only great empire in Western history to turn the Mediterranean into an inland lake in his previous life! How many thrilling stories about it have been circulating among the people for thousands of years, and how many poems and articles praising and describing it have been written by men of letters!
It was a dream in the hearts of countless ambitious Westerners, ancient and modern, a dream about unification…
In his previous life, Davos had no chance to visit this great city, which could be called the starting point of Western civilization. But now he has come, but what he sees is not a prosperous and historical relic of Rome, but a simple city in the early Republic, just rising. Although he has learned about the city in detail from intelligence many times, it is still difficult to hide the excitement in his heart.
"Drive!" Davos clamped his legs on the horse's belly, and the warhorse neighed and galloped forward.
"Your Majesty!!!" The people around were startled and hurriedly chased after him, but soon they were relieved, because a team of cavalry greeted them in front, it was the palace guard who had been sent out before, and they quickly surrounded Davos.
As soon as Davos saw Martius, he immediately asked, "Have Lydes and the others captured the river port and granary?"
"Yes, Your Majesty." Martius replied, "The First Cavalry Legion and the Second Cavalry Legion captured the river port and granary without much resistance from the Romans, and put out the fire in the granary in time. Now the two legion commanders, Lydes and Kouchius, are counting the supplies over there, and they will report the specific situation to you."
"It's good that it went smoothly!" Davos breathed a sigh of relief: The successful completion of the first step gave him more confidence in capturing this city.
"Let's go, let's take a look at the city of Rome!" He pointed to the front with great ambition.
… … … … … … … … … … … … … …
The Romans on the western city wall of Rome saw rolling dust rising in the distance, extending into the distance until it was out of sight, and they couldn't help but become nervous, because they knew: the army of Daonia was coming!
Then, they saw hundreds of cavalry galloping towards them, stopping a hundred meters away from the city wall: This team was holding up two large flags, which were very different from the military flags of the Daonian cavalry they had seen before. They were all golden and glittering. In the center of the cavalry was a general in golden helmet and armor, with long feathers on the top of his helmet, which was particularly dazzling in the slightly westward sun.
"Maybe the King of Daonia has come." One of the senators said in a low voice uncertainly. No one disagreed with this. They silently looked at the person under the city who was suspected to be the King of Daonia. He was pointing to the front and talking to the people around him, and then laughing.
Scipio the Elder spat, suddenly grabbed the long shield of a soldier next to him, drew his sword, and beat the shield, while shouting loudly: "Rome! Rome! Rome! … …"
The soldiers also followed the city defense officer to beat the long shield rhythmically and shouted…
Soon, the senators also joined in…
… … … … … … … … … … … … … … …
Seeing that the city wall in front was sometimes concave and sometimes convex, and the entire wall was curved and uneven, Croto Katakes couldn't help but say, "What an ugly city wall!"
Davos replied with a smile: "The reason why this city wall is built so badly is because after the Romans drove away the Celts from the north, they were eager to rebuild the city of Rome, and did not make a plan for the entire city at all, but only to meet the needs of the Roman citizens at that time. For example—"
Davos pointed to the city wall on the left, near the Tiber River, protruding outward, and said: "If I remember correctly, behind the city wall should be the Aventine Hill, one of the Seven Hills of Rome. And here—"
Davos pointed to a large section of the city wall on the right that also protruded significantly outward: "And behind this section of the city wall is the largest slum in Rome."
"Didn't the Romans think about how to defend the city if it was besieged in the future when they built the city like this?!" Martius didn't know much about Rome before, so he was surprised. He didn't expect the Romans to be so short-sighted.
"But they built the city wall very high, and the moat dug in front of the city seems to be very wide…" Croto Katakes looked at the towering city wall in front and judged that its height was probably no less than 15 meters.
At this time, Staff Officer Tormid said: "Your Highness, it is useless to have a high city wall alone. Its wall is curved, which is conducive to our soldiers avoiding the concentrated long-range attacks of the Romans from above, and it is also not conducive to the Romans quickly reaching their destination on the wall for reinforcements. Moreover, although there is a moat in front of the city, no chevaux de frise has been set up. As long as the moat is filled, our siege equipment can be easily pushed to the city…"
In these years, although Tormid has not participated in battles, he has decades of mercenary career, and has been working in the Ministry of Military Affairs, so he has enough knowledge. Therefore, Croto Katakes listened carefully and asked for advice from time to time.
Davos did not disturb them, but carefully observed the defense of the city of Rome.
"Rome!!! Rome!!! Rome!!! … …"
At this time, thunderous shouts rang out on the city wall, neat and grand, giving Davos the feeling that countless Roman soldiers on the city had merged with the city wall.
He turned around with a solemn expression and said, "Although the city wall built by the Romans is not very good, judging from this momentum, this siege will not be easy."
Tormid, Martius and others expressed their agreement.
At this time, a scout galloped over: "Report to Your Majesty, Legion Commanders Amyntas, Matonis, and Lizalus have led their troops to arrive!"
Hearing this, Davos looked around and smiled, "It seems we have won. Shouldn't Amyntas lose something!"
Everyone laughed.
Davos looked at the teams constantly approaching in the dust behind him and said: "Tormid, immediately notify the legion commanders… Well, and let Izam, the captain of the Mountain Reconnaissance Brigade, come here immediately!"
"Yes!"
… … … … … … … … … … … … … …
In these years, although the river port of Rome has been expanded many times, it has only five or six docks, and the port area is not large, much smaller than the granary next to it. The only thing that interested Davos was that a lot of wood was found in the warehouse in the port: "After the legions are properly settled, notify the engineering camp to transport them all away to set up camps or make more siege equipment."
"Yes, Your Majesty!" Tormid hurriedly asked the staff to record this matter.
Davos looked down at the sparkling water of the Tiber River in front of him, the water flowing smoothly and deeply.
He then shifted his gaze to the distance. The wide river surface made the opposite bank appear shadowy and unclear. He turned his head to look upstream. To his disappointment, he only saw the river within his sight and did not see the pile bridge connecting the north and south banks.