Therefore, Servius rushed to find Licinius, partly to remedy the situation and partly to shift the blame. However, he did not expect Licinius to show him any respect. He publicly listed all of Servius's mistakes, which made Servius extremely angry, but he couldn't find any reason to refute them. His face flushed red, and he finally roared, "You lowly commoner! Most of the commoners in the army have fled to surrender to the Daonians. Are you still here to be a spy?! The dictator should have arrested you long ago! You commoners are not trustworthy at all!"...
As soon as these words came out, there was an uproar around him.
Seeing that the situation was not good, Servius immediately strode away.
"Damn it!" Licinius glared at Servius's departing back, his face terribly gloomy.
....................................
The coast stretching for more than ten miles from Carthage to Utica had now become a huge military camp. Tens of thousands of citizens from Carthage and Phoenician city-states, natives from the Iberian Peninsula, nomads from Numidia, and even natives from Mauritania and Gaul had gathered here one after another. Races with different appearances wore various costumes and spoke completely different languages, making it a lively scene, as if this place had become the center of the entire Mediterranean world.
However, for the elders of the Carthaginian Senate, this huge military camp close to the city of Carthage was a potentially terrible threat: multiple races gathered here, and due to language barriers, poor communication, different customs, and different needs, conflicts occurred every day. The Carthaginian and Phoenician people living outside the city also frequently complained to the Senate about being harassed by the natives. Fortunately, Mago led his generals around to quell many disputes. In addition, such a large army would consume a lot of food and salaries every day it stayed here...
Therefore, the senators couldn't wait to send this terrible army to Sicily to harm the Daonians, so they sent people every day to urge Mago to lead the army to land in Sicily as soon as possible.
As for Mago, he also hoped to land in Sicily as soon as possible. After all, he had a headache from being busy resolving these disputes every day. If this continued, it would be a loss if these unruly mercenaries ruined the reputation of the Magonid family among the Carthaginian people. However, since the Carthaginian fleet was destroyed by the storm, new warships were still under construction, and Daonian warships frequently patrolled the waters of western Sicily, attacking Carthaginian and allied merchant ships heading to Sicily, threatening the sea route between Carthage and Sicily. Therefore, without the protection of the fleet, how could Mago dare to let his soldiers ride on cargo ships, cross the ocean, and land in Sicily?
The always sunny and hot African coast finally ushered in drizzling rain on this day, and a considerable sea breeze also blew, and the temperature finally dropped. The soldiers who had been enduring the heat ran out of their tents one after another, enjoying this rare coolness. Even those natives from Iberia took off their clothes one after another, using the rain to wash their bodies, while excitedly shouting. Their sturdy physiques and ferocious appearances made no one dare to cast contemptuous glances at them.
At this time, Mago also walked out of the central army tent, staring blankly at the large flag erected in front of the tent: under the blowing of the sea breeze, the flag surface always fluttered towards the northeast.
At this moment, Hanno approached.
During the battle with the Daonian fleet, the storm also destroyed the flagship of this Carthaginian naval commander, the Double-Headed Dragon. He was pushed by the raging waves to the coast of Mazara and was finally rescued. But he was soon ordered to return to Carthage to be questioned by the Senate,
To investigate his responsibility for the destruction of the Carthaginian fleet.
Fortunately, Hanno secretly instructed the senators Tai Panlaco and Okriton to exonerate him, claiming that the Daonian fleet had more warships and was more powerful. Although Hanno caused heavy losses to his own warships, he also used the storm to destroy the enemy's fleet, ensuring the safety of Carthage and the western Sicilian waters. His merits outweighed his demerits!...
Therefore, not only was he not punished, but he continued to serve as the commander of the Carthaginian Navy, but now he was only in name.
Of course, this resolution of the Carthaginian Senate took place within a few days after the naval battle. If it were now, the senators would never easily spare Hanno. After all, later Daonian warships continued to flaunt their power in the western Sicilian waters once controlled by Carthage, bringing heavy losses to Carthage's maritime trade, making Hanno's previous statement that "the Daonian fleet was also completely destroyed" a lie.
So later, the Senate reached a consensus with Mago: Hanno and the Carthaginian fleet he led would be under Mago's direct command. This was originally very different from Hanno's proposal of "the army is under Mago's command, and the navy is under Hanno's command," which also shows the Carthaginian people's anger towards Hanno.
"Lord Mago!" Hanno walked up to him and saluted respectfully. The huge criticisms and accusations he had suffered during this period had made him cautious.
"What did the people of Tyre say?" Mago asked directly.
"The people of Tyre... refused to provide escort for our landing fleet..." Hanno said softly: "They also said... they will not accept our command and will decide the timing and sea area of the attack themselves..."
"We Carthaginians have worked hard for decades to transport gold and silver to them, allowing them to live comfortably under Persian rule, but what we get in return is such an answer! They bring warships to the western Mediterranean, just to make an appearance?! What use is such a motherland to us!...
Mago flew into a rage, and Hanno stood quietly aside, listening.
"Does Hanno know about this?" Mago suddenly asked.
"I have already informed the Senate, and the Senate has asked Lord Hanno to send someone to negotiate with the people of Tyre..." Hanno replied cautiously.
"It seems that the Phoenician joint fleet cannot be counted on for the time being!" Mago's face did not show any frustration. He had obviously received the information beforehand and expected such a result. So he glanced at Hanno and said: "I called you here to tell you that I have decided to lead the army to land in Sicily tomorrow!"
"Tomorrow?!" Hanno was really taken aback. He stared at Mago with wide eyes.
Mago also looked at Hanno, his expression unusually firm, and then he raised his head and pointed to the fluttering flag in front: "See? Southwest wind! I have consulted many experienced old sailors from Carthage and Utica, and they all unanimously confirmed that the same wind will blow tomorrow, and the same rain will fall! The fast ships I sent out to scout the enemy's situation and the merchant ships returning to the port all told me that no Daonian warships were found on the route today, so it is very likely that they will not appear tomorrow!"
"But... if the weather is still like this tomorrow, the sea will be rough and the waves will be high, which will cause great difficulties for the landing! What's more, the weather at sea is unpredictable. What if we encounter it again..." Hanno's words stopped abruptly, but the fear on his face had already shown what he wanted to say.
"Storm." Mago gently uttered the word Hanno wanted to say, and then said with a firm expression: "Since you all think so, the Daonians must also have such fears, so they did not send warships today, then they will definitely shrink back in the port tomorrow, which is a good opportunity for us to land! Without the help of the people of Tyre, our army can also land on the island of Sicily relatively easily without the threat of the Daonian fleet... and then launch a sudden attack, catching the Daonians by surprise! If we really encounter a storm again, it means that Baal Hamon no longer blesses Carthage, and no matter how much effort we make, it will be in vain... But this is impossible, because we Carthaginians have been living here for hundreds of years under the protection of Baal Hamon and Tanit, and will continue to live here!"
"But—" Hanno wanted to persuade him, but Mago impatiently waved his hand to stop him: "I called you here not to listen to your nagging, but to have you and me discuss and formulate a landing plan as soon as possible, and then notify the cities of Carthage and Utica as soon as possible to make all preparations."
"Okay, Lord Mago, I object to such a risk, but since you insist, I can only obey your orders." Hanno understood Mago and knew that it was useless to persuade him any further. He spoke in this tone, in fact, with the intention of "if the landing fails, I can also use this to exonerate myself."
.................................
The next day, the coast where Carthage was located really began to drizzle and a southwest wind blew, which also affected western Sicily.
Generally, in such weather, the laborers in the port of Lilybaeum would be relatively idle, because few merchant ships would go to sea for trade in such weather. However, due to the ravages of the Daonian warships, only in such weather would the merchant ships of the Carthaginians and Phoenicians have safety guarantees. Yesterday, the port of Lilybaeum was relatively busy, and it seemed that today would not be much different, so the port managers drove the laborers to the docks early in the morning.
There were no Carthaginians among the laborers in Lilybaeum. After all, almost all Carthaginians were wealthy and no one would engage in such hard and tiring low-level work. More than half of them were Numidian slaves, but these Numidians who had lived inland since childhood were only suitable for some hard and heavy work. Some of the more demanding port work, such as how to guide ships to the dock, fix ships, and better load and unload goods, required other races with nautical experience to complete. Therefore, there were also some Greek slaves, Phoenician and Greek mixed-race free people, and even Greek free people among the laborers in Lilybaeum. This was the result of Phoenicians and Greeks living together on this small island for hundreds of years.
More than a decade ago, the laborers in Lilybaeum Port were mostly free Greek citizens, with very few Numidian slaves. However, the Daonian Kingdom's occupation of eastern Sicily, which led to the massive recruitment of free Greek citizens, and Carthage's conquest of Numidia changed this situation.
Braving the continuous drizzle and the damp, cold sea breeze, the laborers trudged to the docks. It was just dawn, and although the port was open, no ships had arrived yet. The laborers took the opportunity to squat under the eaves of the warehouses on the shore, seizing the moment to rest.
Before long, they heard the sound of hurried footsteps. Hundreds of Carthaginian soldiers poured into the port, began driving away idlers, and intensified patrols of the docks.
The laborers were surprised to see the sudden increase in security at the docks.
"Look! City Lord Imiseray is here!" someone shouted in surprise, and the atmosphere became even more tense.
At this moment, the official in charge of the laborers ran over, angrily shouting, "Get up, you lazybones! Before Lord Mago arrives at the port with his army, you must clear all obstacles and garbage from the docks, ensuring the roads are clear and clean! And those old ships docked at the pier, get them moved immediately! Hurry! Hurry! Anyone who slacks off will know my wrath!…"
Accompanied by the official's roar, the overseers cracked their whips with loud 'snap' sounds. The laborers immediately scattered like startled rabbits, quickly running towards the docks under the lead of the foremen.
Among them, a middle-aged laborer with a hunched back, whose eyes were originally dim, now had a glint of shrewdness: The Carthaginian army actually chose to cross the sea and land in Lilybaeum in such weather, truly bold! I wonder if Flarios has sent out a fast ship to detect the enemy's movements?!
… … … … … … … … … … … … … …
About an hour later, the first troop transport ship entered the port of Lilybaeum. The sailors on board had already furled the sails. They chanted in unison, rowing their oars towards the nearest pier.
Then, the second ship, the third ship sailed in…
Soon, the sea surface of the port was filled with troop transport ships.
Seeing a ship approaching the pier, the foreman led a dozen laborers to quickly run over, using hand-held iron hooks to secure the ship's side, ensuring it was flush against the pier. Then, they tied the ship's ropes to the wooden stakes and laid down planks for the soldiers to disembark.
This set of procedures for helping ships dock, which the laborers were usually very familiar with, became somewhat difficult due to the disturbance of the cold wind and drizzle. Because the pier became slippery, and the ships had to be pulled with greater force due to the waves, it became common for laborers to slip and fall into the sea. Even collisions between ships within the port and soldiers falling into the water were not uncommon…
Although Imiseray had made some preparations for the army's landing, chaos in the port was still inevitable and continued…
However, no matter how chaotic the organization at Lilybaeum Port was, ship after ship of soldiers continuously disembarked and densely gathered on the shore of the port. Amidst the clamor and noise, they formed columns and successively left the port, entering the city of Lilybaeum…
In the eyes of that hunched middle-aged laborer: The first to land should be the Carthaginian soldiers (actually, they were mostly Phoenicians). These rumored delicate Carthaginians appeared very calm. Throughout the entire landing process, there was little commotion or confusion. They listened carefully to the commands of their officers. Following them were many dark-skinned, slender Numidian soldiers (in fact, there were also some Mauritanians among them).
These rumored free-spirited nomads were also able to follow commands during the landing process, disembarking and assembling relatively quickly. Of course, there were also soldiers with undisciplined movements. These soldiers, bare-chested, with strange tattoos, and fierce appearances, were said to be Celts from the Iberian Peninsula. Although they were constantly vomiting from being tossed about by the turbulent waves because they were not used to being on ships, and their faces were pale when they landed, their tall and strong bodies still made him feel nervous. What concerned this laborer the most was the murderous aura emanating from these soldiers, which only veterans who had experienced many battles would possess.
It seems that this time the Carthaginian army will not be easy to deal with! He looked at the troop transport ships constantly entering and exiting the harbor entrance, concealing his worries in his heart…
… … … … … … … … … … … … … … …
During this landing, Mago arranged for the main Iberian forces that had followed him for many years to land at and near the port of Lilybaeum. In fact, the landing points for the entire Carthaginian army of over 80,000 men were spread along the entire coast from Mazara to Eryx, including not only the ports of various towns but also beaches where ships could approach. This was because Mago hoped to get soldiers, supplies, horses, etc., onto the island of Sicily in the shortest possible time, avoiding attacks from the Daonian fleet after being discovered.
For this reason, not only Carthage and Utica dispatched a large number of ships, but other Phoenician city-states on the African coast, such as Hadrumetum, Ruspina, Lgilgili, etc., also provided ships to help transport troops.
Therefore, the entire sea area from western Sicily to Africa presented a strange sight: countless ships covered the sea, as if laying out a huge pontoon bridge connecting the two places. And along the western coast of Sicily, tired soldiers could be seen gathering on the beaches everywhere, frightened warhorses running around, shouts and neighs rising and falling, echoing from Mazara all the way to Eryx…
… … … … … … … … … … … … … … … …
Inside the city lord's mansion in Selinus, Adjutant Mucro gently pushed open the door to the study. Inside, Leotychides, the Daonian Kingdom's commander in charge of the Sicilian war, sat alone, motionless like a puppet, staring intently at the map of Sicily hanging on the wall.
Having followed Leotychides for some time, Mucro knew some of the commander's strange habits, so he did not speak but stood quietly behind Leotychides.
After an unknown amount of time, Mucro felt his eyelids drooping when he suddenly heard Leotychides ask, "Yesterday, approximately 20,000 Iberian troops, who had been stationed in Panormus, suddenly marched south and entered Lilybaeum. What do you think is the reason?"
"Uh… perhaps it's related to the Carthaginian Iberian governor Mago becoming the military commander, and the conflict between the Iberian troops and the Carthaginian army no longer existing…" Suddenly asked about this, Mucro, without much thought, offered a reason that he considered reasonable.
Leotychides did not turn his head, remaining seated and continued to ask, "Mago becoming the Carthaginian military commander was a long time ago. Why did the Iberian troops in Panormus only move to Lilybaeum yesterday?"
Mucro sensed a hint of dissatisfaction in Leotychides's words. This time, he pondered for a while before cautiously replying, "It's possible that it's because we have been constantly sending soldiers to harvest the half-ripe wheat fields outside Mazara, Segesta, Lilybaeum, and even Eryx. The Iberian troops came from the north coast, probably to strengthen the Carthaginian military presence here and curb our actions of seizing wheat…"
After Mucro finished speaking, seeing that Leotychides did not respond, he thought for a moment and added somewhat uncertainly, "It's also possible that… it's to coordinate with the Carthaginian military operations…"
After a long silence, Leotychides slowly replied, "Carthaginian military operations?… Besides landing in Sicily, what else can they do?"
Mucro's heart suddenly trembled.
At this moment, Leotychides stood up and looked at Mucro, saying in a deep voice, "You go and notify the cavalry legion to send me the best scouts. These few days, carefully investigate the movements of the enemy in Lilybaeum, Eryx… Report any abnormalities immediately!"
"Yes!" Mucro's voice was a bit low, because he knew that, from the current perspective, the only weakness of the Daonian army compared to the Carthaginian army was the cavalry. The commander's order meant that the Fourth Cavalry Legion would inevitably suffer some casualties.
"… At the same time, send out five reserve battalions to accompany these scouts to protect our scouts from attacks by Numidian cavalry." Leotychides's next words made Mucro breathe a sigh of relief. With 5,000 legion reserve heavy infantrymen as a backing, the safety of the Daonian scouts would be guaranteed.
"In addition, you go and tell Miltiades to send out more fast ships to penetrate deeper into the western waters of Sicily to investigate the movements of the Carthaginian army across the sea."
After Leotychides finished speaking, Mucro showed a difficult expression. He said, "Commander, I came to the study precisely to tell you that our fleet, like yesterday, has not sent any warships to patrol the western waters. According to the information I have gathered, the commander of the Sicilian fleet, Miltiades, told his naval officers, 'They are not familiar with the sea conditions here. Sailing in such bad weather is likely to encounter the same misfortune as before. He must be responsible for the lives of the crew of each warship and cannot let them die in vain without gaining any military Merits. Moreover, in such weather, the Carthaginians are equally worried and will not take any major actions…'"
Listening to Mucro's words, Leotychides's face was terribly gloomy. He snorted lightly, "This new commander of the Sicilian fleet has been frightened by that storm. He is much more timid than Seclean! You still have to go to the port and tell Miltiades in person that it is my order that he must send out fast ships to patrol the western waters of Sicily these two days!"
Mucro hesitated for a moment and said, "... Commander, shouldn't you inform Governor Siplos?"
Leo Ticides said nonchalantly, "It's too far, and there's not enough time. His Majesty should have placed the Sicilian fleet under my command from the start. That would have saved a lot of trouble. Go and execute the order quickly."
As expected, Miltiades' response was as Mucro had anticipated. He not only rejected Leo Ticides' proposal to patrol, but also had Mucro relay a message, subtly reminding Leo Ticides that the Sicilian fleet was not under his command and that he should not concern himself with naval affairs.
Leo Ticides rarely lost his temper in his mansion, but there was nothing he could do.
In the afternoon, the scouts returned to Selinus, bringing bad news: they had discovered many Carthaginian soldiers and ships gathered on the beaches between Mazara and Lilybaeum.
The Carthaginian army was landing! Leo Ticides easily made the judgment.
"Send someone to tell Miltiades to handle it as he sees fit," Leo Ticides said with a slight curl of his lips, his tone mocking, indicating that he was still bothered by Miltiades' previous response.
"Immediately assemble the Eighth Legion and the reserve forces and follow me to attack the coast of Mazara!" Finally, Leo Ticides issued the order.
"Yes!"
… … … … … … … … … … … … … …
To better understand and oversee the boarding of the entire army at the Carthaginian and Utica ports, Mago entered the port of Lilybaeum near the front of the last batch of troops to board.
As soon as he stepped onto the dock, he was warmly welcomed by Lilybaeum City Lord Imisere, Carthaginian army deputy commander Admicus, and other officials, large and small, who ushered him into the city lord's mansion like a star being surrounded by the moon.
Mago had just settled down and hadn't had time to speak when news arrived that "tens of thousands of Daonian troops had left the city of Selinus and were marching west."
Most of those present felt nervous, but Mago resolutely ordered, "Immediately assemble the troops and intercept them!"
Lilybaeum was a military fortress with several military camps within the city. There were already more than 10,000 Numidian soldiers stationed there (the army originally led by Monte Adorno), and yesterday about 20,000 Iberian soldiers led by Hasdrubal had entered the city. Mago ordered his men to quickly assemble them, and for the sake of caution, he also brought along the 6,000 Iberian soldiers who had just landed and entered the city.
Leo Ticides led his troops against the wind and rain, making normal marching somewhat difficult, so it took nearly three hours to approach the city of Mazara.
At this time, he received a report from the scouts that a Carthaginian army was approaching them from Lilybaeum, with no less than 30,000 men.
Since the Battle of Minoa and the Daonian army's capture of Selinus, Leo Ticides had tried various ways to lure the enemies entrenched in the cities of Lilybaeum, Segesta, and Mazara to come out and fight, in order to create another victory, but he had not succeeded.
Now that the Carthaginian army had finally left the city, Leo Ticides hesitated. Although the Battle of Minoa had revealed the Carthaginian army's low morale and weak combat effectiveness at the time, this did not make Leo Ticides arrogant. Through intelligence, he knew that the Iberian army that had once occupied Sertium was not to be underestimated, and the Carthaginian army now coming from Lilybaeum must also be mainly composed of them, and the number of soldiers far exceeded the number of troops he led.
During the time that the Daonian army was stationed in Selinus,
because there had been no battles, many soldiers from friendly city-states had returned to their homes to prepare for the upcoming harvest season, and after the Second Fleet arrived in Sicily, Miltiades had protested to Leo Ticides: that he had arbitrarily reorganized the excellent sailors of the Daonian navy into light infantry to serve as auxiliaries during legion operations (referring to a portion of the tens of thousands of Sicilian fleet sailors who had survived the storm).
He had also reported this matter to the Department of Military Affairs. In the end, Leo Ticides had to let these sailors return to the naval base on the Catania Plain, so the number of troops Leo Ticides currently led was just over 20,000. There were still more than 3,000 allied soldiers stationed in the city of Selinus, which was all the force he now possessed in western Sicily.
He had originally thought that the Carthaginian army's landing in such bad weather would inevitably cause temporary chaos, but he did not expect the Carthaginians to attack so quickly.
His gaze swept over the fully armed legion soldiers beside him, their faces full of rainwater showing fatigue. After hesitating for only a moment, Leo Ticides, who had always been cautious in battle, dispelled the idea of fighting the approaching Carthaginian army and ordered the army to stop advancing and immediately return to Selinus.
The soldiers, who had made a wasted trip and were soaked to the bone, complained about this.
Leo Ticides didn't care about this. What he cared about was whether the Sicilian fleet could gain anything.
… … … … … … … … … … … … … … …
After receiving the reminder from his adjutant Mucro, Miltiades, given his poor relationship with Leo Ticides, did not completely believe Mucro's words, so he did not immediately lead the fleet out to sea, but instead sent a fast ship to patrol the western waters.
After receiving confirmation, he hurriedly led the fleet out of the port. This back and forth, coupled with the fleet sailing against the wind, meant that by the time they rounded the cape and reached the waters near Mazara, it was already dusk. The once bustling sea, teeming with ships, had basically returned to calm. The landing of the Carthaginian army was over, and the transportation of supplies and horses that followed was also mostly completed.
The Carthaginian fast ship, which had been observing the movements of the Daonian fleet, quickly notified the ships still en route. Some immediately returned to Carthage, while others rushed to the beaches and ports of Sicily. Therefore, the Daonian fleet searched this area for a while, only sinking and capturing a dozen freighters. Although they occasionally caught sight of many Carthaginian ships docked on the beaches, they did not dare to approach and attack, because there were many Carthaginian soldiers on these beaches. Abandoning their own advantages to fight a land battle was obviously a foolish move, and because the sky was dim and the wind and waves were strong, two warships were inadvertently wrecked and sunk.
Therefore, Miltiades had no choice but to order a return. On the way, he was constantly depressed: the Carthaginian army's successful landing in Sicily was largely his responsibility. Neither His Majesty Davos nor the Department of Military Affairs would turn a blind eye to this…
… … … … … … … … … … … … … … …
In the following days, the war situation in western Sicily presented a strange calm.
On the Carthaginian side, Mago was busy reorganizing the chaotic army after the landing, transporting the supplies scattered on the coast back to Lilybaeum. At the same time, he also took the time to meet with officials from Carthaginian sub-states and envoys from allied states to learn more about the situation in Sicily. He even summoned Akonis, the Sikel leader who had been neglected by Monte Adorno.
On the Daonian side, Leo Ticides no longer sent troops to destroy the enemy's fields and villages, but instead ordered the soldiers to strengthen the city defenses.
In fact, since occupying Selinus, he had been doing this, because he was very clear that the Battle of Minoa was not enough to hurt Carthage's foundations, but would instead attract a more violent counterattack from Carthage. The southern coast of Sicily, as the main offensive route of the Carthaginian army, made Selinus, located at the starting point of this route, very important. As long as it was defended, it would create a great obstacle for the Carthaginian army to further attack the Daonian friendly city-state territories on the southern coast, helping to achieve the strategic objectives given by King Davos.
At the same time, Leo Ticides also sent messengers back to Catania to inform Siplos of the new war situation. He also sought reinforcements again from the friendly city-states of Minoa, Agrigento, and Gela to strengthen the defenses of Selinus.
Leo Ticides hoped that the battle would happen as late as possible, but Mago could no longer wait. After all, he had made a promise to the Senate to drive the Daonians out of Sicily within a year. So three days later, the mighty Carthaginian army surrounded Selinus.
Mago ordered the army to begin building a camp, while also having engineers and carpenters build siege weapons.
After the camp was initially established, he began to send several thousand light infantrymen, formed by the various allied states of Sicily, to gradually clear the traps and obstacles outside the city of Selinus.
Leo Ticides certainly would not allow the enemy to approach the trenches so easily. Therefore, he not only ordered the defenders on the city walls to launch fierce long-range attacks on any enemies entering the attack range below the city, but also occasionally organized hundreds or thousands of light-armored soldiers to launch surprise attacks on the enemies who were busy clearing obstacles, taking them by surprise.
Leo Ticides' active and proactive defensive tactics inflicted considerable casualties on the Carthaginian soldiers who were clearing obstacles below the city, but after a few days, the Carthaginian encirclement of Selinus was still gradually shrinking.
For Mago, who had an army of about 120,000 men, a few casualties were simply a scratch on the surface, having no impact on him. Relying on his strong military strength as a backing, the Carthaginians' clearing work outside the city of Selinus had never been interrupted.
As the Carthaginian army steadily advanced below the city and strengthened its defenses against the defenders' surprise attacks, the Daonian army reduced the number of sorties after suffering a few small losses.
Soon, the Carthaginians set up dozens of crossbows in front of the city, continuously bombarding the walls of Selinus with stone bullets.
Since the Daonian legions had training in city wall defense during their usual military training, they naturally had their own research on how to defend against the siege weapon crossbows. In addition to having crossbows on the city walls and inside the city accurately strike the enemy's crossbows, Leo Ticides also had the soldiers collect a large number of fishing nets from the port fishermen and hang them down from the city walls, covering the walls to cushion the impact of the stone bullets.
Carthage was not Rome. Years of war with Syracuse had given its army considerable experience in siege warfare, and it possessed sufficient technical capabilities to carry out its siege plans. Seeing that the ballista's attacks were not very effective, Mago, after some thought, ordered the construction of a wall a hundred meters away from Selinus. This wall would not only completely encircle Selinus but also be no lower than the city walls of Selinus. This would not only prevent surprise attacks by the Daonians but also suppress the long-range attacks from the city walls, which would be advantageous for the next step of the offensive.
With Mago's order, the entire army camp, consisting of nearly 100,000 soldiers and countless laborers transporting supplies, began to move under the guidance of engineers.
The Daonian defenders discovered the enemy's intentions and made several attempts to break out of the city, but they were repelled by the well-prepared Carthaginians.
Three days later, the rudimentary form of an earthen wall surrounding Selinus was rising from the ground.
Just as the Daonian soldiers were feeling astonished, in the Selinus city lord's residence, Leotychides, the commander of the Daonian Kingdom's Sicilian theater, met with Miltiades, the commander of the Sicilian fleet.
Ever since Leotychides, without the approval of the Department of Military Affairs, had arbitrarily incorporated the Sicilian fleet's sailors into his own army, infringing upon the interests of the Daonian navy, the two had fallen out after the newly appointed Miltiades discovered this. Miltiades had moved to the port and had not seen Leotychides since. This time, he had come to the city to discuss matters out of necessity.
Miltiades' decision to halt the warships' patrols of the western Sicilian waters due to concerns about storms had allowed the Carthaginian army to land easily in Sicily, a major military blunder. If Leotychides were to kick him while he was down at this time, reporting to the Department of Military Affairs that "he had repeatedly reminded the Sicilian fleet not to cease the blockade of the western waters due to bad weather, but the commander of the Sicilian fleet stubbornly refused to listen, leading to a huge change in the Sicilian war situation...", this would not only increase King Davos' and the Department of Military Affairs' antipathy towards Miltiades but also likely ruin his future military career. Therefore, Miltiades came with a softened attitude.
When Leotychides saw him, he did not mention the "Carthaginian army landing" at all, but went straight to the point, saying, "Miltiades, I plan to launch a night raid on the Carthaginian camp and need the help of your navy."
Hearing this, Miltiades' mind raced, and then he said hesitantly, "...A night raid on the Carthaginian camp? Are you planning a surprise attack from the sea? The Carthaginians have stationed many scouts along the coast of Selinus, and they are prepared... It is said that it is a camp of hundreds of thousands of people! How many soldiers do we need to commit to the raid to create chaos in the Carthaginian camp! Once it fails, there is a risk of total annihilation!"
Leotychides sensed the hint of excitement hidden in Miltiades' hesitant words. In order to persuade this colleague of equal rank, he had to spend some time patiently explaining, "I will not let the soldiers land on the nearby coast, as that would indeed be easily discovered by the Carthaginians. The location I have chosen is here."
Leotychides pointed to a rough sketch on the table depicting the surroundings of Selinus and the Carthaginian camp.
Miltiades hesitated for a moment, then moved closer to Leotychides and looked carefully. He discovered that the place he was pointing to was exactly between Selinus and Heraclea Minoa.
Since taking office as the commander of the Sicilian fleet, Miltiades had commanded his flagship to repeatedly patrol the southern coast of Sicily, familiarizing himself with the sea environment there. This was a skill that senior Daonian generals had to possess. At this moment, a rough image of that location appeared in his mind.
There was indeed a small beach there, easy to land on, but he reminded, "The coastal road from Heraclea Minoa to Selinus is uneven. It is not easy to walk even during the day, and it will probably be even more difficult at night!"
"That is precisely why I chose to land there," Leotychides said confidently. "The coastal environment there is complex, and the Carthaginians, who have only recently landed in Sicily, are not familiar with the coast leading to Heraclea Minoa, which will prevent our landing from being discovered by the enemy. I have inquired with the fishermen in the port that tonight will be a full moon night. The soldiers after landing can use the moonlight to sneak into the mountains and forests near the coast, and about two hours of marching will bring them close to the Carthaginian camp."
Leotychides moved his finger to the image of the Carthaginian camp and continued, "Based on my careful observation from the city walls during this period, as well as the reports from the soldiers who raided the city, I believe that the camp of the Iberian army led by Mago should be to our north, and the camps of the armies from Carthage are on our east and west sides. Most of their soldiers should be Numidians, who are also the main force in building the earthen wall these days. They must be very tired after working hard during the day and will inevitably fall into a deep sleep at night.
Moreover, in these days, the Carthaginian army has placed the focus of its entire defense on protecting this earthen wall that is being built, and they are probably neglecting the rear of their camp. The chances of our raid succeeding are very high... At that time, I will also gather 10,000 heavy infantry in the city, and when the raiding force creates chaos in the Carthaginian camp, they will immediately leave the city, break through this earthen wall, attack the Carthaginian camp, and meet them to return to the city. If the situation is very favorable to us, we can continue to attack."
"What if the raid fails?" Miltiades suddenly interrupted him.
Leotychides had already considered this, and he said calmly, "I will have them flee eastward into the mountains and eventually return through Minoa."
Miltiades did not speak. He knew that there were allied Sicani people in the mountains to the east. As long as they fled into the mountains, the chances of a safe return were high.
He carefully examined the sketch on the table, focusing on the Carthaginian camp to the east of Selinus, which was the target of the night raid. Perhaps because the Carthaginians believed they possessed a strong force, the camp was built only a mile away from the city. Standing on the city wall, one could indeed roughly see the Carthaginian camp, so Leotychides could deduce the general layout of the Carthaginian camp, and he did not have much doubt.
At this time, Leotychides said again, "I will send the light infantry battalion of the Eighth Legion and 1,000 reserve legion soldiers to carry out this raid mission. I hope that the fleet infantry belonging to the Sicilian fleet can also participate in this operation."
"No..." Miltiades instinctively wanted to refuse. As soon as the words left his mouth, he immediately realized that if the fleet infantry could participate in this night raid, it would definitely be a good thing for him if it succeeded, and it could mitigate the mistakes he had made before. He immediately changed his words again, "Of course, there is no problem. Our fleet infantry is best at landing raids. I will have them all join this raid!"
Previously, the 4th Fleet led by Miltiades had 40 triremes, including 30 corvus ships, so there were 1,200 fleet infantry. In addition to those who had survived the storm, he had about 3,000 fleet infantry under his command. In this way, the number of soldiers participating in the raid reached 5,000.
Leotychides felt satisfied in his heart. This was one of the main reasons why he had called Miltiades here.
With the fleet infantry joining the night raid, Miltiades also became much more active. He spent a long time working with Leotychides to improve the raid plan.
....................................
Mago was awakened from his sleep, and he was shocked to hear the news of "Daonians raiding the camp."
At this time, the faint sounds of fighting had already reached his ears. While quickly walking out of the tent, he asked urgently, "Which camp has been attacked?! How many enemies are there?!"
"It should be in the middle of the eastern camp. The exact number of enemies is still unclear..." the adjutant replied hurriedly.
Mago walked outside the tent, and the sounds of fighting and screams became clearer, and there were also constant exclamations. The Daonians' night raid had already alarmed the soldiers in other camps.
Mago looked east. Even with the moonlight, the camp of nearly 100,000 troops stretched for more than ten miles. Just the distance from the central army camp to the scene was several miles. Looking at it at a glance, it was a dark mass, and he couldn't see anything at all.
Mago listened carefully for a while. Although the shouts and screams were expanding, he did not panic. During the conquest of southern Iberia, he had encountered too many night raids and had a lot of experience with them. He immediately decisively said to the adjutant, "Send messengers to all the camps to inform the generals to control the soldiers in their camps and prepare for defense. Without my order, no one is allowed to lead troops to rescue them! If anyone disobeys the order, I will nail him to the cross!"
The reason why Mago spoke so harshly was because the eastern camp was mainly stationed by troops formed by Carthage, and most of the generals were nobles from Carthage itself. Mago had been away from Carthage for more than 10 years, and some people might ignore his existence and act without authorization.
The messengers rushed away, and the generals of the central army camp were summoned urgently and soon arrived at the main tent.
Mago once again directly issued orders to them: "Immediately go and gather the soldiers under your command. Except for Tarkas, who will lead his troops to defend the camp, the other troops will follow me to rescue the attacked camp."
Before Mago could finish speaking, a deafening roar suddenly came from outside the tent, and some people inside the tent turned pale.
The adjutant rushed in and shouted urgently, "Lord, the Daonians have sent troops from the city and flanked the eastern camp!"
Mago, however, looked calm and even showed a smile: "Judging by this sound, the Daonian soldiers sent out are probably quite a few. That's great! We can just wipe them all out, and it will be much easier to attack Selinus again!"
Mago's substantial forces gave him ample confidence; minor casualties did not concern him, and his words invigorated his generals.
Mago then said to his adjutant, "Immediately send word to Adherbal in the southern camp, instructing him to organize 10,000 soldiers and proceed to the eastern camp as our reinforcements."
"Yes, sir!"
Mago surveyed the assembly, then addressed them in halting Celtic, "Rutamus, you and your people will lead the vanguard."
Rutamus, a Celtic chieftain whose appearance and attire distinctly differed from the others, responded in a booming voice, "Huh!"
Rutamus was a Lusitanian, a fierce and warlike people inhabiting northwestern Iberia. They had previously caused Mago considerable trouble during his expansion in the Iberian Peninsula, even threatening his rule in southern Iberia, ultimately forcing Mago to forge a peace treaty with them. This time, he had enticed several major tribes of this people with generous benefits, forming an army of approximately 8,000 men to accompany Mago on his campaign in Sicily. Rutamus was merely one of the tribal leaders among them. The melee combat in the darkness favored individual prowess, which played to their strengths.
About a dozen minutes later, the main force of the central camp marched out of the south gate, proceeding along the constructed earthen wall toward the chaotic eastern camp.
… … … … … … … … … … … …
As dusk arrived, Leotychides ascended the eastern city wall, his gaze fixed intently on the Carthaginian camp. Only when a clamor of battle cries and general uproar erupted from the opposite camp did he momentarily relax, immediately ordering the 10,000 heavy infantry, composed of the Eighth Legion and reserve soldiers, who had been waiting within the city, to charge out and continue the assault on the increasingly disorganized enemy camp.
Simultaneously, the meticulous Leotychides did not forget to exploit the enemy's distraction caused by the night raid. He dispatched soldiers from the hill scout teams to slip over the earthen wall and lie in wait in front of the various Carthaginian camps, providing timely reports of what they observed, allowing him to comprehensively understand the enemy's response.
Therefore, even upon learning that the raiding forces had joined up and completely crushed the enemy's resistance, plunging that entire camp into chaos, he felt no elation. On the contrary, he was uneasy to learn that most of the Carthaginian camps in other areas, after assembling their soldiers, did not rush to reinforce but instead remained stationed along their respective camp boundaries.
Sure enough, the raiding force attempted to drive the fleeing soldiers to overwhelm the neighboring camps and further spread the chaos, but their progress was somewhat slow.
At this moment, another urgent message arrived: the Carthaginian central camp had dispatched troops, who were advancing along the earthen wall towards the east.
Leotychides immediately realized that the Carthaginians intended to cut off the raiding force's retreat and encircle them for annihilation.
The Daonian soldiers participating in the night raid were Leotychides' main force. He had been standing on the city wall, watching the battle's progress, precisely to prevent such a situation from occurring.
"Wooo! Wooo! Wooo! …" The buglers who had been standing on the city wall immediately sounded the retreat.
Before setting out, the assault soldiers, having received repeated instructions from their commander, heard the bugle call, reminded each other, and gradually ceased their pursuit of the fleeing soldiers…
Before retreating, they did one last thing—they set the camp ablaze.
… … … … … … … … … … … … … …
Mago, leading the relief force, had not yet arrived when the news that "the Daonians had actually retreated back into the city" certainly took him by surprise.
In his opinion, after a successful night raid, the Daonians would certainly take advantage of their victory to pursue the fleeing soldiers and expand their gains, which would have given him time to encircle them. However, the Daonians' composure and decisiveness thwarted his plan, and the hastily arriving reinforcements had no choice but to become firefighters.
The Lusitanians, acting as the vanguard, reluctantly pursued, only to be met with long-range attacks from the well-prepared defenders on the city wall. After suffering some casualties, they had no choice but to retreat in frustration.
In this night raid, the Daonians suffered only over four hundred casualties, while the Carthaginian army suffered nearly 4,000 casualties, half of which were caused by Carthaginian soldiers pushing and trampling each other in the darkness during the rout. At the same time, one-third of the eastern military camp was burned to the ground, and the Carthaginian army suffered heavy losses.
After returning to his tent, Mago was unable to sleep. He was deeply troubled by this defeat. The tenacity of the Daonians, who were far inferior in strength, and the variability of their tactics alarmed him, and also made him realize that the massive force had numbed him, making his response to the battle situation sluggish.
After careful consideration, the next day he used this as an excuse to forcefully dismiss most of the Carthaginian generals, allowing the senior officers who had followed him in the Iberian Peninsula for many years to take over the Carthaginian army and begin reorganizing and training them.
At the same time, he suspended the construction of the earthen wall and hastened the repair of the simple camp.
Of course, the fire last night caused the Carthaginians to lose a lot of supplies, and Mago sent a messenger to notify Imiseres, the city lord of Lilybaeum, to transport a batch of supplies to the camp.
Lilybaeum was not short of supplies for the time being, but it was short of manpower and had to temporarily conscript labor from the port.
An accident occurred when the convoy transporting supplies was about to reach the Carthaginian camp: a laborer from the port, on the pretext of stomach discomfort, left the transport team and attempted to escape. He was discovered by patrolling cavalry, and in their pursuit, the laborer jumped off a cliff and fell into the sea.
For the Carthaginians, this was a trivial matter, and no one mentioned it again after the transport team arrived at the camp.
… … … … … … … … … … … … … …
In the past two days, Miltiades' uneasy mood had improved somewhat, because the Sicilian fleet had contributed greatly in the night raid the night before, not only winning a great victory but also suffering minor casualties. He believed that after the military affairs department received this good news, it would reduce its dissatisfaction with him.
After eating breakfast, he prepared to go to the pier to direct the fleet to set sail and cruise the western Sicilian waters.
Although the Carthaginian army had landed in Sicily, it was not enough to support such a large army with the help of the Carthaginian allies in western Sicily. More supplies still needed to be continuously transported from the African continent across the sea. This required the Sicilian fleet to cut off the Carthaginian route to Sicily. Over time, the Carthaginian army would fall into a predicament of insufficient supplies, so now Miltiades dared not slack off.
But before he could leave the mansion, the courtyard door was suddenly pushed open, and a guard rushed in: "General, good news! Lord Secilian… is still alive! He… he's back!"
Miltiades' heart shook, and looking at the guard's excited appearance, he subconsciously asked, "Who did you say is alive?!"
"Miltiades, may Hades protect you, of course it's me who is still alive!" Along with this familiar voice, a familiar figure appeared at the door.
"Ah… Lord Secilian!" Miltiades hurriedly gave a military salute.
At this time, Secilian's face was thin, his expression tired, and he was tightly wrapped in a red cloak. He said eagerly: "Quickly get me something to eat, I'm almost starving to death."
"Go and notify the kitchen, reheat the wheat porridge, bake the bread, and fry a few fish…" Miltiades quickly instructed the guard.
"Reheat what? Just bring the bread and wheat porridge up, I'll fill my stomach first." Secilian said impatiently, then turned to the fleet soldiers who had accompanied him here and said: "Brothers, go back and carry out your tasks, it will be punished if you delay. I'll have a good chat with you when I've rested."
A large group of sailors clustered outside the door listened to Secilian's advice and reluctantly left the mansion and returned to the pier. The news that "Secilian is alive and back" quickly spread throughout the fleet. Every sailor was excited because their naval commander and hero, whom they thought was dead, had returned, which was simply a miracle!
Watching Secilian gobble down his breakfast, the words Miltiades wanted to say were stuck in his throat until Secilian let out a full burp, then stopped eating, put his hands on the wooden table, and stared blankly at the pottery pot containing the wheat porridge. After a moment, he said in a low voice: "On the way here, the brothers told me… Flarios died in battle, and almost the entire Sicilian fleet was destroyed by the storm, and many brothers drowned…"
Miltiades watched Secilian's entire body slowly lean forward, as if his whole person was about to collapse on the wooden table. Just as he was about to speak, he suddenly heard a loud "bang", Secilian slammed his right hand on the wooden table, nearly overturning the pottery pot on the table, but he straightened his back again: "However, we still have dozens of warships preserved, and the Carthaginian fleet was completely wiped out. We also took the opportunity to occupy Selinunte, so that naval battle was still won by my Sicilian fleet!"
Confidence and contempt returned to Secilian's face. Of course, Miltiades would not argue with him about whether it was right or wrong to fight the Carthaginian fleet in the storm, but instead took the opportunity to ask the doubts in his heart: "Sir, we have been looking for you all this time, but we have never found you. Where did you go?"
"I was in Lilybaeum." Secilian said lightly.
"You… you were captured by the Carthaginians?!" Miltiades was taken aback: Why didn't the Carthaginians who came to exchange prisoners before mention this?!
"Of course not." Secilian recalled painfully: "…After the storm, I woke up and found myself lying on the beach, surrounded by drowned and unconscious sailors… I wanted to wake them up, but I saw the Carthaginians arriving on the beach. I didn't want to be captured by them, so I swam back into the sea…
But I was so tired and hungry at the time that I was a little exhausted after swimming for a while. Coincidentally, there were a few slow-moving Carthaginian ships searching for survivors of the shipwreck nearby… I had no choice but to dive into the water, and taking advantage of the darkness of the night, I grabbed the side of a large ship that was about to return without the Carthaginians noticing, and was taken to the port of Lilybaeum.
Because of the storm and shipwreck, the port of Lilybaeum was very chaotic, which allowed me to quietly board the dock. Later, I got help from Greek compatriots in the port, and temporarily hid in Lilybaeum… Looking back, the beach where I was lying may have been between Mazara and Lilybaeum…
Because the people of Lilybaeum were worried about being attacked by our army, the city has always been heavily guarded, and it is difficult for me to go out. If it weren't for the Carthaginian army landing this time and needing us to transport supplies, I'm afraid I would still be waiting for an opportunity in Lilybaeum, but—"
Sekellian turned his head to look at Miltiades, his eyes piercing, and rebuked him loudly, "Miltiades, the Daonian navy has always taken courageous advancement as our naval tradition since its creation, yet you, out of fear of the strong winds and waves, failed to patrol the western waters of Sicily according to the established plan, missing a good opportunity to take advantage of the Carthaginian army landing in Sicily and severely damage them. I am very disappointed in this!"
Miltiades was still attentively listening to Sekellian's adventurous experiences, inwardly marveling: if it weren't for this old commander's good luck, as well as his super physical fitness and swimming skills, an ordinary sailor would have long been captured by the Carthaginians.
He suddenly heard the last few sentences, his face turning red. He did not argue, but lowered his head in shame.
"Fortunately, I am back now," Sekellian said in a deep voice. "You can hand over command of the fleet to me now."
Miltiades abruptly raised his head, met Sekellian's sharp gaze, then immediately looked away. After a moment, he met Sekellian's gaze again and mustered his courage to say, "...Sir...the command of the Sicilian fleet was granted to me by His Majesty and the Department of Military Affairs. I...dare not transfer it privately, because that is a violation of military law!"
Miltiades's opposition stunned Sekellian. A hint of displeasure appeared on his face, and he tried his best to say in a calm tone, "You didn't understand what I meant. You can continue to serve as the commander of the Sicilian fleet, but the fleet will be under my command. You must know that if I hadn't been trapped in Lilybaeum, you wouldn't have become the commander of the Sicilian fleet!"
What Sekellian said was indeed the truth. Previously, Davos's letter to the Department of Military Affairs specifically mentioned the "Appointment of the Commander of the Sicilian Fleet," so Miltiades's initial appointment was as "Acting Commander of the Sicilian Fleet." It was only because Sekellian had not been found and Phlarios had drowned that the Department of Military Affairs finally decided to appoint Miltiades as the official Commander of the Sicilian Fleet for the sake of command convenience.
As the former commander of the Daonian navy, Sekellian had won consecutive victories at the beginning of the navy's establishment, leading the newly formed Daonian navy to establish its reputation. He had a very high prestige in the navy. The three fleet commanders, Midolades, Phlarios, and Miltiades, were all his subordinates. Miltiades inevitably felt nervous in the face of the strong Sekellian.
However, Miltiades had been in sole command of the Fourth Fleet for so many years and was no longer the captain of Davos's flagship. He also had some confidence and authority (which was one of the reasons why Davos divided the navy into four). More importantly, Miltiades thought of the big mistake he had made before and was now considering making up for it in future battles. If he handed over command of the fleet to Sekellian at this time, he was afraid that this mistake would not be able to be made up for by the end of the war, because everyone would attribute the victory to Sekellian, and he himself would become a laughing stock of the navy...
In a moment, Miltiades had already considered these pros and cons clearly. Therefore, his mind calmed down, and his tone of speech became a bit tougher: "Lord Sekellian, you were once my superior and also a senator of the Senate. I still remember what you once said, 'As captains of warships, you must set an example for all the crew, fulfill your duties, command your crew well, and fight bravely...' I think you should be very clear that since the establishment of the kingdom, there has not been a general in the army who only enjoys the benefits brought by promotion without diligently performing his duties. I don't want to be the first one!"
Miltiades said extremely seriously, and then he smiled bitterly: "Of course, if you think I am incompetent, you can apply to the Department of Military Affairs to remove me from the position of Commander of the Sicilian Fleet..."
Sekellian's face darkened, and the gaze he directed at Miltiades became sharp.
Miltiades also faced him fearlessly and calmly.
The two men stared at each other, and the atmosphere in the room became stagnant. Even the servants clearing the table quickly and quietly fled.
After a moment, Sekellian twitched his face a few times and forced a smile: "Very good, Miltiades, as a commander...you must have this kind of imposing manner."
Although Sekellian was very strong in the Daonian navy, he was not tyrannical. In the case of Miltiades's non-cooperation, he certainly could not forcibly usurp the command of the fleet, because this not only violated military law, but also violated the laws of the kingdom. With King Davos's temperament, he might angrily send him to prison. As for directly proposing to the Department of Military Affairs to "remove Miltiades and have him reassume the position of Commander of the Sicilian Fleet," this approach was too domineering and would arouse the resentment of some people in the royal army, damaging his own image.
Sekellian had been in a high position for more than ten years and was no longer the impulsive young commoner sailor. Naturally, he would have many concerns. After a moment, he said listlessly, "In a while, you send a fast ship to take me back to the Catania naval base...I should also go to pay my respects to Phlarios and the brothers who died in battle..."
Miltiades didn't know what Sekellian was thinking at the moment, but Sekellian's cessation of coercion allowed him to breathe a sigh of relief for the time being. Of course, he couldn't wait for Sekellian to leave, so he didn't try to dissuade him: "Okay, sir, I'll go arrange it right away."
Saying that, he quickly left the stagnant-atmosphere living room like he was avoiding a plague and strode towards the courtyard.
Just then, the wooden door was pushed open, and Leotichides's adjutant, Moclus, walked in: "General Miltiades, Commander Prothous is asking you to go to the city lord's residence. There is urgent military information to discuss with you!"
Miltiades was overjoyed to hear this, as it was exactly what he needed. Without asking what the urgent military information was, he turned his head and said, "Sir, I have to go to the city first to discuss the battle plan with the army."
"While not affecting the overall strategy, try to protect the interests of our fleet as much as possible!" Sekellian slowly walked out of the living room. He had already heard about "Leotichides incorporating tens of thousands of fleet crew members into the legion" on the way here, so he specifically reminded him.
Moclus stared at him with wide eyes and exclaimed in surprise, "Lord Sekellian, you're still alive?!"
...
As soon as the two highest-ranking Daonian naval and army officers in Sicily met, Leotichides said, "Agrigentum has sent an envoy urgently requesting assistance. Tens of thousands of Carthaginian troops are attacking the city of Agrigentum."
On the way here, Tagrus had not revealed to Miltiades what the urgent military situation was, so he was somewhat surprised to hear this: "Tens of thousands of Carthaginian soldiers are attacking the city of Agrigentum?! That's impossible! In the past few days, our patrol ships have not discovered any traces of Carthaginian troops advancing east of the Selinus coast, and the city of Minoa is also very calm!"
"The Carthaginian army did not take the southern coast. They probably took the central mountainous area," Leotichides's wooden face showed a hint of regret. "We fell for the Carthaginian general named Mago's trick! He besieged Selinus to attract our attention, but secretly sent some troops to cross the mountains to attack our allied states in the rear."
"Aren't there Sicels in the mountains? How could they let the Carthaginian army pass easily..." Miltiades asked, puzzled, thinking of this Daonian ally he had not yet dealt with.
"This time I was careless. Although news from the Sicels has not yet arrived, I think they have probably been defeated. Among the soldiers Mago brought from Iberia are races that are very good at fighting in mountainous areas. The fall of Seldium before was a good example." Leotichides's voice was slightly anxious: "Agrigentum has already suffered many casualties in the Battle of Minoa. A few days ago, because the Carthaginians besieged Selinus, they also sent some reinforcements. Now, I'm afraid the city of Agrigentum is short of troops. We must rescue them immediately! There are no extra ships in the port now. I need your fleet to immediately transport 6,000 reinforcements to the port of Agrigentum!"
Miltiades also knew that the situation was urgent. Once Agrigentum fell, not only would neighboring Gela and Minoa be in danger, but the Daonian army's land route would also be cut off. Under the attack of the Carthaginian army, the entire southern coast of Sicily would become complicated. Therefore, Miltiades did not say anything like "The Sicilian fleet is used for combat, not for transporting troops..." to shirk responsibility, but immediately responded: "I will go to the port now and have the fleet prepare. As soon as the soldiers you send arrive, I will immediately send them to Agrigentum."
Miltiades's straightforwardness made Leotichides breathe a sigh of relief. At this time, he asked, "I heard from Tagrus that Sekellian is still alive and has returned to the port of Selinus?"
"Yes, it's truly Hades's blessing! He plans to go to the Catania naval base first...to stay for a while and pay his respects to the dead brothers." Miltiades wanted to show joy, but then he remembered Sekellian's desire to take over the fleet, so his expression seemed a bit strange.
Leotichides looked at him and said faintly, "Sekellian must have suffered a lot during this time. He should rest for a while."
Sekellian's return would naturally involve the issue of command of the Sicilian fleet. Compared to Sekellian's strength, Leotichides was more willing to work with Miltiades, who had become actively cooperative because he had made a mistake. Therefore, his words implicitly revealed his support for Miltiades, which made Miltiades feel happy, after all, if the Department of Military Affairs really considered this issue, they might also seek the opinion of Leotichides, who was fighting alongside him.
After Miltiades left, Leotychides immediately said, "Tagru, quickly go and notify the troops preparing to provide reinforcements to immediately head to the port."
"Yes, Commander." Tagru received the order, but instead of immediately carrying it out, he asked with some hesitation, "Aren't the Carthaginians being too reckless? They're sending an army of tens of thousands of men to cross mountainous terrain with poor transportation and difficult food supply lines, separated by Selinus and Minoa, to try and capture Agrigentum. Once our reinforcements arrive and thwart their plan, these tens of thousands of Carthaginians might not even need us to attack; they could collapse simply due to the inability to supply them with food in time…"
"Indeed, this Carthaginian commander, Mago, is truly daring. It seems he has great confidence in his army's capabilities." Leotychides looked at the wooden map hanging on the wall, his eyes gleaming. "Therefore, our reinforcement speed must be fast."
… … … … … … … … … … … … … …
Since the Daonian army occupied Selinus, half of its port was quickly converted into a rudimentary military harbor. This not only allowed the Sicilian fleet's warships to dock and resupply but also to be pulled ashore for maintenance and repairs… providing the fleet with a stable and secure foothold in western Sicily, facilitating its patrols and offensives in the western sea.
Currently, more than 150 warships of the Sicilian fleet were docked at the pier. Soldiers from friendly city-states on the southern coast, such as Minoa, Agrigentum, Gela, Camarina, Ecnomus, and 1,000 Daonian reserve legion soldiers, totaling 6,000 soldiers, were boarding the warships in batches.
To transport this reinforcement force to the port of Agrigentum in one go, Miltiades didn't even allow the fleet's soldiers to board the corvus ships, to free up more warship space.
Secilian opposed this, arguing that the entire fleet shouldn't be used to transport soldiers. At least half of the warships should be used as escorts, which was a vigilance a naval commander must possess.
Miltiades retorted that using only half the warships would mean half the soldiers would have to be transported a second time. Now that the enemy situation was urgent, who would bear the responsibility if Agrigentum was breached due to insufficient forces? Moreover, after completing the troop transport, the Sicilian fleet would still have to patrol the western sea, so there was no time to delay.
The two sides parted unhappily once again.
Secilian simply boarded the earliest departing fast ship, wanting to get away from the vexation.
To save time, each warship set off immediately as soon as it was fully loaded with soldiers. Therefore, when Miltiades boarded the last departing flagship and left the port, the entire fleet stretched for four or five miles eastward, forming a winding, single line. Because each ship was fully loaded with soldiers, the sailing speed was slow.
Miltiades was also a little anxious about this. He frowned as he looked at the soldiers lying all over the deck, estimating the time it would take to travel from Selinus to Agrigentum at this speed. By the time the transport was finished, it would probably be afternoon, and the fleet would not be able to patrol.
At this moment, he hoped for a strong northwest wind, like the one on the day the Carthaginian army landed, which would greatly shorten the sailing time.
Just as he was lost in thought, the lookout's startled cry suddenly rang out overhead: "Attention! Attention! Enemy situation to the southeast!"
Miltiades was shocked, but then felt puzzled. The Carthaginian warships had been destroyed, so where would enemy ships come from in the southeast?
While he was puzzled, the lookout on the mast shouted anxiously again: "The fast ship has raised two blue flags! Two blue flags!"
Blue flags meant that the approaching ships were not Carthaginian warships.
Otherwise, the fast ship would have raised a yellow flag immediately. But two blue flags meant that a fleet, roughly the same size as the Sicilian fleet, had appeared nearby, and whether it was hostile or not, it posed a considerable threat to the Sicilian fleet.
Miltiades felt a pang of panic. He gripped the ship's rail, trying to peer towards the southeast, but could only vaguely see a few small dots on the distant sea.
Among the four fleet commanders, Miltiades and Phrarius had no experience independently commanding large-scale naval battles. During the Southern Italian War, Miltiades was just the captain of a trireme. After the Fourth Fleet was established, the Department of Military Affairs had provided Davos with several candidates for fleet commander. Their qualifications, achievements, and abilities were similar, and Davos found it difficult to choose. In the end, he chose Miltiades because Miltiades had once served as the captain of Davos' flagship, and Davos still had some impression of him, which gave him an advantage.
After becoming the commander of the Fourth Fleet, Miltiades spent most of his time leading the fleet to patrol the Adriatic Sea, crack down on pirates, and help the army transport supplies. The only so-called naval battle was the attack on the Messapian-Peucetian joint fleet when Daonia conquered Messapia and Peucetia. Because the opponent was too weak, it was defeated with little effort.
Now, when Miltiades might encounter his first major naval battle, the situation was so complex: it was still impossible to distinguish whether the opponent was an enemy or a friend, making it impossible for him to suddenly issue a decision to engage; not only did his own fleet lack formation, but each warship was also fully loaded with soldiers, which slowed down the speed and weakened the combat capability; and at this moment, the entire fleet was located near the sea off Gela, so retreat was also difficult, as the narrow and rudimentary port of Gela, as a small town, could not accommodate the Sicilian fleet at all.
Under such circumstances, he could not help but feel flustered. He tried his best to calm himself down, and then issued the first order: "Raise the flag of Apollo, sound the horns!"
Along with the sounding of the horns, the golden flag was raised to the top of the mast, fluttering in the wind.
The signal of the Apollo flag was: take the flagship as the center, and approach it, shortening the distance between the warships, which was convenient for command and defense.
Miltiades' idea at this time was: now that the fleet was full of soldiers, it was not conducive to combat, and his flagship was located closer to Selinus. After all the warships approached him, if this strange fleet really launched an attack, then he could lead the fleet back to Selinus first.
The Daonian fleet extended too far on the sea, especially the ships at the very front. The lookouts could not see the flags on the rearmost flagship, nor could they see the signals sent by the fast ships patrolling on the flanks. They could only make corresponding changes after seeing the ships behind them making tactical maneuvers. This transmission of information seemed somewhat slow at this critical moment.
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The fast ship that Secilian was riding on had already opened up a bit of distance from the entire fleet because it left the earliest. Since he had been sitting sullenly at the bow of the ship after boarding, the crew members saw that he was in a bad mood and no one dared to come forward to disturb him, so the entire ship was unusually quiet.
At this moment, his expression suddenly froze, he touched his ear, and asked the captain, who was watching the sea conditions, "Did you hear that? It sounds like horns."
The captain shook his head blankly, and then specifically pricked up his ears and listened for a while, then truthfully replied, "Sir, I didn't hear anything."
The captain's words did not reassure Secilian. He stood up, looked at the rear, and then looked up and asked, "Is there any unusual movement in the warships behind?"
After a while, the lookout at the top of the mast replied: "They haven't changed anything."
"Sir, perhaps you misheard." The captain said.
Secilian ignored him. He felt uneasy in his heart. Perhaps this unease was buried when he learned that Miltiades had the entire fleet fully loaded with soldiers without setting up escort warships, but now this feeling became stronger.
He no longer hesitated and said decisively: "Turn around and go back to take a look."
The captain complained a little in his heart about him being suspicious, but he didn't dare to express his opposition in person. After all, Secilian was a former naval commander, a victorious general, and a hero worshiped by the crew, with too high a prestige.
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Just as the Daonian warships successively turned back, this fleet was also approaching the Sicilian fleet. In Miltiades' vision, many small black dots had appeared, making him feel frightened.
At this moment, he heard the lookout's exclamation from the top of the mast: "Two yellow flags! Two yellow flags raised! It's the enemy! It's the enemy!!…"
Miltiades' last bit of luck was shattered. Now that the other warships had not completely approached, it was too late to retreat back to Selinus. Fortunately, during the waiting process, he already had a backup plan: "Sound the horns again, let each warship dock on the nearest beach, drop off the soldiers, and then return to battle!"
Of course, these later words could not be expressed in flag signals, so his flagship had to take the lead and set an example for other warships to follow. Therefore, after issuing the order, the flagship sailed straight towards the coast.
The Daonian fast ships patrolling on the southeast side of the fleet did not actually recognize the approaching fleet, but as the opponent's warships continued to approach, the formation slowly unfolded, the sails lowered, and the oars began to accelerate their strokes. This was the standard preparation process for a fleet entering battle, so there was no doubt that they were the enemy.
It turned out that this fleet did not come from Carthage, but from the Phoenician region of the eastern Mediterranean. Since the storm destroyed the Carthaginian navy, the Carthaginians had completely lost their maritime advantage. The Daonian Sicilian fleet roamed the sea, not only fully cutting off Carthage's connection with Sicily, but also beginning to threaten the maritime trade of Carthage itself. At this critical moment of life and death, while Carthage was speeding up the construction of new warships, it also thought of its motherland.