Mediterranean Hegemon of Ancient Greece

“What about Scylletium and Terina?” The scowling Kunogelata asked loudly.

“I believe Syracuse will restore the independence of these two city-states. After all, Syracuse is in Sicily and not in Magna Graecia.” Cheirisophus said without thinking.

“Independence?!” Scambras sneered, “You mean for Syracuse to support a ‘Ten Tyrants’ government as you Spartans did in the Greek city-states of Asia Minor!”

Cheirisophus' expression changed slightly.

Then Davos said, “Do you want to hear our terms?”

“Say it.” A slight nervousness arose in Cheirisophus' heart.

“As long as Syracuse withdraws from Magna Graecia-” The words of Davos made Cheirisophus rejoice. However, when he was just about to answer, he heard Davos say in an increasingly louder tone, “And give independence to Messina, Catania, Tauromenium, dissolve the Sicilian League, and above all must banish Dionysius! That is my condition, and it won't be changed! If Syracuse agrees, we will agree to a truce!”

Cheirisophus thought Davos was joking, but he saw his determined expression and the others becoming excited after hearing this.

Only silence remained in the conference hall for a few moments. Then disappointment showed in Cheirisophus' expression, “Syracuse can’t possibly accept the terms you have proposed. It seems that you Theonians are planning to carry on this war with huge consumption and numerous casualties!”

“Syracuse is the one that started this war with Dionysius leading an army to invade Magna Graecia, occupying the lands of Theonia's allies and killing the Magna Graecians like a vicious wolf breaking into our homes, and wants to leave safely after eating and drinking!” Davos stood up and said decisively, “I once promised to the people to kill all the Syracusans who invaded Magna Graecia! For this reason, all of Theonia's citizens have made up their minds to fight the Syracusans to the death!”

What Davos said shocked not only Cheirisophus but also the statesmen that are present, who were also hearing Davos speak about the succeeding plan for the war for the first time.

“Davos.” Cheirisophus hurriedly reminded him by calling his name, “I can understand your eagerness for revenge, but Syracuse is not a wolf, but a lion! If you miss this chance for peace, I am afraid that if you can't beat this lion, it will instead pounce into the house and bite everyone to death!”

A clear threat could be heard in Cheirisophus' words, but Davos only replied, “Only after the battle will we know who really is the fierce lion!”

Cheirisophus heard Davos' determination to fight Syracuse to the death, but he still wants to persuade him.

However, Davos loudly said, “In Persia, you and I fought on the same side. Now that you have come, I should have treated you well, but unfortunately…now is a time of war, and you and I are enemies, not friends! I am sorry, I can only let you leave. But once this war is over, we'll get together again once you come back!”

Knowing that his mission had failed, Cheirisophus said indifferently, “I fear that we won't see each other again…”

Davos smiled faintly and said, “On the contrary, I am certain that you will come back again!”

. . . . . . . . . . . . .

Cheirisophus remained serious and silent after they left the camp.

Once he got into the port, he boarded his ship and left the dock. But without his instructions, the captain didn't know where to go, so he had to ask loudly, “Cheirisophus, shall we go to Scylletium?”

Cheirisophus recovered from his thoughts and decisively said, “No. Let's go straight back to Sparta.”

“Go back?!” The captain was puzzled as he vaguely remembered that their mission was to stop the war between Theonia and Syracuse, and they had just gone to Theonia.

“The Theonians are arrogant who refused to make a truce and presumed that they could defeat the Syracusans. It seems that this newly established city-state union will soon disappear!” The attendant mocked loudly.

“Perhaps. And it seems that we, Spartans, can only rely on ourselves in this period.” Said Cheirisophus, but Davos's determined and confident expression kept coming to his mind, as this similar expression had appeared before the valley annihilation in Persia, Battle of the Centrites River…and many times in the meetings whenever the mercenary army encountered difficulties and conducted military discussions. Davos used this expression to convince the military leaders to adopt his advice to help the mercenaries out of trouble. This time, although Syracuse has a clear advantage on land, an uneasiness remained in his heart…

Cheirisophus stood at the stern as he watched the port of Thruii gradually fade out of his sight…

He knew in his heart that from now on, the young man who humbly asked him for advice and made him admire him was gone forever. Davos was now the king of Theonia and had become the sworn enemy of Syracuse, the enemy of Sparta, and naturally his enemy…

. . . . . . . . . . . . .

Davos led the senate statesmen to prepare the military rations, the army's training, replenishing the legions (the first and second legions have some losses after these battles). And Theonia's fleet was also busy recruiting sailors, training the newly joined ships, and formation training. The whole of Thurii is busily moving.

. . . . . . . . . . . . .

To the south of Theonia, Syracuse launched the second massive siege on Crotone.

Before they attacked the city, Dionysius left 10,000 troops in the northwest of the camp to defend against a possible raid by the Theonian army of Aprustum. At the same time, he sent all the cavalries and mercenary cavalries of Syracuse to roam in the north of the Crotonian plain and even the swampy area of Krimisa. Both to observe the movement of Thurii in the north and harass the Krimisians, preventing its defenders from sending troops to assist Crotone.

Although they had burned the pontoon bridge over the Neto River and the entire river was under the control of the Syracusan navy, making it impossible for the Theonian army to cross the river, the prudent Dionysius still had to prepare for any sudden situation. On the sea outside Crotone’s port, Leptines was on standby with more than 200 ships (including the squadron that had arrived from Messina). Dionysius gave him strict orders to hold back the Theonian fleet from reinforcing the city of Crotone.

Once everything was ready, they sounded the salpinx and beat the drums. Amidst the continuous roaring of stone projectiles hitting the city wall, the more than 70,000 Syracusan soldiers pushed dozen large siege towers, siege wagons and all kinds of large siege weapons, as well as countless long ladders, as they approached the city wall from the north, west and south.

Furthermore, Dionysius also ordered the army to escort and forced more than four thousand non-Crotonian prisoners to build an inclined ramp from outside the moat* while the Crotonians were busy preparing for the siege and had no time to take care of them. (They no longer need to build a platform for the lookout and the archers to shoot their arrows.)

Realising the urgent situation, the Crotonians made all the soldiers go to the city wall and have Theonia's ballista team on standby, with Lysias organising all the people who could wield shields and spears to be ready for reinforcements.

Then a massive, fierce and unusual siege battle began…

. . . . . . . . . . . . .

At the Praetor of Aprustum's residence, Epiphanes, the legatus of the fourth legion, asked anxiously, “Philesius, are we really not going to help Crotone?! Our brothers are holding their anger and want to avenge Dracos and our dead brothers! From the scouts' report, the Syracusans prepared fully this time and mobilised almost their whole army. If we don't give them our help, I fear that the Crotonians will have great difficulties in dealing with them!”

Philesius calmly pointed to the south and said, “Although the Syracusans went to attack Crotone, Dionysius did not forget us. They built a heavily guarded camp to block the road leading to Crotone. Do you want our two legions to suffer losses there? Moreover, we receive an order!”

Epiphanes, who could not respond, paced back and forth in the room. Then he irritably said, “I don't understand, why Lord Davos-”

Agasias interrupted him and reminded, “It's his majesty Davos now!”

“Okay, his majesty Davos.” Epiphanes shrugged his shoulders with a look of disbelief as he thought that there was no difference between an archon for life and a king, “Why his majesty Davos send the mountain reconnaissance team to order us to ‘Hold on to the city of Aprustum and not attack rashly’! We already won the naval battle, so we could have immediately sent the fleet south to repel the Syracusan fleet again and allow our army to build a pontoon bridge over the Neto River and deter the Syracusans from marching north. Furthermore, they won't dare to attack Crotone with all their strength!”

“After a great battle, the army would usually have to rest for at least four days before taking further action, which should also be true for the fleet.” Philesius defended Davos based on his own experience, “Hence our task now is to guard Aprustum, comfort the soldiers and wait for his majesty to lead the army. And since even the Syracusan navy, which we thought is impossible to defeat, has been defeated by the fleet led by his majesty, it is even more impossible for Syracuse's army to defeat the legion commanded by his majesty!”