I was a priest in the city-state era

Chapter 32

The city of Knossos is located in the east-central part of Crete.

It is the most powerful, richest and most populous city-state in Crete, and has accumulated a lot of wealth by becoming a trading hub in the Eastern Mediterranean.

Minos, the king of Knossos, also knew that the foundation of Knossos's prosperity is trade, so he established a navy to protect the safety of the waterways in the waters around Crete, and established a fair trade in Knossos system, attracting more merchants to come to Knossos for trade.

When Roy's fleet entered the trading port of Knossos City, they saw hundreds of large and small ships coming in and out of the port, as if a scene of prosperous trade.

On the artificial pier of the trading port, there are not only thousands of sailors busy loading and unloading goods, but also heavily armed Knossos soldiers patrolling back and forth.

After Roy's fleet came to an artificial pier to anchor, a group of Knossos soldiers immediately came over and shouted.

"Who is the master of your fleet?"

Roy jumped from the flagship to the pier and said to the Knossos soldiers.

"I am the master of the fleet."

The man who looked like a soldier captain took out a bronze plaque and said to Roy.

"New ships have to pay taxes to King Knossos when they enter the port! We will board the ship to inspect your goods, and take away one-twentieth of the goods or items of equivalent value as your commercial tax. If you If you are willing to pay taxes, you will accept this sign as a proof of your tax payment. If you are unwilling to pay taxes, then please go back the same way and leave our port."

At this time, Pallas, the captain of the personal guard, also jumped onto the pier.

Hearing that the Knossos people said that they would take away one-twentieth of the goods as a commercial tax, the guard captain Pallas couldn't help but said.

"What do you mean by paying taxes? You took away one-twentieth of our goods with one sentence. Are you robbing?"

The Knossos soldier captain immediately taunted.

"Where do you natives come from? You don't even know about business taxes. Our city of Knossos provides you with a safe trading environment. It is only natural for you to pay taxes to King Knossos. If you don't want to pay taxes , we will not force you to pay taxes, we will just drive you out."

"Captain Pallas, don't speak for now."

Glaring at Captain Pallas with a dissatisfied look, Roy turned his head and said to the Knossos soldier captain.

"We agree to pay the tax, and you can go on board to inspect our goods now. The goods we brought for trade are a hundred cans of olive oil, all of which are placed in the hold of the ship."

Unexpectedly, Roy cooperated so well. The captain of the Knossos soldiers looked at Roy in surprise, and then waved to let the soldiers behind him board the ship to check the goods.

Ten Knossos soldiers boarded ten cargo ships respectively, checked the cabins, and returned to the soldier captain to report the results.

Confirming that Roy's cargo is a hundred cans of olive oil, the captain of the Knossos soldiers said to Roy.

"Now we are going to confiscate your five cans of olive oil, and if you agree, you will receive the tax card."

Roy took the bronze tax card directly and said with a smile on his face.

"Take five jars of olive oil with you, please!"

After the captain of the Knossos soldiers and his soldiers left with five jars of olive oil, Roy explained to Pallas, the captain of the guard.

"Captain Pallas! Although you may find it unreasonable, we should pay taxes to the people of Knossos. In the future, we Athens will develop the port of Piraeus into a trading port, and we will also pay taxes to enter Piraeus. Merchant tax is imposed on cargo ships in the port of Vis."

The captain of the bodyguard Pallas lowered his head and said.

"I was too impulsive just now, because this is the first time I heard that trade needs to pay taxes. In the past, the Phoenicians traded with us Athenians, and they would not pay taxes to us Athenians at all."

Roy rolled his eyes and complained in his heart.

In the past, the Athenians did not have the ability to trade in the open sea, so the Athenians begged the Phoenicians to trade.

Not only could the Athenians not be able to collect commercial taxes from the Phoenicians, but they also had to endure economic exploitation by the Phoenicians at unfair prices.

Aries came to Roy at this time and asked curiously.

"My lord priest, how do we find the grain merchant next?"

Roy turned his head and glanced at the city behind the port, and then said to the guard captain Pallas.

"Captain Pallas! Now I plan to take the white sheep into the city of Knossos to find merchants who can trade food. You have to manage our ships and sailors to ensure that no accidents occur."

Captain Pallas nodded and said.

"My lord priest! I guarantee with my life that no accident will happen."

Just as Roy walked out of the port that smelled of sailor sweat with the white sheep, a Knossos man in sackcloth clothes and straw sandals came to Roy and said with a warm smile on his face.

"Dear strangers, do you need a guide? If you hire me to guide you, you can save time and directly find merchants who can trade with you."

Roy stopped, looked at the other party suspiciously and said.

"Can you show us the way?"

"I am Kalon from Knossos, one of the famous guides at the port. Whether you want to trade grain or bronze wares, I can directly lead you to the big merchants who sell grain and bronze wares. And the reward I ask for Not much, you just need to give me a hundred catties of grain."

After listening to the words of the guide Caron, Aries couldn't help but said.

"I don't think the city of Knossos is very big. It will take you at most an hour to lead us. But the reward you ask for is a hundred catties of grain. Do you know that we risked everything for a hundred catties of grain?" life-threatening—"

Before Aries could finish speaking, Roy raised his hand to interrupt him, and said to the guide Caron.

"Guide Karon! We came to Knossos to buy food, so we can't give you a hundred catties of food as your reward."

"Then what are your goods? You can give me goods whose value is equivalent to one hundred catties of grain.

"The goods we brought are a hundred cans of olive oil, and one can is ten catties of olive oil."

"olive oil--"

The guide Caron thought for a moment and said.

"Then give me two cans of olive oil as payment for hiring me."

[-] cans of olive oil -

Could it be that in the city of Knossos, twenty catties of olive oil were exchanged for one hundred catties of grain?

Roy recorded this important information in his heart, and then said to the guide Caron.

"Okay! I agree to hire you with two cans of olive oil. As long as you take us to the grain merchant, I will give you two cans of olive oil as agreed."

Hearing Roy's promise, the guide Karon immediately pointed to a gorgeous stone house not far from the port and said.

"Dear stranger! Lord Eteo who lives in that house is one of the big grain merchants in Knossos. I will take you to see Lord Eteo now."

Uh--

Looking at the gorgeous stone house only a few hundred meters away from him, Roy's eyes widened in surprise.

It seems that Karon, the guide, earned a hundred catties of grain from himself in less than 5 minutes.

But for Roy, it is not a disadvantage to know that twenty catties of olive oil can be exchanged for one hundred catties of grain.

(End of this chapter)