ancient greece mediterranean ruler

Chapter 221 Peace Talk
He looked around at the other three people and said, "I've got two news, one good and one bad, which one do you want to hear first?"

"Hear the bad news first," Drax said first.

"This morning, the grain transport team returning to Thurii was attacked by 300 sailors from Crotone not far from the swamp. The free people guarding the baggage were temporarily unprepared, causing 50 casualties and the loss of pack animals. Quite a few. Before our soldiers arrived, the enemy had fled back to the ship anchored on the coast..." Davos read aloud.

"300 people?! The number of Crotones participating in the attack will increase again, and they will become more and more courageous! I remember there is our garrison near the swamp!" Capps said in surprise.

"Maybe it's because of this that the guards lost their vigilance." Davos said with a serious expression: "We must learn from this lesson to ensure that we will not do it again in the future!"

Capps and Dracos clenched their fists and nodded vigorously.

"What's hateful is that we don't have a fleet, otherwise how could the Crotones easily attack our villages and kill our people in our territory easily!" Drax said angrily.

In this regard, everyone is helpless. After all, Dionia is a new alliance that has been established for less than a year. The navy is not like the army. As long as there are people, weapons, and strict training, it can be sent to the battlefield in a few months.To build a naval warship, especially the main warship - the trireme, even if it is accelerated, it will take at least three months to launch. It will also require nearly two hundred sailors, experienced helmsmen... and so on. After training, running in, and then becoming proficient in operating the warship, it will still take several months to form combat effectiveness.Therefore, the navy is an expensive branch that consumes time, money, and manpower. Small city-states cannot afford it. With the current strength of the Dionia Alliance, money and manpower are not big problems. What is most lacking is time. .After this war with Crotone, Davers has secretly listed "establishing a navy" as the top priority for the next development of the alliance.

"Lord Davos, what's the good news?" Avinogis asked.

Davos smiled slightly: "Locri has sent troops to attack Corunnia! Just like what you said, under such a situation, Crotone may consider negotiating with us again. If it still doesn't move - "Davos's voice suddenly became as cold as the cold wind: "I ordered Hieronymus to send troops across the Tachinadi River and destroy the farmland, villages, canals outside Crotone, etc. All facilities are available to force the Crotones to come to negotiate!”

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

In the early morning of the next day, Lysias and Sisprotus walked into the central army tent in Dionysia.

Davos looked at them and said with a smile: "Lord Lysias, I said we would meet again, but I didn't expect it to come true so soon."

Lysias ignored Davos's teasing and said with a serious expression: "Lord Davos, the Crotone Council discussed the terms of negotiation you proposed last time and agreed to abandon Crimesa and hand it over to Davos. Onia, and is willing to pay a certain amount of money to promote peace! As for the dissolution of the Crotone League-"

Lysias paused for a moment, thinking about how to use language to better convince Davos, but Sisprotus answered: "The council agreed in principle to dissolve the alliance, but now Locri is attacking Corunni. Asia, based on the hundreds of years of deep friendship between Coronia and Crotone, Crotone must provide assistance to Coronia, and having the identity of the leader of the alliance will help Crotone summon citizens, form an army, and reinforce Colonia, repel Locle... After we repel them, we will... disband... Sisprotus suddenly choked up and couldn't speak anymore. Crotone's century-old hegemony in Magna Graecia, that The ancestors of the Crotone people worked hard, worked hard, and laid the foundation with bloody battles. Now it was about to be wasted... How could he not be excited and unable to control himself?

Lysias, who originally complained that Sisprotus revealed all his cards to the opponent as soon as he came up, was completely stupid, was also filled with sadness at this moment.

"Crotone doesn't need to dissolve the alliance!" The first words of Davos's mouth were beyond their expectations.

Davos looked at the surprised expressions of the two and continued: "Even Dionia can immediately release the tens of thousands of captured Crotone citizens!"

Lysias and Thesprotus looked at each other, unable to believe their ears.

"But I have a condition." Davos said slowly: "Dionia has not yet had the habit of returning what she has received."

Lysias responded quickly: "You mean... Asprostum?"

Davos smiled: "It's more than just this."

He walked to the map, stretched out his finger and pointed at a place: "Our Dionia army has begun to set up camp here!"

Lysias stepped forward to take a look and couldn't help but gasped: "You still want the land on the north bank of the Neto River?!"

"It's not what I want, but the conditions that must be met if I want Dionia to have peace talks!" Daves said sternly: "Crotone is aggressive and launched two attacks on Thurii and Dai In the war of the Oonian Alliance, we burned Thurii, plundered wealth, and wantonly massacred the Dionian people. Driven by the goddess of revenge, we carried out a brave counterattack. The blessing of Hades allowed us to successfully obtain a victory. Victory after victory. The confidence of the people of Dionia is high. They wish that Crotone would also suffer the pain of being burned! Without rich spoils, our people will never agree to peace talks with you! Already Many people suggested that these more than 1 prisoners should be sent to mine, just like Syracuse did with the Athenian prisoners!"

Davos' solemn tone made Sisprotus' hair stand on end. Of course he knew what happened to the captured expeditionary soldiers in Athens. He said in a trembling voice: "Asprostum plus Neto River North The land on the shore, which accounts for almost one-third of Crotone's territory, if all is given to Dioria, what will happen to so many Crotone people who originally lived on these lands?! The council is Impossible to agree!"

"These two wars probably cost Crotone and Asprostum the lives of no less than [-] citizens, and the land must have been abandoned a lot. Move the people to the city of Crotone to enrich their manpower. , redistributing the land that lacks labor, I think this is just a good way to reorganize Crotone, while reaching peace with Dionia, and allowing the returning Crotone citizens to form an army again to help examine Lennia, defeating Lockley is a good thing!" Davos said solemnly.

His words seemed to have some kind of temptation, which made Sisprotis couldn't help but want to nod. He subconsciously looked at Lysias. Lysias shook his head slightly. Sisprotis opened his mouth, but did not speak. Silence fell immediately.

"Of course you can also go back and discuss it slowly. I'm not in a hurry. Maybe, in a few days, it won't be you who stand in front of me, but Locke. As long as we can cooperate with Dionia, I think Locke We won't care how much land in Crotone is divided." Davos said slowly, with an indifferent expression.

Lysias and Sisprotis felt cold all over, and Sisprotis said hurriedly: "Dear Lord Davos, all the land on the north bank of the Neto River is handed over to Dionia. This is indeed... ...It is indeed difficult for the council to agree to this, but part of the land...I think it can be allocated to you...We can discuss the specific amount. As for Asprostum——"

When Davers heard this, he interrupted him unceremoniously: "Asprustum must be controlled by Dionia, this is not negotiable! To avoid Crotone breaking his promise again, tearing up the agreement, launching war!"

Thesprotes stood awkwardly, not knowing what to say.

Lysias sighed deeply in his heart. Theisprotus's easy compromise and performance of incompetence and weakness left him speechless, but this was the choice of the council!In fact, Lysias also understood that Crotone had been completely passive as the war progressed.Even if he is confident that Dionia's army will not be able to break through the strong city of Crotone, and will even be able to force Dionia to retreat in the end, but so what!Farmland, villages, and town facilities have been destroyed, and there is a lack of young and middle-aged citizens. It will be a long process for Crotone to return to its previous prosperity.But the grim situation did not allow Crotone to have the luxury of time, and the panicked people did not have the determination to fight to the end.Therefore, the best choice for the council was to compromise in exchange for peace and reduce losses in preparation for future revival.

After thinking about this, Lysias no longer hesitated: "Asproustom is the northern barrier of Crotone. If it falls into the hands of the enemy, it will only make the people of Crotone feel more uneasy. I think even if the Council agrees, the Citizens' Assembly will oppose it!"

"So, you rejected Dionia's peace negotiation conditions." Davos looked at Lysias with a stiff tone.

Sisprotes tugged at Lysias' clothes anxiously, and Lysias said calmly: "The people of Crotone object to the enemy's possession of Asprostum, but they may not necessarily object. It’s occupied by allies.”

"Ally?!" Davos, who had always been calm and calm and controlled the pace of negotiations, also seemed a little surprised.

"That's right!" Lysias raised his head and said loudly: "As long as Dionia and Crotone form an alliance, Asprostum and part of the land on the north bank of the Neto River will be handed over to Dionia. Oniya is not a big problem.”

　Thanks to book friend 3*****53 for the reward!Your support is my biggest motivation for writing! !

　　
　
(End of this chapter)