ancient greece mediterranean ruler

Chapter 271 Dionia who keeps her promise

Davos leaned back in the chair, stopped talking, and grief instantly enveloped him... In this era, Davos has never stopped fighting, and he has long been used to life and death, even if he has shared adversity The mercenary soldiers fell in front of him, which hardly caused ripples in his heart.But when he learned the news today, he lost his composure...

In fact, Archita didn't get along with him for long, but they fell in love at first sight back then.This gentle and elegant Tarantum nobleman, who is seven or eight years older than Davos, is like a generous big brother and has helped Davos many times.When Davos was still unknown, Archita, as the senator of Tarantum and the general who went on the expedition, had no complaints about helping him repel the Lucanians; after Davos captured Amendolara, Archita Not only was Tower not dissatisfied with Davos's deception, but he also actively asked Tarantum to form an alliance with Amendolara, and at the same time persuaded Davos not to seize power by violent means. The reason why the Dionian Alliance was able to develop so quickly , somewhat thanks to his advice; although the relationship between Tarentum and Dionia later began to become estranged, Archita was still actively working for the friendship between the two states, which made it possible for the port of Thurii to be blocked by Crotone. , you can still buy food from Tarantum...

Davos was immersed in memories, his eyes began to moisten, he took a long breath suddenly, and with a solemn expression, Polydorus said loudly: "Dionia is an ally of Tarantum, who helps the allies repel the enemy. The invasion is Dionia's responsibility, and I will immediately apply for a Senate meeting! I firmly believe that all Dionia Senate senators will agree without hesitation to send troops to rescue our friendly allies!"

Polydorus was determined: Umarchus was right, the relationship between Archita and Davos was extraordinary. It is said that the Senate of Dionia was controlled by Davos alone. With his permission in advance, there is no problem in asking for help this time!
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When Polydorus told the senators about Tarantum's request in the Senate Chamber, there was almost no objection due to Davos's stance.

Most of the elders from Amendolara and Thurii still remember Tarantum's help during their most difficult times.Kunogorata and others said: Keeping promises has always been the principle believed by the Dionia people. Dionia is already a powerful alliance of Magna Greece and should have the courage to assume the responsibility of defending the Greek city-states in South Italy and show the surrounding city-states Our sincerity!

These words touched the hearts of everyone, and the Senate unanimously passed the resolution of "sending reinforcements to rescue Tarantum", but there was a dispute over the number of troops sent.

Some elders, led by Cornelus and Burcos, believed that the autumn harvest season in September was coming soon. If too many young laborers were mobilized to join the war, even with the help of slaves, the harvesting of the fields would still be greatly affected. Impact, it is recommended that the number of people sent should not exceed one legion at most.

A small number of Turui elders headed by Polluxes believed that the Dionysian Alliance had fought too many wars in the past two years, and the people were tired and in urgent need of recuperation.What's more, Tarantum has the help of Metapontum and Heraclea, and its army's strength has not been greatly weakened. Dionia only needs to send 4000 people to show our sincerity.

Military veterans such as Antonios and Capos raised objections. They believed that after the Messapian and Pucheti people united, they were powerful. If Dionia sent too few reinforcements, they would not be able to help Taran. The Tumu people quickly ended the war.The long duration of the war affected the return of Dionian reinforcements and caused dissatisfaction among the people.And only by sending more people can we take the initiative in the war and avoid being randomly arranged by Tarantum, causing the soldiers to die in vain...

They suggested that it would be better to send two legions to Tarantum.

The opinions of the military elders convinced most of the elders, but the huge number of 14000 people in the two legions still made the elders hesitate, and finally everyone gave the decision to Davos.

Davos certainly agreed with Antonios and the others. He said: "Now that we have agreed to send reinforcements, we must show Dionia's sincerity and courage as an ally of Tarantum to the greatest extent. The two legions plus Tarantum With the assistance of Lantum and its affiliated allied troops, we should be able to quickly repel the enemy, allowing the citizens to return as soon as possible to take care of their farms..."

When Davos spoke, he consciously or unconsciously placed Dionia's army as the main force, completely forgetting that he was just a guest army when he arrived at Tarantum.No one among the elders felt strange, but took it for granted.

Merses didn't have to worry about sending troops this time.When Polydorus learned that Dioria actually sent a huge team of 14000 people, he was overjoyed and repeatedly told Davos: "Of course, Tarantum will provide the food and supplies for the Diorian reinforcements." !”

The Agricultural Affairs Department of Burcos had to be busy to ensure that the farm of each soldier on the expedition could be well taken care of when the owner left.

Grumentum, Crimea, and Asprustum have just been annexed, so it is not easy to send troops to fight.As Dionia's most stable rear in the Lucania region, Niutum also shoulders the responsibility of sending troops to stabilize Grumentum at any time. Unless there are special circumstances, citizens of the city will not be sent to the tower. Lantum.Therefore, the citizens that Davos chose to go on an expedition were all in Turiyi and Amendolara, two cities that were very close to each other, where the First and Second Legions were based.In this way, it also saves time and energy for Burkos's farmland supervision.

At the same time, the Senate began to recall soldiers belonging to the First and Second Legions who were about to go to Corinth to participate in the Isthmian Games.

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The Isthmian Games are one of the four major sports games in Greece. They are held in the summer and autumn of the second year of the Olympia Games. They are a celebration to worship Poseidon, the god of the sea.

Davos didn't know much about this at first. It was Crotone's chief general Lysias who lamented the excitement of the Dionia rugby game when he bid farewell to him after the Hades celebration, and inadvertently mentioned Crotone. Davers was interested in the fact that Tone was about to line up for the Isthmian Games.

Nowadays, the mercenaries led by Davos have not only taken root in Magna Graecia, but the Dionysian Alliance he founded is also one of the most powerful alliances in Magna Greece, not to mention the powerful Sybaris a hundred years ago. .But the deeds of Dionia are still heard by many people in Sicily, but from Sicily eastward to the mainland of Greece, it is basically unknown, and then it is even more unknown to the Ionian islands in the Aegean Sea. Forget about the Greek states in Asia Minor.

With Dionia's current strength having passed the dormant stage, it needs to strengthen its ties with the Greek city-states in the Eastern Mediterranean. Whether it is increasing trade or attracting free people, it will be of great benefit. Therefore, Davos proposed " The proposal to organize athletes to participate in the Isthmian Games received enthusiastic response from the elders.

The enthusiasm of the Greek city-states in the Western Mediterranean to participate in the four major Greek games is no less than that of the native Greek people, and they are much more active than the city-states in Asia Minor. The main reasons for this are: first, the four major sports games are not held in the Peloponnese. The Nyssa Peninsula, near the Gulf of Corinth, is geographically closer to Magna Graecia and Sicily, and far away from Asia Minor. Secondly, these colonial city-states in the Western Mediterranean are strategically located, with fertile land and rich minerals, so most of them are relatively wealthy, far more than The mother-state of Greece usually has no chance to compare. The Games became a stage for the "tycoons of city-states" in the Western Mediterranean to show off their luxury. They donated a large amount of gold and silver to the sacred treasury of the temple of the Games, held large banquets, and entertained athletes from various city-states... ...and so on. The people in Greece who lived a simple life were dumbfounded. Out of jealousy, they ridiculed the Greeks in the Western Mediterranean as "poor people who have nothing but gold and silver."

The Greeks in the Western Mediterranean did not only show off their wealth at sports games, their achievements in sports games were also very impressive.Crotone is famous for its professional championships in major sports games, and Syracuse is another one. Athletes from Tarantum, Locri, and Agrigento have all won many championships. Subaris, the former picture Li Yi and Naples have also achieved excellent results in sports meets.They are keen to show the mother states of Greece through sports games that although they are only colonists or descendants of colonists, their achievements are far better than the citizens of the mother states.

Davos's proposal merely inherited the glorious tradition of the Magna Greeks.

After the announcement of participating in the Games was announced in various cities, citizens of Dionia enthusiastically signed up, forcing the alliance to hold a trial. In the end, ten people were qualified to compete in Corinth, including: Tagetinos participated in wrestling competition, Matonis participating in the javelin competition, Amyntas signing up for the "armed long-distance running", Sobokos's carriage competition... Now they all must return to the first and second legions to prepare for the expedition to Tarentum.

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Although the Dionysian Alliance stopped the war, it has only been a few months, and the enemy they are about to face is quite powerful, but it has not affected the enthusiasm of the citizens to go to war. In addition to the war allowing them to accumulate merit and obtain citizenship or land, Ha The establishment of the Hall of Valor and the Temple of the Philosophers in the Temple of Dis also greatly stimulated their pursuit of honor.

While the citizens of Thurii and Amendolara were actively preparing for the expedition to Tarantum, in the consul's mansion, Davos, the military officer Felicius, the two legion commanders Capus and De Lacos was listening carefully to the detailed introduction of the Tarantum envoy Polydorus to the two major forces in Apulia, Mesapi and Pucheti: "I think several adults have heard of a story that has been circulated for a long time. s story……"

　Thanks to Little Carpenter Mijie, Don’t Wait to Farewell, Kong Beiqie, and Master Zhuoshan for their rewards!Your support is my biggest motivation for writing! !

　　
　
(End of this chapter)