ancient greece mediterranean ruler

Chapter 974 Capture the Dagang
Syracuse has three ports. The smallest port is on the island of Ortygia, which has only two piers and few ships.There is a small port on the north side of the isthmus connecting Ortigia Island to the city. It was the early commercial port of Syracuse. Later, with the expansion of the city area, the increase in population, and the prosperity of maritime trade, the small port was no longer enough, so it was renamed Syracuse. A large port was built.

The Great Port in a broad sense refers to the vast pocket-like bay west of the city of Syracuse, while the real Great Port is only a small part of the northeastern corner of the bay, which is two miles south of the isthmus of Ortygia Island. It was originally part of a swamp, but it was later filled in by the Syracuseans and a port was built. The freedmen and slaves who continued to pour into Syracuse and work for the port had to continue to move to Syracuse in order to have enough place to live. The westward filling of the swamp and the construction of simple houses also caused the city wall near the bay to continue to move westward. Among the many derogatory nicknames given by citizens in the city to the people in the port area, "swamp people" were the most commonly used.

Shiktas led more than 2000 soldiers and marched southwest quickly without encountering any major obstacles along the way.

In fact, Theagenis, who was defending the west city, had received urgent news from the council that "Hictas had rebelled and was attacking the council" and asked him to immediately send 2000 heavy infantry to arrive. Council, quickly suppress this rebellion and prevent the Council from being attacked.

The people in the council were indeed urgently recruiting old citizens as Siktas expected, but what he didn't expect was that military mobilization would take time, and the square was too close to the council. The council members were worried about their own safety and couldn't wait. After the new army was formed, they sent people to Theagenis, who was closest to them, for help.

The councilors described the situation as very serious. Theagenis was shocked and became very anxious. Since the fortress of Euryalus was occupied, the council sent more than 6000 soldiers (including on the walkways of the city walls on both sides). , coupled with the subsequent widespread and violent attack on the city by the Dionysian army, all the troops under Theagenis went to the city to defend. There were no extra reserve soldiers around, and they had to quickly withdraw from the troops defending the city. ,
Nearly 1000 soldiers were mobilized, which was the largest force he could squeeze out with all his efforts. For this reason, the defense strength of the entire city became even tighter.

These nearly 1000 soldiers hurried to the main city, and at this moment, Xiktas led more than 2000 soldiers to hurried to the port, and the two sides passed each other across several streets.

Sictas led the troops to the inner wall, which was a wall built by the Syracuseans to separate the people in the port area. A group of Syracuse citizen soldiers were stationed every day, and the goods in the port, foreign merchants, and If foreign sailors want to enter the main city, they must pass their inspection.People in the port area naturally have to pass through this checkpoint when going to the city, and they will inevitably be questioned. People in the port area have always believed that this is the most powerful evidence that Syracuse treats them unequally, and it also gives them an extra thorn in their hearts.

After overthrowing Dionysius, Theisitis and others once made a suggestion to Herolis to "dismantling this inner wall" on this matter. Herolis did not agree, but he agreed that the soldiers stationed on the inner wall should be However, after the death of Herolis, the council once again replaced the soldiers stationed on the inner wall with citizens of the city. This inner wall actually became an irremovable barrier between the people of the port area and the citizens of the city.

Since this inner wall is mainly aimed at the port area and plays the role of isolation and interrogation, it is not built as tall and strong as the outer city wall. After Hiktas led the team to arrive, he did not speak to the team officers here at all. Directly order the soldiers to climb to the top of the city from several stone stairs on the inside of the city wall, and at the same time order other soldiers to throw javelins at the defenders at the top of the city.

The number of soldiers usually stationed here is 20. After Theagenis sent reinforcements to the council, he also thought of the importance of this place. However, he was really short of troops and only sent 150 soldiers. He originally thought that Sitaxus After the attacking council was defeated, the inner wall could cut off their retreat to the port, and the subsequent pursuers could surround them and eliminate them. However, he did not expect that Sitaxus did not attack the council at all, but returned directly. At the port, the 150 defenders were quickly defeated under the full attack of more than 2000 people.

Sitaxus led his troops through the inner wall and entered the port area.While he asked Samoratis to take someone to tell the people in the port area: He has decided to join the Kingdom of Dionia, hoping to get their support, and make all defensive preparations to deal with the possible upcoming Syracuse Army attack.

At the same time, he led the main force straight to the military port.

The military port is located not far to the north of the commercial port. It has been expanded many times. In the late reign of Dionysius, it could accommodate 500 three-layer oar warships and 3 crew members.But now there are only 10 warships moored in the military port (including 50 three-layer oar warships). There are about 30 people in the military port, most of whom are from the people in the port area, and nearly half of these crew members are from the port area. They are poor free people, and a very small number of them come from urban areas. They are port defenders, captains, and deck soldiers...

Since we are in the middle of a war, the council requires that the fleet crew must gather at the military port early every morning, then take their positions on the warship, and be ready to attack at any time as soon as there is an order.

However, there are only more than 100 defenders in the port city. Even if the soldiers on the ships are included, the total number does not exceed 400. They can ensure the security of the military port and command the warships. That is because in the past, the people in the port area basically abide by the rules. Lacuza Law.

Now, Hiktas led the army to the outside of the military port. Without saying a word, he directly ordered the soldiers to forcibly attack, and also arranged for some people to shout into the military port: "Brothers in the port area, you don't have to worry about fighting against the powerful Dai. The Ionian fleet is at war. General Xiktas has led us to join the Kingdom of Dionia. Quickly pick up the weapons in your hands and occupy this naval port with us, then become a citizen of Dioria and obtain fertile land !..."

Since half of the Siracusa sailors are made up of free folk, they are easily infiltrated by the Dionian Sicilian intelligence service. These spies often preach among the sailors "the terror of the Dionian navy and the enjoyment of free folk after joining the kingdom." "Benefits" makes sailors love and fear Dionia. Since Syracuse tore up the agreement, formed an alliance with Carthage, and went to war with Dionia, the navy initially avoided the war because the council wanted to preserve its strength. , later, at the strong request of Carthage, the Syracuse Navy did not go out to sea for cruise, but after discovering the Dionian warship from a distance, even if the commander wanted to try a battle, the sailors had no fighting spirit. , using various methods to delay execution, so so far, the Syracuse Navy has not fought against the Dionian fleet, nor has it attacked a Dionian ship.

Now, the sailors heard the shouts of the familiar soldiers outside the military port. Under the leadership of the Dionysian spies, they picked up the wooden oars and took out the daggers, swarmed up, and quickly defeated the captain and the captain on the warship. The deck soldiers then jumped off the ship and rushed towards the naval port defenders who were struggling to defend against the attack of Shiktas at the door.

Hiktas occupied the military port, and he didn't feel relaxed. He knew that the council would send troops soon, and the time was very tight, so he solemnly said to Artemis: "I have done what you want me to do. , I will need your help next!"

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A hundred meters away from the west gate of Syracuse, Leotizides, fully dressed in military uniform, stood facing the city wall like a sculpture. The battle had lasted for 4 hours, and the sun had risen to the middle of the sky. He was basically standing there. Here, he didn't move much, concentrating on the battle in front of him.Soldiers who fell from ladders, soldiers who were hit by rocks and wood under the city, siege engines set on fire by rockets, and soldiers trapped in siege towers continued to scream... but none of them... What made his face frozen by the frost move was that his adjutant Taglu had been worried about the fierce battle.

At this time, a messenger rushed from the front, and Taglu rushed to meet him. After a while, he rushed to Leotizides and said: "Sir Commander, the first captain of the Seventh Army, An Fiddes said, 'The siege force he led suffered too many casualties, and he hoped to withdraw immediately and let the next wave of troops take over.'"

Leotizides said without hesitation: "Tell him, 'Don't retreat, let me continue to attack with all my strength, otherwise you will be punished by military law!'"

Upon hearing this, Taglu hesitated and said, "Commander, they are the 7th Army Corps——"

"What happened to the Seventh Army?!" Leoticides's face darkened: "As the commander, I treat the Seventh Army and the Eighth Army the same. In the last wave of offensive, the Eighth Army persisted in fighting for two days. For more than an hour, it was really unsustainable, so I switched to the Seventh Legion. How long have they been fighting?"

"About... more than an hour." Faced with Leotizides' sharp gaze, Taglu whispered.

"It's only been more than an hour. The soldiers of the Eighth Legion who retreated haven't gotten enough rest yet. Let them continue fighting for another hour." Leotizides said coldly.

"Yes!" Taglu was about to inform the messenger when he heard Leotizides say: "Logically, the Seventh Legion should be able to fight longer."

"Eh?"

"Have you noticed that the defenses of the Syracuseans are weakening?" Leotizides looked at the battle ahead, not so much asking for Taglu's opinion, but rather analyzing to himself. : "During this period of time, as far as I can see, our soldiers have climbed to the top of the city twice through ladders and persisted at the top of the city for at least 5 minutes before being driven down. At this time yesterday, This situation has never happened before; and...our light infantry standing on several mobile towers have not been replaced so far. At this time yesterday, they had been replaced twice. What does this mean?"

Leotizides's voice suddenly became louder: "It means that the defense capabilities of the Syracusans are weaker than yesterday. They must have mobilized a lot of soldiers to recapture the Euryalus Fortress, so the city was The defense force is not enough.”

(End of this chapter)