Davos leaned back in his chair, silent, as grief instantly enveloped him… Since arriving in this era, Davos had never stopped fighting. He was long accustomed to life and death. Even when mercenary soldiers who had shared hardships with him fell before his eyes, it was difficult to stir any ripples in his heart. But upon receiving this news today, he lost his composure…
In truth, Archytas hadn't spent much time with him, but the two had hit it off immediately. This refined Tarentine nobleman, seven or eight years older than Davos, was like a generous older brother, offering Davos help on many occasions. When Davos was still unknown, Archytas, as a Tarentine elder and a general on campaign, had no complaints about assisting him in repelling the Lucanians. After Davos seized Amendolara, Archytas not only didn't resent Davos's deception, but also actively and proactively sought an alliance between Tarentum and Amendolara. At the same time, he advised Davos not to seize power through violence. The Daonian League's subsequent rapid development was, to some extent, thanks to his advice. Although Tarentum and Daonia later began to drift apart, Archytas continued to actively work towards friendship between the two states, ensuring that grain could still be purchased from Tarentum when the port of Thurii was blockaded by Croton…
Immersed in memories, Davos's eyes began to moisten. He suddenly took a deep breath and solemnly said to Polydorus in a loud voice, "Daonia is an ally of Tarentum. It is Daonia's responsibility to help its allies repel enemy invasions. I will immediately request a meeting of the Senate! I firmly believe that all Daonian senators will unhesitatingly agree to send troops to rescue our friendly ally!"
Polydorus was greatly relieved. Eumachus was right; the relationship between Archytas and Davos was extraordinary. It was said that the Daonian Senate was Davos's personal Senate, and having obtained his permission in advance meant that this request for aid was already secured!
… … … … … … … …
When Polydorus presented Tarentum's request to the senators in the Senate's Grand Council Hall, with Davos's endorsement, almost no one objected.
Most of the senators from Amendolara and Thurii still remembered the help Tarentum had provided during their most difficult times. Cunograta and others stated: Upholding promises has always been a principle of the Daonians. Daonia is now a powerful league in Magna Graecia and should bravely take on the responsibility of defending the Greek city-states of southern Italy, demonstrating our sincerity to the surrounding city-states!
These words resonated with everyone. The Senate unanimously passed the resolution to "send reinforcements and rescue Tarentum," but there was disagreement on the number of troops to send.
Some senators, led by Cornelius and Burcus, argued that the autumn harvest season was approaching in September. If too many young and strong laborers were drawn into the war at once, even with the assistance of slaves, the harvest would still be greatly affected. They suggested that the number of troops sent should not exceed one legion.
A small number of Thurii senators, led by Poluxis, believed that the Daonian League had been involved in too many wars in the past two years and the people needed rest. Moreover, with the help of Metapontum and Heraclea, Tarentum's military strength had not been greatly weakened. Daonia only needed to send three or four thousand men to show our sincerity.
Military senators, such as Antonios and Capus, raised objections. They argued that the combined forces of the Messapians and Peucetians were powerful. If Daonia sent too few reinforcements, it would be impossible to help the Tarentines quickly end the war. A prolonged war would, on the contrary, affect the return of Daonian reinforcements and arouse public discontent. Moreover, sending a large number of troops would allow us to take the initiative in the war, avoiding being haphazardly arranged by the Tarentines, leading to the unnecessary sacrifice of soldiers…
They suggested that it would be best to send two legions to Tarentum.
The military senators' opinions convinced most of the senators, but the large number of two legions, totaling 14,000 men, still made the senators hesitate. In the end, everyone entrusted the decision to Davos.
Davos, of course, agreed with Antonios and the others. He said, "Since we have already agreed to send reinforcements, then we must maximize the demonstration of Daonia's sincerity and courage as an ally of Tarentum. With the assistance of two legions, Tarentum, and its affiliated allies, we should be able to quickly defeat the enemy, so that our citizens can return to their farms as soon as possible…"
As Davos spoke, he unconsciously placed the Daonian army in the position of the main force, completely forgetting that he was only a guest army in Tarentum. But none of the senators felt it was strange; on the contrary, they thought it was only natural.
Melsis no longer had to worry about this expedition. When Polydorus learned that Daolia was actually sending a massive force of 14,000 men, he was overjoyed and repeatedly told Davos, "The Daonian reinforcements' military rations and supplies will, of course, be provided by Tarentum!"
Burcus's Department of Agriculture would have to work hard to ensure that each departing soldier's farm could still be well taken care of in the owner's absence.
Grumetum, Crimisa, and Asprustum had only recently joined and were not suitable for sending troops to fight. Nium, as Daonia's most stable rear area in Lucania, also bore the responsibility of sending troops to stabilize Grumentum at any time. Unless there were special circumstances, citizens from that city would not be sent far away to Tarentum. Therefore, Davos chose citizens for the expedition from Thurii and Amendolara, two very close cities, which were also the garrisons of the First and Second Legions. This would also save Burcus's farmland supervision work time and effort.
At the same time, the Senate began to recall soldiers belonging to the First and Second Legions who were about to travel to Corinth to participate in the Isthmian Games.
… … … … … … … … …
The Isthmian Games were one of the four major games of Greece, held regularly in the summer and autumn of the second year of the Olympic Games, and were a celebration of the sea god Poseidon.
Davos didn't originally know much about this. It was Croton's chief general, Lysias, who, after the Hades Festival, when he bid farewell to him, lamented the splendor of the Daonian olive ball games, and unintentionally mentioned Croton's imminent queuing to participate in the Isthmian Games, which caught Davos's attention.
Now, the mercenary army led by Davos had not only taken root in Magna Graecia, but the Daonian League he created was already one of the most powerful leagues in Magna Graecia, comparable to the powerful Sybaris of a hundred years ago. But Daonia's deeds were still heard by many people in Sicily, but from Sicily eastward to the Greek mainland, it was basically unknown. Further east to the Ionian Islands in the Aegean Sea, it was even more obscure, not to mention the Greek states of Asia Minor.
With Daonia's current strength, it had passed the stage of hibernation. It needed to strengthen ties with the Greek city-states of the eastern Mediterranean, whether it was to increase trade or attract freemen, which would be very beneficial. Therefore, Davos proposed the suggestion of "organizing athletes to participate in the Isthmian Games" in the Senate, which received a warm response from the senators.
The enthusiasm of the Greek city-states of the western Mediterranean in participating in the four major games of Greece was no less than that of the people of mainland Greece, and it was far more active than the states of Asia Minor. The main reasons for this were: First, the venues for the four major games were either on the Peloponnese Peninsula or near the Gulf of Corinth, geographically closer to Magna Graecia and Sicily, and far from Asia Minor; second, these colonial city-states of the western Mediterranean had superior geographical locations, fertile land, and abundant mineral resources, so most of them were relatively wealthy, far exceeding the mother states of mainland Greece. Usually, there was no opportunity to compare, and the games became a stage for these "city-state nouveau riches" of the western Mediterranean to flaunt their wealth, donating large amounts of gold and silver to the temples and sacred treasuries of the games, holding large banquets, inviting athletes from various city-states… and so on, making the frugal people of mainland Greece gape in astonishment, and out of jealousy, they ridiculed the Greeks of the western Mediterranean as "pitiful people who have nothing but gold and silver."
The Greeks of the western Mediterranean were not only good at flaunting their wealth at the games, but their achievements at the games were also very remarkable. Croton was a famous professional champion of various major games, Syracuse was another, and athletes from Tarentum, Locri, and Agrigentum had also won many championships. Sybaris, former Thurii, and Naples had also achieved excellent results at the games. They were keen to show their mother states in mainland Greece through the games that, although they were only colonists or descendants of colonists, their achievements far surpassed those of the citizens of the mother states.
Davos's proposal was merely inheriting the glorious tradition of the Magna Graecians.
After the announcement of participation in the games was made in various cities, Daonian citizens enthusiastically signed up, forcing the League to hold a selection competition. In the end, ten people qualified to travel to Corinth to participate, including: Tigetinos to compete in wrestling, Matonis to participate in javelin, Amyntas registered for the "armed long run," Sobercos's chariot race… Now they all had to return to the First and Second Legions to prepare for the expedition to Tarentum.
… … … … … … … … …
Although the Daonian League had only just ended the war a few months ago, and the enemies they were about to face were quite powerful, it did not affect the citizens' enthusiasm for the expedition. In addition to the war allowing them to accumulate merits, obtain citizenship, or land, the establishment of the Hall of Heroes and the Shrine of Sages in the Temple of Hades also greatly stimulated their pursuit of honor.
While the citizens of Thurii and Amendolara were actively preparing for the expedition to Tarentum, in the governor's residence, Davos, Military Affairs Officer Philius, and the two legion commanders Capus and Dracos were carefully listening to Tarentum's envoy Polydorus's detailed introduction of the two major powers in the Apulia region, the Messapians and Peucetians: "I think you gentlemen have all heard a long-circulating story…"
Polydorus began to explain slowly: "...During the ancient times, Lycaon, the king of Arcadia, was arrogant and disrespectful to Zeus, the god of the sky. One day, he came up with a wicked idea to trick Zeus. He killed a servant and made his flesh into a stew, inviting Zeus to the feast. Zeus saw through his trick and destroyed the palace with lightning, turning Lycaon into a wolf and destroying his kingdom..."
"I know this legend. The king of Arcadia Blasphemy the chief god, and it was only natural that he and his kingdom were punished by Zeus. But what does this have to do with the Messapians?" Philius interjected curiously.
Polydorus looked at Davos and, seeing that he also looked interested, smiled and said, "Yes, everyone in Greece knows the story of Lycaon, but his story doesn't end there... Lycaon had three sons. When the kingdom was destroyed, they each took their own people and slaves, crossed the Adriatic Sea by boat, and fled to settle in southern Italy."
Polydorus scanned the crowd and said in a deep voice, "The names of these three sons were Doni, Puceti, and Messapi."
"Oh," Philius said, somewhat surprised.
"After hundreds of years, the tribes led by these three sons have grown and become stronger. They named their tribes after these three original leaders to distinguish themselves from each other... This saying has been circulating among the Messapians. We have been at war with them in Tarentum for a long time, so we know about it."
After Polydorus finished speaking, Capus asked worriedly, "There's also a Doni person?! These three races were originally from the same race. When we fight the Messapian-Pucetian allied forces, will the Doni people suddenly join in?!"
Polydorus quickly explained: "Although they were once the same race, after hundreds of years of development, whether it is Messapi, Puceti, or Doni, they are all large races with dozens of tribes and more than 100,000 people. Each has its own fixed territory. Not only are their polities different, but they also have conflicts of interest with each other, and even become mortal enemies.
The Doni people are to the north of the Puceti people. It is said that they have a large river plain with fertile land, and there are four or five large towns. The Puceti people are sandwiched between the Doni and Messapi people. They have neither fertile land nor good port cities and trade channels like the Messapi people. Development is the most difficult, so they have been fighting with the Doni people for the land on both sides of the Ofanto River. Therefore, the two races are mortal enemies and cannot unite at all. And in the south, the Puceti people also have conflicts with the Messapi people from time to time, but because of the existence of our Tarentum, the battles between them are not so intense..."
Davos looked down at a rough map of Tarentum and the surrounding forces that Polydorus had drawn at his request, while listening to his account. At this moment, he suddenly asked, "What are the differences in the polities of the Doni, Puceti, and Messapi races?"
Polydorus didn't expect Davos to ask this question.
He frowned and thought carefully for a while before saying, "Well...the polities of the various Messapi city-states are now somewhat similar to our Greek city-states, but more than ten years ago, they were still a unified kingdom. King Atas once warmly welcomed those Athenians who were going to attack Syracuse, and also sent a considerable number of warriors to join..." As he spoke, Polydorus showed a sneer: "The Messapi's territory is surrounded by our Greek city-states, and there are frequent trade exchanges. Therefore, the Messapians have been influenced by Greek democratic ideas for a long time. All along, those nobles and tribes, as well as towns, have been clamoring to restrict the power of the king. However, Atas is a fool and has close ties with the Athenians. How could he know the insidious nature of those Athenians? As a result, not many years after the Athenian army was wiped out in Syracuse, the Messapi nobles launched a riot, Atas's rule was overthrown, and he himself lost his life... Then, the various towns of Messapi became independent one after another. Now they are basically ruled by nobles, who elect a chief executive and a council of nobles to rule the city-state every year. These Messapi city-states, led by Udine, formed the Messapi City-State League. There is very little fighting between each other, and they are relatively united—"
When Polydorus said this, his tone became somewhat low, making Davos realize that this emerging Messapi City-State League seemed to give the Tarentines a bigger headache.
"As for the Puceti and Doni, they are still ruled by kings..." Polydorus quickly turned the topic to the other two races: "The only difference is that the Puceti king has more power, while the Doni king... It is said that he is subject to the restraint of the various city lords..."
Davos listened thoughtfully, and then asked, "Since the Messapi and Puceti have always had conflicts, how could they form an alliance?"
Polydorus smiled bitterly: "You have stumped me... However, according to the analysis of our Senate, the reason why the Messapians are willing to ally with the Puceti is probably because they were scared by our Tarentum's attack!"
There was a hint of pride on Polydorus's face, and Davos nodded. He looked at the map again, but thought in his heart: Before, Tarentum's attack on Messapi was said to have resulted in even greater casualties for Tarentum, but they occupied Brindisi and Manduria. Once the newly occupied territories are stabilized, they can cut off Messapi's connection with the north. And Tarentum's naval strength is second to none in Greater Greece. Therefore, Tarentum can surround the Messapians and slowly nibble away at them. If the Tarentines die in battle, freemen can be replenished, but the Messapians will only become weaker and weaker as they die. This is probably the original plan of the Tarentum elders.
"As for the Puceti people, perhaps they would rather have the Messapi people with the same bloodline as their neighbors than foreigners! Besides, after allying with the Messapi people, the Puceti people can fully deal with the Doni people..."
This was just Polydorus's guess. Davos felt that there must be other reasons, otherwise the Puceti themselves would be in a bad situation, and they would risk offending a powerful state in Greater Greece!
"The Puceti sent a large army to fight. Aren't they afraid that the Doni will take the opportunity to attack?" Capus asked.
"I heard that the Puceti attacked the Doni last year, but were defeated and lost the land they occupied on the south bank of the Ofanto River. The Puceti finally signed a truce agreement with the Doni."
"Can a truce agreement guarantee that the Doni will not take the opportunity to attack?"
Polydorus shrugged and said somewhat angrily: "Who knows what these natives are thinking in their stupid heads? Anyway, the Puceti are already on our land!"
Dracos yawned and was not interested in what Polydorus said. He just saw that Davos was listening attentively and was embarrassed to interrupt.
At this time, he saw that Polydorus had stopped talking and couldn't wait to ask: "What are the characteristics of the Messapi and Puceti armies?"
Speaking of this question, Polydorus obviously had emotions again: "The Messapians used to be like the Puceti. They had a lot of cavalry, but their infantry was not good. They didn't have good armor, and their formation was loose and lacked discipline. They didn't know how to line up in phalanxes, so they never dared to fight us head-on. They only knew how to sneak attacks and harass, like cowardly robbers! But the Athenians—" Polydorus's voice doubled: "We are a subordinate state of Sparta, so of course we stood on the side of the mother state during the Peloponnesian War, but the Athenians actually went to help foreigners because of this, providing armor and weapons for the Messapians, and sending people to help them train heavy infantry, and instigating the Messapians to fight against us! The Messapians mastered our Greek tactics and had the support of Athens, which hurt Tarentum even more than before! If it weren't for Architas—" At this point, Polydorus's expression dimmed.
Dracos did not pay attention to the changes in Polydorus's emotions at all, and continued to ask: "What are the combat characteristics of the Messapi cavalry?"
Polydorus helplessly scanned the others and, seeing that everyone was very interested, he had to say again: "The Messapians are good at horsemanship. It is said that they can control the direction of the horse's movement with their legs without grabbing the reins, and they are good at throwing spears on horseback, which poses a certain threat to our heavy infantry."
Davos and Philius exchanged glances.
Polydorus saw it and quickly said: "Although the Messapi cavalry is better than our cavalry, cavalry is only an auxiliary force in battle after all. What really plays a role on the battlefield is the heavy infantry. Even if the Messapians once had the help of the Athenians, their heavy infantry is still no match for the real Greek heavy infantry!"
Dracos asked again: "How many people are there in the Messapian-Pucetian allied forces? How many citizens can Tarentum send to participate in the war?"
Polydorus looked at him, spread his hands, and said: "I am just an envoy. How many citizens are sent to participate in the war is decided by the Senate. I can't make the decision. As for how many people there are in the Messapian-Pucetian allied forces... We don't even know whether Architas is alive or dead, let alone the specific number of people in the Messapian-Pucetian allied forces. However, I personally estimate that it should not exceed 30,000 people, and our Tarentum now has at least 16,000 young and strong citizens who can fight, including the garrison personnel in Brindisi and Manduria. With the addition of your Daonian 14,000 people, plus the 3,000 people from Metapontum and Heraclea, the total number of our allied forces far exceeds 30,000 people. It should not be difficult to defeat the Messapian-Pucetian allied forces!"
......
After sending Polydorus away, Davos and the others returned to the mansion and continued to discuss.
"Lord Davos, if, as that envoy said, Tarentum can send tens of thousands of people to join us, then we can first go to aid Manduria." Dracos pointed to the map and said confidently, "Our strength is twice that of the Messapian-Pucetian allied forces. Not only can we defeat them, but we can even consider eating up a part of them. In this way, when we go north to reinforce Brindisi, it will be much easier."
"I'm worried that Tarentum won't rescue Manduria first, but instead make us go relieve Brindisi!" Capys said anxiously. "Because Manduria is at least safe for now, while Brindisi, with only two thousand soldiers stationed there and far from Tarentum, is much more dangerous!"
"If that's the case, we absolutely cannot agree!" Drakos said to Davos with determination.
"My lord, if we rashly head north without repelling the enemy at Manduria, and Manduria is captured, the Messapians could cut off our supply lines, and we would be in danger of being attacked from both sides. Therefore, it would be best if we could gain command of the allied forces. If not, we must at least ensure the autonomy of our Daonian army!" Philippus also advised solemnly.
Davos nodded in agreement.
......
After Capys and Drakos left, Davos kept Philippus behind alone.
"How are the preparations for the army's expedition progressing?"
"All the soldiers of the First and Second Legions have returned to the city and are on standby, but many soldiers still haven't replaced their old weapons and equipment." Philippus said, and seeing a slight look of displeasure on Davos's face, he quickly explained, "It's not that they're not actively replacing them, but Turiyi and Amendolara only have three weapons shops in total. It's impossible for them to complete tens of thousands of new armors and shields within a few months. Just the tanning of cowhide is a very time-consuming process, and the quantity is so vast. If it weren't for the large number of cattle and sheep grazed by our Lucanian citizens in Leuturn and Grumentum, it would take several years just to collect the cowhides…"
"In that case, let's use the old equipment for this operation. Have the soldiers temporarily exchange their old bronze helmets and shields at the weapons shops." Davos said with a hint of regret. Suddenly, he remembered something: "I heard that a Corinthian merchant built a very large weapons workshop in the Amendolara handicraft district. We could consider giving him a portion of the order, but I don't know if he would be willing to accept the condition of trading old for new."
"That merchant is named Theos, and I've already spoken with him. He's very willing to accept."
"Oh, he's a clever man, but unfortunately, he's a foreigner." Davos recalled the simple hydraulic forging hammer that the Mathematics Research Institute had successfully developed. He was considering finding a suitable large merchant to cooperate with. As a machine that could greatly save manpower and improve the efficiency of forging bronze and ironware, Davos naturally wanted to keep it in the hands of his own people to ensure its secrecy.
"Additionally, I have already contacted the Civilian Ship Association at the port (this is a non-official shipping organization proposed by Davos and planned by Maligice, newly established. All Daonian merchant ships and passenger ships have joined it, with the aim of maintaining port order, preventing vicious competition, improving industry efficiency, and facilitating cost management).
Polydorus also stated that Tarentum's ships would also arrive at the port to assist with transportation, so we could transport both legions of soldiers to Tarentum's port at once. Our army should be ready to depart by ship for Tarentum the day after tomorrow." Philippus continued, a little excited.
"Philippus, when a typical Greek city-state goes to war, how many days does it usually take from mobilizing citizens to setting out?"
Davos's question startled Philippus. He thought Davos was making a comparison, so he said, "From war mobilization, selecting citizens, arranging household affairs, preparing weapons, equipment, and food, organizing the army, appointing officers… it takes about three or four days, and we only need a maximum of two days."
"What if we mobilize tens of thousands of people?"
"Then it might take longer, perhaps six or seven days, but for us Daonians—" Philippus hadn't finished speaking when Davos waved his hand and said, "Then don't be too hasty. Let's set out five days from now."
Philippus thought he had misheard. Davos leaned forward, looked at Philippus, and said in a deep voice, "Although Tarentum has often fought with the Messapians in the past, they have never attacked the Messapians with such disregard for their citizens' lives as they are doing now. Do you know why?"
Philippus was not a fool. Moreover, after more than a year of experience since becoming a military official, his administrative experience and vision had greatly improved. He immediately replied, "It's because of us."
"Yes, us!" Davos repeated forcefully. "The rapid strengthening of our alliance has put pressure on Tarentum. Southern Italy isn't that big; it can only accommodate one hegemon, and that hegemon can only be Daonia! Now Hades has helped us by putting Tarentum in a difficult situation, and we must seize this opportunity."
Davos sneered, "We can abide by the alliance and help Tarentum repel the Messapian-Peucetian allied forces, but we will never help Tarentum eliminate their enemies and secure their newly occupied territories!"
Davos was very calm, even cold. His friendship with Archytas could not influence his political decisions.
As Davos's deputy in the army for over two years, Philippus understood his leader better than other generals. Things like deliberately delaying the attack to cause heavy losses to the Amendolara citizens, or deceiving Cornelius to become a lifelong archon—this young archon was not as upright and honest as he appeared. But perhaps it was precisely because of this that he was able to lead the mercenaries to their current height, something rough men like him, Capys, and Amyntas, who only knew how to fight, could not achieve.
Philippus exhaled lightly, banishing Davos's enthusiastic expression when facing Polydorus and his current cold demeanor from his mind…
"I understand, my lord," he said.
......
In the following days, Davos entrusted Archon Laosus Avinogis, who was still in Turiyi watching the games and enjoying the food, to find out as much as possible about the Bruttians to confirm whether the Trinan Sipylus's words were true.
The rest of the time, he carefully read the intelligence Aristilas had collected about Tarentum and Messapia at his residence. When he had free time, he also spent it with his wife, Christoyya, and his one-year-old son, Croto Catacus.
Polydorus, however, grew more anxious by the day. He visited Davos or Philippus several times, but they politely turned him away with valid reasons. Indeed, the soldiers gathering in Turiyi were increasing day by day, and mobilizing tens of thousands of soldiers for an expedition certainly required a considerable amount of time. However, Tarentum's situation was deteriorating daily, and Daonian troops were urgently needed for rescue.
Just the day after Archytas's defeat, a fast ship from Brindisi returned to Tarentum, informing the Senate: Archytas was dead, the Messapian-Peucetian allied forces had thrown his head into the city, and outside the city, they had built a "mountain of corpses" with thousands of Tarentine soldiers' bodies, threatening the Brindisi defenders to open the gates and surrender. The city's populace was in great panic. The allied forces, after waiting for a long time without a reply, had already begun their assault on the city.
Brindisi urgently requested aid from Tarentum, claiming: the enemy had strong forces, the defenders were few, and after Brindisi was captured last time, the dilapidated city walls had not had enough time for complete repair. If reinforcements did not arrive, it was feared that the city would fall within two or three days.
While the Tarentine Senate was in urgent discussion about "how to rescue Brindisi," another piece of news arrived: the Messapian army besieging Manduria had disappeared!
The senators, led by Eumachus and Diaomilas, did not feel relieved upon hearing this news. Although the Messapian cavalry's blockade prevented them from detecting the whereabouts of the main Messapian force, everyone could roughly guess without thinking: the most likely possibility was that the Messapians had moved east to rendezvous with the Peucetian army, and Brindisi was in danger!
Although they had already received a report from Turiyi that Daonia would send tens of thousands of soldiers as reinforcements, they certainly wouldn't arrive in a short time. However, for Tarentum to send its own army by land to reinforce, facing the blockade of tens of thousands of Messapian-Peucetian allied forces, the Senate felt it was simply a suicide mission. So, they finally decided: to transport troops by sea to reinforce Brindisi, enabling it to hold out until the arrival of the Tarentine Alliance and Daonian allied forces.
Tarentum dispatched 80 warships of various sizes, including 40 triremes, which was almost the entire Tarentine naval force, to escort a troop transport fleet carrying 4,000 soldiers to Brindisi.
After rounding the "heel" of the Italian peninsula, the fleet encountered an interception by the Messapian-Peucetian combined fleet near the coast of Hydruntum, a Messapian city-state.
The Peucetian navy was not strong, having only one port city, Barium (modern Bari), and it would be quite good if they could muster six or seven warships. However, the Messapians were different; most of their city-states were port cities. Egnatia, Brindisi, Ugentum, Messapian, and Hydruntum were all port cities, while their largest city-state, Udhë, was an inland city, located in the center of the Messapian region and once the capital of the Messapian kingdom. Therefore, the Messapians' seafaring capabilities were not weak, and their maritime trade was relatively developed. Later, with the help of the Athenians, they could not only build triremes themselves but also skillfully employ advanced Greek naval tactics. Previously, they had caused Tarentum considerable trouble at sea, and this time, it was the largest naval battle ever to erupt between Tarentum and Messapia. The Messapians gathered all the warships from all their city-states, totaling 58 vessels, including 25 triremes, plus the six Peucetian warships, making a total of 64 warships.
One side was eager to reinforce, the other was desperate to intercept, and both sides engaged in fierce battle at sea…
Although the Messapian ships were fewer, their attacks were fierce; Tarentum, despite having more ships, had to consider the troop transport fleet behind them, which made their attacks hesitant.
The battle lasted four hours. In the end, Tarentum lost 15 warships, including four triremes and four troop transports. The Metapontum allied fleet lost twenty-three warships, including seven triremes. Ultimately, the Metapontum navy took the initiative to retreat, while the Tarentum navy, busy rescuing soldiers who had fallen into the water, had no intention of pursuing. They only wanted to leave this unfamiliar sea area as soon as possible and reach Brundisium to complete their reinforcement mission.
Just as the naval battle was raging, the Metapontum allied forces learned that Tarentum was about to send reinforcements to Brundisium by sea. Disregarding their fatigue, they launched the largest siege yet. Twenty thousand Metapontum allied soldiers, carrying scaling ladders and pushing siege vehicles, launched wave after wave of fierce attacks on the city of Brundisium…
The Tarentum garrison, which had been fighting hard for two days, had only a few hundred men left. They relied entirely on the freemen in the city to assist in defending the city, and only managed to hold out until today. Faced with the tide of enemies, the freemen, lacking combat experience, began to panic…
… … … … … … … …
The Tarentum navy arrived at the port of Brundisium, and just as they were disembarking the soldiers, before they could assemble them and form ranks, the city of Brundisium was breached. Defeated soldiers, freemen, and their families fled in panic towards the port, attempting to find any sailboat to leave the fallen city as soon as possible. The soldiers who came to reinforce also sensed that something was wrong and demanded to re-embark and leave. Everyone scrambled to get on the ships, while behind them, defeated soldiers and their families cried out for help. The entire port and docks were filled with a dark mass of people, and the order was in complete chaos, with many people falling into the sea in the crush…
Faced with this situation, the naval commander lost his composure for a moment and allowed the warships under his command to rescue people. However, the pursuit by the Metapontum allied forces caused the people, eager to escape, to push and shove each other, scrambling to climb onto the ships, which led to two warships capsizing due to overloading.
The naval commander then realized that something was wrong and had to urgently order the fleet to leave the docks. During this process, clashes occurred between soldiers and sailors, which resulted in several warships failing to successfully leave the docks.
At this time, the Metapontum allied soldiers had already arrived. Like hungry wolves, they pounced on the Tarentum people who were trembling with fear, using spears and swords to wantonly slaughter those who had already surrendered. The flowing blood quickly stained the sea surface of the port red…
The soldiers and sailors of the Tarentum navy, as well as the survivors on the ships, could not bear to witness this tragic scene and fled the port in panic. Little did they know that their disaster was far from over. They were soon intercepted by the previously defeated Metapontum allied navy. Although Tarentum had more ships, the fleet, fully loaded with civilians, lost its speed and maneuverability, becoming a target for the Metapontum allied warships to ram.
During the fierce battle, Tarentum warships were rammed and overturned. The civilians who fell into the water had no ships to rescue them. The sailors were all frightened by the tragic scene at the port, and their only thought was to return home. The attacking and defending positions were reversed. In the end, the remaining 45 Tarentum warships and some troop transports escaped the battlefield.
However,
The victorious Metapontum allied fleet continued to pursue relentlessly…
… … … … … … … … … …
On the fourth day after Polydorus requested aid from Daonia, the Metapontum allied forces, after a brief rest, marched west in force and, by afternoon, once again surrounded Manduria. The entire city of Tarentum was plunged into panic, and messengers were sent to Daonia one after another to ask for help…
At dawn on the fifth day, the Daonian reinforcements finally set out.
It was already early September, and the morning weather was starting to turn cool.
The soldiers of the First and Second Legions bid farewell to their families and assembled in formation in Victory Square.
After counting the number of soldiers, Commander Davos announced the departure.
The entire army first marched northwest within the city, arriving at the foot of the Temple of Hades, and knelt down piously in prayer.
The bronze bell inside the temple rang for a long time. Chief Priest Praxinas led dozens of male and female priests of the Temple of Hades in chanting the Hymn to Hades for the soldiers and bestowed blessings upon them.
If it were in other city-states, perhaps divination would be performed before the expedition to determine good or bad omens. However, Davos cancelled this procedure. He believed that war was a major event concerning the life and death of the alliance, and victory depended on the strength of the forces, strict training, and careful planning, rather than relying on illusory divine grace. He did not want the soldiers to develop this bad habit.
After the prayer, the entire army turned east again, exited the city gate, and went straight to the port of Thurii. The families and civilians of the soldiers who were seeing them off lined the roads on both sides to bid farewell to the departing troops.
What Polydorus found moving was that few families were crying and unwilling to let the soldiers go on the expedition. While blessing the soldiers for their safety, they also encouraged them to gain military merit. Other civilians were more envious of the good fortune of the soldiers on the expedition and expressed their dissatisfaction, saying that they would perform better if they went themselves.
"The Daonians are fond of war!" Polydorus forgot who had told him this sentence, but now it seemed indeed extraordinary. He could not help but look at Davos, the commander of this army beside him. This 20-year-old young man was now showing a composure and seriousness beyond his age. In addition, the Daonians had a good commander who was good at fighting, which was why they had risen to prominence today!
However, under the circumstances of the enemy's army pressing down on the border, the strength of the Daonian army made Polydorus feel a little relieved, because the Daonian army could be relied upon!
Hundreds of cargo ships were densely packed in the port, including those from Daonia, Tarentum, Metapontum, Heraclea, and even Castrum…
Under the guidance of the port management personnel, the troops entered the various docks in an orderly manner, and boarded the ships in turn under the command of the squad leaders and platoon leaders. Everything was in good order.
The passenger ship that Polydorus was on was the first to leave the dock, because he had to return to Tarentum first to inform the Senate to prepare for the arrival of the Daonian reinforcements.
Accompanying him was Antonios, who needed to coordinate with Tarentum on many matters, such as the Daonian army's entry into the port, accommodation, and military rations. Originally, this task should have been undertaken by Philius, but after Davos left Daonia, someone was still needed to guard Thurii in case of accidents. As the second-in-command of the army, Philius was naturally the most suitable candidate. Since Philius could not go, and the two legion commanders, Kappus and Dracos, only knew how to fight and were not good at socializing, Davos could only let Antonios, the first centurion of the First Legion, be responsible for liaison. In fact, Alexis, the second centurion, was also a suitable candidate, but Davos felt that Antonios was more tactful than the slightly aloof Alexis.
There were also some special personnel from the Daonian Legion on this passenger ship, such as the legion's engineers. Because the Daonian army's station in Tarentum had been determined in advance, the engineers would rush to the site to investigate the terrain and plan in advance how to build the camp, the size of the camp, the layout of the tents, the width of the trenches, etc., so that the army could immediately start building the camp as soon as it arrived in Tarentum.
The soldiers stepped onto the swaying deck, placed the dozens of pounds of helmets, linen breastplates, round shields, greaves, and spears and javelins they were carrying against the side of the ship, and then waved goodbye to their relatives and friends on the shore.
Ships left the port one after another.
A strong northeasterly wind was blowing in the Gulf of Taranto in the morning. All the ships lowered their sails and, with the help of the wind, headed straight east. From time to time, waves slapped the hull from the side and rear, splashing water and wetting the soldiers' clothes, but it did not affect their interest in the slightest.
"I heard that the Tarentum people are very rich. This time, we helped them defeat those natives. Will they give us enough silver coins to thank us for our rescue?!" A recruit said excitedly.
"Fool, do you know how many soldiers we are going to Tarentum this time? It's 14,000 people! This does not include the cavalry brigade, the engineering camp, the medical camp… Even if Tarentum gives us dozens of talents, how much can be distributed to each person after it is handed over to the legion fund!" Another soldier warned him dismissively: "You might as well kill a few more natives and accumulate more military merit to come back, so that the alliance can allocate a few more acres of land to you!"
"Speaking of this war, I get angry just thinking about it! The Third Legion is lucky. They captured Aspruum and occupied Grumetum. Why are they always fighting? Isn't it because most of them are Lucanians! We finally went on an expedition to rescue those city-states in the south, but before we even started fighting, the Locrians sued for peace. Tell me, isn't this infuriating! This time, we are going to Tarentum. I hope those natives don't learn from the Locrians and make us take a trip for nothing!" Another soldier's words resonated with the surrounding soldiers and aroused their concerns.
"Don't worry, the Messapians are not as weak as the Locrians. I heard that they are very fierce. The Tarentum people have never benefited from them. Otherwise, after such a long time, Tarentum would have established several sub-states nearby. Moreover, this time, the Messapians have joined forces with the Peucetians and have repeatedly defeated Tarentum. Their morale is high. Maybe they are determined to destroy Tarentum. How could they negotiate peace with us?" A soldier who knew the situation of Tarentum said.
"That's great! Only by defeating the Messapians can we show the power of Daonia. We will become heroes and save Tarentum!" A soldier declared loudly, causing others to cheer excitedly.
"I heard that the women of Tarentum are all good-looking. When we become heroes, can we marry one back?" Someone joked, and was immediately pushed by the others: "Stop dreaming, Persias. Those Tarentum citizens are arrogant and have always looked down on people from other city-states in Greater Greece. Do you think they will marry their daughters to us 'farmers' in their eyes!"
"Is that really the case, Sitalkis?" Persias asked curiously.
"Um… the Tarantine people don't show it as obviously as Hybartus says, but they really don't like to interact with our city-states in Magna Graecia.
Sitalces, the soldier who knew Tarentum very well, replied seriously: "It's just that in recent years, because of the constant invasions by the Messapians, they have advocated for the establishment of a South Italian defensive alliance in Magna Graecia to jointly resist the indigenous barbarians! Although city-states like Thurii and Croton have joined, everyone is not really active…"
"Why do these Tarantine people look down on us!" Hybartus said loudly, "Brothers, you don't know, the Tarantine people say they are descendants of Sparta, but that's all fake! They are descendants of bastards, children born to Spartan women and slaves!"
As soon as this was said, the soldiers were in an uproar. Most of them were from poor backgrounds and had not received much education, so of course they could not understand the history of Tarentum. They asked in surprise: "Hybartus, is what you said true?! The Tarantine people are Spartan women and slaves—"
"Of course it's true! Any soldier who is a former citizen of Thurii should know this. It is said that hundreds of years ago, Spartan men were fighting abroad for a long time, and the women… hehe… felt lonely, so they hooked up with slaves! When the children were born and grew up, those Spartan men came back and learned about this, how could they bear this insult, so they drove them out of the city-state. So the Spartans built Tarentum not because they had a large population and not enough food, and were forced to colonize, but for the stability and reputation of the Spartan city-state, so it shouldn't be the Tarantine people who look down on us, but we who should look down on them! A bunch of bastards! A bunch of—" Hybartus was triumphantly mocking, when he suddenly heard the people around him shout, "Careful! Get out of the way!"
Before he could react, he took a heavy punch to the face, and his eyes went dark. Fortunately, he was supported by his comrades behind him.
"Hey, why did you hit someone!" The surrounding soldiers were shocked and hurriedly rushed forward, stopping the angry soldier.
"Shut up! Shut up! If you say another word, I'll beat you to death!…" The soldier's eyes were red, and he roared at Hybartus with a face full of anger.
"Shut up, Prossos, are you crazy!" Sitalces, the squad leader, quickly stepped forward to reprimand the soldier who injured someone: "Disturbing the peace and assaulting a comrade, you will be punished by military law!"
At this time, Hybartus woke up and saw who it was, and his anger also surged up: "You dare to hit me! Brothers, beat him up! Beat this annoying stone!" After saying that, he rushed over suddenly, pushed Sitalces away, and wrestled with Prossos. Several soldiers were actually instigated by him and joined the fight.
The ship was in chaos, and the noisy shouts naturally alarmed the platoon leader Pamenes, who was on the same ship. By the time he arrived with people, Prossos had already knocked down several soldiers, including Hybartus.
"Prossos, do you want to be kicked out of Daonia?!" Pamenes' loud shout made Prossos, who was still angry, tremble. Thinking of something, he immediately stopped kicking people and stood still.
"Tie him up for me!" Pamenes ordered.
The soldiers hesitated and stepped forward. Prossos remained motionless, allowing them to press him down on the deck.
"Platoon leader, he started it first. I didn't provoke him. He suddenly came up and punched me!" Hybartus pointed to the wounds on his face and complained to Pamenes.
"Don't speak first." Pamenes ignored him, but asked the squad leader Sitalces about the reason, and his face immediately darkened.
"Why did you assault your comrade?!" Pamenes questioned loudly.
Prossos was tied up with his hands behind his back and forcibly pressed to the ground, but no matter how Pamenes interrogated him, he didn't say a word.
Pamenes now felt a headache.
Previously, because many soldiers from the First and Second Legions had moved to Crimisa and Asprospitum, where the Fourth Legion would be established, the First and Second Legions had to expand to fill the vacancies.
Prossos, as a registered foreigner who applied to become a prospective citizen, was said to be from Argos. Therefore, after entering the boot camp, his performance in training quickly amazed the instructors in the camp: This young man was not only physically strong, but also highly skilled. Whether it was shield, spear, saber, or javelin, he was proficient in everything. Moreover, he was very skilled in marching and formation, and he was very familiar with the commands. Some of Daonia's unique tactical movements could be learned as soon as they were taught. He easily won first place in the boot camp's competition.
The instructors were amazed by his military talent, and the officers at all levels also heard about his deeds, and they all scrambled to have him join their team. Matonis was also one of them. It is said that he also went through Davos's connections and finally got him into his team, repeatedly reminding Pamenes to focus on cultivating him.
However, Pamenes quickly discovered that Prossos had a big flaw—he was unsociable. He performed very well during training, but during rest he didn't like to talk, rarely talked to his teammates, and always sat alone on the side, wondering what he was thinking. His teammates gave him a nickname called "Stone", accusing him of being arrogant, so Hybartus had so many helpers during the fight just now, which shows that the soldiers in the team didn't like him.
"Very good, if you don't speak now, the military judge will make you speak when you go ashore!" Pamenes threw down these words angrily and left. He still had to figure out how to mention this matter to Matonis.
Prossos was bound to the mast, the strange gazes of the surrounding soldiers not bothering him in the slightest. He didn't care about military punishment either, yet his eyes were still red. He lowered his head, trying his best to keep the tears from falling, because at this moment, he was thinking of his mother.
Prossos wasn't his real name; he was called Leotychides, son of the former Spartan King Agis. His mother, due to gossip and slander, had ultimately chosen suicide, and he had finally resolved to leave Sparta.
While searching for a place to settle, he found that the options available to him were few. The eastern Mediterranean was now Sparta's domain. Persia, currently at war with Sparta, might be a possibility, but while Leotychides wanted to take revenge on Sparta, he didn't want to tarnish his own and his father's reputation, making the populace think that their initial choice of his uncle Agesilaus to inherit the throne was correct.
The western Mediterranean was beyond Sparta's reach, and there were many Greek city-states, but he still hoped that one day he could cause trouble for Sparta, the state that had humiliated him and caused his mother's death. Therefore, the city-states he could choose were limited.
Syracuse was one, but it was allied with Sparta. Carthage was another, but it was a foreign land with an unfamiliar language, and Leotychides knew nothing about it. Ultimately, he chose Daonia because, during Phébidas's accusation against him before the Council of Elders regarding his mission to Daonia, he had witnessed Daonia's disrespect towards Sparta. He had been in the assembly hall and was very curious about this rare city-state league that dared to scorn Sparta. Before this, the Ephor Clearchus had recommended to the Council of Elders a man he called a "foreigner with extraordinary military talent," and this man was now the Archon of Daonia. Leotychides clearly remembered his uncle expressing concern about this person.
After he seized an opportunity to escape Sparta and arrived in Magna Graecia, he discovered that Daonia had a significant influence there. It was almost the most powerful city-state league in southern Italy, and it had been less than two years since its founding.
Leotychides was astonished by Daonia's rapid rise. He settled down in the port of Thurii to observe. After learning about Daonia's past events, its unique city-state management system, and its urban customs, especially after witnessing a triumphal procession, he had a vague premonition that one day this city-state league could fulfill his heart's desire. He felt he had come to the right place, and he decided to change his name and stay in Daonia.
He brought with him a portion of the gold and silver that his father, Agis, had secretly stored in Crete to maintain his livelihood and applied to the league to become a citizen of Daonia. Thanks to the brutal Spartan "Agoge" training he had received since childhood, he stood out during Daonia's recruit training, earning him the status of a full legion citizen even before becoming a probationary citizen.
However, consumed by the grief of his mother's passing and harboring an unforgettable hatred for the Spartans, he was unable to integrate into this new group. The term "bastard" was taboo to him, which was why he would go mad upon hearing it.
… … … … … … … … …
The Gulf of Tarentum, shaped like a gourd, with two naturally formed crescent-shaped bays stacked together, not only expanded the port's capacity but also made it safer. The Tarentines had reinforced the opening and narrowest point of the gourd-shaped bay, building two water gates, further strengthening the port's defenses.
At this moment, the first water gate was wide open, and countless troop transport ships entered in single file, heading towards the northwest corner of the bay under the guidance and supervision of several dozen Tarentine patrol boats. The coastline of the entire bay was quite long, and the city of Tarentum was located in the southeast corner of the bay, unable to encompass all the land defenses of the bay. Therefore, Tarentum arranged for the Daonian reinforcements to be stationed in the northwest corner of the bay, the weakest point of Tarentum's control over the bay, with the intention of having the Daonians help defend the bay.
Davos's ship passed through the first water gate. The sea, which had been quite rough, was calm here, causing him to exclaim in admiration. He knew that although the port of Thurii had built breakwaters and had been excavated and widened internally, the port was still somewhat congested. In the event of a storm, ship damage was unavoidable, unlike this bay, where there was no need to consider these problems at all. It was truly a natural and excellent port. He wondered what the port of Croton, another famous good harbor in Magna Graecia, was like?
Note: I had some time today and wanted to talk about the historical Archytas. The information I collected focuses more on his achievements in mathematics, with only a few strokes on other aspects. He was called the "Pericles of Magna Graecia." After serving as the Archon of Tarentum in his middle age, Tarentum maintained prosperity and strength in the Apulia region for more than ten years. But please note that even during this prosperous period, Brindisi and Manduria were never occupied by Tarentum, meaning that Tarentum's prosperity was still defensive in nature. He also invited Plato to visit Tarentum when Dionysius II expelled him. Plato believed that Archytas was the philosopher-king he expected in his description of the ideal state because the Pythagorean school not only inherited mathematics but also had its own philosophical ideas. Archytas eventually died in a shipwreck, and it is said that his body was recovered centuries later.
Originally, I didn't plan to write about his death at this time in the book. It was just the butterfly effect of the protagonist that led the Tarentines, who had always been defensive against the Messapians, to launch a large-scale offensive against them. In the end, this character, as I wrote him, uncontrollably reached this point. Dying on the battlefield is better than sleeping at the bottom of the sea, and his mathematical achievements can only be completed by others. I hope it will be the Daonian Academy.
Lost in thought, Davos didn't steer his ship northwest with the fleet, but went straight ahead, through the second water gate, towards the true harbor of Tarentum.
Although it was wartime, the port of Tarentum was still very busy, even more so than usual, because the ongoing war had increased the city's demand for various materials. Therefore, despite the full assistance of the port personnel, it took Davos' ship a long time to dock.
Davos was not in a hurry. He carefully observed the port, comparing its differences with the port of Thurii…
Once ashore, Davos and his party, especially the fully armed guard led by Malthius, attracted the attention of many Tarentines. They stopped their work and watched curiously. Those who knew the inside story guessed that this might be the Daonian reinforcements, but no one showed any welcome, and there was no cheering as was common in the port of Thurii. They just watched indifferently, and some even showed sadness in their eyes. Davos noticed that many women were wearing black cloths on their heads, and the shadow of war failure had already enveloped the people of Tarentum.
The Tarentum Senate, out of the pride of an old powerful state, did not go to the port to greet them, but waited at the city gate.
"They're here!" With this shout, everyone perked up and looked forward.
Walking towards them was a young man with a calm expression and steady steps, exuding a composure far different from that of ordinary young people, but as the chief magistrate of a city-state alliance, he was indeed too young.
Eumachus nudged Diomilas, who was still in thought, preparing to remind him.
Diomilas understood what he meant and said preemptively, "Don't say it, I understand. Who told us to be asking for their help?"
After speaking, he strode forward and said, "Welcome, young magistrate of Daonia. We await the arrival of the Daonian reinforcements, our close allies, like dry fields await rain. Thank the gods, you have finally arrived!"
Eumachus frowned, worried that Davos would be displeased by these words.
Unexpectedly, Davos immediately said apologetically, "I am truly very sorry! I believe you also know that the Daonian League has been established for less than two years. This is the first time we have sent nearly 20,000 reinforcements, which is almost two-thirds of the population of Thurii citizens. Moreover, it is the season for the upcoming harvest, and it is also the first time to transport so many soldiers across the sea. The affairs are too complicated, and we have no experience, so we have only arrived today. I hope it has not delayed important matters."
"Not late! Not late! You have come at the right time!" Eumachus quickly interjected, "I really didn't expect Daonia to send such a large force. This is a great help to us! Lord Davos, we Tarentines are very grateful for your generous assistance!"
At this time, Polydorus had the opportunity to interject and introduce, "Lord Davos, this is Eumachus, the magistrate of Tarentum."
Judging from his words just now, this magistrate at least had some goodwill towards Daonia. Davos bowed respectfully.
"This is Diomilas, the magistrate of Tarentum," Polydorus continued to introduce.
And this one… Davos glanced at him: narrow eyes, a thin nose, thin lips, and a stern expression, obviously prejudiced against Daonia. According to Aristilas's intelligence, there were many such people in the Tarentum Senate, but Davos still bowed respectfully and greeted him.
Next, they paid their respects to the senators of the Tarentum Senate. The Tarentum Senate originated from the Spartan Council of Elders, but compared to the Spartan Council of Elders, which only had 30 seats, Tarentum had many more senators, and the senatorial seats in the Tarentum Senate, like the magistrates, were elected annually by all citizens.
"This is—" Before Polydorus could finish speaking, the old man in front of him raised his eyebrows and glared, pointing at Davos and scolding, "You still have the face to come to Tarentum? You swore that you would promote our school in Amendolara, and we sent apprentices to Amendolara to help you. Who knew that you not only made them betray the school, but also let them use money to lure more apprentices away from Tarentum! My son regarded you as a friend, and is this how you repay the Pythagorean school's selfless help to Daonia! I tell you, Tarentum does not welcome you!"
Davos did not expect to meet someone from the Pythagorean school here, and was quite embarrassed. He quickly turned to look at Polydorus, "Who is this?"
"Archytas's father—Histiaevus," Polydorus replied.
Davos was moved. He took a step forward, and regardless of the old man's displeasure, bowed respectfully, "Archytas is my good friend. I will definitely avenge him, defeat the Messapians, and bring back his remains. I hope you can grieve in moderation, Uncle!"
"We don't need Daonia's help. We Tarentum can also defeat the Messapians and retrieve my son's remains!" Histiaevus said stubbornly, with tears in his eyes.
Just then, a cavalryman galloped over, repeatedly shouting, "The fleet is back! The fleet is back!…"
Upon hearing the news, the senators of the Senate immediately abandoned Davos and his party and ran towards the port.
Polydorus hurriedly explained to him. Davos expressed his understanding and offered to go and see the situation together.
Standing on a high place outside the port, looking down at the beach: in the central pier of the crowded port of Tarentum, warships were slowly entering in a row…
Polydorus widened his eyes and counted the number of ships. The more he counted, the more panicked he became. In the end, his voice was trembling, "Only… only 19 warships, 25 passenger ships…"
If Davos hadn't supported him in time, he would have collapsed to the ground.
Davos also frowned. According to Polydorus, when the Tarentum fleet left the port, it had 80 warships and 100 troop carriers, carrying 4,000 soldiers. Now only 1/4 of the ships have returned. Tarentum's losses are huge, not only in warships and soldiers, but also in sailors. A trireme needs nearly 200 sailors to be fully manned. One can imagine how much damage this has caused to the manpower of the port of Tarentum…
This also gave Davos a warning: before gaining absolute control of the sea, one must be very cautious about using ships to transport soldiers across the sea to fight!
Everyone in the port was plunged into great sorrow. Even from this far away, Davos could still hear the deafening cries, which could not help but move even him, who was accustomed to life and death.
Polydorus was still craning his neck to look forward, hoping that there were still lagging warships that had not entered the port in time. In the end, he finally gave up, tightly grasped Davos's hands, and said repeatedly, "Lord Davos, Tarentum really needs Daonia's full assistance!"
Davos nodded, thinking to himself: Counting this naval battle, the war between Tarentum and the Messapians has probably resulted in the deaths and injuries of as many as 10,000 Tarentum soldiers, which has indeed damaged their vitality.
Since the Tarentum Senate was busy dealing with the aftermath, the originally scheduled joint war meeting had to be postponed.
Davos didn't mind, as he could go back and build the camp with the soldiers.
… … … … … … … … … … …
The failure of a major naval battle will have far-reaching effects. Providing compensation for the casualties is only the most basic. There is also the repair of the remaining warships, accelerating the rebuilding of the new fleet, appeasing the merchants in the port, and ensuring that the sea trade routes have not been cut off by the enemy… etc. These complicated aftermath affairs cannot be resolved in a day or two, but the urgent war situation forces Tarentum to temporarily put them aside the next day and immediately convene a joint war meeting to launch a land counterattack against the Messapian-Peucetian coalition as soon as possible to reduce the enemy's threat to the city of Tarentum.
Considering that he had neglected the magistrate of Daonia due to the sudden incident yesterday, Eumachus decided to invite him personally.
Eumachus rode to the northwest corner of the bay, and the scene before him surprised him. Before him stood a huge military camp, with trenches, fences, camp gates, watchtowers, tents… everything was complete. This was only one day, and the Daonians had built a "city" in this relatively sparsely populated area. This efficiency was too high!
Of course, Eumachus did not know that because Daonia attached importance to camp construction during wartime, under Davos's initiative, the army engineers had standardized some of the camp facilities after research and repeated experiments. For example, the materials needed for the camp gates and watchtowers were all made in Thurii in advance and transported by the logistics battalion. After arriving at the destination, they were assembled according to the actual situation, which saved time and effort. Of course, the prerequisite was to have strong logistics transportation capabilities and good road conditions.
While Eumachus was surprised, he heard someone calling him. Upon closer inspection, it was Timias, a theater owner in the city of Tarentum. He couldn't help but ask strangely, "What are you doing here?"
"Of course, I'm doing business." Timias pointed to the several flamboyantly dressed women beside him and said helplessly, "With the failure of the war against the Messapians, the citizens no longer have the mood to watch plays, nor do they have the mood to play with the girls. I haven't had any income for two months now. I heard that the Daonian reinforcements have arrived with nearly 20,000 people, so I came here to see if there was an opportunity to make money, but the guards here won't let us in!"
Hearing this, Eumachus felt slightly embarrassed. Timias's theater mainly relied on performing some vulgar and lewd dramas to attract people to make money. At the same time, he also worked part-time as a pimp for the rich, providing prostitutes and male prostitutes, because they were mostly actors, of high quality and more popular. But he didn't expect him to be pimping to the Daonian camp. So, he advised, "The war is about to start, don't disturb the Daonians' rest here."