Kunogorata sighed heavily, his expression solemn. He continued, "The warehouses and inns in Andolara were originally built to generate revenue for the treasury and to benefit the citizens. If you, as an outsider, monopolize all these properties, what will the people of Andolara think? Running a business is like governing a city-state—it’s not just about making money but also about winning people’s hearts."
He wanted to tell Sostatus that Juleios was an example worth emulating. Over ti, Kunogorata had observed that this young leader was not only a military genius but also a political one. Every proposal Juleios made was always from the perspective of the city-state and its citizens, rarely for personal gain. It was easy to forget that Juleios was the sole lifeti governor. As long as Juleios maintained this approach, Kunogorata was willing to serve him loyally.
"Father... I understand," Sostatus replied reluctantly after so thought.
"Good," Kunogorata said with a satisfied smile. He then asked, "So, Sostatus, are you planning to focus on business and not take up public office?"
"Can’t soone in the Tula Alliance hold public office and engage in business at the sa ti?" Sostatus asked, puzzled.
"Of course, they can. Since you like working in the market, why not beco a tax officer under Marigi? But you’ll need to pass a test first."
"A test?"
"You need to know arithtic to be a tax officer!"
"That’ll be easy for ."
"In a few days, Governor Juleios will promulgate the Tula Alliance Public Office Law. It will grant every citizen the right to hold public office and receive a salary," Kunogorata revealed.
"Just like Athens!" Sostatus exclaid.
"Not quite like Athens. You’ll understand when it’s announced," Kunogorata replied calmly, though inwardly he thought, This law will make the citizens, who already admire Juleios, revere him even more. What an audacious and remarkable young man!
Three months after the peace agreent with Croton, the road from the Sinni River ferry to Thurii was completed. On the day of completion, the Lucanians who had participated in the construction were comnded by the Tula Alliance Senate with a reduction of six months from their labor term. With this, the Lucanians had only a year and a half left in their labor term (they had already earned a reduction of two and a half years for fighting Croton and another six months for capturing lanthius and other high-ranking officers). Of course, they and the Crotonian prisoners still needed to continue building the road to Castellon.
The completion of the road between Heraclea and Thurii significantly improved travel. The wide, flat, and sturdy road reduced travel ti by at least two-fifths, especially benefiting vehicles. In truth, once the slaves and prisoners beca proficient at road construction, progress accelerated. The primary challenge lay in building bridges. This stretch of road had to cross four rivers. The Sinni River, already equipped with a pontoon bridge at the Andolara-Heraclea border, didn’t require a new bridge. However, three other bridges needed to be constructed. Moreover, Juleios insisted on flat wooden bridges instead of pontoon or arch bridges to facilitate the transport of goods.
Young Heracleides spent most of his ti pondering how to build the bridges. He sought advice from his father, experienced carpenters, and even two Pythagorean disciples on how to design a stable geotric frawork. After refining his ideas, he presented a construction plan to Juleios, who approved it. However, Juleios added a stipulation: citizens, not prisoners, would build the bridges.
Juleios also issued an order that on military training days, soldiers would spend their mornings participating in road construction. Juleios hoped the soldiers would acquire road and bridge-building skills to prepare for future campaigns.
Under Heracleides’s direction, soldiers began by tying felled logs into pairs and sharpening one end. These were driven diagonally into the riverbed. Parallel to the first set, another pair of logs was driven in ten ters away. A strong beam was laid across the tops of the paired logs, secured firmly to create bridge piers. Once the piers were in place, wooden planks were laid to form the bridge surface. Afterward, railings were added, and the piers were reinforced to withstand the long-term impact of water flow.
The first bridge, spanning 15 ters in length and 9 ters in width, was completed in seven days across the Bradanos River. With the experience gained, subsequent bridges were built more quickly. By the ti the third bridge was constructed, it took only two days to complete. When Juleios heard the news, he praised Heracleides and ordered the thod for constructing flat wooden bridges to be docunted in the Tula Alliance Military Code as a guide for future campaigns.
Encouraged by this recognition, Heracleides’s spirits were high. However, his next challenge lood: constructing a bridge across the Crathis River. This task was far more difficult. Even though the bridge would be built at the site of the old pontoon bridge west of Thurii, where the river delta provided so buffer, the Crathis was over 20 ters wide, and the water too deep to wade through.
As Heracleides wrestled with the problem, Juleios sought to inspire him further. "Right now, the Tula Alliance is building wooden bridges. In the future, we will construct stone bridges—bridges high enough to allow three-decked warships to pass underneath. If you can accomplish that, you will beco a master bridge-builder, rembered for generations!"
Juleios’s words filled Heracleides with both pressure and a burning determination to prove himself.
A few days later, the reconstruction of Thurii reached a temporary milestone. Crowds of freedn flocked to the census registration office, overwhelming the registrar, Lafiatus, who received over ten thousand applications for Thurii citizenship in one day. Exhausted, he was forced to request additional staff from the Senate.
anwhile, the Senate convened to discuss a proposal: constructing a large forum capable of accommodating tens of thousands of citizens for assemblies and serving as a rally point for troops when the alliance marched to war.
"I have no objections to building a large forum," said Cornelus. "From Lafiatus’s plea for help, we can already see that the number of official citizens will easily exceed ten thousand in just a few years."
Cornelus, who had spent the past six months as the city administrator of Andolara and three months on Thurii’s reconstruction, had gained experience and confidence. His remarks were t with laughter from many senators, who appreciated his wit.
However, Cornelus continued with a question, "But I am skeptical about whether the Senate Hall needs to seat six hundred people. Right now, the Senate has fewer than fifty mbers. Building such a large hall would waste the manpower and materials needed for Thurii’s reconstruction. And imagine how difficult it would be to hear discussions in such a vast space!"
So senators nodded in agreent with Cornelus’s concerns.
At that mont, Juleios rose from where he had been sitting on the grass. (The Senate eting was held in an open area of the camp, as the council hall had not yet been built.) His movent imdiately drew everyone’s attention—not only because the proposal for the large Senate Hall was his idea, but also because the Thurian senators, who had recently survived the city’s destruction, viewed Juleios, the man who had twice saved Thurii and now led the new alliance, with awe and respect.
Juleios began, "The reconstruction of Thurii is not just about rebuilding hos for our citizens; it’s about planning for the future developnt of our alliance. That’s why we’ve built better roads, stronger bridges, a more strategically located port, larger forums, more organized districts, and unprecedented aqueducts. In ti, the new Thurii will beco one of the most beautiful city-states in Magna Graecia, perhaps even in the entire Greek world!"
Juleios paused, letting his words sink in, then continued, "If the Senate—the center of the alliance’s power, where our leaders deliberate on matters of life and death, prosperity and survival—remains unchanged, the citizens will not accept it. They’ll say, ’Look at that tiny Senate Hall—it doesn’t match our beautiful Thurii city."
While the senators chuckled softly, many of them nodded in agreent, acknowledging the logic in Juleios’s words.
Then, a hesitant voice broke the montary pause. "Milord, perhaps we could simply make the assembly hall more refined... it doesn’t necessarily need to be so large."
Juleios turned toward the speaker, unfamiliar with the voice. Upon seeing the man, he recognized him—it was Bolus, soone he had t once before.
With calm conviction, Juleios responded, "The reason I proposed constructing an assembly hall capable of seating six hundred is not for today, but for the days to co. As the senators of Andolara are well aware, just six months ago, our Senate numbered only twenty. Now, we are approaching fifty."
He paused to let the thought settle among the senators before continuing.
"In the future, we may welco other city-states or tribes into our union. Just as we have done before, we will need to integrate their leaders—be they senators or tribal chieftains—into our Senate. This is not rely a gesture of goodwill. It is a crucial step to help new mbers feel represented, to ensure their interests are protected, and to stabilize their loyalty to the alliance."
He swept his gaze across the assembly, his tone firm and visionary.
"Imagine, a year from now, the Vespa tribe approaches us, requesting to join the union. Or Roscianum expresses its desire to beco part of our alliance. Shouldn’t we be prepared to welco them with open arms and seats at our table?"
The senators of Andolara, long aware of Juleios’s ambitions in Lucania, were not surprised. His recent victories—defeating Croton and forging unity with Thurii—had proved his capabilities. Thus, they offered no resistance to his proposal.
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