The captain continued loudly: "The legion engineers often told us, ’Building flat roads can make it easier for us to walk, digging ditches can take away sewage and garbage and keep the city clean, and elevated water bridges can bring clear stream water directly into the city, saving us the trouble of fetching water back and forth, and ensuring continuous water use...’.
Chief Executive Xilos also told us that Lord Davos said, ’All the convenient facilities that Thurii has should also be built in other Dionysian cities, so that every Dionysian citizen, whether in Thurii or other cities, can enjoy a clean and convenient life!...’"
The captain’s excited voice attracted the attention of so working soldiers. Sisprotis was afraid of causing any misunderstanding, so he didn’t say anything more, and the captain didn’t want to say anything more to the Crotone envoy who looked down on the Lucanians.
Silently, Thesprotis advanced. He even spotted scholars on street corners asuring sothing with instrunts (a right angle, used to check the verticality of buildings). Others were marking the roadside with li powder, directing soldiers where to dig ditches. Everyone’s expression was intense, and this moved Thesprotis sowhat.
The Greeks could build majestic temples, vast amphitheaters, and elaborate theaters. They possessed the most advanced architectural techniques of their ti in the diterranean, but they failed to apply them to improving the infrastructure of their people. The people, accustod to a simple material life, focused their energy on the city-state’s politics, sports, athletics, and theatrical productions. It seed that only the Dionysians invested heavily in roads, bridges, ditches, aqueducts, and other infrastructure that other Greek city-states shunned. While Thesprotis hadn’t visited the newly built Thurii, the Via Dionysius was renowned throughout southern Italy. It seems even the barbaric Lukarian mountain dwellers are drawn to the lifestyle forged by Dionysia. There must be sothing alluring about it... This thought crossed Thesprotis’ mind as he unknowingly arrived at the town hall of Asprustum, where he t Helos, who had only been in office for less than two days, and the temporary garrison commander, Asistes.
Upon hearing Thesprotis’s request, both Helos and Asistes were sowhat surprised. Having just fought a bloody battle with the Crotonians, they were now allies. Now, the Crotonians, once their enemies
, were asking for their aid... Even the battle-hardened generals found it emotionally difficult to accept.
Xilos said cautiously: "Helping Crotone defend against Locri ans that Dionia will go to war with Locri. Such a major decision is not sothing we can decide. It requires the permission of the Dionysian Senate."
"Of course we understand. Our other envoy has already taken a speedboat to Thurii. However, Locri’s army has invaded our land, burning our villages and slaughtering our people... When the order of the Dionysian Senate arrives, how many people in Crotone will lose their lives! How many houses will be burned down!..." Thesprotis begged bitterly, and even tears stread down his face as he spoke: "Dionia has always kept its promises since its establishnt. As an ally of Crotone, can we just watch the Crotone people suffer and do nothing to help?!"
The two generals who did not have much political experience felt a little embarrassed. Asistes tried to persuade him, and forcibly took Thesprotis, who was wiping his tears, away on the grounds that the matter was serious and we needed to discuss it.
By the ti he returned to the hall, Helos had regained his composure after so reflection. "Asistes, I intend to agree to the Crotone envoy’s request and send troops to the west bank of the Tachinadi River to prevent the Locri from entering Crotone’s core area."
"What?! You’re going to war with the Locri without the Senate’s permission. Lord Davos will be furious!" Helos, rembering how Cesta had acted on his own initiative in Nieutum and earned Davos’s criticism, imdiately shook his head like a rattle. "No! This absolutely can’t be done!"
"Who says stopping the Locri ans going to war with them? We can do this..." Helos carefully expressed his considerations.
After listening, Helos thought carefully, a hint of worry on his face: "Isn’t this too risky? What if the Locri really launches an attack on our troops regardless of the consequences?"
"Asistes, you must know that although the Dionysian Alliance has only been established for less than a year, we have a high reputation in Magna Graecia. This is not only due to our continuous military victories, but also because Lord Davos has led us to always uphold our beliefs! When we were very weak, facing the pressure of the powerful Crotone, we still did not give up our alliance with Thurii. Now our allies are begging us for help, and we don’t lend a hand even though we can help. Then what is the validity of the defensive alliance treaty we just signed with Crotone?! What will the people of Crotone think?! When we arrived, Lord Davos and the Senate urged us to maintain peace and friendship with Crotone. Can that be achieved?! Can the other Magna Graecia city-states still trust us, Dionysia, to uphold our promise? I know Lord Davos. Faced with this situation, he would unhesitatingly send troops to protect Crotone! If the Locri dare to attack, he would launch a counterattack without hesitation!
Helos spoke these words earnestly, and Asistes was moved. He whispered in his defense, "It’s not that I disagree with sending troops, I just want to get Lord Davos’s orders first."
"The round trip would take at least a day. By the ti the order arrives, the Locri would likely have already crossed the Tachinadi River and caused severe damage to Crotone’s outskirts. Since we want to aid Crotone, we must be there when they need us most!"
Helos’s expression was firm, his words forceful, and Asistes was moved. "Alright, I agree to send troops. However, I will send a courier to Thurii to announce our decision!"
"That’s as it should be!" Helos nodded.
Thesprotes received word from Helos that Dionysia would fulfill its alliance agreent and send troops from Asprustum to help Crotone defend its territory. Overwheld with emotion, he repeatedly expressed his gratitude to Helos and Ascystes.
Once Helos had decided to march, the entire Asprustum sprang into action. 2,500 n of the Third Legion were quickly assembled and, under the command of Ascystes, they imdiately set out south, leaving only 500 n to defend the city. Locri’s thousand-man assault force encountered virtually no resistance, advancing smoothly to the Tachinadi River, leaving a trail of ruins in their wake. Centuries earlier
,
in the Archaic era, wars between city-states were more cordial, with both sides agreeing on a ti and place for the battle, often preceded by duels between warriors, and the victorious side rarely pursuing. By this ti, wars between city-states had beco extrely brutal, with many defeated states and even entire clans destroyed. Therefore, when a powerful force attacked, the weaker would naturally retreat to their cities for defense. Unwilling to storm a city, attackers would often resort to destroying farmland, burning villages, and massacring civilians, among other atrocities, to coerce the enemy into fighting. For example, during the Peloponnesian War, Sparta attacked Athens by land. Knowing it could not compete with Sparta on land, Athens forced its people to retreat within its walls, leaving Attica desolate and desolate by the Peloponnesians.
These tactics could also weaken the enemy’s fighting spirit, as seen in the actions of the Dionysian soldiers on the plains north of Croton and the Crotone soldiers on the plains of Sybarite. Decades of hostility between Locri and Crotone gave these actions an additional purpose: venting their anger. Therefore, they carried out these actions with extre thoroughness, which in turn slowed their advance.
Hearing the Tachinadi River approached not far ahead, the Locrian soldiers eagerly crossed it and rushed into the heart of Crotone, burning, slaughtering, and looting. As they excitedly reached the west bank, they found an army blocking their path.
Diopantus, the general leading this Locrian force, wondered: Hadn’t the naval intelligence indicated that Crotone had already dispatched all its troops, leaving the city depleted? Could these be newly recruited freedn?
He looked closely and saw the army ahead, arranged in a neat phalanx. Each soldier stood tall and erect, clad in full heavy infantry gear, complete with helt, breastplate, greaves, round shield, and lance. The entire formation was as silent as a mountain, its oppressive presence hushing the previously loudly jocund Locrians.
"Look at that banner!" soone exclaid, pointing to a large red banner held high in the center of the opposing phalanx.
The Locrian soldiers with keen eyes could see: atop the banner was a bronze statue of a figure with wings spread, holding a sword.
"It looks like the god of death," soone said uncertainly.
The god of death?! Diopantus rembered that trophenis, who had just returned to Locri a few days ago, had recounted his experiences in Dionia at the council eting. He imdiately realized: this unusual army ahead was not from Crotone, but from Dionysia, the sa city-state that had recently forced Crotone to sue for peace. A mysterious alliance of city-states that hadn’t existed a year before, yet had suddenly beco a pivotal force in Magna Graecia!
Diopantus imdiately beca nervous and hurriedly began to rally his scattered troops.
At this mont, a small group of cavalry galloped in from the opposite direction and stopped about 50 ters from the Locrian formation. The general in the center, wearing a purple-crowned helt, spoke loudly, while the other cavalryn acted as ssengers: "I am Asistes, Captain of the Third Legion of the Dionysian Alliance! Dionysia and Crotone have previously signed a defensive alliance treaty. According to this treaty, Dionysia is responsible for protecting the security of Crotone’s territory! Locrians, Dionysia has no intention of going to war with you, but if you remain on Crotone’s land, we will be forced to drive you away!"
A commotion erupted in the Locrian formation.
Damn it! Diopantus cursed inwardly, his worst fears finally coming true.
When news of the Dionysian-Crotone alliance reached Locri a few days ago, it shocked the entire council, and everyone denounced Crotone as shaless and cowardly.
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