Mediterranean Hegemon of Ancient Greece Chapter 66: Return aid

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A messenger continued to relay the order of the Senate: "Master Diomilas believes that the Mesapi army who attacked Manduria may be the last force of the Mesapi. Therefore, the Senate ordered you to ensure that When Lindisi is safe, lead as many soldiers back as possible, join the reinforcements of Heraclea and Metapontum, march towards Manduria, and completely defeat the Mesapis! Completely guarantee the new occupation! Security!"

Achita bowed his head and pondered: Before, Tarantum had paid nearly 5,000 casualties in the fight for Manduria and Brindisi, and the casualties of Mesapi would not be lower than Tarantum. , This can be seen from the corpses of the Mesapi people buried after the war. Regardless of the fact that the Mesapi League has seven or eight city states, the only real big city is Rudiae, which can send tens of thousands of troops. Mesapi’s manpower should have reached its limit... just why not come. Attack Brindisi, which is wedged in the Mesapi territory, and attack Manduria, who is closer to Tarantum and easier to rescue?

But he then thought about it, and immediately scolded himself for being confused: Brindisi has 8,000 Tarantum citizen soldiers stationed, and Mandunia has only 2,000. It is obvious which city is easier to capture.

He looked up at the messenger who was still waiting for his reply, and asked, "How many people did Metapontum and Heraclea send?"

"Because of their losses last time, it is said that only 3,000 people were sent to the two cities this time." The messenger replied.

Achita's expression was dim: He had fought side by side with the allies before, and of course he knew what their casualties were. But the final result is exclusive to Tarantum, and Heraclea and Metapontum only get some rewards. However, isn't Dionia defeating opponents and growing rapidly in this way?

Thinking of this, his heart no longer feels guilty, but instead is concerned about the city-state alliance across the bay that makes him feel complicated: "The Senate...Did you send an envoy to Dionia for help?"

The messenger hesitated to speak, shook his head, and looked weird.

Achita's thoughts turned and he immediately understood: Not only is Diomelas, one of the newly elected consuls this year, who has always disliked the Dionian League, others also have this kind of psychology to some extent. As a big state in Southern Italy that has been in existence for 300 years, it is indeed a detrimental thing to seek help from an emerging city-state alliance that has just been established less than two years ago. What will the allies and other city-states in Greater Greece think! What's more, Dionia is not like Heraclea and Metapontum. They are based on Tarantum, and Dionia and Tarantum are equal offensive and defensive alliances. Maybe it is now The overall strength is better than Tarantum... Ask Dionia for assistance, it won’t work if you don’t pay a certain price. Therefore, Tarantum will never send an envoy to Dionia until the moment of crisis.

Achita pondered for a moment, and then simply said: "I'm going to let Pebaricius lead two thousand soldiers to stay at Brindisi. I will take 6000 people back. You will go with me, because I don't have enough. The cavalry alone escorted you back."

The messenger was relieved and quickly agreed. He was frightened by the haunting light cavalry of the Mesapi people. The cavalry squad who escorted him paid more than a dozen lives before sending him safely into Brindisi.

In the afternoon, the freedmen who heard the news came one after another and watched 6,000 Tarantum citizen soldiers out of the city with anxiety. Although Tarantum looked down upon the emerging and historically unconventional Dionian City-State Alliance, he had already begun to learn from Dionian on how to deal with the occupied territories. After capturing the two towns, the Senate immediately promised the Gentiles and freemen in Tarantum that as long as they were willing to move to Brindisi and Manduria, they would obtain land and become citizens of Tarantum. Brindisi and Manduria will also become affiliates of Tarantum. Therefore, despite knowing that there are risks, many free people still lead their families and come here with pleasure. Now that the war breaks out again, Brindisi's defensive force has gone more than half, how can we not let them nervous.

There is an east-west mountain ridge between Brindisi on the east coast of Apulia and Tarantum on the west coast, except for the rest. Therefore, Achita’s army can go to Tarantum in two directions, one is to go north and go around the mountains and go west to reach Tarantum; or to go directly to the west, go through Manduria, and go around the mountains to reach Tarantum. Tarantum. Of course Aceta chose the former, because the road to the north is very safe except for the only Mesapi town-Igratia, which needs to be watched. Choosing the latter means always being vigilant against raids in some Mesapi towns in the dense woods to the south, centered on Udia.

It didn't take long for Achita's army to leave the city before bypassing the mountains. At this time, Tan Malay News: found a small group of Mesapi cavalry spying nearby.

Achita didn't care too much. Although Tarantum has taken Brindisi, there are still Mesapi cavalry cruising in this area from time to time on the route from Tarantum to Brindisi, and it affects both Tarantum and Brindisi. The movement of people and supplies between Brindisi. Tarantum had sent soldiers to attack these cavalry many times, but they relied on horses to run fast, and they ran out of sight early. After the troops returned without success, they reappeared. Tarantum had nothing to do with these Mesapi cavalry, so he had to consider waiting for Brindisi to be completely stabilized, and then continue to build new villages and strongholds between the two cities to completely occupy this area. Prior to this, Tarantum specially formed troops to ensure the connection and transportation between the two cities. Heavy infantry and archers could deal with these fast-moving cavalry well, and Akita did the same.

After bypassing the mountains, the terrain leading to Tarantum is flat and open. Achita divides the marching column into five columns, with a small number of light infantry in the middle, and heavy armored civilian soldiers on the outside, the entire length of the marching column It's about three miles. Tarantum and Brindisi are about a hundred miles away, and Archita estimates that at the current speed of the new army, they will be able to arrive in the evening.

Achita controls the marching speed of the troops, moving forward unhurriedly.

However, with the passage of time, more and more Mesapi cavalry appeared. They were cruising around the marching troops, attacking and killing Tarantum’s scouts, so Archita had to take back a few. Of cavalry, so they can no longer understand the surrounding situation outside the army’s field of vision.

As a commander, although Achita knew very well that after the last war, there was no strong Mesapi force near the north face of the hills between Brindisi and Tarantum, but this is like The blindness made him feel uneasy, and he immediately ordered the troops to speed up their march and arrive at Sigeon as soon as possible.

Sigwong is a village north of Tarantum. Before Brindisi was captured, it was built into a small stronghold fortress because it was adjacent to the territory of Mesapi. Walls, multiple outposts, to defend against the intrusion of the Mesapi.

The bugle was sounded, and the commanded officers began to urge the hip-hop soldiers.

At this moment, a loud bugle sounded at the same time in front of the team.

The soldiers of the vanguard were stunned: Could it be that our army is here?

"This is the sound of an attack!" Some soldiers have already started to exclaim.

Just when the team was in a commotion, Archita's order came: stop! Immediately expand the formation to the west, with light infantry at the front and heavy infantry at the back!

The team officers acted immediately, and commanded the soldiers to line up.

Achita rushed to the front of the team on horseback under the **** of the cavalry.

A hundred meters away, the loose Mesapi cavalry stared at him like a wolf, and he looked further forward through the gap between the enemy riders. He wondered: Now the main force of the Mesapi people is in Manduria, if their army is coming, how many soldiers can they draw out to prevent their troops from returning to Tarantum?

As he was thinking, Tarantum's marching column began to slowly spread out to the west. The team officers and soldiers yelled at each other, looking for their own positions, and the noise shook the sky.

In front of the array, Achita quietly confronted the Mesapi cavalry not far away...

coming! Acita's eyelids twitched, and he blinked vigorously, staring wider: a row of small black dots appeared on the horizon a few hundred meters away, gradually becoming larger and longer...

As the team got closer, Achita and the others saw it more clearly: it was also in the attire of bucklers, copper helmets and spears, and it was also a dense queue, but it was not certain that it was Tarantum’s team. Because Mesapi soldiers are also equipped with the same equipment, this is the credit of the Athenians!

When I walked closer and could see the flag held high, the adjutant exclaimed: "General, Igratia's troops!"

Igratia is the northernmost city-state in the Mesapi territory, adjacent to the territory of the Puchetti. Every time there is a conflict between Mesapi and Puchetti, Igratia bears the brunt, so As a border city, its military capabilities are relatively strong, according to Brindisi recently. When Tarantum stormed Brindisi, the Igratias came to reinforce and were repelled by Archita.

Achita also specially set up a sentry to the northwest of Brindi to monitor the movement of Igratia. Now Igratia’s troops are here, and Achita did not receive a warning. Obviously, the sentry to the north was affected. Arrived unexpectedly.

At this moment, Archieta was not in the mood to mourn in silence. He stared at the enemy's array, and with the mind of a mathematician, he quickly calculated that the enemy's strength was less than 3,000.

Almost 3000 people dare to stop them from going home? ! Achita did not feel relaxed, but was even more puzzled in her heart.

But at this moment, he can't let him think about it. The originally quiet Mesapi cavalry screamed and rushed over. He led the cavalry to turn the horse's head quickly and retreated, and the light infantry who had been in the front of the square greeted him. Before, prepare to shoot the arrow in the hand.