Mediterranean Hegemon of Ancient Greece Chapter 159: Dionia’s march and Syracuse’s negotiation

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When the Second Army was about to reach the wooden bridge of the Racoeli River, several scouts sent out quickly returned from the front with a little panic: "Report to the commander of the legion that the enemy's cavalry was found in the front. The number is about —— "

Before the voice of the detective rider, the enemy riders have appeared on the opposite bank of the Racoeli River. They have dark skin and black hair, wearing only thin short-sleeved linens, holding a javelin in their hands, and bare feet. Some horses don’t even have cushions on their backs, but those horses appear vigorous and flexible. They have about hundreds of horses, facing the huge army marching towards them, they are not afraid, standing quietly by the river, looking at the opposite bank...Amintas can feel the gaze from them. Some are cunning and sinister.

This is the Numibian cavalry? ! Amintas recalled the description in the previous battle report, and looked at them curiously. What rose in his heart was not fear, but excitement: "Let the light infantry brigade send 200 archers to guard the river and protect the enemy cavalry from the opposite bank. Drive away. The other light infantry followed the first brigade, and waited for my order to quickly cross the bridge!"

The Second Army moved quickly. The archers rushed to the river. Before they could release their arrows, the Numibian cavalry on the opposite bank immediately ran away, and the Second Army easily crossed the wooden bridge.

Just when Amintas was considering whether to deploy the Second Army as a squadron, he formed a two-line "two" formation like fish scales, and coordinated with the Seventh Army to push forward and move these like flies. When the surrounding enemy cavalry drove away, the messenger arrived with Daves' orders: Leave the cavalry alone, continue marching on the main road, and arrive at Crimea before dusk!

Amintas had no choice but to dispel the attempt and march again in a column.

At first, the Numibian cavalry rushed over from time to time when they were still on both sides of the avenue, shouting strangely, and throwing a round of javelins, but after being shot down by several horsemen with bows and arrows by the light infantry, they became much more cautious.

After entangled for a long time, suddenly an enemy cavalry rushed forward, shouting something, and then these cavalry began to retreat one after another.

Soon, these "ugly-looking" Numibians were no longer visible in the sight of the soldiers of the Second Legion.

The soldiers don’t know what happened, and Amintas can vaguely guess the reason: it may be that the Dionian fleet on the expedition won the naval battle again. These mercenary cavalry feared that the Dionian fleet had taken control of Crowe. In the sea near Tone, warships will be used to break the pontoon bridge built on the Neto River and block the Neto River. Then these mercenary cavalry raging on the Dionian Territory will not be able to return to the Syracuse camp and be isolated. Outside, becoming an abandoned child will surely be strangled by the anger of the soldiers.

……………………………………

The fact is true. When the Numibian cavalry and the Celtic cavalry in the northern plains of Croton fled across the Neto River in embarrassment, there were already Dionian warships at the mouth of the river.

The Numibians reported the news they found to Dionysius.

"Dionia’s reinforcements are here? So fast?!" Fascipesas was surprised. The troops had just penetrated the inner city of Crotone yesterday, and the Dionia rushed in today.

"How many people are there?" Astagras asked urgently.

Axirita stretched out three fingers: "About 30,000 people."

"30,000..." Astagras carefully estimated: "There are about 10,000 Dionian soldiers in Asprostum, and there are about 1 in Crimea. Ten thousand...In this way, Dionia will gather more than 50,000 soldiers after coming to Crotone's territory, which is not a small number!"

"Don't forget to count the heavy infantry on the Dionian warship." Fascipesas reminded Astagras: "The strength of Dionian is at least 60,000!"

"The soldiers on the Dionia battleship fought our soldiers for a long time, and there are not many people left." Astagoras retorted.

"You have to admit that the Dionians can capture us so many warships, indicating that their soldiers did not lose too much." Fascipesas insisted on his opinion.

Phoebe Das silently listened to these two Syracuse generals arguing about the strength of their forces, and there was a trace of envy in my heart: Syracuse and Dionia, these two powerful forces in the Western Mediterranean. During the war, the number of soldiers dispatched at every turn was more than 50,000, which was beyond the reach of Sparta and its allies.

At this moment, another Numibian beside Axirita said a few words loudly in Numibian.

Fasipezas immediately stopped arguing with his colleagues and asked curiously: "What did he say?"

Axirita replied: "My men said, "Some of the enemies are wearing black armor, some of them are wearing the same armor as you, and some of them don’t wear armor at all and don’t have weapons. ."

In the original reinforcements led by Daves: The soldiers of the Second Legion were all official citizens, wearing standard black helmets, black armor, stabbing guns, long shields, short swords, and javelins; most of the soldiers of the Seventh Legion were Preparatory citizens and registered free citizens did not have enough money to purchase Dionian-standard equipment, so the weapons and equipment they carried were messy. Until the soldiers of Tarantum were annihilated and captured, all the soldiers of the Seventh Army could be replaced. The heavy infantry equipment unplugged from the Tarantum soldiers, Corinthian helmets, linen breastplates, bucklers, gaiters, stabbing guns, sabers, and thousands of pairs of heavy infantry equipment from the Tarantum. The heavy infantry equipment of the Mu’s captives was prepared to be replaced by the Sixth Corps stationed in Crimea; and for the Spear Group, in order not to reveal the secrets, let the Syracuses know in advance and take precautions. After all, The four-meter-long spear is really too eye-catching, so let them march empty-handed and transport the spears to the Crimea port by cargo ships to unload them. This gives the Numibians such an illusion.

"Let me just say, how could there be so many citizen soldiers in Dionia! It turned out that they had recruited all the free people, but they were not able to equip them with all weapons, even if there were more people, it was useless! Astagolas glanced at Facipesas and laughed.

Fassipesas didn't quarrel with him anymore, and the expression on his face was much more relaxed. As an opponent, he certainly hoped that the weaker the Dionian army, the better.

"Bless Apollo, Dionia's reinforcements came just right!" At this time, Dionysius, who had been meditating, spoke. Since witnessing the defeat of the Navy, he has been sullen. His men thought he was angry at the defeat of the Navy, but he was worried about the fate of this huge army because he thought of a key question.

Even if Siracusa’s army continues to attack Crimea, Castellon, and even the southern city of Turíy, the great offensive pressure prevents the Dionians from dividing their troops into their fleet for the time being. The Siracusa army landed from the weak rear, but as long as the Dionians burned the wooden bridge on the wide Krati River, the Siracusa army, which had lost its naval superiority, would not be able to cross the Krati River and attack. The heart of the Dionian Alliance-Turiyi North City, and once the army stops at the Krati River, Dionian, who has slowed down, may hold on to the defense line of the river while sending a fleet to attack the army in Syracuse. The rear of the country will inevitably make Syracuse’s army exhausted, and will eventually even be defeated.

Thinking of this possibility, Dionysius broke into a cold sweat, and started to retreat in his heart: simply...let Phoebe Das go to Turriyi to negotiate a peace?

In the big tent, Dionysius had already glanced at the back straight and taciturn Spartan several times. For Sparta, he hoped that Syracuse would end the war quickly, and then He was very clear in his heart to assist them and help them quickly defeat the anti-Spartan alliance, but he would never do it.

If Spartans were needed to support him during the period when he became a tyrant, he is now full of wings and does not need a powerful ally to dictate. On the contrary, the Spartans caught in the war will lower their arrogant heads, allowing Syracuse to gain more benefits.

At this moment, Dionysius didn't mind taking advantage of Spartan's eagerness to achieve his own goals. What kind of negotiation conditions are proposed? As far as the area occupied now is as the sphere of influence of both sides, the armistice will be implemented. Will the young Dionian accept it? Or return to Siricin and hand Crotone to Dionia?

Despite the exhaustion of the national treasury and the failure of such a large army to occupy a city in Dionia, Dionysius was really unwilling. But as a person in power who is very good at weighing the gains and losses, he could not completely drive the forces of Carthage out of Sicily when Carthage was defeated and Syracuse had an absolute advantage in Sicily. Can also temporarily swallow this unwillingness.

Furthermore, this time the expedition occupied so many great Greek city-states, almost controlled the southern part of Great Greece, prevented the expansion of Dionian forces to the south, and Syracuse gained considerable strength. The increase in Dionysius’ mission has actually been half achieved. As long as we go back, strengthen the navy, and after the treasury is full, we will attack Great Greece again, and I believe that Dionia can be destroyed!

However, just when he retired and wanted to stop the war on Dionia through the Spartans, he heard the news that the Dionia army came to help. After listening to the comments of his men, He changed his mind again: Although the Syracuse navy failed, the astonishing number of the army was Lien Chan and victories, morale was high, and they were all experienced civic soldiers and mercenaries, unlike Dionian’s freemen. Comparing the numbers, if you can completely defeat the Dionia in a battle, you can turn the tide of the battle and make Dionia pay a greater price!