Mediterranean Hegemon of Ancient Greece Chapter 38: Visit to Athens
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Lycias’s gaze was watching a fleet of dozens of warships cruising in front of him. Behind the fleet, two huge white anti-waves were faintly visible, like a pair of arms from the coast. The side stretches out, as if to keep the Craty River flowing into the sea.
"Turiyi now is a completely different Turiyi..." he murmured.
The passenger ship in Athens finally entered the port and docked.
In the speculation made by Isocrates combined with the information about the alliance, he believes that the port of Turiy is not located near the famous trade routes of the eastern and western Mediterranean, and it does not have a natural good port. Sea trade shouldn't be too good, but what he saw overturned his thinking.
Although it is not as prosperous as the port of Piraeus, it has exceeded his imagination, especially the huge wooden hangers erected on each pier attracted his attention: With a few labor operations, it can easily hoist the large cargo on the cargo ship that used to be lifted by more than a dozen strong men in the air, and then transfer it to the dock.
Isocrates from Athens, a prosperous maritime trade, immediately realized: If this device can be applied to the port of Piraeus, the terminal's ability to unload merchant ships can be greatly improved!
So he leaned over to take a closer look at the detailed structure of this device, but was rudely warned by the manipulator of the hanger: Don't approach it, or the patrol would detain it.
Isocrates returned in grief.
At this time, a few strong men came in front of Lycias, the head of them with a flattering smile, and said: "Hi, hello! I'm the porter Sperian, this is mine Number, do you have anything we need to carry?" As he said, he motioned to Lycias to show a small round iron piece pinned to his chest.
Lycias, who hadn't been back to Turri for decades, was really curious and leaned forward. He took a closer look: on this black and faint iron plate is a pattern of a balance, and a string of strange symbols below it.
"What's the use of this thing?" He pointed to the iron piece and asked curiously.
Sperian said with some pride: "This can prove that I am a porter officially registered with the port management office. If there are accidents such as loss of goods during the transportation, you can complain to me at the port management office. As long as you report this number, the management staff will punish me and compensate you for your loss after verifying the situation, so you can rest assured."
"This is a number?" Lycias pointed to the strange line of symbols in surprise.
"Of course it is not a Greek number." Sperryan is happy to show his superiority in front of this old man who looks like a scholar: "This is a number invented by our consul Daves, which is easy to remember. It's easy to use. Party members use it everywhere. The number engraved on it is 2410. Remember?"
Lucias nodded, but his heart was tumbling. It's not because of this peculiar number. He is not a mathematician and he is not very sensitive to it. He is surprised that Turriy manages the port, only from porters, which are the most common and cheapest labor in ports. Such meticulous management can be seen by the Dionians' ability to manage their cities. Even in Athens, there is no such measure to regulate the labor market in the mixed Piraeus port. And from this number, Lycias, who is so sophisticated, can feel the busyness of the port of Turíy, which may be even more than what he sees in his eyes.
It is not a fluke that Dionia can rise in a short period of time! Lucias was alert, and then calmly reminded: "I hired you to carry the goods, but there are a lot of pottery in the goods, please be careful!"
"Don't worry, I can't remember how many times I have transported goods such as clay pots." While making a guarantee, Sperian negotiated a good price with the entourage of the Athens mission.
At this time, Isocrates also rushed back.
Sperian led a few people on a pallet with wooden wheels to carry the goods, and led the Athenian mission out of the crowded pier and onto Port Avenue.
Isocrates was surprised that this avenue was even wider and flatter than the avenue from Piraeus Port to Athens. Looking at the ditches, sidewalks and other facilities on both sides of the avenue, it shows that Dai Onians are strict and meticulous in road construction.
This makes Isocrates a little frustrated: because this seems to be incomparable to the Athenians, their minds are more focused on participating in political affairs, courts and other city-state affairs.
Isocrates couldn't help but squat down, stretched out his hand, and touched the off-white material that tightly joins the stones to the stones, knocked it, the texture is still very hard.
"Isocrates, are you ready to change your career as an architect?" Lycias understood why he did this and couldn't help but say a joke.
"This is the first time you have come to Dionia, right?" Sperian didn't feel strange seeing his behavior, but said contentedly: "In Dionia's territory, such avenues can be seen everywhere. It’s just that this avenue is wider. Because the merchant ships coming to Turiyi are getting more and more year after year, this road has been rebuilt many times, and even the surrounding warehouses and bungalows have been demolished. Now it seems It still seems a bit narrow."
Is this too narrow? ! Lycias was speechless.
Because most of the traffic on this avenue is horse-drawn carriages, and pedestrians tend to walk on both sides of the road, Sperryan had to remind: "You first step back to the side of the road, wait a while, I will bring the carriage. But I have to explain in advance that what I was talking to you was only responsible for the price of delivering the goods. The city of Turiyi is more than ten miles away from the port. If you choose to walk, we will deliver to the city gate and wait for you first. If you choose to walk with us in my carriage, then you have to pay a little more fare."
Sperian is shrewd, and Lycias is also not confused. Although he is a literati, he has been making a living by writing litigation defenses on his behalf in Athens. He lives relatively tightly and is familiar with things like firewood, rice, oil, and salt: "Is there no carriage here specifically for people to walk?"
"Of course there are, and many more." Spérian said truthfully: "Out of the port, there are those carriages that carry guests. They are more comfortable to sit in than my panniers, but they are more expensive. And I I will take you by the way, and only charge a small amount of hard work."
For the wealthy Athenians, money is not a problem, but Isocrates is obviously a little tired and afraid of trouble, but he still reminds: "We are five people, can you sit in a carriage?"
"Don't worry." Sperryan didn't tell a lie, and soon he drove two carriages with people.
When Sperian and the others carefully carried the goods onto the carriage, Lycias couldn't help asking: "Is this the carriage you rented?"
"No, it's my carriage." Sperian emphasized the pronunciation of the word "I", and said proudly: "As a prospective citizen, I can apply for a loan from Christia Bank. Now the loan and interest on one carriage have been paid off, and the other is coming soon."
Soon, the two carriages started.
Sperian accompanies Isocrates and Lycias in the first carriage. This kind of cargo pannier has no bupen and can see the situation of Port Avenue and its surroundings. It fits Aesop. Crady's mind. He noticed: Although there are many carriages and carriages on the avenue, they follow a certain rule, so they appear to be numerous and not chaotic. Even when there is a problem that causes congestion, there will be patrols quickly rushing to dredge...
And Lycias's attention is more on trucks and panniers, because they are all pulled by horses. In Lycias’s memory, Turriy was not a city-state rich in horses, but there were so many horses in the port, so he asked: "How about the price of your horses here?"
"A mare has 30 drachs and a stallion has 22 drachs."
"Why is it so cheap?!" Lycias was startled.
"The price of Turri’s horses was more than double the current price, but since Bruti was merged into Dionia, the Brutis have provided a large number of pack horses to Turri’s market in recent years. The price naturally came down." Sperryan said, patted the packhorse's ass, and the horse let out a gentle neigh, and said triumphantly: “Brutima is a good horse, with great strength, good endurance, and good temper. Now even the Lijim people have begun to buy horses from us. It is estimated that the price will have to rise again in the future..."
When Sperian spoke, the carriage had already reached the exit of the port, waiting for the checkpoint sentry to pass it.
Originally, when Isocrates’ boats entered the mouth of the Krati River, they only had to directly indicate to the patrol boat that they were the messengers of Athens. They didn’t need to enter the port at all. The Senate of Onia, but Isocrates had other considerations and did not do so.
At this moment, he looked up at the tall city wall that stood in front of the carriage and firmly surrounded the huge port. He couldn't help but sigh: When Athens was strong, Piraeus, who also used the city wall to bring infinite wealth to Athens. The port of Foss was protected and connected to Athens. Unfortunately, after the failure of the Peloponnesian War, the Spartans forced the Athenians to tear down the city wall. This time, Athens and Thebes united against Sparta. The people were always uneasy, fearing that the Spartans would rush through. The Isthmus, then the completely unguarded Port of Piraeus is a piece of fat in the mouth of a hungry wolf. The Citizens' Assembly has proposed several times to rebuild the city wall, but this is a huge project. Under the current situation that Athens is fully engaged in the war, it is undoubtedly difficult, and it was eventually shelved due to endless disputes.
When will the walls of Piraeus Port be rebuilt? That will be when Athens will rise again! Isocrates has his own deep understanding of this.