Mediterranean Hegemon of Ancient Greece Chapter 65: Military operations of the Iberian army on the north coast

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Sekrian smiled: "Your Majesty, don't worry, I am also a veteran of the Senate at any rate, so how can I be messy regardless of the overall situation!"

Davers also smiled and said: "I am relieved to have you sitting in the southern sea area! But after you have completely controlled the sea in Sicily, don't completely block the sea passage between Carthage and Sicily."

"Why?" Sekrian was taken aback and blurted out.

"Because we need to give Carthage hope, so that they will continue to consume their own resources and send the citizens of Carthage to Sicily..." Daves' eyes shone with cold.

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"General, how can you allow Hasdruba to lead his army to attack the north coast of Sicily alone!" Millefio broke into the camp and asked Monte Arderno loudly.

For Millefio’s rudeness, Monte Arderno did not reprimand. He shrugged and asked helplessly: "If you don’t let him go, what can we do? It’s because he refuses to send his troops. As a forward, I quarreled with me for three days here, which seriously affected my command of other troops. Can I punish him by military law?!"

Milofio was speechless for a while, and he immediately realized: Hasdrubic is the most important member of the Magonid family, and he must be punished for disputes over military viewpoints. This is not about background and strength. Monte Arderno dared to do it. If it were to be carried out, it might have given Margo an excuse to withdraw the army from the expedition. Monte Arderno was a rat-and-treat weapon.

Milfio said unwillingly: "We can tell the Senate of Hasdruba's refusal to obey the military order and let them punish it!"

Monte Adeno shook his head secretly in his heart: Millefio was still too young, and before the battle started, he suggested that he should ask for help from the Senate. Doesn’t this make the senators feel too incompetent, how can they let it? Hanno can rest assured to hand over the power of the army to himself!

Thinking of this, he sneered: "Actually, it is a good thing for Hasdruba to take the army to attack the North Coast. If he attacks with all his strength, he can just help us attract the attention of the Dionian army and distract us. Their strength; if he stays in the army, he will be completely seen by the Senate and the people. When the time comes to compare with our record, it will only humiliate the Magonis family. I believe this will be extremely important. The family-renowned Marge knows, and will definitely ask Hasdruba to attack desperately."

Milafio thought for a while and smiled.

"How is the state of your soldiers now?" Monte Arderno asked with concern again.

"They are all eager to fight!" Millefio replied simply.

"That's good." Monte Arderno nodded with satisfaction, knowing that the Holy Corps army under the command of Millefio is the main force of this Carthage army: "Go back and be prepared, we will soon follow Attacked east on the south coast."

"Yes, General!" Millefio left in excitement.

Sent away this Hanno’s son-in-law, Monte Arderno breathed a sigh of relief, and was about to let the servant bring a can of wine. The guards came in and reported: "General, the chief of Sikel, named Arconis, came to see you again. Up."

"No!" Monte Ardeno waved his hand impatiently: Is the leader of Sikel, who has lost his people and is fostered in the city of Lilibo like a bereaved dog, deserves to come to see him!

Has Druba led his complex of 20,000 troops and quickly left Lilivi in ​​a boat, and quickly went north, landing in a coastal city-state in northwestern Sicily—Panormus (Panormus). ).

This is a city-state established by the Phoenicians. It has always been under the rule of the Carthaginians. Hasdruba’s family reputation has made him a warm welcome, but the people are also surprised to see this There were not many Phoenicians or Carthaginians in the huge team, basically all aliens in foreign clothes, so they refused to let them come close to the city.

Fortunately, the flat land around Palermos is the widest among the towns on the north coast, so Hasdruba and Kisgo led the army to build temporary military camps outside the city.

Due to its good location and environment, on Kisgo’s suggestion, Hasdruba decided to use it as a rear base for his troops, so he spent a few more days to completely build the camp and reserve The food was heavy, a few soldiers were left to garrison, and the army began to attack eastward.

This time the army went by land. After just over two hours, they arrived at another Phoenician town, Solus. Back then, the army of Dionysius and the army of Carthage led by Marco fought fiercely here for months, not because it was a big city, but because this small town was completely stuck from The land access between the mountains and the coast is more difficult to attack.

After the Hasdruba’s army stopped here for a while, they continued to move forward. The next road is more difficult. The left side is the sea and the right side is the towering mountains. The average altitude is one kilometer. From left to right, this passable seaside passage was also undulating, with the narrowest point being less than two miles, and the marching speed of the entire army slowed down.

It was about 3 o'clock in the afternoon that they walked out of this narrow coastline and stepped onto the soft ground, and what they saw was low hills.

Has Drupa was excited, because the guide told him: Himera is ahead.

Hasdruba immediately ordered: The army rushed to the Himera River to build a temporary camp and prepare to spend the night.

And he and Kisgo rode fast horses and guards to this place of great significance to the Magonyd family.

Decades ago, his ancestor Hamilka led the Carthage army to besiege the largest Greek city-state on the north coast of Sicily. As a result, the tyrant of Syracuse Dillon led the reinforcements and finally defeated it. Hamilka's army.

And more than ten years ago, Hasdruba’s father Jimilco led the Carthage army to Sicily again, and captured the city-state that brought shame to the Magonis family, and Shimir Ke built the altar of Bar Harmon and used a blood sacrifice ceremony for thousands of captives to comfort the heroic spirits of the ancestors and wash away the previous shame.

When Hasdruba and the others arrived, the city of Himera was no longer in front of them, but a ruin overgrown with weeds. Only the river called Himera gurgled through the ruins.

On the east bank of the Himera River, there are one or two Greek villages. The villagers are fleeing eastward with their families.

The guard wanted to go forward and hunt, but was stopped by Hasdruba: "Don't worry, they won't be able to run in the end!"

He got off his horse and wandered slowly in the ruins for a while. When the following troops rushed to the river, he solemnly said to Kisgo: "When I win, I will build an altar here. This time it is our turn to wash away the shame for the family!"

Kismo nodded solemnly.

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In the early morning of the second day, Hasdruba assembled the troops and continued to march, riding at the head of the team by himself.

Ahead is the Himera River, and further east is within the sphere of influence of the Greeks. Crossing this river by the Carthaginian army means that war has been declared on the Greek forces in Sicily.

Has Drupa did not hesitate to urge the horse to cross the Himera River, and thus opened the prelude to the war between the two largest forces in the Western Mediterranean, the Kingdom of Dionia and Carthage.

At noon, the Carthage troops marching along the coast stopped advancing, and a Greek town in front of them, Cephaloedum, blocked their way.

Compared with the city of Solus, Cerro Diham’s terrain is more dangerous. The side close to the sea is a mountain with an altitude of 300 meters, and the side close to the inland is a rolling mountain with an average elevation of four to five hundred meters. , The narrowest part of the lowland in the middle is only 400 meters away, and Cerro Diham guards it.

Hastruba looked at the dangerous terrain and immediately ordered the troops to lay out a dense column in front of the city (because the terrain was so narrow that it could not be expanded frontally), stretched for several miles, blew the bugle, thunder drums, The soldiers roared in unison, their voices shook the sky.

Then he sent his men to the city to persuade him to surrender, otherwise he threatened to slaughter the city, but he was sternly refused.

So, Hasdruba ordered the troops to retreat one mile away, and while building a temporary camp, they began to prepare siege equipment.

When Dionysius attacked Carthage’s many cities and towns in Sicily, the Carthaginians had had enough of ballistas, belly bows, and siege towers. These years, they have been focusing their efforts on research and development. After all, Carthage is a powerful city-state, and its civilization is no less than that of Greece. In addition to super siege due to the complicated process, more manpower required, and difficulty in production, siege equipment such as ballistas and abdominal bows can already be used on its own. Crafted, and can also be used to aid allies, such as Rome.

The soldiers began to assemble ballistas and abdominal bows, and fell trees to make ladders and siege vehicles.

The Cerro Diam also sent a messenger, took a boat from the port, rushed to Mile, and asked the Dionians for help.

The next day, Hasdruba led an army to attack Cerro Diham.

The people of the city were reminded by the Dionians half a month ago, and under the guidance of the Dionians, the city’s defenses were re-strengthened, and the narrow terrain prevented the Iberian troops from exerting much strength. Advantages, and can only attack its western wall is also conducive to the concentration of the Cerro Diam troops defense.

After a day of fierce fighting, the Iberian troops had not even attacked the head of the city, so the Iberian troops had to return to the camp.

On the second day, Hasdruba led the battle again, but the siege was still unsuccessful.

It's been like this for several days.

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Just two days after the Iberian army left, Monte Adeno led the Carthage army also set out from Lilibo and marched east along the road on the south coast.

The army arrived at Mazara first in the afternoon.