I was a priest in the city-state era.

Chapter 73 Both Copper Mine and Iron Mine
"What is iron?"

After listening to Roy's words, Harmonia blinked her beautiful blue eyes and said curiously.

"I know that copper is bronze. Our Thebes tribe has some bronze weapons and a bronze tripod for cooking, but this is the first time I have heard of iron."

Uh--

I forgot that in this era, except for the Hittite Empire in Asia Minor peninsula who mastered iron smelting technology, people in other regions not only have not seen iron, but have not even heard of iron, Luo Yi explained with some embarrassment.

"Priests of Harmonia, iron is also called black iron. It is a metal with the same properties as bronze. Bronze can be made into weapons, as well as various bronze utensils such as bronze tripods for cooking. Black iron can also be made into Weapons, iron pots for cooking, iron plows for plowing and other iron utensils. Moreover, weapons made of black iron are sharper and stronger than bronze weapons, and iron pots made of black iron are also more useful than bronze tripods , and iron plows, which are agricultural tools made of black iron, can double the harvest of grain.”

"Black iron can not only make iron weapons that are sharper and stronger than bronze weapons, but can also be made into farm tools to harvest food?"

Harmonia's eyes widened in surprise, and she looked at Roy in disbelief and said.

"Priest Luoy, is the black iron you mentioned really so magical? And in the territory of our Thebes tribe, there are iron mines for making black iron?"

In this era, a good harvest of food means that more people can be fed, and a powerful weapon means that the tribe can be protected by force.

Seeing Harmonia's reaction, Roy nodded and said.

"Priest of Harmonia, my description of the black iron is true, and there is indeed iron ore in the territory of the Thebes tribe. But I don't have the technology to smelt iron now, so I can only help the Thebes tribe first." Mining copper ore to smelt bronze."

The Thebes tribe has a treasure mountain such as iron ore, but it cannot be mined. Harmonia first showed a disappointed expression, and then smiled again and said.

"Priest Luoy, the bronze weapons and bronze tripods of our Thebes tribe are all exchanged for a lot of grain. If you can help us mine copper ore to smelt bronze, let our Thebes tribe be able to make their own valuables. Expensive bronze utensils, I am already satisfied. But I have a question to ask you, even we Thebes don’t know where there are copper and iron mines in Thebes area, you come from the far east Stranger, why do you know where there are copper and iron mines in Thebes?"

"Because I have the blessing from Metis, the goddess of wisdom!"

Facing unanswerable questions, Roy could only use the goddess Metis as a shield.

"The blessing of the goddess Metis has given me wisdom beyond human beings, so I know many things that humans do not know now."

Seeing that Harmonia didn't doubt his answer, Roy then changed the subject.

"Priest of Harmonia! If you want to mine copper ore to smelt bronze, I hope you can hand over Cadmus's subordinates—those Phoenician captives to me. In fact, I don't have the technology to smelt black iron." , and there is no technology for smelting bronze. If we want to smelt bronze, we must rely on those Phoenician captives."

"Those Phoenician captives have the technology to smelt bronze?"

"The Phoenician region has entered the bronze civilization. Among the more than 200 captives we captured, at least one or two people can smelt bronze. As long as we let the Phoenicians teach the technology of smelting bronze to the Thebes, we will A large amount of copper ore can be mined, and a large number of bronze weapons and various bronze utensils can be made."

After Roy finished speaking, Harmonia couldn't wait to stand up and said.

"Priest Loi, let's go meet those Phoenician captives now, and let those who master bronze technology among them become our craftsmen. Although they are invaders and captives, I will treat the craftsmen as my own, and even Give them houses and women."

Roy followed Harmonia to the place where the prisoners were held, and saw about 250 Phoenician prisoners held by the Thebes in five smelly sheepfolds.

There was so little room in the sheepfold that the Phoenician captives could not even sleep on the ground, so they all looked listless.

Seeing the plight of the Phoenician captives, Roy had no doubt that if they were held for a long time, many people would be tortured to death by this harsh environment.

Seeing Loy and Harmonia, some Phoenician captives showed hatred in their eyes, and most of the Phoenician captives had numb expressions and dull eyes, as if they were ready to wake up and wait for death.

"Phoenicians!"

Harmonia said loudly in as gentle a voice as possible.

"You are the enemies who invaded our Thebes tribal territory. Now you are captives. Do you know what your fate will be? Although we will not kill you, we will sell you as slaves. Now I want to Give you a chance to save yourself, is there any craftsman among you who can smelt bronze?"

After Harmonia finished speaking, the Phoenician captives acted as if they hadn't heard it, and no one responded to Harmonia.

The opportunity to survive is at hand, and these Phoenicians are unwilling to seize it——

Seeing that Harmonia frowned, Roy took the initiative to speak.

"Priest of Harmonia, let me persuade these Phoenicians. But I hope you can leave for a while, and let me communicate with these Phoenicians alone."

"can!"

Harmonia nodded in agreement, then turned and walked towards a big tree a hundred meters away.

After Harmonia left, Roy climbed over the wooden fence and entered a smelly sheep pen, and then said to the Phoenicians in the sheep pen.

"Phoenicians, I sympathize with what happened to you. You came to the Thebes region far away from your hometown, just wanting a new home. But the goddess of fate did not favor you, and let you become the local Thebes. captive."

"Why do you pretend to sympathize with us?"

A Phoenician immediately said dissatisfied.

"If you hadn't helped the Thebes kill our leader, Cadmus, we would never have lost the war, let alone become captives of the Thebes."

The Phoenicians were no fools.

Of course they knew that they had fallen into captivity, and Roy was at least half of the credit.

Even Roy felt that he was crying for a mouse and pretending to be merciful.

"I admit that I helped the Thebes, but I don't think my behavior is wrong. Our Athenian tribe is the neighbor of the Thebes tribe, and you Phoenicians are foreign invaders. I share the same hatred with the Thebes What's wrong? The fact that you have become captives cannot be changed, and now I really want to help you."

Roy said with a serious expression.

"As long as you are willing to obey my arrangement, I can help all of you get rid of the status of captives, and I can also let you get a new home. If some of you are willing to become my followers, I can guarantee that those who follow me will have Your own fields, houses, women, and children. I can't guarantee that you will be rich, but I can guarantee that you will have enough food and clothing."

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(End of this chapter)