ancient greece mediterranean ruler

Chapter 1089 Plato’s Praise
Plato smiled and said seriously: "My opinions have been expressed in previous scholars' conferences. If there are no updated things, how can I stand on the podium again? Besides, there are many young scholars at this scholar's conference. His speech was also very exciting, especially your son Apox. He made such an amazing discovery at such a young age. It is really enviable! And most of these young scholars came from your Dionysian Academy. It can be seen that your Dionysians Asia's long-term investment in education has finally begun to bear fruit. In comparison, other city-states, including ours, Athens, are far behind!" When he said this, Plato's face showed some worry.

"Yesterday, Spisippus' speech also won praise from many scholars! Plato, you don't have to worry about having no successor at all!" Lysias consoled him.

Spisippus stood up and thanked his elders.

Plato was not modest at all. He pointed at his nephew and said: "Compared with the first Congress of Scholars, the current Spesippus has indeed made great progress, but he is still the only one in my academy so far. You can be called a 'young scholar', but there are many outstanding young scholars emerging from your academy. This gap is huge!"

"The Dionia Academy is a public institution of the kingdom, funded by the Dionia treasury. Every year, the best students are selected from the students graduating from schools in towns and cities in the kingdom, and then further trained. The natural talent rate will be very high. However, Akademi Academy was established with your personal investment. Due to the limitations of funds, space and number of teachers, you cannot recruit more students. This is of course incomparable.

However, I heard that the reputation of Akademi Academy has begun to spread in the Eastern Mediterranean. I believe that gradually more outstanding young people from various Greek city-states will be willing to study in your academy, and the situation will be greatly improved. . " Lucias comforted.

Plato sighed: "As I wrote in the book "The New Republic", 'If a country or a city-state wants to achieve sustained and prosperous development, it must first focus on good education. Education can not only enable young citizens to Have wisdom, and can cultivate them to have sound thoughts and morals from an early age. Only when the quality of citizens is improved and they know how to think, can the entire country develop healthily...'

Unfortunately, we Athenian citizens don’t think so. They only value immediate interests and hope to distribute the property in the treasury equally. Therefore, they unanimously agreed at the Citizens’ Assembly a few years ago to implement a Citizens’ Assembly subsidy system (that is, for those who attend the assembly) Athenian citizens were given half a drachma as compensation each time. As prices rose, this allowance also increased accordingly, and even extended to participating in other meetings to receive allowance compensation).

After tasting the benefits of sharing the wealth of the city-state, they officially adopted the "Implementation of Theater Subsidy System" the year before last (during the Athens celebrations, poor citizens were occasionally given subsidies for purchasing theater tickets. This tradition first started in Bury Klee's era), a financial officer was specially established for this purpose to manage drama subsidies..."

Plato said rather worriedly: "Now that the citizens of Athens have enjoyed the benefits of sharing the city-state's wealth, they hope that the city-state will issue subsidies more frequently and in greater amounts, and the remaining part of Athens' tax revenue will be less and less, able to cope with the economy. The situation became worse and worse. However, as Athenian citizens lived more and more comfortably, they became unwilling to engage in arduous and dangerous military operations.

Some time ago, Conon's son Timothy proposed at the meeting that 'the navy should be led to circumnavigate the Peloponnese Peninsula, attack the Spartan navy, and completely establish the superiority of the Athenian navy. 'The council approved his proposal, but did not allocate funds for the expedition, and the people were not enthusiastic about joining the army. Timothy had to raise his own money, hire soldiers, and pay remuneration before he formed a fleet for the expedition.

As a result, after conquering Corfu, the sailors refused to fight for him anymore due to lack of funds, and the entire military operation ended in a hurry only halfway through.The military generals who encountered such a predicament were not only Timothy, but also Iphikrates and Cabrias... These fairly good Athenian generals also suffered from military expenditure restrictions, which led to Athens A series of military actions have had little effect.

This also caused outstanding generals who were willing to serve Athens to often serve foreign monarchs, and also made them have enough money or the ability to borrow money to support their military operations for Athens. Like Iphicrates, not only did he often Serving the Thracians and marrying the daughter of a Thracian king, Timotheus had a high reputation in Ionia and also married the daughter of a king of a city-state in Asia Minor...

In normal times, they spend more time abroad rather than in Athens, because then they have more freedom and can live a luxurious and glitzy life without being criticized by public opinion.How much loyalty will they still have to Athens in the long run? !
This is simply a vicious cycle!But the citizens of Athens do not see these dangers. Most of them only value the fact that they can watch the theater for free and get money by going to various venues every day... This is the most sad thing! "

After hearing this, Daves didn't want to express his opinion on Athens' affairs, but he thought about it again and said seriously: "The Athenian government's unwillingness to spend money from the treasury to form an army to fight will lead to a worse result. Athens The generals used the money they raised to pay the mercenaries. The mercenaries naturally obeyed the orders of the generals instead of the Athenian government. The Athenian government completely lost control of the army and could hardly order the army to implement the strategies it formulated. Even If the general who leads the army still has some ambition towards Athens and orders the army to attack Athens, do you think these mercenaries will obey?"

Plato was stunned when he heard this, and slowly put down the wine glass that was brought to his lips. After a while, he hesitated and said: "Although Timotheus and Iphicrates have some conflicts, these Athenian generals today are still full of love for Athens." Dear... But you are right. Since the army serves the city-state, the city-state should of course pay the soldiers and protect their lives. Both parties have mutual obligations. But if one party gives up this obligation, the other party will of course also Having the right does not fulfill this obligation...

The day before yesterday, I came to Thurii and I had already heard about the fact that 'Dionia raised taxes to form a border army.' It is indeed a very happy thing for the people of Dionia to have a strong and wise government! "

Plato took a sip of wine, not wanting to discuss this annoying issue anymore, and continued: "The reason why I came to Tulii at the end of the Scholars Conference this time is because I spent some time visiting Dionia. of other towns.”

"Oh!" Davos said with regret on his face: "You should tell me in advance and let me make arrangements for you, so that your travel itinerary will be more convenient and safer."

"I won't tell you, just to let myself roam more freely and make what I see with my eyes more real." Plato pointed to his eyes and asked narrowly: "Dear King Davos, do you want to give me Arrangement, is it because you are afraid that I will see some bad things?"

Davers smiled heartily: "You should know me, I have nothing to worry about."

"Indeed, I should express congratulations to you!" Plato said with great interest: "I went to the south - Lilibi, the former Carthaginian military town, and also to the great city of Rome in the north. I stayed in the central town of Bereventum for two days... The land of Dionia is indeed vast, and it took me a lot of time just on the road.

However, I want to correct what you just said, King. This journey is very safe. Whether it is sea or land, I have not encountered pirates or bandits, and I have not seen wars. Everywhere I passed has seemed... Peace and tranquility, even in the territory of the Samnites, whom the Greeks called 'fierce barbarians'.

You must know that more than ten years ago and more than 20 years ago, the Magna Graecia and Sicily regions were constantly at war like mainland Greece. Wars between Greek colonial city-states, wars between colonial city-states and indigenous people, and wars between Greek city-states and Carthage. ...Nowadays, the war conflicts in mainland Greece are still continuing, but to the west of the Adriatic Sea, there is a completely different scene. This is the huge change brought to the western Mediterranean by the existence of the Kingdom of Dionia! "

Plato took another sip of wine and continued to speak loudly: "I have to mention another important change. Although the journey is long, the transportation is very convenient and the sea routes are smooth. The port towns I visited, no matter how big or small, have excellent port facilities. It is relatively complete and the management is in order.

As for the land routes, we have to mention the roads that you spent a lot of money on to build the treasury. They are smooth, wide and solid. They still exist even in the continuous mountains of Samnai and Lucania.You also built roads in the territories of alliances such as the Volscians and Campanians... Oh, you call it a 'road network'. It is indeed a network. This network connects most ethnic groups in the Italian peninsula. Being together has provided great convenience for their travel and trade, and also strengthened exchanges between people of all races.

When I walked on the road, there was always an endless stream of pedestrians on the road. Most of their faces had an optimistic spirit. I saw a desire on their faces, which forced them to appear in a hurry. , whether you are driving a pack car or carrying a package, this is the case, but this rush is not because of poverty, but for a better life... And this desire is exactly what the Kingdom of Dionia bestows! "

(End of this chapter)