ancient greece mediterranean ruler

Chapter 1200 Rebuilding Sparta ([-])
With Clotokatax's guarantee, everyone felt a little calmer, and with the eagerness to leave, they temporarily put this somewhat troublesome issue behind them.

Crotokatax specifically asked his men to prepare rations for them and prepare horses. His warm-hearted performance completely dispelled their doubts.

After sending these people away, Crotokatax breathed a sigh of relief, but he quickly picked up his spirits and walked to a room next to the venue.

Even if the helots were cowardly and clumsy, Clotokatax would not agree to the original suggestion of the Pilians to exclude the helots from the new government management. Without the helots' support, Containment, the Piliasians may become the new Spartans in a few years.

Of course, he will not let the Spartans be marginalized in this new government. On the one hand, with the existence of the Spartans, Dionia can confidently face the doubts and justifications of those Greek city-states who are concerned about Sparta. Said "They did not destroy this ancient city-state, but just changed its political system, just like Sparta did to other city-states when it was strong"; on the other hand, let the Spartans, who are now the weakest, join Entering the new political system may make the political situation of New Sparta more stable and more conducive to Dionia's control of Sparta.

After Clotokatax returned the military salute to the Dionian soldiers guarding the door, he gently opened the ajar wooden door.

The room was crowded with 30 Spartan elders headed by Agesilaus and 5 inspectors, but the assassin was unusually quiet.

This was a bit unexpected by Clotokatax. His eyes slowly swept across everyone's face, and finally showed a smile, because although these Spartans acted calmly, they could not hide it. The anger in their eyes: "Everyone, I believe you have heard what I just said in the meeting, and I am afraid it has been discussed. Can you tell me your decision now?"

As soon as he finished speaking, a younger censor couldn't help but roared: "You are humiliating the Spartans! As descendants of Hercules, we will never fight with the dirty and lowly helots. ——”

"Cough! Cough! Cough!..." Agesilaus suddenly coughed loudly, turned his head, and looked at the inspector coldly.

The inspector's roar stopped abruptly.

Agesilaus coughed a few times again, then looked at Crotocathax, and said calmly: "We Spartans have become your prisoners, and there are no more choices. We can only obey your arrangements... But I want to know, how can we Spartans cooperate with the Piliasians and those... helots to form a new Spartan government? "

Clotokatax did not respond directly, but looked at the roaring Spartan just now and asked again: "Are you really willing to accept our arrangement?"

The man glanced at Agesilaus, lowered his head, and gritted his teeth and said: "...willing."

"If we don't do this, do we have any more choices?!" Agesilaus then shouted loudly: "If we Spartans accept the fate of the Helots, we might as well choose death!"

His words were not so much an answer to Clotokatax as a reminder to these Spartans, who all remained dejected and silent.

"It seems that you have reached a consensus, which is good!" Clotokatax deliberately said loudly, and the unwillingness and pain in their eyes made him feel a little happy: "You Spartans must also fight within 4 days. Elect 10 deputies and two censors, and form the new government of Sparta together with the candidates selected by the Pilians and Helots!"

"30 members, 6 censors..." Agesilaus deliberately whispered with a tentative look: "It sounds not much different from the previous Sparta."

"No, there is a difference." Clotokatax answered simply: "They are only responsible for the operation of the entire government. The designation and promulgation of laws and major decisions must be discussed and approved by the citizens' assembly. All New Spartans All citizens have the right to participate in this conference.”

Speaking of this, Clotokatax also specifically mentioned: "Of course, Sparta also had a citizens' assembly in the past, and it is indeed somewhat similar."

Everyone's expressions changed slightly: Sparta's Citizens' Assembly has always been a guise. The real highest power lies in the Council of Elders, but the new government established by the Dionysians has completely changed the power structure of Sparta.

An elder couldn't help but asked: "What about the king?"

Clotokatax said loudly: "The new Sparta will no longer have a king, but will elect two consuls, who will serve for one year and will be mainly responsible for commanding the army in combat."

Everyone subconsciously turned their attention to Agesilaus.

Agesilaus seemed very calm, as if the matter had nothing to do with him, and asked: "When will you lift the captivity of the Spartan people?"

"After the new Spartan government is established."

"Our people are locked up, how can we conduct elections?!" Someone protested.

"Tomorrow, all Spartan adult men will be gathered at Seales Port for election."

"I have another question." Agesilaus looked at him and asked seriously: "I just heard you say that you want to allocate land to the Pileas and the Helots. That means you Are you going to let them take away the land that originally belonged to us Spartan citizens?”

"Please note that Dionia has occupied the entire Sparta, you have all become prisoners, and the land of Lagnia has become the spoils of the Dionia army! His Majesty King Davos in order to rebuild Sparta , and then generously distributed these lands to citizens who were willing to serve this new government.

To put it bluntly, even if these lands are still owned by you, the Pilians and Helots have been freed and no longer have any obligations to you. You can't take care of so many people with your little manpower. land.What's more -" Clotokatax raised his eyebrows and showed a sarcastic smile: "Do you Spartans know how to farm? "

Everyone's expressions were a little ugly, but they couldn't refute for a while.

The guards around Crotokatax increased their vigilance, but he continued as if he had not seen him: "In the past few days, I have carefully checked some of your Spartan information and discovered a problem. Your Spartan The number of citizens in Tajikistan is decreasing year by year, and the war is not the main reason. According to the data, many people have not only lost the right to participate in public meals because they have been unable to pay a sufficient share of the oral tax for a long time, and have been reduced to inferiors, they have also been Deprived of the land... I originally thought it might be because of the long-term wars. Even though the helots helped them cultivate the land, they did not have enough time to supervise and manage it, resulting in the harvest of the fields never meeting your requirements.

But the strange thing is that the Spartan nobles are able to pay their taxes in full every year. Later, someone once secretly told me that this is because they can often serve as resident commanders of some city-states and strategic locations controlled by Sparta. officials, obtained a lot of money through bribery or other means, and used the money to buy food and pay taxes more than enough...

I also found a problem.The land you confiscated from Spartan civilians was eventually distributed to royal members and nobles on the grounds that they had the ability to ensure better field harvests. As a result, the land gradually concentrated in the hands of your nobles, and there were more and more Spartan civilians. They lost their land and became inferior people... Haven't you noticed?How come the current situation in Sparta is very similar to the situation before the rumored Spartan sage came to Cugu to change the political system! "

"You're talking nonsense!" someone yelled.

Clotokatax looked at him, not angry at all, but said pitifully: "Are you a censor? Whether as a civilian or as a censor, you have not noticed that the greedy nobles are embezzling the common people's shares. Earth, this is your dereliction of duty! You should also thank Dionia. If we did not forcibly rebuild Sparta, there would be one Kina Dun after another on this land! "

The faces of everyone in the room became ugly.

Agesilaus coughed slightly and immediately changed the subject: "How much land are you going to allocate to each new citizen of Sparta?"

"About five acres."

"There are too many helots, I'm afraid there won't be enough."

Crotokatax said calmly: "We gave the territory of Tegia to the Mandinians, but the population of Mandinia is not large and cannot handle such a vast and fertile new land. .With our persuasion, I believe they are willing to accept these helots who failed to get land in Sparta as new citizens of Mandinia."

Agesilaus was stunned: "Where are those Tegeans?"

"They are all being taken to the Turiyi slave market for sale. This is the result of betraying the alliance and secretly attacking their allies." Clotokatax said in a cold tone.

Everyone suddenly felt cold in their hearts, and at that moment they did not dare to make eye contact with this young man.

Seeing this scene, Clotokatax suddenly felt a little bored. No matter how much he frightened the Spartans, he could not get his brother Adoris' precious life back. He said indifferently: "Okay. Everyone, I hope you will organize your citizens after you go back today and lead them to Port Hilles safely tomorrow to ensure the smooth progress of the election."

Clotokatax left, and silence fell in the room.

After a long time, someone asked uneasily: "King Agesilaus, what should we do now?"

Agesilaus still looked calm, and he whispered: "We can only endure for the time being to avoid suffering the fate of the Tegeans. However, the wanton behavior of the Dionians will definitely force Athens and Corinth to unite. Becoming the enemy of Dionia, then our chance will come!”

(End of this chapter)