ancient greece mediterranean ruler

Chapter 524 Colonia’s choice

"Now, Syracuse's huge army is restrained by us in Magna Graecia. The news of his naval defeat and the failure of the battle will inevitably give the people there new ideas! The strength of Dionia is incomparable. On Syracuse, even if we annihilate the army in Xiliting City, Syracuse only needs to rest for a few years before it can regain its power and become a big trouble for Dionia, so it will be a big trouble for Dionysia. For the sake of Asia’s future, we must take advantage of this opportunity when Syracuse suffers a heavy blow to completely destroy its hegemony in Sicily!”

Davos’s words greatly touched the generals present. Just as they were thoughtful, Davos continued to say to Antonios: “I have sent people to eastern Sicily to contact various city-states who oppose Scylla. The people and forces of Cuza believe that when the news of "the disastrous defeat of the Syracuse army in Magna Graecia" is spread back to Sicily, they will definitely take action!

When the First Army arrived in Sicily, the important thing was not to annihilate many enemies, but to contact these forces that were dissatisfied with Syracuse, overthrow the tyranny of its city-state, break away from the Sicilian Alliance under the leadership of Syracuse, and ultimately isolate Syracuse. ! …”

Davos's words cheered up Antonios, and he now understood somewhat: one of the reasons why Davos sent him to be the commander of the army expedition to Sicily was because he was the most sociable of the several legion commanders.

At this time, Henipolis also unfolded the map of Sicily on the grass, and everyone gathered around.

Davers asked: "Commander Antonios, where do you think it would be better for the First Army to land in Sicily?"

This was a test for Antonios. Not only him, but also several others looked at the map and fell into thinking.Unlike Davos, they consider things more comprehensively and long-term. They are very familiar with Magna Graecia, but Sicily is relatively unfamiliar.

Antonios squatted on the ground. He stared at this map that was still unfamiliar to him, trying to remember every city, every river, and every mountain marked on it in his mind. Rakuza, Taunis, Leotini, Katana, and Naxos have been moving northward, and finally stopped at the corner that is only one strait away from Lijim...

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At dusk, the city of Colonia suddenly became lively. This was because more than 2000 citizen soldiers who had been forced to follow the Syracuse army returned.

The people hugged their relatives, asked about the cold and warmth, and thanked Dionia for his kindness.The people who lost their loved ones cried bitterly and cursed the people of Syracuse for bringing them disaster.The people whose relatives were besieged in Xiliting were worried and prayed to Apollo to bless them for safety in the coming battle.

At this time, in the Council of Corunnia, the councilors were arguing over a letter from Davos that the soldiers had brought back.

Chief General Freeneris finally couldn't help but stood up and said loudly: "Citizens of Coronia, now is a critical moment related to the survival or death of Coronia. If you still have a vague attitude , If you want to keep delaying and not give a clear answer to the South Italian Alliance, the situation of Colonia will be very dangerous!"

His speech made the quarrel in the meeting venue quieter. Someone stood up and retorted dissatisfied: "Lord Freenerius, you said the opposite. Now Dionia has defeated the Syracuse people, and By besieging them in Xiliting, we are out of danger of being killed and robbed by the Syracuseans, and we are completely safe!"

"Completely safe?!" Freeneris sneered a few times, looked around at the others, and asked loudly: "You all think so?!"

"Of course not!" A man stood up in the venue, and Freeniris recognized it as Eulipatos.

"I agree with you, Freeneris. Coronia is in danger now! Everyone, when you were listening to the letter from Davos, the Archon of Dionia, did you notice what the letter said,' ...After repeated discussions with the generals of Crotone and Trina, it was unanimously agreed that the more than [-] Corunians captured in the battle with the Syracuseans and in the battle to capture Trina Soldiers return home...'

You may have only seen Dionia's goodwill in allowing our citizen soldiers to return safely, but you have not seen the phrase 'repeated discussions' mentioned in the letter. What does this mean? ! "Eulipatos emphasized: "It means that some people among the Crotones, Trina people, and even Dionia are dissatisfied with us sending troops to participate in the military operation in Syracuse!Defending the city of Trina, capturing Crotone, and participating in the battle with Dionia, our actions made them resentful! "

"But we are forced!" Someone in the crowd shouted: "If we don't do this, Coronia will suffer the same disaster as the Silitians!"

"That's right! As Corunnia's allies for many years, they should understand that we had to make this decision out of necessity!" People in the venue shouted in agreement.

"Yes, they understood, so they released our citizens. Now it's time for us to respond to Dionia's goodwill!" Eulipatos said solemnly: "Don't forget that Davos is at the end of the letter. Said, 'After winning the battle, the South Italian League is fighting back with all its strength against the Syracuseans and their accomplices, the Locri League, and is determined to completely eliminate them! Therefore, I hope that Colonia will seriously consider returning to the South Italian League. Question, pick up your shield and spear, and join the team to resist the invaders. All allies of the South Italian League are eagerly waiting for your answer!...'

Everyone, is this a request from Davos, the governor of Dionysia?No!This is his warning to Corunnia!This is the ultimatum given to us by the South Italian Alliance!If we do not make a clear statement on this, the South Italian League will regard Colonia as an accomplice of Syracuse and Locri. Maybe in a few days, the South Italian League will no longer send Colonia. It's their messenger, but the army! "

The venue suddenly became quieter, but some people still expressed dissent: "Eulipatos, it's not that we are unwilling to resist Syracuse. Don't forget, we still have a thousand citizen soldiers in Syracuse! Once surrendered Dionysius knows that Coronia has betrayed him, and with his cruel character, our compatriots will probably die tragically in his hands! Then who dares to bear this responsibility in the face of the anger of the family members of the dead soldiers! "

"Yes, it's not that we don't want to go to war with the Syracuse people who oppress us, but this is related to the lives of our citizens, so we must be cautious! At least compared with the vicious Syracuse people, Crotone, Te Reina has been an ally of Corunnia for decades, and Dionia has always been known for his generosity and magnanimity, so he should forgive us for his hesitation!" Others in the venue echoed.

Freeneris finally couldn't hold it back anymore and said loudly again: "Everyone, you think too well of our former allies! Silitium was massacred! Trina was captured and the people were displaced! Even the city of Crotone was burned to the ground It is said that almost half of its people were killed or injured! It is said that the citizen soldiers of the Dionian Alliance suffered losses of no less than 1 people, and the outside of Crimesa and Asprostum were turned into ruins! Compared with them Comparatively, even if we count the loss of these thousand soldiers in Corunnia, it is still relatively minor!"

"Lord Freeneris, what do you mean by these words! Aren't the lives of our thousand soldiers important?" Someone immediately asked.

"The Southern Italian Alliance will not think they are important, they will only think that we have sacrificed too little! Don't forget that our soldiers once invaded their territories and attacked their cities. Although they were only forced, if we take them If the last goodwill bestowed as a kindness to us is not taken quickly, anger and jealousy will grow like weeds in their hearts, and will prompt them to rank Colonia as a place like Syracuse, Locke, etc. The same object that must be eliminated in the country, who else can Colonia rely on?! Syracuse? We all know that if this war wins, Syracuse will only support Locle to annex us! In this great war involving the city-states of the entire Great Greece, they must either fight to survive or fight to perish. No city-state can safely want to survive without fighting! Everyone, you decide Coronne The fate of Asia, and I am willing to bear the anger of the people, the first to vote for Colonia to rejoin the Southern Italian League, and declare war on Syracuse and Locri!"

There was deathly silence in the venue, and Freenieres's heavy and emotional speech deeply touched everyone present, prompting them to weigh the gains and losses more deeply.

"I am willing to be the second person to support Colonia's declaration of war on Syracuse!" Eulipatos stood up.

Then the third person...

In the end, the council passed the proposal to "declare war on Syracuse" by a slim majority.Then in the urgent citizens' meeting, although many citizens expressed strong opposition, and some even rushed to the stage and wanted to beat Freeniris, the more than 2000 citizens who were sent back by Dionia played a key role. , and even allowed Colonia to return to the South Italian League with more votes than the council.

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Since Locri's army repulsed the Ligim attack on Medema, Locri's 15000 soldiers guarded Medema.

The leading general Diopantos kept receiving the news that "Syracuse won in the north", and he was very eager to lead the army into the territory of Dionia with the Syracuse and defeat the Dionia army. , to wash away the shame of being forced back by the Dionians without fighting in Crotone.

　Thanks to Zhan Billy, Mu Floating in the Wind, and Death Beast Sky Suzaku for their rewards!Your support is the greatest support for my writing! !

　　I have a dinner party tonight, so I came back late, so the update is late, sorry!
　　
　
(End of this chapter)