ancient greece mediterranean ruler

Chapter 772 March to Rome

"Not much has been collected. The Ostians do not have much food reserves, and no grains were found in the port warehouse. However, the rations carried by the soldiers are enough for two days. By then, the fleet transporting food should also be available. Already arrived."

"It seems that the food should be concentrated in Rome. After all, they will supply the Roman army that attacked Helnicki." Davos said in a deep voice.

"However, we collected nearly two hundred pack cars and a lot of pack animals in the city, as well as some fodder, and we also found a lot of wood stored in the warehouse. The engineers are using them to make siege equipment... …” Tormid continued.

"This is good news." He said it was good news, but there was no trace of joy on Davos's face. Talking about tomorrow's war made his face particularly solemn: "If we want to urge them to hurry up and make siege equipment, they have too many By building a siege engine, we will be more certain of victory!"

"Your Majesty, the more than 500 highly skilled engineers and carpenters you brought from Thurii, plus the engineering battalions of various legions, add up to thousands of people, and there are also soldiers to assist them. They can completely manufacture We will produce enough siege equipment to meet the needs of tomorrow and the day after tomorrow." Tormid immediately said with relief.

"I hope so." Davos nodded slightly, quickened his pace, and walked into Ostia's city hall.

"Your Majesty!" Olivers, Geogris, Tenotiras, the three legion commanders, Midolades, and Izam were already waiting in the conference room.

"Have your legions been settled?" Davos asked casually.

"Your Majesty, everything has been arranged. They are already eagerly waiting for the battle tomorrow and the day after tomorrow!" Olivers said first.

"I think you can't help but want to fight." Entering the conference hall, the expression on Davos's face turned into relief, and his teasing made everyone laugh.

In the midst of laughter, Davos walked up to the top, and Crotokatax stood quietly behind him. His eyes flickered from Olivers, Geogris, Trotilas, and Izam. Several generals who had followed him through life and death and made countless achievements since the Persian period were swept over him, and he felt inexplicably calm.

He glanced at the simple Roman map drawn by the Ministry of Military Affairs based on intelligence placed on the wooden table in the center of the room, and then said loudly: "Before we discuss tomorrow's battle plan, let a former Roman citizen introduce it in detail. Let’s take a look at the current situation in the city of Rome. If you have any questions, you can ask him directly.”

"This is great!" Olivers said happily.

Valkes was called into the conference room with a confused look. He felt very nervous looking at the Dionian generals wearing bright armor and bright crowns around him, as well as King Davos right in front.

But as he answered more and more detailed questions about the city of Rome, the tension in his heart gradually turned into shock: Are the Dionians going to attack the city of Rome directly? ! !
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Late at night, Crotokatax was woken up by the need to urinate. After finishing his toilet in a daze, he was about to go to bed again, but the candlelight coming from the next room made his heart move.

He gently pushed open the ajar door and saw Davos sitting at the wooden table, looking at the map of Rome attentively, thinking about something. One corner of the map drooped down, and he could vaguely see it. There are some dense annotations added previously due to Valquez's narrative.

For as long as he can remember, Clotokatax often saw his father diligently handling government affairs in the study late at night. This time he went on an expedition, and his father applied this habit to the military. Everyone said that his father was a Wise king and great commander, they all thought this was a gift from Hades, but they didn't know the hardships and efforts their father had put in for it over the years! ...Klotokas looked at his father's unusually tall back with admiration, and then quietly closed the door.

Davos had no idea that his son had been peeping outside the door. His mind was immersed in the map. In his eyes, the strings of numbers on the map turned into countless living soldiers. The battle was about to begin. It will only start tomorrow, but at this moment thousands of troops have already started fighting in his mind...

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Corius, Potitus's confidant slave, immediately took two slaves and rode out of the city after receiving the order.

They were lucky. Apuleius had just conveyed the order of the Senate to Milucius, the city guard chief. Milucius had not had time to convey the order to the guards at the city gates, causing Corius and his party to We were able to get out of the city smoothly.

Then the three of them speeded up and galloped southeast. By the time they passed Prenister, it was already evening. The continuous galloping not only made the horses gasp from exhaustion, but also made the three people's buttocks feel faint pain from the jolt, and the inner thighs were also bruised. Blood.

"Corius, we can't go forward. It's already dark, and there's no moon tonight. We're heading into the valley. The terrain will become increasingly uneven, and we can't even see the road clearly. If you are careful you may fall off the horse, it is too dangerous!" A slave dissuaded Corius from continuing.

Another young slave shouted, "We can light the torch-"

"Idiot!" Before he could finish speaking, the slave who started to speak interrupted him: "It's not just wild beasts wandering around here at night, there are also indigenous people. We who light torches will be easily caught in the dark. They found out and became their target!”

After listening to his words, Corius hesitated. After all, this slave was a Vestinian who was located east of the Aequians and was familiar with the terrain here. This is why Corius brought him with him. He hoped that Looking at the dark front, he pondered for a moment and said reluctantly: "Not far ahead, there should be a Roman military camp. We will rest when we get there."

The three of them clung to the horse's reins, controlled the horse, and continued to walk forward slowly for a while, when they heard a shrill wolf howl, and then pairs of green eyes appeared around them.

"Quick! Run back!..." The slave immediately shouted nervously.

Corius reacted quickly and quickly turned the horse's head. Only the young slave wanted to say something more, but the horse neighed in panic and raised its front hooves, throwing him off the horse by surprise...

While the wild wolf pounced on the slave and the horse, the two Corius rode horses and ran all the way, hiding in the city of Pliniste.

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When he woke up in the morning, the first thing Midorades did was to ask the guard: "What is the weather today?"

"General, the weather is very good, not raining, and there is a light wind, southeasterly!"

Midorades almost jumped up with joy: "The old sailors at the port were right, there is indeed an east wind today! Tell the adjutant and let him pass the order, and the crew will be ready within half an hour, and then at the port Assemble, set sail for Rome!"

"Yes, General!" The guard turned around to inform the adjutant.

"Wait a minute! Um... and the laborers and slaves at the port, don't forget to inform them that they are also ready to move!"

The Dionian fleet has never had the experience of stretching people since its establishment. After all, Thurii is close to the seaport. The river downstream of Craty is straight and wide, and the water flow is slow. It is not too strenuous to go upstream. Neto The same goes for the lower reaches of the river.However, according to intelligence, Rome is more than 50 miles away from the mouth of the Tiber River. The river is winding and the water flow is sometimes fast and sometimes slow. To go upstream from the port of Ostia to Rome, the ship needs to be stretched, so under normal circumstances, Merchant ships unloaded their goods at the port of Ostia and then transported them to Rome by land.

For this reason, a flat and wide road was built between Rome and Ostia, and now walking on this road is the Dionysian army. Compared with the fleet, they set off much earlier.

Davos left three large groups of reserve soldiers of the Thurii Army to garrison the city of Ostia (this force was originally used to replenish troops when the First and Second Army suffered losses), leading the Fourth Army. , the fifth army, the sixth army, the mountain reconnaissance brigade, the engineering battalion, the medical battalion, and the pack teams carrying siege equipment... Relying on the fact that this is a plain area, the entire army is arranged in more than a dozen columns. Along the south bank of the Tiber River, marching eastward in a mighty manner.

King Davos rode in the middle of the team, surrounded by 250 mounted palace guards, more than 20 military staff, as well as messengers, trumpeters, and even bands.

At this moment, Staff Officer Tormid was reporting to him: "Your Majesty, Amyntas sent a scout to report that they have already led their army and will wait for us in Rome first."

"Amintas is very motivated and wants to get to Rome before us!" Davos smiled and looked around: "Are we going to lose to him?"

"We will definitely get to Rome first!" Clotokatax and the young people in the staff office shouted in unison. Although the palace guards did not speak, their eyes were bright.

"That's good!" Daves said loudly: "Let the band play "Battlefield March" and let the soldiers speed up their march!"

The high-pitched and exciting melody resounded in the ranks, invigorating the soldiers and dispelling their still somewhat dazed sleepiness.I don't know who sang the hymn of Hades first, and soon the singing rang throughout the entire team. The soldiers marched forward with great strides against the morning sun and dew, stepping on the soft ground.

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It was impossible for the big movement made by the Dionia army to hide the Roman scouts and spies, so before dawn, the spies sent back the news that "Ostia was occupied by Dionia" to Rome.

　Thanks to Sniper No. 11 and book friend 150501104546867 for the reward!Your support is my motivation to write! !
　　
　
(End of this chapter)