Cipros gave a detailed and comprehensive assessment of the Theonia army at the Terina Council: “…What impressed me most is that Theonian citizen soldiers have strong discipline and obedience to orders, unlike the armies of other allies I have seen, including our own. It is said that the Theonia City-State Alliance has specifically enacted a Military Law to restrain soldiers’ behavior and strictly regulate military training, marching, camping… and other aspects. Moreover, there are military judges in the army to supervise execution. Soldiers feel shame rather than obvious resistance or rebellion when punished for violating military law…
From the mouths of Theonian citizen soldiers, I learned that they must train once every five days during the slack farming season. This frequency is already surprising to us Terinans. Yet they seem to enjoy training very much and do not complain at all about neglecting farm work due to training… Therefore, they are proficient in using their shields, spears, bows, and javelins. They can maintain complete formations while marching. When building camps, they are not only serious but also have a clear division of labor and high efficiency. Thus, in a very short time, they can construct a heavily fortified camp that amazed me…
In addition, the Theonia army has another distinct difference from other city-states: their commanders and officers at all levels are not temporarily appointed after war mobilization but have always held positions in the army. Therefore, they are not only experienced in combat but also familiar with every soldier under their command. Consequently, commanding soldiers during marches and camp construction is very smooth, with tacit cooperation and clear responsibilities between superiors and subordinates. There is rarely any shirking or acting independently when executing orders…
What surprised me even more is that these soldiers do not fear battle; they crave it. This reminded me of the Spartans in the Greek mainland. Although I haven’t seen them in battle yet, defeating Croton with fewer numbers is enough to prove the combat power of the Theonia army. In short, in my eyes, the Theonia army is like a finely crafted, well-functioning, terrifying war machine!…”
After listening to Cipros’s words, the Terina Council decided: without affecting their own interests, they would give Theonia the greatest possible support within the South Italian Alliance.
After several days of negotiation, a peace agreement was finally reached: Locri compensated Caulonia, Terina, Scylletium, and Croton with a certain amount of gold and silver, and both sides ceased hostilities…
***
Just as peace was restored in southern Italy, a great battle erupted in the Lucania region northwest of Theonia in early March.
Potentia’s massive army besieged and attacked Grumentum for over ten days without success. Pyxous’s Gnaenat rushed there with his army and fiercely attacked the rear of the Potentia army. Seeing reinforcements arrive from the city walls, Cincinnag promptly led his army out to attack. Potentia was attacked from front and rear and quickly routed. The Pyxousians and Grumentumians pursued closely. The Potentians lost their camp and fled in panic.
Pyxous and Grumentum burst into the Potentia camp one after another. Seeing herds of cattle and sheep, piles of grain, many women from other tribes captured by Potentia along the way, and a considerable number of slaves in the camp, they lost all interest in pursuing the enemy. Both sides began to snatch camp property and women, leading to conflict.
The Pyxousians believed they had defeated the Potentia army, so these spoils should belong to them. The Grumentumians believed most of these properties were looted by Potentia from tribes outside the city belonging to Grumentum and should be returned to Grumentum.
The initial quarrels and conflicts soon turned into armed fights. Especially the Grumentumians, who originally held a superior status in the Lucanian League. During this period, not only were many of their leaders killed and they were governed by Pyxousians, but the Pyxousians’ contempt and ordering them around made them feel lost and humiliated. Coupled with the Pyxous warriors following Cincinnag acting tyrannically within Grumentum city, their pent-up resentment, once provoked, finally erupted. Grumentumians gathered one after another, frantically attacking the Pyxousians in the camp. Both sides began a bloodbath, and the scene spun completely out of control.
Cincinnag was unable to stop it. Just as he was about to harden his heart to eliminate these fickle Grumentumians, Potentia’s leader Polet led some regrouped warriors to charge back. The Pyxousians, fighting the Grumentumians in the camp, were attacked from front and back and suffered a disastrous defeat. Cincinnag and his son took the remnants of their army, not even daring to return to Grumentum city, and fled directly into the mountains. After several turns, they finally escaped back to Pyxous.
Ultimately, the Potentians occupied Grumentum.
***
Meanwhile, after two months of siege and bitter fighting, Taranto finally captured the small city of Brindisi, east of Taranto and bordering the Adriatic Sea. This was a major breakthrough in territorial expansion since the founding of Taranto.
The people offered praise to the leading generals, Diomilas and Achilita. Achilita, however, could not be happy. This attack on the Messapians had received the full support of the city-state. Although the initial plan discussed by the Council was realized—opening the land route between Taranto and the Adriatic Sea and cutting off the Messapians’ connection to the north, blockading them in the peninsula—the price paid was high. Casualties among Taranto citizen soldiers reached as high as 4,000.
The fierceness of the Messapians was famous in southern Italy. During the Great Greek Colonization era several centuries ago, many Greek city-states were established in southern Italy, but on this “heel” peninsula, there was only ever Taranto. While other colonial city-states were striking and assimilating nearby indigenous people and expanding their territories, the Tarantines, with their uniquely advantageous location, were lamenting their misfortune. Their eastern neighbors, the Messapians, were not only fierce and numerous, but they were also not completely savage natives. According to their own claims, they were Illyrians from northern Greece near the Adriatic Sea, possessing cultural traditions similar to the Greeks (though the Greeks never acknowledged them and still regarded them as barbarians). This prevented Taranto from advancing inland for centuries. Especially decades ago, when Taranto supported its mother city Sparta in the Peloponnesian War, provoking Athens’ hostility. Athens then supported the Messapians against Taranto. Since then, Messapian incursions into Taranto increased, causing much suffering to the people.
If not for the stimulation of Theonia’s rapid rise this time, the Taranto Senate might not have made up its mind to attack the Messapians. But Achilita knew that although the city-state had won a temporary victory, the Messapians would never let it go. The war with them would likely continue for a long time.
The wailing of wounded soldiers outside the city intertwined with the triumphant cawing of crows pecking at corpses, making one tremble…
Achilita stood on the low walls of Brindisi, staring blankly at the western horizon dyed blood-red by the setting sun, his heart filled with worry for the future…
***
In April, Syracuse’s massive army continued westward. City-states like Eryx and Halicyae opened their gates and surrendered one after another. Segesta, the only one remaining loyal to Carthage, was besieged.
By mid-month, Dionysius’s army reached the westernmost tip of Sicily, facing the island city in the bay, also Carthage’s important base in Sicily—Motya.
Motya destroyed the causeway connecting to the mainland, preparing to defend by sea.
Dionysius commanded his army to rebuild the causeway. Meanwhile, he led troops to conquer nearby areas. However, Segesta repelled Syracuse’s attack, forcing Syracuse to continue besieging it.
In May, the causeway was completed. Dionysius led his army back, preparing to attack Motya.
At this time, Carthage also prepared to send troops to rescue this precarious maritime city. They first adopted the strategy of “besieging Wei to rescue Zhao,” sending warships to Syracuse, breaking into the Great Harbor, and destroying ships in the port, attempting to lure Dionysius back to rescue. But Dionysius remained unmoved.
Carthaginian general Himilco had to lead a large army to rescue Motya directly. A large number of Carthaginian warships rounded the promontory of Palermo and sailed menacingly into the bay, attempting to destroy the Syracusan warships beached on the shore.
Dionysius had been waiting for a long time. He had deployed dozens of new weapons—catapults—on the beaches of this circular peninsula. At a command, volleys of bowl-sized round stones flew out, smashing toward the Carthaginian warships in the bay…
***
Davos carefully examined the silvery-white coin in his hand. It weighed four grams and was nearly perfectly round. One side featured the head of Hades with a thick beard and long hair, with the letters “Theonia City-State Alliance” engraved below. The other side featured a leafy poplar tree (the sacred tree of the Underworld King), with the letters “Third Year of the 95th Olympiad” engraved below. The images on both sides were centered, detailed, with distinct relief, and clear lettering.
Davos tossed the coin up, caught it, weighed it in his hand, and asked, “How much silver content?”
Tritodemus stepped forward and said, “According to your proposal and the ‘Coinage Act’ passed by the Senate, the purity of a drachma silver coin we produce is over ninety-five percent, comparable to the purity of Athens’ ‘Owl’ (the Laurion silver coin famous throughout Greece). However—” Tritodemus said worriedly, “We don’t have Athens’ large silver mines. The treasury’s revenue mainly comes from trade and taxes. Issuing such high-purity silver coins will result in considerable losses.”
Davos nodded and explained patiently, “We will indeed suffer some losses, but I explained it very clearly at the Senate meeting. Currently, Theonia’s monthly treasury revenue is nearly 50 talents. According to Marigi’s analysis, after our connections with other allies in the South Italian Alliance become closer, this number will increase… Therefore, we can bear this loss. Moreover, every city and every market of ours has a Market Management Office, which can relatively accurately measure the purity of silver coins traded in each city. There are also banks for exchange. Plus, the extra handling fees collected can partially make up for the losses the League incurs from minting…”