Rhegium, another powerful state in Magna Graecia, lay far away on the “toe” of Italy. It maintained neutrality in the disputes of Magna Graecia, caring more for maritime trade than for hegemony. Locri now held a grudge against Theonia, but the South Italian League stood between them; Croton alone was enough for Locri to handle, and with just a little reinforcement from Theonia, Locri would be overwhelmed. As for Locri’s backer, Syracuse, it was still entangled with Carthage for the time being and had no spare energy to pay attention to this land north of Sicily. Therefore, if Davos wanted to turn southern Italy into the most stable base for the Theonian League, the only factor left to consider was the Bruttii.

The region inhabited by the Bruttii was high in altitude, its soil was not fertile, and it did not border the sea; on the surface, it was hardly coveted. However, its existence forced Theonia’s territory—from Aprustum all the way to Grumentum—into a slender “S” shape. Particularly in the east, the cities of Aprustum, Crimisa, the allied Castellum, Thurii, and Amendolara were lined up one after another along the coast, forming a long, narrow corridor.

For the sea-loving Greeks, this was perfectly normal. But for Davos, whose perspective was shaped by over two thousand years of history, it was a source of deep unease. Such a territory was too flat and lacked strategic depth. The coastline was excessively long; in the event of a powerful foreign invasion, any point could easily become a target for enemy attack. Furthermore, marching troops to provide relief across such a narrow strip stretched the army’s supply lines, making them another easy target. The disadvantages of this had already begun to show during the war with Croton. Thus, while building the Theonian navy, Davos had simultaneously cast his gaze toward the Bruttian mountains.

Although transportation between the Bruttian mountains and Theonian territory was not very convenient, possessing it would round out Theonia’s territory in southern Italy into a cohesive block. The valley path north of Aprustum, the area north of Thurii’s southern city, and the mountain trails on the south bank of the Crathis River could all be converted into passages connecting Theonia and Bruttium. Not to mention that soldiers from Grumentum and Nerulum could cross directly through the west coast of the Bruttian mountains to reach Terina much faster. Moreover, the Bruttii were weak and disunited, making them a relatively easy target for conquest.

Davos had originally intended to wait until the three newly incorporated territories—Aprustum, Crimisa, and Grumentum—had stabilized before launching his plan against the Bruttii. Some time ago, Davos had even sent Izam to dispatch men into Bruttium to gather intelligence. Unexpectedly, the Bruttii were heavily guarded, and since Izam’s mountain reconnaissance squad barely spoke the Bruttian language, they not only failed to obtain information but also lost several hands. Davos had no choice but to suspend the reconnaissance. He hadn’t expected Cipros, the envoy from Terina, to bring him such shocking news.

“The Bruttian region is different from Lucania; it is surrounded on all sides by Greek city-states,” Cipros said earnestly. “Therefore, every year, some Greeks or slaves flee into Bruttium due to crimes, persecution by political enemies, or other reasons. Gradually, a unique tribe formed there… Many years ago, Terina established close contact with this tribe. We secretly sold them goods they urgently needed, and in return, they passed on news from the mountains to us. Relying on this tribe, Terina has prevented Bruttian raids many times in advance.

“And this time… they have contacted us repeatedly and very anxiously for several days in a row. The unification of the various Bruttian tribes threatens their very survival, so the authenticity of this news should be beyond doubt!” Cipros emphasized once again.

Davos was quite surprised. “What is the name of this tribe?”

“Hellenes, meaning ‘Greeks’.”

Davos nodded. He didn’t need to ask Cipros; he could guess that for a tribe composed of Greeks to survive in those mountains, they must have exploited the disputes between tribes, perhaps even serving as mercenaries or black-market traders. Now that the Bruttii had completed their integration, this tribe of outsiders would lose the soil for their survival.

Davos still had a question in his mind. “Why didn’t the Bruttii form a loose league like the Lucanians, but instead centralized power? Wouldn’t the other tribes object?”

Hearing this, Cipros revealed a bitter smile. He looked at Davos and said, “I don’t know the specific reasons… Perhaps… they secretly learned it from their neighbor. Who can say? At least until now, we haven’t heard of any major unrest in the Bruttian region.”

Davos heard the teasing in Cipros’s words, and his heart jolted. The previous Lucanian Tribal League was loosely organized; each tribe had its own interests, making it impossible to truly concentrate their strength, so the danger to Theonia was much smaller. But if they could highly centralize power like Theonia, then it was worthy of Theonia’s vigilance!

Davos sat back in his chair, looked at Cipros, and said seriously, “Terina sent you to tell me this news. Do you have any suggestions?”

Cipros had experienced Davos’s speaking style last time, so he stopped beating around the bush and said frankly, “The Council of Terina hopes that Theonia can take the lead and guide the South Italian League in launching an active offensive against the Bruttii. We wish to destroy this tribal league before it becomes a true threat, restoring peace to the people of the Magna Graecia city-states!”

“The South Italian League…” Davos muttered under his breath. He stroked his chin and pondered for a while before speaking. “Starting a war is a major event, especially against a large power like the entire Bruttian people! Moreover, Theonia has just ended a war not long ago, so I’m afraid the Senate will need some time to make a decision on this issue…”

Cipros nodded in understanding.

“In that case, Cipros, you should stay in Thurii for a while. Take the time to experience the life of the Theonian people. It will also be convenient for us to discuss the issue of attacking the Bruttii with you at any time.”

Davos extended an invitation, and Cipros agreed immediately. He laughed, “Thurii is a city completely different from other Greek city-states! I really like its architecture and cleanliness, and more importantly, it has delicacies found nowhere else!”

Davos laughed heartily. Until he saw Cipros off, he did not ask what Cipros had meant in Crystoia’s restaurant when he discussed ‘What are the flaws of Theonia’s political system?’ He did not want anyone to know for the time being that his eyes and ears were everywhere in Thurii, for no one liked the feeling of being monitored at all times.

In fact, Davos’s method was not an original creation of this era. As early as 70 years ago, Hieron, the successor to the tyrant Gelo of Syracuse, had implemented a “secret police system,” which incurred great resentment from the populace. Davos, who cared about his reputation, would certainly not be foolish enough to expose these darker aspects. Actually, he didn’t need to ask; he knew very well where the biggest problem of Theonia’s current operating polity lay.

With the Theonian Senate intentionally avoiding the convening of the Citizens’ Assembly, ordinary citizens lost the opportunity to participate in politics. If this were Persia, it would not be a problem at all. But this was Greece. The enthusiasm of Greek citizens for political participation was famous among the Mediterranean states and city-states. Even Sparta, the most conservative oligarchy, allowed its citizens to express opinions on enacted laws and proposals—not by voting, of course, but by the volume of their shouts to support “yes or no.”

The reason Theonia’s political situation remained stable for now was that the Greek cities in the Theonian League had suffered sharp population declines after the ravages of war. The remaining people were busy rebuilding their homes, and the fear of war made them crave strong protection; the army under Davos’s command gave them a immense sense of security. Meanwhile, the original freedmen, who made up the majority of the population, had always been marginalized in their respective city-states. They were busy with their livelihoods and had no right to participate in city affairs, so they had neither developed the habit of political participation nor high enthusiasm for it. As for the Lucanian citizens, it went without saying—in their tribes, elders and chiefs had always had the final say. Now in the League, with the Senate deciding everything, they felt no discomfort.

Davos knew this state of stability would not last forever. When the League became stronger and the people wealthier, they would likely have higher demands. But Davos was not worried about this; he had long prepared corresponding measures to deal with it. For now, let the Theonian people continue to familiarize themselves with the existing system until it became second nature…

***

In late July, Dionysius led the Syracusan army to begin a full-scale offensive against Motya, Carthage’s core stronghold in Sicily.

The causeway they built from the coast had connected to the island where Motya sat in the bay, allowing siege engines to be transported directly to the city walls. Thus, a fierce siege battle began. The Motyans used bows, javelins, and burning pitch to kill and wound Syracusan soldiers; the Syracusans used dozens of ballistae to bombard the walls of Motya, forcing the defenders off the ramparts…

After several days of intense fighting, the battering rams used by the Syracusans smashed a large breach in Motya’s walls. The Syracusan army swarmed in, and the walls of Motya fell.

Dionysius was incredibly excited, believing victory was already in hand. Who knew that the bloody battle had only just begun?

Because the Carthaginian reinforcement fleet had been defeated by ballistae in the bay earlier, the residents of Motya had witnessed it all and realized they would be fighting alone. The Motyans knew that decades of conflict and war between Carthage and the Greeks in Sicily had accumulated countless hatreds. Surrender was not an option. Thus, they decided to fight to the death.