Mediterranean Hegemon of Ancient Greece

“The Ministry of Finance sent a letter ordering us to transport the grain paid by the Naxosian as land tax to Catania. Although they said it is to replace the old grains in the granaries, why do we have to give even the newly harvested grain to the military camp?! Besides, Catania also has a granary and is only five kilometres away. Furthermore, you obtained the evidence of Ladician's collusion with the Sikeloi, so we would surely use force against the Sikeloi!”

Galademus' words surprised Theokases, so he asked with a slightly unpleasant expression, “How did you know about that? The Eighth Legion called the citizens into the camp by announcing that they would just carry out military training ahead of schedule!”

“I was the first to learn about this incident, and your search in Ladician's residence in Naxos caused so many commotions that some rumours spread out early. Besides, the number of people here-” Galademus pointed to the surrounding people, “Are far more than the number of men during a single military training and more like an assembly of soldiers for an entire legion. And since I studied mathematics, I am quite sensitive to this.”

Theokases warned him. “Thurii's trial of these Sicilian statesmen hasn't yet started, but the Senate should be furious at those Sikeloi who bribed and exploited the statesmen. But since the Senate hadn’t yet officially declared war, you better keep it a secret!”

Galademus nodded understandingly, then asked curiously, “Which brigade would you serve in?”

Theokases suddenly became a bit embarrassed. But under the questioning of Galademus, he hesitantly put down his hand covering his left chest. Then Galademus saw a scale symbol on the left chest of his linen armour.

“You are the military judge!” Galademus said in surprise.

Suddenly, the soldiers around them stopped and looked at them.

“Damn you, Galademus!” Theokases cursed in a low voice, “Do you want the soldiers to hate me?!”

“Since a military judge is to frighten the soldiers, this position does suit you well.” Galademus shrugged his shoulder and added, “The constable of Naxos is really suited to be the military judge of the Eighth Legion!”

“No, it doesn't fit at all! I used to be the centurion of the first centuria of the first legion!” Theokases said in exasperation.

“How did you become a military judge in Sicily?” Galademus also had some doubts.

“It must be those old men from the Ministry of Military!” Theokases gnashed his teeth and said, “So I'll go find the legatus in his tent and ask him to give me back my former position!”

“Look for…legatus Prosous?! He isn't easy to talk with!” Galademus reminded.

Thinking of the strictness of legatus Prosous, Theokases also felt a headache. Still, he firmly said, “I must still try no matter what!”

“Don't be too disappointed if legatus Prosous doesn't agree.” Galademus held back his laughter and tried to reassure him in a serious tone, “Your position as the military judge is quite suitable for you.”

“You'd better pray that I could convince legatus Prosous. Otherwise-” Theokases straightened his chest and, with a smirk on his face, threatened in a low voice, “I will stop the convoy and search these grains to see if there are any illegal things hidden!”

“You truly fit to be a military judge!” Galademus smiled without showing weakness.

. . . . . . . . . . . .

The ‘main tent’ that Theokases said isn't a tent but a masonry structure – The legion's headquarters.

Leotychides, the legatus of the Eighth Legion, was staring fixedly at the Sicilian map hanging on the wall.

Suddenly, the legion's adjutant hurried to the quarter but didn't go inside. Instead, he asked the guard next to him, “How is the situation inside?”

The guard immediately complained, “He is just sitting there motionless for most of the day. He didn't even eat the morning breakfast I have heated twice.”

The adjutant patted him on the shoulder and then entered quietly.

After coughing twice, Leotychides still didn't respond.

He then called out softly, but Leotychides still didn't respond.

Thus he had to shout, “Legatus!”

Only then did Leotychides turn around, look at him and say coldly, “Sthephilos*, what's the matter?” (Note: Adopted son of Amintas.)

Sthephilos felt Leotychides slight anger, so he hurriedly said, “I have invited Lord Siprus as you requested, milord.”

Leotychides' expression eased a bit, “Let him in.”

“Lord legatus!” Sthephilos politely reminded, “Lord Siprus is his majesty's trusted Theonian statesman and the praetor of Catania; we can't be too discourteous!” Sthephilos added, ‘You are just a new legatus who isn't even a statesman, so you should at least go out and greet him to show your respect when he comes to your camp to meet you.’

But Leotychides unexpectedly just looked at him with a cold gaze, “I want to discuss important kingdom matters with Lord Siprus. Greeting him would just make too much noise that will only attract the attention of the Sikeloi.”

“Legatus Prosous is right!” Laughter rang out at the entrance, “So I came here quietly.”

“Lord Siprus!” Sthephilos hurried forward.

Siprus smiled and nodded at him. He then entered the room as if he didn't care about Leotychides' discourtesy to him.

Leotychides also stood up and nodded to Siprus.

“Kindly tell us whatever outstanding decision you have come to, Lord Prosous.” After spending a few years with Leotychides in Catania, Siprus learned about the character of this top official of Sicily's military even though they didn't have much contact. After speaking those words, he pulled a chair to sit down.

Leotychides wasn't polite either. He walked to the map on the wall and said, “I decided to lead the Eighth Legion to the west tomorrow, bypass Mount Etna and occupy Agyrium.”

Hearing that, Sthephilos became surprised.

But Siprus remained calm as he asked softly, “Why so urgent? You should know the Senate hasn't yet passed the resolution to declare war on the Tanikian. Moreover, Agyrium is a town friendly to our Theonia and allies!”

“I believe Lord Siprus already read the information collected by Seraphinus' men who went to infiltrate the Sikeloi.” Leotychides tapped his hand against the wooden panel on the wall, “After completely taking control of Cozzo Matrice, the westernmost town of the Sikeloi, the Tanikian tribe acquired the land of Enna a few years later and controlled the two major Sikeloi towns of Henna and Hebita while most of the Sikeloi tribes in Agyrium, Morganitina, and Centuripa are all under the rule of the Tanikian chieftain, Archonis-”

Leotychides stretched his left hand, covered the centre of the Sikeloi and said with a stern expression, “I believe that once his majesty Davos and the Senate saw this information, they would never allow a unified and hostile Sikeloi force to emerge in the west of the Catanian plain, the most important territory of Theonia in Sicily. Thus I am certain that the order to have our Eighth Legion wage war against them will be delivered tomorrow or the day after.

But by then, the Tanikian tribe will be ready to defend. Moreover, it is unfavourable for us to fight in the mountainous part of Sicily against the Sikeloi, who are good at guerrilla warfare. In the past, they used this tactic to assist Dionysius in giving significant problems to Cartage's commander, Mago. And once the war starts, I am afraid that the Sikeloi would attack our troops even when marching and camping in the mountains, which will make the war last longer and become unfavourable to us, Theonia, because we are also fighting another battle against the Daunians in South Italia!

From the intelligence of Seraphinus, even the city of Agyrium has some tribes supporting Tanikian, and the situation has become pressing. Thus I deliberately declared that I would conduct military training. However, it was to gather all the soldiers of the Eighth Legion to quickly march to Agyrium while the Tanikian tribe hadn't yet reacted so as to completely stabilise this important Sikeloi town and, at the same time, deter other Sikeloi tribes from joining forces with the Tanikian. Then-”

Leotychides reached and pointed to a town symbol slightly southwest of Agyrium and said in an aggravated tone, “We would take the weakest defended town of Henna first in order to boost the confidence of those Sikeloi tribes to dare rise against the Tanikian which is bent on unifying Sikeloi…”

After hearing this, Sthephilos felt excited. He then looked at Siprus worriedly, ‘Would the praetor of Catania agree to such a daring plan?’ Even though he knew that Leotychides would still carry it out even if Siprus disagreed, the Eighth Legion would undoubtedly encounter great trouble and difficulties!

Siprus laughed, saying, “Everyone said that Prosous isn't good with words, so it was unexpected that you can impress others once you open your mouth!”

Leotychides didn't seem to find Siprus' words funny as he remained expressionless. However, he still understood Siprus' meaning, “Do you agree?!”

With Leotychides mainly focusing on military affairs, he doesn't usually get to know these high-level officials in the kingdom of Theonia, nor does he often go around. Otherwise, he would have known that Siprus is a statesman who is flexible, adaptable and daring to break the rules. Apart from being responsible for pushing Terina to fully support Theonia in the South Italian Alliance, he also convinced the people of Terina to make Terina the first Greek city-state(not counting Laos) to voluntarily integrate into the kingdom of Theonia after the South Italian War. Furthermore, he violated the previous agreement between Theonia and Carthage during his term as the praetor of Catania by strengthening ties with these Greek city-states on the south coast of Sicily, such as Gela, Kamarina, Pauchino and Agrigento, under the banner of friendship with them… He then influenced them, although not allies with Theonia on the surface, to fall to Theonia's side, which is why these city-states had repeatedly sent delegations to Thurii during Hades' Day in the past few years.

“Why should I object to such a good plan? Tell me anything else I need to do!” Siprus asked earnestly.