Mediterranean Hegemon of Ancient Greece

After hearing this, Acilita and Gaba became excited as this is what they are best at and want to do the most.

On the other hand, Phidias just remained silent as he did not fully agree with Dionysius' plan. However, he suddenly realised that Sparta should perhaps learn how to siege cities like Syracuse.

Then, Dionysius made another devious remark, “But before we siege Crotone, we'll see Aprustum's response to the following matter…”

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

In the city of Aprustum, Philesius was comforting the more than 500 legionaries captured by Dionysius in exchange for the more than 500 Locrian. Still, he felt great regret that he failed to exchange Drakos, the legatus of the fifth legion and a statesman of Theonia. After all, Dionysius didn’t even release Burim, the senior centurion of the first brigade of the fifth legion, an important chieftain of Besidice and another statesman of the Senate. Instead, Dionysius insisted on a one-to-one exchange of prisoners.

Philesius then noticed that all the soldiers exchanged were Bruttians of the fifth legion. Since the fifth legion was left last during the retreat, most of those captured were from the fifth legion, so he no longer thought about it further.

In fact, Dionysius deliberately released these Bruttians and even did it in front of the Greek and Lucanian soldiers of Theonia. And in a few days, he was also prepared to quietly release some Theonian legionaries whom his intelligence officers found to have resentment against them.

Philesius then regrouped these 500 soldiers into the fifth legion. Although he felt regret, he was also slightly relieved because half of the soldiers returned were Besidisians. The reason being Besidice relied on the union the most among the Bruttian tribes. Since their integration into the union, they never rioted and had no objection to some laws passed by the Senate against the Bruttian region that were not favourable to the tribe. Moreover, Philesius had a good relationship with Baripiri, so it was better to have more Besidisians returning.

Suddenly, a messenger hurriedly arrived, “Lord commander, legatus Epiphanes asked you to go to the top of the city wall immediately. He cannot decide what to do with what the Syracusans are doing outside the city.”

Hearing this, Philesius was astonished.

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

Drakos woke up from his nightmare.

When he was leading the first brigade to intercept the enemy cavalries, the enemy surrounded them, so he had no choice but to lead his men to fight to the death. Finally, an enemy managed to pierce through his lungs with a javelin, causing him to fall to the ground and be captured. Even though the physicians of Syracuse treated him, he had been suffering from a high fever where he was sometimes unconscious and sometimes awake.

At this moment, he tried to open his dry and heavy eyelids when he suddenly heard a shrill scream. Then he heard someone nearby shouting in grief and anger, “Don't come any closer! Don't come any closer! Asinu, please protect them…”

‘What was going on?’ Drakos struggled to open his eyes, and the shaky image in front of him gradually became clear: He found himself lying on the ground mixed with stone and dirt, and a hundred metres in front of him towered a city. And he is very familiar with the appearance of the city – Aprustum.

‘How am I here?’ He tried to think back, but his mind was too hazy. He then tried to stand up but found that his hands and feet were tied, and he couldn't exert any force at all.

He struggled hard for a few moments but to no avail. Then the sharp pain from his wound nearly made him faint again.

Then the one next to him saw his movement and said in surprise, “Legatus Drakos! Legatus Drakos, are you awake?”

“Who…are you? What is…happening?…” Drakos asked weakly with his dry lips open.

“Reporting to the legatus, I am Eturu, the squad leader of the 1st squad of the fourth platoon of the third brigade of the fourth legion. The Syracusans took dozens of the captured fourth legion's soldiers and you and made us march to the front of the city of Aprustum, with our hands and feet tied in our back. They then inserted wooden stakes beside each person and tied the ropes to them. Then they sent people close to the city to shout and tell them, ‘The captured soldiers of your fourth legion are here.’ Afterwards, the Syracusan army retreated a hundred metres. However, whenever our comrades in the city rushed out…rushed out to save us, these damn Syracusans will…will strike them with their javelins and arrows…” At this point, Eturu burst into tears.

When he cried, the other captive soldiers were also saddened.

‘What?!’ When Drakos heard this, he was suddenly anxious. He then forced himself to endure the severe pain then relied on his shoulders to push his body to sit up. The excessive force made his sight darken and his head dizzy, but he still tried his best to control his weakened body as he gasped for breath…after a while, he finally managed to kneel steadily on the ground.

When he reopened his eyes, he caught sight of dozens of bodies with arrows and javelins sticking out of them, and the nearest corpse was just a metre away from him. Looking at the dead man’s face, Drakos recognised him: He is Hagal, a soldier of the fifth legion. This Bruttian young man was from a small tribe of Consentia; he has a stubborn and adamant personality. When he first entered the fifth legion, he repeatedly violated the military rules, resulting in the strict Drakos punishing him. Still, he refused to obey. One time, he even confronted Drakos on the training ground, causing Drakos to wrestle with him in a bet and beat him cleanly. After getting convinced, Hagal began to train seriously, and with his excellent performance, Drakos finally promoted him to become a platoon caption. However, he did not expect for him to die here…and died for him!

A wave of anger suddenly surged through him, and the cries of the soldier next to him made him even more annoyed. He then shouted, “What are you crying for?! There is nothing for us to fear, even death, as we will meet again in the Hall of Valour!!”

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

Philesius looked at the rows of bound and kneeling men at the bottom of the city wall with a grave expression. He did not expect to see such a sight when he climbed the city wall, “Are you…sure that those men are Drakos and the captured soldiers?”

The usually energetic and showy Epiphanes also frowned at this moment. He then said with a heavy tone, “Before I came up here, the soldiers…have confirmed with their lives! I had now forbidden the soldiers to leave the city without permission, but they have not only the soldiers of Drakos but also the soldiers of the fourth legion. Look at my men, they all want to go and save their comrades, neighbours, and possible loved ones…they all hope to dispatch the fourth and fifth legion so that even if the enemy rush in, they could still hold off and succeed in rescuing Drakos and the others.”

Philesius looked at the shocking nearly hundred corpses that stretched all the way to the captives and the Syracusan army phalanx that seemed to be resting a hundred metres behind the captives.

He then looked back at the soldiers of the fourth legion stationed at the top of the city wall, with mixed anger and anxiousness showing in their faces.

Philesius' gaze then finally landed on Epiphanes, “What's your thought?”

“I think we can give it a try.” Epiphanes hesitated. He then thought about it and said, “The Syracusans are doing this because they want us to save them. So once we leave the city, the Syracusans will probably not immediately come forward to stop us, giving us enough time to form up and slowly approach Drakos and the others, block their attack and save them… Although there are more Syracusans than us, the terrain is narrow, with cliffs on the left and mountains on the right. So no matter how many troops they have, they wouldn't be able to spread up and encircle us…so we should be able to return to the city safely.”

Philesius stayed silent for some time. Then he slowly said, “Since everyone already knows that the Syracusans just want us to rescue them, but you all still insist on bringing the troops out of the city! Do you all really think the Syracusans would allow us to return safely?!” Philesius showed a pained expression and said in a voice filled with anger, “A few days ago, everyone thought that there is a chance for us to defeat the Syracusans, so I did not insist on objecting…as a result! As a result, we were defeated! The alliance's troops were defeated, and we lost more than 3,000 soldiers, causing the whole situation in Magna Graecia to turn bad! Hasn't such a lesson taught us that Dionysius is not that easy to deal with?! Since he planned this sight, he certainly must have a countermeasure once we go out of the city to rescue them! So for the safety of Aprustum, and more importantly…for the safety of the union, we…we must no go out of the city!”

Philesius rarely shouted at someone as loudly as he did not, venting out his suppressed emotions. And this has caused Epiphanes to freeze a bit and his face to sink, “Are we just going to stand by and watch Drakos and the soldiers without rescuing them?! Don't forget, Lord Davos, in Persia, had once said that everyone in the army he leads shall be as one family and never abandon anyone easily!”

Epiphanes' words lashed out at Philesius' conscience. He then pressed his hand against the battlement, and the rough gravel on the cracks stung his palms… Although he and Drakos had a normal relationship, the reason why he did not want to rescue Drakos, a statesman, legatus and a comrade, for many years and the soldiers even when the enemy humiliates them, is that he is the highest military commander of the southern battlefront of Theonia. He has a heavy responsibility, so in such a gave situation, his first consideration should be the union’s safety. As he had already failed once before, he could not allow himself to make another mistake. Otherwise, if they were to get defeated in Aprustum, the Syracusans would be able to go straight in, and he would really become a sinner of the union!

“Strictly guard the city. No one is allowed to leave the city! This is an order!!” Said Philesius with a decisive tone, “I will bear all the consequences!”