Read Novel Full Chapter 1297: Post-War Governance
Chapter 1297: Post-War Governance
The scratching pen paused, and Henipolis drew a sharp breath. Raising a Statue before the administrative building was already a profound honor. Since Daionia's founding, only Mersis had ever earned such a tribute, and even then, his monument was erected posthumously. Daionia's meteoric rise over the past few decades relied on its mighty military, supported by a constellation of brilliant generals. Yet naming a legion or a fleet after an individual was entirely unprecedented. If the First Fleet officially took his name, Secilian would undoubtedly cement his place as the foremost figure in the Daionian military. Even if he died the very next day, he would likely embrace it with a smile...
Davos's voice cut through Henipolis's shock. "Appoint Midorades as the acting commander of the First Fleet, and Straphacus as the wartime commander of the Second Fleet. Lamachus, commander of the First Fleet's first squadron, boasts an exemplary service record, and this time he aided Secilian in holding the line against the attacks of the Persian Fleet. I hereby appoint him wartime commander of the Third Fleet. Midorades will assume overall command of the three fleets to continue hunting down the Persian Fleet, seize absolute control of the Eastern Mediterranean, safeguard the transport ships, and support the army's invasion of Persia!"
Henipolis kept his pen moving, his thoughts racing. 'Calling it a temporary appointment is just to make Secilian and the First Fleet's crew feel better. His Majesty probably doesn't expect Secilian to recover at all. Fortunately, Lamachus's promotion should offer the men of the First Fleet some comfort.'
"Write to Alexis—order him to notify all troops to prepare for deployment! And write to the Regional Administrator of Naucratis, instructing him to arrange the transport fleets and be ready to sail east at a moment's notice!"
Davos gazed at the ostriches darting through the brush ahead. After a moment, he turned to look down at Henipolis and declared, "Heni, are you ready? We are going to Persia!"
"Your Majesty, I've been waiting for this day!" Henipolis answered with immediate excitement. "The most glorious chapter of the biography I'm writing lies right ahead!"
He thrust his left hand forcefully toward the east.
...
In March, news of the Greek expeditionary army defeating the Persian Army of Asia Minor in Mysia spread, sending massive shockwaves through the populace of western Asia Minor. Many towns that had been lingering on the fence erupted in rebellion. They expelled their local Persian garrisons and publicly declared their allegiance to Daionia.
Leotychides accepted their surrender while demanding grain and fodder for his troops. After granting his men a brief rest, he swiftly advanced toward Phrygia, the main base of the Persian forces.
The Persian Army of Asia Minor had been a cobbled-together force to begin with. Following their crushing defeat, several demoralized regional contingents refused to continue fighting. Some even led their ragged survivors straight back to their home provinces without seeking Pharnabazus's permission.
Faced with rapidly dwindling forces and the swift approach of the Greek expeditionary army, Pharnabazus made no real attempt to mount a defense. Instead, after a secret plot with his colleagues, he arrested Jason on charges of treason.
Jason, who had barely managed to flee back to Phrygia, was executed before he could even defend himself. In his battle report to the King of Persia, Pharnabazus claimed that during the engagement with the Greek expeditionary army, the heavily trusted Greek mercenaries had suddenly turned their weapons on their allies, which was the main cause of the defeat.
The Persian commanders had used Jason as a scapegoat to escape blame for the defeat, but his execution sparked panic among the routed Greek mercenaries who had returned. Several mercenary officers launched a rebellion under the banner of 'Avenging General Jason.' While this mutiny further cemented the accusation that the Greek mercenaries were unreliable, it caused the situation in Phrygia to spiral completely out of control, forcing Pharnabazus to lead his remaining forces in another hasty retreat.
The Greek expeditionary army successfully occupied Gordium, the center of Phrygia. Instead of continuing east to pursue the enemy deep into the interior, Leotychides gathered a large amount of local supplies, left a garrison behind, and turned his main force south, aiming directly for Lydia. Encountering no effective resistance along the way, the Greek expeditionary army rapidly entered the area around the major Lydian stronghold of Sardis by late May.
Leotychides's rapid march thwarted the local Persian garrison's attempt to transfer the region's wealth away. Frightened by the powerful military might of the Greek expeditionary army, the defenders of Sardis took the initiative to open the gates and surrender.
Following the occupation of Sardis, the Greek expeditionary army halted its advance and rested in the area. At the same time, Leotychides awaited the arrival of the personnel he had requested from King Davos.
In early June, Leotychides led the generals of the Allied Forces and several former Lydian officials out of the city to welcome the Daionian envoys.
The Daionian envoys were not just a single emissary, but an entire group. An elderly man led the procession. Despite his snow-white hair and aged appearance, his expression was resolute, and every movement he made carried a distinct aura of authority.
"Lord Prosous, my apologies, I have arrived a bit late!" Knowing Leotychides's unsociable nature, the old man took the initiative to speak upon seeing him. "Over two months ago, I received His Majesty's orders to come to Asia Minor to take over the administration of your conquered territories. However, we had to wait for the Royal Palace's administrative hall to select the batch of officials deploying here, which took some time. We initially planned to land at Ilion, but when we heard that you had already captured Gordium and were marching south, we rerouted to land at Erythrae (a coastal Greek city-state east of Chios Island that aligned with Daionia after the Greek expeditionary army defeated the Persian forces). We hurried the rest of the way. We hit a minor snag, but thankfully, we managed to meet you in good time..."
Leotychides listened, then offered a dry reply. "You've had a hard journey. Asia Minor is truly vast. Marching and fighting out here consumes far more time than it does in Italy or Greece—"
Staff Officer Muklu quickly interjected, "Lord Capus, we have been looking forward to your arrival! With you holding down the rear, the Greek expeditionary army will have absolutely no worries. We can confidently continue our advance eastward!"
Capus had originally been a man of few words, but years of serving as a Regional Administrator had changed him considerably. Tempered by age, his mindset was far more peaceful, allowing him to navigate such occasions with ease. "I am a newcomer here and completely unfamiliar with everything," he said modestly. "I will need some time to get acquainted with the region, and I will also need your help and support. But I can promise you this: the officials behind me and I did not travel thousands of miles to come here for enjoyment. We are here following His Majesty's orders, and we will do everything in our power to ensure the stability of the conquered regions and fully guarantee your logistical supplies, allowing you to launch an all-out offensive against Persia! Defeating Persia is our shared desire. Wouldn't you agree?"
Capus directed this final question back to the administrative officials who had accompanied him.
"Lord Capus is right! Defeating Persia is the shared desire of Daionia and our allies!" the officials chorused in response.
Leotychides showed a rare hint of a smile and said, "Lord Capus, allow me to introduce you—this is the Boeotarch of the Boeotian League, Epaminondas."
"The General Epaminondas who commanded the Theban allied forces to defeat Sparta at the Battle of Leuctra?! Ah, it is a great honor to meet you!"
"I've heard that Lord Capus is a hero of the Persian expedition. The reason we dare to launch an attack against Persia today is because we were inspired by your heroic deeds!"
"I am ashamed to hear that! I was nothing more than a soldier following His Majesty back then. Without His Majesty's masterful command, I fear I would have long since become a skeleton buried in this foreign soil."
"...And this is the Athenian general, Iphicrates."
"Are you the famous Athenian general Iphicrates, who pioneered light infantry tactics in Greece and defeated the Spartan army multiple times during the Corinthian War?! It is an honor to meet you!"
"Lord Capus, you flatter me too much! I heard that long ago, during your expedition against Persia, you had already begun using light infantry tactics to fight the Persians. I actually learned from the tactics of your Daionian Army."
"Back then, His Majesty forced us to practice light infantry tactics. We were reluctant at first, but after becoming proficient, we found the results to be quite good! It is truly remarkable that you were able to discard inherent Greek military traditions, take the initiative to learn, and create a unique light infantry tactic belonging to Athens based on Greece's actual conditions!"
"...And this is—"
"No need for an introduction here, I know him. The chief general of the Arcadian League, Lycomedes! Four years ago, when I returned to the Senate to deliver my administrative report, he happened to be visiting Thurii. We even attended His Majesty's banquet together."
"Lord Capus, I happened to listen in on your report to the Senate that day, and I was extremely astonished! Northern Italy is home to a large number of fierce and savage Gauls, yet during your many years serving as Regional Administrator there, you not only maintained continuous stability in those regions, but you also led those backward Gauls to actively learn Greek civilization and enthusiastically integrate into Daionia. This clearly shows your immense ability, Lord Capus!"
"You praise me too much, Lord Lycomedes. There are many Regional Administrators within Daionia who can integrate local natives into the kingdom just like me. Lord Hylos in Thessaly and Lord Asistes in Egypt, for example, both possess outstanding talent in this regard. May Hades bless us, so that the people here can cooperate well with us, that together we might overthrow Persian tyranny and create a better future!"
...
After everyone finished their introductions, Muklu led the group back to the city, with Leotychides and Capus walking at the very front.