The Rise Of An Empire In Ancient Europe

During the Peloponnesian War, Athens sent a large army to Sicily but was ultimately defeated by a combined force of Syracuse and Sparta, with over 6,000 prisoners taken. At the time, Sparta was facing a difficult situation: vulnerable at sea and unable to breach the Athenian Walls on land. They also lacked the resources to enslave these 6,000 captives and attack Athens.

If Davos had done so, even if it had set a precedent, he would likely have been labeled "treacherous and brutal." This would not only instill wariness in the city-states of Magna Graecia but would also gradually alienate the once-respected Dionysian people, undoubtedly dealing a significant blow to Davos's prestige. Therefore, with his ambitious goals in mind, he certainly wouldn't make such a mistake.

With victory already assured, he didn't mind a delayed capture of Crimea. So, immediately after the battle, he ordered a reserve cohort and over 5,000 freedmen to escort the captives back to Thurii, leaving only two legions and two reserve cohorts stationed at Castellon.

Compared to the previous night, the citizens of Castellon—jubilant at their victory—were more than happy to offer their rooms and a sumptuous dinner for the Dionysian soldiers.

The soldiers and freedmen, however, were not so fortunate. Equally exhausted and hungry, they had to escort the captives and then walk another hour or two through the night, facing far greater hardship. Yet, to have won a battle of this magnitude—their first—was a victory worth the suffering. Filled with pride, they walked with their heads held high and even rebuked the captives with powerful voices, eager to return to the city and boast of their heroic deeds to their acquaintances.

The captives of Croton were in the most miserable condition. Stripped of their armor and clothes to prevent escape, they marched naked through the darkness. The sea wind drained their body heat, leaving them shivering. If they slowed down, the spears of the escorting soldiers lashed them like whips, causing unbearable pain.

Klebus was among the captives. Though he lamented his fate, compared to his comrades who had perished in battle or drowned, he felt fortunate to be alive. He comforted his weeping compatriots, saying:

"The Dionysians may be hateful, but they are trustworthy. If we do what they ask, we will surely return to Crotone alive!"

Even at night, the entire city of Thurii came out to greet the victorious troops. After a day of anxious waiting, they saw the returning soldiers and the vastly larger number of Crotone prisoners, and they all understood that the Dionysian victory was undeniable.

Unlike Castellon, the Thurians were more likely to celebrate this hard-earned victory with shouts of "Davos!" knowing that it was the Archon who—despite the Senate's opposition—had prematurely provoked the battle, ultimately securing victory.

The senators breathed a sigh of relief, especially Philisius. Appointed by Davos as the military commander to remain in Thurii, he had no soldiers and constantly worried that the Crotone fleet would see through their disguise and land at the harbor. The return of the three reserve battalions and the freedmen finally gave him confidence. Furthermore, Crotone, having suffered such a crushing defeat, was likely unable to defend itself, let alone attempt a landing operation within Dionysian territory.

Kunogorata and some Thurians questioned the soldiers about the entire battle. As Thurians, the Dionysian alliance's victory over Crotone gave them a sense of triumph and revenge.

That night, all those who participated in the battle—both reserve citizens and freemen—were hailed as heroes by the Dionysian people, receiving enthusiastic cheers and generous rewards. They felt a surge of pride, and their commitment to Dionysian citizenship was strengthened.

In Crimissa

Antaoris, the chief general of Crimissa, was sound asleep at home when he was urgently awakened. He heard the messenger announce the defeat of the Crotone army and could hardly believe his ears.

Yesterday, he had witnessed Crotone's massive fleet at the harbor, with an army of nearly 40,000 men (including freemen and slaves transporting baggage). It was an army the likes of which Magna Graecia had never seen! They should have swept the Dionysian League clean—but how could Crotone be defeated in just one day? How could Dionysia possibly have more soldiers than Crotone? Could it be that Tarantum had joined the battle?

Filled with countless doubts, Antaoris hurriedly put on his clothes and rushed to the north gate. Eurips, Pleiades, and others were already waiting there.

In the light of the fire, the Crotonites were seen running from the north one after another like stray dogs. Their steps were weak, their minds dazed, and their faces full of panic and fatigue. Their helmets were gone, their breastplates discarded, and their shields and spears nowhere to be found. They stumbled into the city gate and lay on the ground, shouting weakly:

"Is there any food? Is there any food?"

Seeing their miserable state, Antaoris and his men grew deeply worried.

Finally, they waited for Milon, who had retreated. Although he was also in disarray, his spirits were still strong.

Milon's Report

"General Milon, what should we do next?!" Antaoris asked anxiously. This was exactly the issue that the Crimeans were most concerned about.

Milon did not answer immediately. Instead, he asked:

"Is there any food? I'm starving!"

As Antaoris and the others watched Milon and the fleeing soldiers wolfing down dry, cold bread, they felt a little contempt in their hearts.

But Milon was not in the mood to notice. As he ate, he thought about how to appease the Crimeans. After trudging through the swamp, without the enemy chasing him, he had gradually regained his composure. On the way back, he regretted his mistakes—underestimating the enemy, mismanaging the battle—that had led to defeat. At the same time, he began thinking about how to deal with the attack of the victorious Dionysians next.

Crimissa was undoubtedly the most important link in turning the tide.

Wiping the crumbs from his mouth, Milon stood and said:

"Everyone… I'm sorry. We were ambushed by the Dionysians, and in the battle with them… we suffered a defeat. Although I don't know how many people we lost… it's definitely not a small number."

Countless soldiers struggling in the water appeared in Milon's mind. He clenched his fists in pain, nails digging into his palms until blood was drawn.

"And the casualties of the Dionysian soldiers are much less than ours…"

"What?!" Everyone was shocked. Tens of thousands of troops had gone out to fight, yet they had caused little damage to the Dionysians while suffering heavy losses themselves. How was this battle fought?!

"Did the Dionysians send more soldiers than us? Or did Tarantum also join the battle?" Antaoris pressed.

Milon smiled bitterly. He didn't want to tell the truth, but even if he stayed silent, the Crimeans would soon find out once the Dionysians arrived. Better to be honest and prepare them for cooperation.

"Dionysia should have sent out a number of people similar to ours. And Tarantum did not participate in the battle…"

"You Crotone people are made of flour! Always so easy to be defeated by the Dionysians!" Pleiades roared angrily.

His words echoed the feelings of the Crimean officials. The last failure had already damaged Crimea's credibility. They had sworn never to be enemies with Dionia again, only to break that promise and join Crotone in its war. Now, with another crushing defeat, what should Crimea do?

Myron's eyes widened. In his youth, he had been a multiple Olympic champion and later served long as Crotone's chief general. His imposing presence frightened Pleiades. But still, avoiding Myron's gaze, Pleiades said boldly:

"If it weren't for you, Crotone, insisting on waging war against Dionia, claiming 'we'd teach them a painful lesson,' we, Crimea, would never have provoked Dionia! Now you've lost, and so miserably! What are we supposed to do?!"

Others echoed the sentiment:

"That's right. If you hadn't forced us, how would we dare provoke Dionia?"

Milon sneered in his heart. The Crimeans simply wanted to follow Crotone to gain benefits. But he didn't dare say it aloud.

"So what do you want? Go and negotiate with Dionysia?" Milon challenged them. "Dionysia now has the upper hand, and they will only demand more. Will Davos kill the people of Crimea after he captures the city, to avenge his mercenary comrades? Will he turn Crimea into a vassal state controlled by them like Niutum?"

After Milon finished, the faces of the Crimeans—including Attalus—turned grim.

"Now, all we can do is hold on to the city of Crimea! Dionysia has no fleet, and the sea is under our control. We can use the fleet to transport food and more soldiers at any time. The Dionysians can't trap us to death!" Milon said excitedly.