Mediterranean Hegemon of Ancient Greece Chapter 1009: Davos's New Strategy

Lilybaeum sat at the heart of the western Sicilian coast. With the Theonians in control of the city, severing Carthage's maritime supply lines to the region would become much easier, making grain shipments incredibly difficult. Meanwhile, the food reserves in the Carthaginian camp couldn't even last a month!

Mago was a seasoned veteran who had waged war in Iberia for years. He did not hesitate for long; he quickly and resolutely made his decision.

"You, head north immediately! Inform Hasdrubal to abandon the relief of Palermo," Mago ordered a messenger through gritted teeth. "Tell him to gather as much surplus grain as possible from Eryx, then march his army to the camp at Selinus instead of returning to Segesta!" With his orders issued, Mago led his army of thirty thousand on a slow march back south.

...

In the Daionian camp at Minoa, Davos tossed and turned, unable to sleep. He was waiting for news from Lilybaeum.

When he had received Leotychides's letter earlier, the sheer audacity of the surprise attack plan had immediately caught his interest. He had urgently summoned his Legion Commanders and called for Secilian to join the war council, as Secilian had spent time at the Port of Lilybaeum and knew the local layout.

Initially, after examining the rough sketch of Lilybaeum's defenses attached to Leotychides's letter, everyone agreed that even if their forces infiltrated the port, seizing the entire city would be incredibly difficult. However, simply destroying the Port of Lilybaeum would drastically cripple Carthage's ability to supply their forces in Sicily, making the gamble well worth it.

But then Secilian mentioned a rumor about secret tunnels beneath the port. That had made Davos's eyes light up. Even if it was just hearsay, he decided to commit fully to the attempt. That was what prompted him to deploy the Second Legion and the Sicilian fleet to assist Leotychides in taking the City of Lilybaeum.

Throughout that day, numerous Daionian clippers raced across the waters of western Sicily, linking their scattered forces to coordinate this massive operation.

Even if the worst came to pass, the Daionian army wouldn't suffer heavy losses. It would merely be a waste of a day's time and energy, a grand opportunity slipping through their fingers.

Logically, a veteran commander like Davos, who had led massive armies through countless battles, shouldn't be so anxious. But because this single operation held the power to shift the entire war, he found himself suffering a rare bout of insomnia.

When dawn broke, Henipolis stepped into the command tent and immediately noticed Davos's exhaustion. "Your Majesty, did you not sleep well last night?" he asked out of concern.

"I didn't," Davos sighed earnestly. "I truly envy you. No matter where you are, you fall asleep the moment you lie down, and you aren't easily woken."

"That is because Your Majesty constantly worries over the countless affairs of the realm," Henipolis replied openly. "I only need to draft documents and orders as you command, and then focus my remaining energy on writing your biography. My life is simple but fulfilling, so naturally, I eat and sleep well. That is why Your Majesty is destined to forge a great nation and leave behind a glorious history that thousands of people will remember forever. I can only borrow a fraction of your radiant light to illuminate myself, hoping future generations might faintly remember my name."

Henipolis's tactful flattery lifted Davos's spirits. He laughed heartily and said, "Heni, don't think your sweet words will make me relax my ban. As for this biography of yours, you are not to reveal it to anyone without my permission!"

"Your Majesty..." Henipolis put on a pleading expression. Davos completely ignored him and asked, "Have any battle reports arrived today?"

"Not yet—" Before Henipolis could finish, Martius strode into the tent. "Your Majesty, news from Selinus. Late last night, the Carthaginian camp suddenly lit up with torches. There seemed to be massive troop movements within the camp that lasted until dawn before things finally quieted down. It appears a large force has left their camp."

"They must be rushing toward Lilybaeum!" Henipolis said with immediate excitement. "This means our forces have successfully breached the Port of Lilybaeum!"

Having stayed awake almost the entire night, Davos hadn't yet recovered his energy, so he remained relatively calm. "Good. We are halfway to success. May Hades bless them with the best possible outcome!"

He stood up. "I'm going to rest a little longer. If any further news arrives, come inside and inform me immediately." With that, he slowly walked into his sleeping quarters.

Henipolis and Martius exchanged glances, momentarily speechless.

...

That afternoon, Daionia's high-ranking officers in Minoa gathered in the command tent. Davos, now brimming with high spirits, addressed them: "Gentlemen, Lilybaeum has fallen to us! The annihilation of the Carthaginian army is not far off!"

The officers weren't surprised by the news. The Sicilian fleet's warships had already sailed into the port, and a massive influx of prisoners from Lilybaeum was currently being escorted into the camp.

"Your Majesty, the City of Lilybaeum is incredibly important to the Daionian army. Matonis and Prosous will likely face a ferocious counterattack from the Carthaginian army. Should we send more reinforcements?" Oliphus suggested eagerly.

"I just received a message from a clipper dispatched by Prosous," Davos said slowly, sweeping his gaze across the room. "Up until this morning, they haven't spotted any trace of Carthaginian reinforcements. Meanwhile, the report from Selinus indicates that the troops who left the Carthaginian camp outside the city are showing signs of returning..."

"The Carthaginians have given up on retaking Lilybaeum?" Alexis looked at Davos, unsure.

Davos nodded. "Judging from the current situation, I'm afraid Mago doesn't intend to hastily reclaim Lilybaeum. Instead, he's keeping his offensive focus fixed squarely on Selinus. Therefore, our current concern shouldn't be Lilybaeum, but Selinus!"

"Your Majesty, since we have already captured Palermo and Lilybaeum, Eryx is now surrounded by our forces," suggested Trotidis, the Sixth Legion Commander. "If the Carthaginians are attacking Selinus, shouldn't we attack Eryx and seize this highly important city-state from the Phoenicians?"

"Our capture of Lilybaeum has undoubtedly put the other Phoenician city-states in Sicily on high alert. Trying to succeed with another surprise attack will be difficult," Tolmides warned. "Furthermore, Eryx houses many temples. It is a sacred pilgrimage site for the Phoenicians of the western Mediterranean. The Carthaginian army will definitely rush to its rescue with everything they have."

"Then could we have Lizarus and Epithenes pressure the Carthaginian army so they won't dare commit fully to attacking Selinus?" Oliphus suggested again. "At the same time, this would allow us to quickly concentrate more troops for an offensive the moment we spot an opening."

Davos lightly tapped his fingers on the table. After pondering for a moment, he said, "Although we've won a series of victories recently, the main force of the Carthaginian army hasn't suffered heavy losses. It is still a terrifying beast. We cannot lower our guard, nor should we push them too hard. A cornered beast is extremely dangerous. To avoid heavy casualties from a dying counterattack, we should instead loosen the noose a little. Let the Carthaginians feel they can still hold on, so they won't try to drag us down with them... Therefore, Lizarus and his men must stay in Hena for now."

"There is no need to rush into attacking Phoenician city-states like Eryx, Mazara, or Segesta," he continued. "Doing so would only scatter our forces and give the Carthaginian army more targets to strike. What we need to do now is consolidate our previous gains, strengthen our defenses, and continue draining their morale and supplies. At the same time, we must remain ready. The moment an opportunity arises, we strike decisively to cull their soldiers and shatter their spirits. We will make this caged beast bleed endlessly until it finally perishes..."

The generals listened, deep in thought.

Davos looked around at them and smiled. "Capturing Lilybaeum is indeed a massive victory for us. Secilian reported to me earlier that he and Midorades are planning another operation. If they succeed, it just might bring us an early dawn of victory in this drawn-out war against the Carthaginians! But, of course, before that happens, we will likely be greeting Carthaginian envoys begging for peace."

Davos's words immediately reignited the passionate atmosphere within the command tent.

...

In stark contrast to the relaxed and joyous mood in the Daionian camp, the atmosphere within the Carthaginian Senate was suffocatingly grim. A day later, a clipper from Mazara braved the perilous waters to deliver the news that "Lilybaeum has fallen," sending shockwaves through the Carthaginian Senators.

One could argue that Hadrumetum and the city of Igilgili were burned to the ground because those two Phoenician city-states were small and sparsely populated. But Lilybaeum was a massive military stronghold that Carthage had poured endless manpower and silver into building. For it to fall so easily into the hands of the Theonians raised a terrifying question: could the Carthaginian army truly defeat such a powerful enemy? If the successive loss of Corsica and Sardinia, their naval defeats, and the invasion of Africa had already battered the Senators and shattered their optimism regarding the war, then the fall of Lilybaeum was a devastating blow that only deepened their overwhelming despair.