Mediterranean Hegemon of Ancient Greece Chapter 1024: Decisive Battle at Selinus (4)

At this moment, Mago's mind was consumed by a single thought: march out, give battle, and defeat the King of Daonia. He paid no heed to the news that the Selinus defenders had sallied out. Instead, he dispatched another messenger, ordering Hasdrubal to quickly repel them and join him for the field battle outside the camp.

Simultaneously, he sent messengers to notify Sticamo and Gisco to make their own preparations.

The camp had regained its stability. The Daionian defenders were nothing to fear; their sortie actually made the port easier to capture. Furthermore, preparations for the field battle were well underway... Everything was tilting in Carthage's favor.

Mago stood on the wall, gripping the stone bricks as he locked his gaze onto the two dazzling banners of the Daionian Army outside the camp—like a fierce tiger lurking in the tall grass, ready to pounce.

However, an anxious shout shattered his fantasy. "Lord Mago! Lord Mago! Disaster! The Daionian Army sallying from the port is massive, and their assault is ferocious! Our troops inside the city have already started to rout!"

"What?!" Mago, Bomilcar, and the surrounding attendants all paled in shock.

"What the hell is Hasdrubal doing?!" Mago roared.

"Lord Mago... no wonder the enemy forces outside the camp led by the King of Daonia number fewer than twenty thousand. They must have hidden their main force inside the Port of Selinus!" Bomilcar finally realized.

Mago naturally understood this as well. Since Daionia had colluded with the Numidians, the Daionian Army intended to exploit the rebellion and the resulting turmoil in the camp. Attacking from the outside would be difficult with the Carthaginian Camp protected by its walls, but hiding within the port to launch a counterattack while the Carthaginian attackers were exhausted would easily yield results!

Having made up his mind, he issued decisive orders. "Immediately notify Gisco and Sticamo. Have them lead their troops to defend the inner walls and stop the Daionian Army from assaulting the camp, and at the same time guide—"

Before Mago could finish speaking, deafening sounds of slaughter echoed from the south side of the camp.

Everyone's expressions changed once again.

The Carthaginian collapse was absolute, and the Daionian pursuit was equally swift. By the time the messengers rushed back to report the news to Mago, the routed Carthaginian soldiers had already been driven out of the city. They were sprinting wildly toward the Carthaginian Camp—just over a li away from Selinunte—with the Theonia Legion soldiers hot on their heels.

The earthen walls Mago had painstakingly built to connect with the outer walls of Selinus to conquer Selinunte were now aiding the Daionian Army. A portion of the legionnaires charged straight across them. Because the Carthaginian army had already pushed their offensive line to the inner walls of Selinus, they had stationed no defenders on the inner walls of their own camp. This allowed the Daionian Army to easily surge into the Carthaginian Camp from multiple directions.

The routed Carthaginian soldiers and the pursuing Daionian Army quickly threw the entire camp into utter chaos.

Standing on the wall, Mago watched the soldiers fleeing in every direction within the camp. The words that filled his ears the most were: "Help! Run! We've lost!"

The army had collapsed like a landslide. Mago had completely lost control of the Carthaginian army, and for a moment, he was entirely at a loss.

Just then, he spotted a unit rushing over from the south that had surprisingly maintained a relatively intact formation. Its leading commander was none other than Gisco. Rushing to the base of the wall, he shouted, "Lord Mago, the Numidians have all mutinied! The situation is critical. I will escort you with my troops. We... we need to escape the camp immediately!"

The Numidian camp was primarily located in the southeastern part of the Carthaginian Camp, not far from the wall where Mago stood. Gisco had been stationed there earlier with his troops, so it wasn't too surprising that he arrived in time. However, managing to keep his men mostly intact amidst such overwhelming chaos was no easy feat.

Standing on the wall, Mago surveyed the massive camp filled with fleeing, weeping soldiers and endless screams of agony. He remembered the ambitious oath he had sworn just a few months ago when he landed in Sicily with an army of a hundred thousand men. In the blink of an eye, it had all turned to dust.

The Carthaginian Camp was shrouded in dust and deafening clamor, with soldiers constantly fleeing through the camp gates. The Daionian Army outside naturally noticed this. It was clear that their premeditated plan had succeeded. Davos and his men were greatly invigorated, and Davos issued an order: "Accelerate the march. Close in on the eastern gates of the camp and intercept the routed soldiers."

This time, Tolmides raised no objections.

But not long after, he loudly warned, "Your Majesty, these Carthaginian soldiers who just exited the camp seem to be preparing to attack us!"

Davos naturally noticed this anomaly as well. The Carthaginian soldiers pouring out of the camp were numerous, but unlike the others fleeing in panic, they were gathering together, facing the Daionian Army, and actually forming battle lines!

"Go get Sextus!" Shortly after Davos spoke, Sextus, the commander of the Roman Reserve Cohort, hurried over to him.

"Sextus, weren't you complaining that the Roman Cohort wasn't allowed to participate in this battle? Your chance is here." Davos pointed forward, his expression serious. "Do you see? The Carthaginians are preparing to attack us, hoping to compensate for the loss of their camp with a victory here. You should be very clear that in our army, aside from the Roman Reserve Cohort and the cavalry, everyone else is just making up the numbers. It looks like the enemy outnumbers us, but I want the Roman Reserve Cohort to act as the main force and launch an assault against the enemy ahead. Completely shatter their illusions. Can you do it?"

Hearing this, Sextus gave a forceful military salute and confidently declared, "Rest assured, Your Majesty. Leave this battle to our Roman Reserve Cohort!"

Davos immediately returned the salute and said, "Tell your brothers that I will advance alongside them. My safety rests entirely on their victory!"

Only then did Sextus feel the true weight of his responsibility. Looking at Davos's resolute expression, he swallowed the words of persuasion he had wanted to say, turned around, and sprinted back to his cohort.

At the same time, the three Cavalry Legion Commanders—Lydas, Curtius, and Astemis—also arrived upon being summoned.

Davos looked at them and said in a deep voice, "I know that so far, the cavalry hasn't been able to play a major role in the battles against the Carthaginians. This upcoming clash may well be the final battle in Sicily. I hope you can restore the prestige of the Daionian cavalry!"

The three Legion Commanders exchanged glances, their eyes burning with fighting spirit.

Lydas spoke up vehemently, "Your Majesty, just give the order. We will definitely let the Carthaginians witness the might of the Daionian cavalry!"

"Excellent! The First Cavalry Legion will take the left flank of the Roman Reserve Cohort, while the Second and Third Cavalry Legions will take the right flank. The moment the attack bugle sounds, launch a frontal charge straight into the Carthaginian lines! After routing the enemy, continue hunting down all the routed soldiers fleeing the Carthaginian Camp!"

"Yes!!"

After Lydas and the others left, Davos immediately instructed Tolmides, "Send someone to notify the Numidian Cavalry. Have them rush over at once to attack the rear and flanks of this Carthaginian army."

"Your Majesty, those Numidian Cavalry might not necessarily obey the order," Tolmides said with some concern.

Davos smiled faintly, speaking with full confidence. "The reason the Numidian Cavalry was willing to cooperate with our battle plan today is because they learned the Carthaginian Fleet had been almost completely annihilated. Now that the Carthaginian grand army is also on the brink of destruction, those clever opportunists will definitely make the right choice!"

As they drew closer to the Carthaginian Camp, the Roman Reserve Cohort at the front of the army gradually shifted into a checkerboard formation while on the march. Back in Rome, they had drilled these tactics to the point of mastery. The Theonia Legion tactics were largely identical—only more detailed and complex—and after a period of repeated drilling, they had already mastered them.

Sextus rode to the very front of the formation and raised his hand high, drawing the soldiers' attention before shouting loudly, "Brothers! After becoming citizens of the Kingdom of Daunia like me, you have witnessed the kingdom's power and prosperity, and you have gained land and rights. We are all fortunate, and we made the right choice. But we also carry a stain. Many Daionian Citizens look upon us with nothing but contempt because we were once the defeated! We haven't made any outstanding contributions to this mighty kingdom, yet we enjoy the exact same rights as them!

"Now our chance has come! This time, we will be the main force in this battle against the Carthaginians ahead. Bring out all your strength and courage! Rout them! Use this victory to tell the other kingdom citizens that we Romans are not weaklings!"

"Hoo! Hoo! Hoo!..." The highly spirited Roman soldiers beat their short swords against their long shields, unleashing deafening roars.

At that moment, the bugle sounded. Sextus turned his horse around and waved his hand forward. "Advance!"

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

Outside the Carthaginian Camp, the Carthaginian military commander Mago was also shouting loudly to his panicked and uneasy soldiers to boost their morale. "Citizens of Carthage and the Phoenician Allied States! We have lost this war against Daionia! Our fleet has been destroyed, and we are trapped on the Island of Sicily. We are about to become prisoners of the Theonians, forced to become their slaves and toil to death in lightless mines! And our homeland in Africa will soon suffer the invasion of the Theonians! Are we truly willing to accept the miserable fate these lowly Theonians want to force upon us?!"

One by one, the soldiers raised their heads. Their previously despairing eyes now focused entirely on Mago.

Mago pointed forcefully ahead and roared, "Do you see the Daionian Army before us?! The King of Daonia, the man who brought us this disaster, is right there in their ranks! Warriors, summon your courage, defeat them, and capture the King of Daonia! Then we can safely return home!"