Mediterranean Hegemon of Ancient Greece Chapter 1029: A Roman Senator Arrives in Thurii

Henipolis crossed one leg over the other, tapping his right hand lightly on the negotiating table. "And the result?" he asked mockingly. "The Carthaginian army suffered a disastrous defeat in Sicily. More than half your hundred-thousand-strong force was wiped out, and the rest aren't far from total annihilation. Offering those same terms now is a little inappropriate, wouldn't you say?"

Okriton's heart sank.

Henipolis's expression hardened, his voice turning cold. "Because the main force that launched the fierce assault on Selinunte was an army from Iberia, His Majesty fears that even if our two nations reach a peace agreement, Southern Iberia—under the rule of the Magonid family—will remain the greatest threat to that peace. Therefore, we have added two more clauses to our original terms—"

Henipolis held up a single finger, his voice ringing across the room. "First, all Carthaginian colonies in Southern Iberia must be handed over to Daionia's jurisdiction."

He raised a second finger. "Second, Carthage must return all occupied lands in Numidia, grant the Numidians independence, and never again invade their territory or interfere in the internal affairs of their tribes."

Okriton's face drained of color. He had not expected the Theonians' demands to be so greedy and vicious. This went far beyond anything the Senate had anticipated. Agreeing to these conditions would undoubtedly shake the very foundations of Carthage. He would never dare negotiate these two new clauses on his own authority. This trip had been entirely in vain!

...

"Lord Publius, Thurii is just ahead!" Tibullus, the Roman agricultural officer, pointed forward. He was speaking to Publius Manlius, a former Roman grandee and newly appointed Senator of Daionia, who was already panting heavily from exhaustion.

Publius hardly needed the reminder. He could see for himself that Thurii was close. The road was growing wider and smoother, and the pedestrian traffic had sharply increased. Among the crowds were many mud-spattered farmers carrying agricultural tools. The houses flanking the road were growing taller and more densely packed...

"Four or five li?!" Publius was astonished. Judging by the dense clusters of houses and the bustling crowds, this area was already as busy as the heart of some city-states in Latium. To think they were still that far from the actual Inner District—just how massive was the central city of the Kingdom of Daunia?!

Publius had always believed that the City of Rome was the largest city-state in these lands. Now, gazing forward, he suddenly felt incredibly small. This only strengthened his earlier resolve. "There is no need to ride. I'm fine walking. It's the perfect opportunity to take my time and enjoy the sights of Thurii City."

After passing the Thurii Military Camp, he had heard the Roman officials traveling with him mention that, aside from cavalry and other special personnel, horseback riding was generally forbidden in the Inner District. It was permitted in the outer city, but strangers would still be stopped, questioned, and cautioned by the Patrol Unit to ensure pedestrians weren't trampled. Wanting to keep a low profile as a newcomer, Publius had quickly dismounted to walk, offering a similar excuse at the time.

Tibullus had somewhat guessed his thoughts and didn't press the matter.

"Tibullus?!" A shout suddenly rang out from behind. Tibullus turned to see a young man dressed as a farmer striding toward him. "I knew it was you from the back!" the man said excitedly. "When we heard you volunteered to go to Latium, a bunch of us were worried. Seeing how lean you are now, you must have been working yourself to the bone in Rome. Are you back on leave, or is it official business?"

"Official business," Tibullus replied simply. He then turned to introduce his companion. "This is a newly appointed Senator of the kingdom—Lord Publius from Rome."

The young man looked at him curiously, hesitated, and then leaned close to Tibullus's ear, whispering, "Does he understand us?"

"Lord Publius speaks fluent Greek!" Tibullus declared loudly. He then completed the introductions. "Lord Publius, this is my former colleague, Asicalus. He is the agricultural officer of Demos in the northern sector of Thurii's outer city."

Publius immediately smiled and nodded in greeting. "A pleasure to meet you, Officer Asicalus!"

Looking slightly embarrassed, Asicalus quickly forced a smile, stepped forward, and bowed. "Lord Publius, welcome to Thurii!"

"Tibullus and I aren't just colleagues. We've been neighbors since we were kids," Asicalus said, throwing an arm around Tibullus's shoulders and giving him an enthusiastic pat. "We studied together at the Thurii School, passed our exams together, and just so happened to be assigned to the Ministry of Agriculture together... Tell me that isn't the blessing of Hades! Our friendship is something special!"

Though Publius didn't entirely understand Asicalus's chatter about the Thurii School and exams, he nodded politely anyway.

Tibullus forcefully swatted his hand away and scolded, "Your hands are filthy, and you're wiping them all over me!"

Asicalus immediately put on a look of indignation. "Well, aren't you something, Tibullus! You spend a little time in Latium, and suddenly you look down on us agricultural officers! What's wrong with being filthy? This is proof of my hard work, guiding the people of Thurii through the spring sowing!"

Although he knew his good friend's boisterous personality, Asicalus's words still caught Tibullus's attention. He couldn't help but ask, "How is the spring sowing going this year?"

"Do you even have to ask? It hasn't been going well, of course!" Asicalus shrugged and sighed helplessly. "You must have felt it in Latium, too. This war has dragged on for so long and grown so massive. One after another, the Thurii Region has been drained of more than forty thousand able-bodied citizens, and the only ones returning are wounded. Just imagine the impact that has on Thurii's agriculture. We're facing a severe labor shortage!

"Never mind the spring sowing—the autumn harvest was already a massive headache for us agricultural officers. We petitioned Administrator Lysias and mobilized a large number of the kingdom's slaves. By promising to shorten their probationary period to become kingdom citizens, we also managed to recruit quite a few registered freemen. (The wars raging between Sparta, Thebes, and Athens have only grown more intense, leading the people of the Greek Mainland to migrate to the Kingdom of Daunia once again under the guidance of interested parties.) Under our constant supervision, we finally managed to successfully complete the Thurii Region's autumn harvest. But before we could even catch our breath, it was time for the spring sowing. Fortunately, this time—"

Asicalus glanced at Publius and deliberately lowered his voice. "Thurii received another batch of slaves from Latium, along with some from Syracuse. Originally, they were all supposed to be sent to Sardinia, but we intercepted a portion for Thurii. These slaves are incredibly skilled at tending the fields! Combine them with those enemies from the Greek Mainland captured in the Apulia region, and the Thurii Region has finally secured enough labor. We've even been able to offer assistance to the surrounding areas.

"However, supervising the labor of so many slaves is exhausting work. Do you know why I'm covered in so much mud? It's because I constantly have to go down into the fields to teach them with personal demonstrations. If you had arrived on the outskirts of Thurii a little earlier today, you would have seen hundreds of reserve soldiers and cavalrymen patrolling the villages and fields, squad by squad, to prevent these slaves from escaping or causing trouble. It was quite a spectacular sight!..."

Although Asicalus's mention of Roman slaves made Publius feel somewhat awkward, he still listened intently, learning quite a bit about Daionia in the process.

Tibullus, however, sounded worried. "Constantly relying on the kingdom's slaves to solve our labor shortage isn't a long-term solution!"

"Of course, it's only temporary," Asicalus immediately interjected. Feigning a mysterious air, he whispered, "Last night, a fast ship from the south docked at the port, and a messenger galloped straight into the Inner District to the Senate. I got the inside scoop early this morning. Following our navy's total victory over the Carthaginian Fleet in Carthaginian waters a few days ago, King Davos led our main army and utterly crushed their hundred-thousand-strong army in Selinus! The Carthaginians have suffered one disastrous defeat after another. I expect this war will soon be over!"

Publius was deeply shocked. Rome's ally—Carthage, reputed to be the wealthiest and most powerful city-state in the western Mediterranean—had actually been defeated so quickly?!

Tibullus asked the very question on Publius's mind. "Is all of that true?!"

"Of course it's true! The news is absolutely reliable!" Asicalus said with certainty. "However, the Senate hasn't announced the good news to the public today. I'm guessing... they'll probably announce it at tomorrow's Kingdom Assembly! By the way, Lord Publius, are you here to attend the Kingdom Assembly too?"

"Ah... yes," Publius replied, snapping back to his senses.

"Hey, you lot!" A loud shout suddenly rang out from ahead.

Publius looked up in a daze, almost thinking for a moment that Roman soldiers had arrived in Thurii. He saw a squad of patrolmen in red helmets and red armor walking straight toward them. (The Patrol Unit had originally worn Black Helmets and Black Armor as well, but they had switched to red in recent years. This was primarily to distinguish them from the kingdom's legionaries; the bright red was also more eye-catching, making it easier for them to carry out their duties in a heavily populated city.)

The squad leader eyed their group and the horses they were leading with a suspicious gaze. Then, with a stern expression, he barked, "Can't you see all the pedestrians? Stop blocking the middle of the road and obstructing traffic. Keep moving!"