Mediterranean Hegemon of Ancient Greece Chapter 1035: The Kingdom Assembly During Wartime (1)

"Oh... there is one more profession, a highly respected one: becoming a scholar. But the path is incredibly difficult, so I doubt you'll consider it. You can discuss the three options I mentioned earlier with your children and choose carefully."

"As for your youngest son, he's only ten. Once you relocate to Thurii, enroll him in the Thurii School as soon as possible. That way, his prospects will be much smoother than his older brother's when he comes of age. Your daughter should be enrolled right away, too."

Tibullus paused. Seeing Publius frown slightly, he continued, "I know you Romans, like the Greeks, are quite traditional and conservative when it comes to educating daughters. But I assure you, we in Daionia are different. We have girls study and exercise alongside the boys, doing our utmost to cultivate their talents. Only then can they find good husbands when they come of age. We Theonians believe that only a healthy mother can give birth to healthy children, and only a talented mother can raise brilliant ones!"

"In the kingdom, women not only possess the right to inherit property, but there is also a specific law stating: 'If a citizen has only daughters and no sons, he may consult with his sons-in-law to select one of his daughters' children to inherit his family name.' As a result, the status of women here is actually quite high."

Tibullus couldn't help but smile. "I have two daughters and no sons myself, but with these laws in place, I'm not worried in the slightest."

Publius didn't quite know how to respond and remained silent.

Tibullus stood up. "You shouldn't soak in a cold bath for too long this season, or you'll catch a chill."

With that, he climbed out of the pool, grabbed a cloth towel hanging on the wall, and tossed one to Publius.

Tibullus toweled himself dry, stretched his limbs, and declared, "After a good soak, I'll definitely sleep well tonight. Tomorrow, we will attend the Kingdom Assembly in high spirits!"

...

Early the next morning, after breakfast, the guests at the Kingdom Guest House solemnly straightened their attire and made their way to the nearby Grand Council Hall. Many others converged from different directions, quickly forming two long queues outside the building.

On this day, the Thurii Patrol Force locked down Victory Square and the Senate entirely, barring all idle personnel from entering. The inner city was also strictly cordoned off to ensure the smooth convening of the Kingdom Assembly.

As a newcomer to the Senate of the Kingdom, Publius stood in line without knowing a single soul. He simply watched the others around him enthusiastically greeting one another and exchanging updates on their lives.

But Tibullus, who accompanied him, truly lived up to being a native Thurian. Even though it was his first time attending the Kingdom Assembly, he knew quite a few people and actively introduced Publius to them.

Upon learning that Publius was a newly appointed Senator of the kingdom and originally from Rome, these men were highly curious and peppered him with questions about the situation back in Rome.

Publius answered them earnestly, and everyone gradually became acquainted. Only then did he realize that these men were local council representatives, elected from various towns across the Kingdom of Daunia to attend the assembly.

Before long, Publius and Tibullus were standing before the main entrance of the Grand Council Hall. After confirming Publius's name, the assembly order official at the door looked at him in confusion. "Lord Publius, you are a Senator. You can enter through the side door. Did the attendants at the guest house not inform you?"

Publius glanced at Tibullus and replied, "It is my first time attending the Kingdom Assembly. I thought the main entrance would be livelier."

"Oh, that is perfectly fine. Please, follow me," the order official said politely, leading the two of them into the hall.

It was a massive circular dome. From top to bottom, at least a dozen tiers of stone steps descended. Rows of wooden chairs were neatly and densely arranged on every tier, embracing the center in a semicircle. The center was a flat expanse of pristine white marble, furnished with a few dark red wooden tables. Toward the back of this central area stood a stone platform several meters high, bearing a grand and exquisite chair.

Publius stared at it for a few moments, guessing that it was the seat for the King of Daonia.

The front few rows of chairs were already packed with nearly three hundred men. Most of them had graying hair, and they wore white robes embroidered with elaborate black patterns, currently conversing with one another in hushed tones.

Soon, five men stood up and walked over toward them.

Publius recognized one of them—Antaoris, the man who had previously received them.

Tibullus immediately bowed deeply to each of them in turn. "Lord Cornelius! Lord Lysias! Lord Sedorum! Lord Antaoris! Lord Vespa!"

As the administrative chief of Thurii and Tibullus's former superior, Lysiasi nodded. "You've worked hard, Tibullus. Is everything ready?"

"It is ready."

"Rest well for now. When your turn comes later, do your best!"

"Understood!"

The order official then led Tibullus to a seat at the very edge of the front row, positioning him conveniently to take the stage and speak when the time came.

Tibullus had already guessed that these five men were the five Rotating Chairmen of the Senate of Daionia. He also noticed that, unlike the other Senators, their robes were trimmed with gold.

A white-haired elder among them smiled and said, "Welcome, Lord Publius! I am Cornelius, a Rotating Chairman of the Senate of Daionia, and this is..."

Publius bowed and exchanged greetings with each of them in turn. Both sides wore smiles, their movements elegant and gracefully restrained. Though Publius had laughed and chatted freely with Tibullus on the journey here like an ordinary man, he now deliberately displayed the bearing of a former member of the Roman Senate and the patriarch of a grand clan.

Cornelius then led Publius to the center of the hall and announced to the Senators below: "Gentlemen, this is Publius Manlius, a Senator newly appointed to the Senate last year, hailing from Rome. Please give him a warm round of applause to welcome him as one of our own!"

Enthusiastic applause instantly filled the hall.

Cornelius then gestured for Publius to say a few words.

Publius did not decline. He took a step forward, stood tall, and slowly swept his gaze over the crowd with a smile before speaking in a booming voice: "On my journey to Thurii, I deeply felt the sheer vastness of the Kingdom of Daunia's territory. And upon arriving in Thurii, I was captivated by the prosperity of this colossal city. I know all of this is closely tied to the diligent efforts made by you—the elites of the kingdom! I am thrilled to become one of you and to contribute my own strength to Daionia's might!"

Applause erupted in the hall once more, even more fervent than before.

The five Rotating Chairmen exchanged a glance, their shared meaning self-evident: over the years, they had held similar simple welcoming ceremonies in the Senate for many newly joined Senators of the kingdom. Yet very few could deliver such a speech—neither haughty nor humble. This Senator from Rome was certainly no ordinary man!

Consequently, the five men invited Publius to sit beside them. Under normal circumstances, a newcomer was not entitled to such a seat, but they had reserved it specifically for him today. On one hand, it expressed the Senate of Daionia's sincerity toward the Romans; on the other, it allowed them to ask Publius directly about recent developments in the Latium region. Thus, the moment Publius sat down, Cornelius and the others eagerly engaged him in conversation.

Meanwhile, the local council representatives filed into the venue one after another, making the hall even livelier.

Some time later, an order official came over and quietly informed them, "My five lords, all the attendees have arrived."

Cornelius paused his conversation with Publius, looked at the other four, and asked, "Everyone is here. Shall we begin?"

"Let's hurry and start. If we delay any longer, today's meeting might not even finish by nightfall," Antaoris said urgently.

Cornelius stood up, followed shortly by the other four, and together they walked toward the center of the hall.

Thunderous applause immediately broke out, echoing continuously within the enclosed circular space of the hall.

Publius looked back, only to see that every wooden chair was occupied. Extra wooden chairs seemed to have been placed even in the entry and exit aisles. Aside from the center of the hall, everywhere else was packed to the brim.

The five Rotating Chairmen walked behind the wooden tables near the center of the hall and sat down, facing the crowd.

At that moment, the Senate order officials stationed at the front—who belonged to the Kingdom Oversight Department—shouted in unison: "The Kingdom Assembly is about to begin! Everyone, please remain silent!"

As soon as the words faded, the hall instantly fell dead silent. The sheer speed of the reaction somewhat surprised Publius. Naturally, he did not know that anyone daring to continue making a racket would be immediately expelled by the order officials for "deliberately disrupting the assembly." This was not merely a matter of public humiliation; afterward, they would also face an investigation by the Ministry of Inspection. The consequences would be severe.

Cornelius then stood up, stationed himself in the center of the hall, and looked at the crowd. "Gentlemen, I am delighted that we have gathered here in the Senate once again today. According to protocol, His Majesty King Davos should be the one delivering the opening speech. Regrettably, he is still in Sicily, leading the kingdom's mighty army in battle against the Carthaginians, and cannot spare the time to be here. Therefore, he has written a letter and entrusted me to read it aloud to you all."