Mediterranean Hegemon of Ancient Greece Chapter 1064: Reasons for Refusing to Send Troops

"Your Majesty," Ansitanos said, breaking his earlier silence to speak first. "The order our kingdom has established in central Italy is not yet fully secure. The Etruscan League is our largest allied faction, and they have shown us nothing but goodwill these past few years. If they are in trouble, we should naturally extend a helping hand."

"Furthermore, the Gauls have always been a nightmare for every faction in central Italy, and their threat to the region grows by the day. As the hegemon of the central region, Daionia's confrontation with the Gauls is inevitable. We are the main force the other factions rely on."

"Right now, the northern part of the Etruscan League is incredibly weak. If we wait until the Gauls launch a massive southward invasion before deploying troops, I fear that by the time our armies assemble, more than half of the Etruscan territory will have already fallen. Not only would our kingdom incur the Etruscans' resentment, but the other factions' trust in us would also plummet. It would severely disrupt our construction efforts in the Latium region and hinder our military operations."

"But now, the Etruscan League has voluntarily offered such favorable terms. It allows us to help them keep the Gauls beyond the mountains, preemptively crushing their ambitions of a massive southern invasion and securing the central region. Moreover, we can acquire more land, fully integrate the Etruscans into the kingdom's protective sphere, and accelerate our influence over them. This is an opportunity that accomplishes several goals at once; we shouldn't refuse!"

"Lord Ansitanos, we all understand your reasoning," Census Minister Laphias objected. "But you must also understand that the Etruscans are ceding a portion of their land to us because they hope our people living there will help them fend off the Gauls. Yet anyone there would constantly face Gallic raids and the perpetual risk of death. What citizen would willingly migrate there?"

"What about the preparatory citizens and the registered freemen?" Ansitanos asked earnestly.

Laphias shook his head. "It is a well-known fact that since the end of the last war, a significant amount of vacant land within the kingdom remains unallocated. If we fail to prioritize distributing our domestic land first, and instead demand that these people—who have worked so hard to accumulate enough merit to become new citizens—go to Etruria to face the terrifying Gauls, it wouldn't just be unfair. It would severely damage the kingdom's credibility and undermine the immigration policies we have executed for so long."

After Laphias spoke, a temporary silence fell over the Royal Palace.

After a moment, Inspection Minister Sesta spoke up. "Why don't we dispatch an army to strike directly at the Gallic territories, thoroughly conquer the Gauls, and solve this massive problem once and for all?"

Alexis chimed in next. "According to our current intelligence, the Gauls occupy almost the entire northern half of Italy. Because their territory features a massive river, flat terrain, and fertile soil, their semi-agricultural and semi-pastoral lifestyle sustains a massive population. In fact, word is that they want to push south and seize more land precisely because they are overpopulated."

"Moreover, beyond where these Gauls reside lies a continuous mountain range, and north of those mountains are even more Gauls. If our armies march north past the Etruria region, it will inevitably trigger a prolonged, exhausting war. The kingdom is still slowly recovering from the last conflict; it is not suitable for us to launch another major war in the short term."

"Since the northern Etruria region is so perilous, we don't have to build towns on the land they've ceded to us. We could just construct military fortresses similar to the Thurii Military Camp, perhaps smaller in scale, and dispatch legion soldiers to garrison them in rotating shifts, like the Lao Fortress." Construction Minister Heracleides, who rarely voiced opinions outside of building matters, offered a rare suggestion. Because he had personally designed and overseen the various renovations of the Thurii Military Camp, he believed that these military fortresses—integrating defense, town facilities, and daily labor—could play a far greater role along the Etruscan border.

"Lord Heracleides' proposal to construct military fortresses in northern Etruria is indeed a solid idea," Alexis said, praising Heracleides first before continuing with caution. "However, dispatching legion soldiers there on rotating shifts is debatable. The Lao Fortress is located in the heartland of the kingdom, free from any danger. The number of soldiers deployed there is small, the rotation periods are short, and the supply of military rations is highly convenient. The Ministry of Military Affairs treats it as a mandatory experience for preparatory legion soldiers before they become regulars, so the citizens have no objections. But sending legion soldiers to garrison the northern border of Etruria is a completely different situation—"

Alexis cleared his throat and analyzed the issue at a measured pace. "First, the number of soldiers required to garrison each military fortress along the Etruscan border would by no means be small. Because they would be facing

"Your Majesty," Ansitanos, who had remained silent until now, was the first to speak. "The order our kingdom has established in central Italy is not yet completely secure. The Etruscan League is our greatest ally, and they have shown us nothing but goodwill these past few years. If they are in trouble, we should naturally extend a helping hand."

"Furthermore, the Gauls have always been a nightmare for every faction in central Italy, and their threat to the region grows by the day. As the hegemon of the central region, Daionia's confrontation with the Gauls is inevitable. We are the main force the other factions rely upon."

"Right now, the northern part of the Etruscan League is severely weakened. If we wait until the Gauls launch a massive southward invasion to deploy our troops, I fear that by the time our armies assemble, more than half of the Etruscan territory will have already fallen. Not only would the kingdom incur the Etruscans' resentment, but the other factions' trust in us would also plummet. It would severely disrupt our construction efforts in the Latium region and hinder our military operations."

"But now the Etruscan League has voluntarily offered us incredibly favorable terms. It allows us to help them keep the Gauls out of the mountains, preemptively crushing their ambitions of a massive southern invasion and securing the central region. We can also acquire more land, fully integrate the Etruscans into the kingdom's protective sphere, and accelerate our influence over them. This is an opportunity that accomplishes multiple goals at once; we shouldn't refuse!"

"Lord Ansitanos, we all understand your reasoning," Census Minister Laphias objected. "But you must also realize that the Etruscans are ceding a portion of their land to us because they hope our people living there will help them fend off the Gauls. Yet anyone stationed there would constantly face Gallic raids and the perpetual risk of death. What citizen would willingly migrate there?"

"What about the preparatory citizens and the registered freemen?" Ansitanos asked earnestly.

Laphias shook his head. "It is a well-known fact that since the end of the last war, a significant amount of vacant land within the kingdom remains unallocated. If we refuse to prioritize distributing our domestic land first, and instead demand that these people—who have worked so hard to accumulate enough merit to become new citizens—go to Etruria to face the terrifying Gauls, it wouldn't just be unfair. It would severely damage the kingdom's credibility and undermine the immigration initiatives we have carried out for so long."

After Laphias spoke, a temporary silence fell over the Royal Palace.

After a moment, Inspection Minister Sesta spoke up. "Why don't we dispatch an army to strike directly at the Gallic territories, thoroughly conquer the Gauls, and solve this massive problem once and for all?"

Financial Officer Akibides immediately raised his voice. "The treasury's funds are tight right now. We do not have enough gold and silver to support a major war."

Alexis chimed in. "According to our current intelligence, the Gauls occupy almost the entire northern half of Italy. Because their territory features a massive river, flat terrain, and fertile soil, their semi-agricultural and semi-pastoral lifestyle sustains a huge population. In fact, word is that they want to push south and seize more land precisely because they are overpopulated."

"Moreover, beyond where these Gauls reside lies a continuous mountain range, and north of those mountains are even more Gauls. If our armies march north past the Etruria region, it will inevitably trigger a prolonged, exhausting war. The kingdom is still slowly recovering from our last conflict; it is not the right time for us to launch another major war."

"Since the northern Etruria region is so perilous, we don't have to build towns on the land they've ceded to us. We could simply construct military fortresses similar to the Thurii Military Camp, perhaps smaller in scale, and dispatch legion soldiers to garrison them in rotating shifts, just like the Lao Fortress." Construction Minister Heracleides, who rarely voiced opinions outside of building matters, offered this rare suggestion. He had personally designed and overseen the various renovations of the Thurii Military Camp, and he believed that these military fortresses—integrating defense, town facilities, and daily labor—could play a far greater role along the Etruscan border.

"Lord Heracleides' proposal to construct military fortresses in northern Etruria is indeed a solid idea," Alexis said, praising the minister before continuing with caution. "However, dispatching legion soldiers there on rotating shifts is debatable. The Lao Fortress is located in the heartland of the kingdom, completely free from danger. The number of soldiers deployed there is small, the rotation periods are short, and the supply of military rations is highly convenient. The Ministry of Military Affairs treats it as a mandatory experience for preparatory legionnaires before they become regulars, so the citizens have no objections. But sending legion soldiers to garrison the northern borders of Etruria is a completely different situation—"

Alexis cleared his throat and analyzed the issue at a measured pace. "First, the number of soldiers required to garrison each military fortress along the Etruscan border would by no means be small. Because they would be facing the ferocious Gauls, our soldiers would have to defend the fortress while also repelling small Gallic bands raiding Etruscan territory. Furthermore, we must account for the possibility of a sudden, massive Gallic invasion pushing south. The weak Etruscan army cannot be relied upon, and being so far from the kingdom, our men would lack immediate, substantial support. They would have to hold their defenses for at least half a month before the kingdom's main army could arrive to reinforce them. Therefore, to guarantee safety, the troop strength of each fortress could not fall below a thousand men."

"And the border between Etruria and the Gauls is extensive. I am afraid it would take three to five of these military fortresses to effectively defend against Gallic raids. That means we would have to deploy at least 3,000 to 5,000 legion soldiers—three-fifths of a standard legion. This is no small number, and the military rations and supplies they would consume would be equally massive. Even if the Etruscans agree to provide provisions free of charge, whether they could sustain it over the long term is a real question. If we were to supply them ourselves, the cost would be far greater, as we'd have to factor in the consumption along the transport route..."

"Second, it would be impossible to frequently rotate the reinforcements sent to Etruria. When our troops garrison northern Etruria, both the enemy and the environment will be entirely alien to them. It takes a considerable amount of time to familiarize oneself with an unfamiliar battlefield, understand the enemy's situation, understand our allied forces, and adapt the soldiers to life on that front. Only when the officers and men are accustomed to the region can they unleash their full combat potential. If we rotate troops frequently, the soldiers will remain unfamiliar with their surroundings. In battle, that would increase casualties and possibly lead to defeat. Such practices are strictly forbidden by Theonian Military Law!"

Alexis paused and glanced at Davos.

Davos stroked his chin and gave a slight nod.

His expression unchanging, Alexis continued. "Therefore, the duration our troops garrison there cannot be too short; it must be at least half a year. Stationing soldiers in an unfamiliar region where they must constantly face combat for such an extended period will inevitably make them homesick, leading to a drop in morale. This applies even to the soldiers of the Fourteenth Legion stationed closest to the region—a legion formed just a few years ago, with its camp near Rome and its recruits drawn from the Latium region and parts of southern Etruria, primarily Caisrela and Veii."

"Furthermore, these soldiers are the primary labor force in their households, tasked with tending the fields, herding livestock, or performing other labor to support their families. If the kingdom forces them into long-term service, even with some rewards, they will be unable to fulfill their other rights and obligations as Daionian Citizens. I'm afraid this would still provoke complaints from both them and their families—"

"During the Western Mediterranean War, the soldiers fought abroad for more than a year. They performed exceptionally well and didn't utter any complaints, did they?" Antaoris remarked dismissively.

"That was because His Majesty personally led the army and constantly focused on alleviating the soldiers' war weariness." Alexis wasn't saying this to flatter Davos; his expression was earnest as he explained. "Back then, after our army engaged in fierce battles with Rome, His Majesty held several competitions and banquets to liven up the atmosphere in the camp. When we marched south to Sicily to fight the Carthaginians, our main force consistently avoided direct, pitched battles with them, focusing primarily on training, resting, and defending within camps and cities. Coupled with the massive honor of defeating Carthage, the former hegemon of the western Mediterranean, they were sufficiently motivated to hold out until the very end."

"But if we send them to the northern borders of Etruria, the commanders of those individual fortresses won't possess the sheer prestige and charisma required to keep the soldiers' morale consistently high. Moreover, while we understand the importance of aiding the Etruscan League to maintain the kingdom's security, the soldiers won't look at it that deeply. On the contrary, they will feel it is utterly meaningless to fight for an extended period on behalf of a faction that has little to do with them. This will drain them of any desire to fight."

At this point, he coughed and deepened his tone. "Moreover, as long as we aren't prepared to fully conquer the northern Gauls, helping the Etruscan League defend its northern border could turn into a long-term commitment. One year, two years, three years... If this drags on, I fear it will lead to widespread grievances among the soldiers of the various Daionian legions. They might even refuse orders to deploy to Etruria altogether..."

Alexis painted such a severe picture that a ripple of commotion stirred among the surrounding officials.