Mediterranean Hegemon of Ancient Greece Chapter 1070: The Kingdom's New Administrative Divisions (1)

"If the Sidicini remain stubborn and refuse to listen, we will convene all the factions that signed the road-building agreement. We will hold a collective vote to militarily punish the Sidicini for violating the pact and ignoring our warnings!" Davos said, his expression stern and his voice commanding. "Daunia claimed the seat of overlord in central Italy through formidable strength. If the Sidicini insist on provoking us, we will gladly use their blood to establish our prestige!"

"Yes!" Alexis replied, a hint of excitement in his voice.

"Furthermore..." Davos continued, "once the Senate passes the resolution to form the border defense forces, Ansitanos, I want you to negotiate with the Etruscan envoys. See if we can build a major road from Rome to the northern border of Etruria. This will help transport rations and supplies to the troops stationed there in the future."

"Your Majesty, that is an excellent idea! Constructing this road will also strengthen the ties between the kingdom and Etruria, fostering closer trade and travel," Marigi said, equally enthused.

"However, if the Gauls launch a massive invasion of Etruscan territory, they could also use that very road to reach Rome faster," Lysias cautioned.

"That would actually be a good thing," Davos said dismissively. "We are not afraid of facing the Gauls in a pitched battle. What truly gives us a headache is them hiding in the mountains and harassing us like they do now."

"Your Majesty, I will dispatch envoys to negotiate this with the Etruscans. Given the current situation, I believe they will agree," Ansitanos replied. He paused briefly before adding, "Yesterday, envoys from several tribes in Western Numidia arrived at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, requesting an audience with Your Majesty."

"What is this about?"

"It is the Massylii Tribe again. They provoked a conflict and sent troops to invade the territories of these other tribes."

"...we can no longer turn a blind eye to them constantly invading the others. This will not only damage the trust the other Numidian tribes place in us, but a unified Western Numidia is simply not in our best interests. The ambitions of the Massylii must be stopped!

"Let me think... I recall there is another large tribe in Western Numidia called... the Padu. They have a bitter feud with the Massylii and are relatively obedient to us. Send someone to contact the Padu in secret. Tell them that Daunia will support them in uniting the other tribes against the Massylii, and we are willing to provide material aid."

"Understood, Your Majesty. I will handle it immediately." Ansitanos grasped his intent perfectly, but after a moment's thought, he offered a reminder. "The Padu Tribe is separated from the Massylii by several other tribal territories. Their current chieftain has a mild temperament. Without facing an immediate, tangible threat, he might not agree."

Davos stroked his chin, pondering for a while before speaking again. "If the Padu reject our proposal, then have the Ministry of Foreign Affairs step in. Persuade the majority of the chieftains in Western Numidia to jointly submit a formal petition to the kingdom. They must strongly request our intervention in this conflict to restore peace... This way, we won't be breaking our treaty."

"Understood." In truth, Ansitanos had already formulated this very plan, merely waiting for Davos to suggest it himself.

"Your Majesty, should the Ministry of Military Affairs begin preparing for this conflict in Western Numidia?" Alexis asked.

Davos nodded. "Regardless of whether the diplomatic mission succeeds, the Ministry of Military Affairs must operate on the premise of diplomatic failure and military intervention. Have the Army Staff conduct war games first, then make the necessary preparations based on those results so that we are ready to deploy the moment we are needed."

"Yes."

Davos then looked toward Lysias. "Although Carthage has remained quiet these past few years, we cannot relax our guard. The Intelligence Department must intensify its surveillance. The administrative governor of Hadrumetum is Litagus, correct?"

"Yes, Your Majesty."

"Inform him of this matter. Tell him to make his own preparations as well."

After receiving Lysias's confirmation, Davos looked around the room and asked, "Are there any other issues?"

"Your Majesty, construction on the Main Temple of Hades is accelerating. In two days, once the design for the colossal statue at the peak is finalized, the carving and modeling will begin. I am confident the Main Temple of Hades will be fully completed before next year's festival," Heracleides, the Minister of Construction, declared, eager to claim credit.

"Excellent," Davos praised lightly. He did not want to dwell on the temple's renovation during an administrative meeting. When Praxinas first proposed it, the project had garnered support from quite a few senators and ministers, but several still opposed it. This was not only because the war had just ended and the nation had yet to fully recover—making such a massive public work seem like a drain on the people's wealth—but also because a special ritual would be held upon the Main Temple's completion, which left a minority feeling rather uneasy...

"It seems there are no further issues," Davos said, shifting the topic. He spoke slowly and deliberately. "Regarding the proposal you submitted recently—'Given the vast expanse of the kingdom's territory, to facilitate governance, we request the division of provinces and the establishment of permanent governors'—I have reached a decision."

The moment these words were spoken, everyone present perked up, listening with rapt attention.

Taking in their reactions, Davos continued impassively. "I believe your proposal is correct. Just as I said earlier, the kingdom's situation has changed, the landscape has changed, and our old systems must adapt to accommodate this new development. However, the terms 'province' and 'governor' both originate from Persia and do not suit Daunia. I prefer to use 'Region' and 'Regional Administrator' to distinguish the Kingdom of Daunia from Persia."

"Region and Regional Administrator..." the ministers murmured softly.

"Your Majesty, these two terms are much better. They are easy to understand and correspond perfectly with our use of 'city' and 'city administrator.' Even the common citizens will grasp their meaning," Ansitanos noted, speaking from his perspective as a scholar. With his endorsement, the others voiced no objections.

Davos smiled. "Heni, have the map of the kingdom hauled in."

He used the word "hauled" because the map was painted across a massive wooden board. It did not merely detail the kingdom's current borders; it encompassed the entire western Mediterranean. Naturally, the foreign regions were not drawn as precisely as the kingdom's interior, to the point that the areas north of the Iberian Peninsula and the Italian Peninsula were largely a blur.

Davos stepped down from the throne, took a long wooden pointer from Henipolis, and traced lines across the map as he spoke. "In the far north, the Latin towns we control and the Etruscan towns north of the Tiber River will merge to form the Roman Region, with a Regional Administrator stationed in Rome as its administrative seat.

"Our Campania towns, the Samnite towns, and Aenona will merge into the Eastern Campania Region, with its seat in Beneventum.

"Further south, the original towns of Lucania, along with the three coastal towns of Poseidonia, Elea, and Pyxous, will merge into the Lucanian region, governed from Grumentum.

"The original Bruttii towns and Laos will merge into the Bruttii Region, governed from Cosenza.

"The former Apulia territory will be divided according to the ancestral lands of its three tribes—the Dauni, the Peuceti, and the Messapii—creating the Dauni region, the Peucetian area, and the Messapia Region. The Dauni seat will be in Lusenia, the Peucetian seat in Silvium, and the Messapia seat in Udiae.

"Heraclea and Metapontum will be incorporated into the Thurii Region, and the seat will remain right here—"

"Your Majesty, does Bisinia fall under the Bruttii Region or the Thurii Region?" Sedorum asked softly.

"Ah, a slip of the tongue on my part. Bisinia remains part of the Thurii Region," Davos immediately corrected himself before continuing. "Crimisa, Asprustum, Crotone, and Scylletium will merge to form Kroton, with its seat in Crotone.

"Terina, Hipponion, Colonia, Medma, and Locri will merge into Southern Italia, with its seat in Terina.

"Tauriana, Rhegium, Messina, Mylae, Tyndaris, and the yet-to-be-rebuilt Himera (after the Carthaginians destroyed the old city of Himera, no one had dared to rebuild a town there for decades. However, following the Western Mediterranean War, the entirety of Sicily came under the rule of the Kingdom of Daunia. Cyprolus, the Wartime Governor of Sicily at the time, proposed rebuilding the city for two reasons: First, the area is the only relatively broad, flat lowland on the Northern Coast of Sicily, and its fertile soil can support a larger population. Second, having been less affected by the war, some of the Greek city-states on the northern coast were not directly incorporated into the Kingdom of Daunia, but instead became affiliated autonomous city-states, much like Tarantum. Because Solus and Palermos had surrendered early, Daunia honored its promise and allowed them to remain autonomous. Himera sits perfectly in the middle of the northern coast, and its establishment will benefit the stability of the Northern Coast of Sicily) will all merge into the Strait, with its administrative seat in—"

Davos paused briefly before declaring, "Rhegium and Messina."

This statement predictably surprised the ministers. Marigi, however, after a moment's thought, immediately praised him loudly. "Your Majesty is brilliant! Combining Rhegium and Messina into a single region will greatly facilitate the unified management of shipping in the Straight of Messina! Placing the administrative seat in both Messina and Rhegium simultaneously is even better for resolving the century-old grievances between the people of those two towns!

"In truth, the ancestors of many citizens in both cities originated from the same allied state. They are separated by no more than ten nautical miles, yet conflicts over competing interests have persisted. Even after joining the kingdom, the friction has remained. I myself have had to go over and mediate several times.

"By making both cities the dual seats of the region, Your Majesty provides the perfect opportunity for officials and citizens alike to work through their conflicts for the sake of their shared interests, greatly improving governance efficiency. This is a brilliant innovation!"

Davos smiled but said nothing.

"But with the administrative seat split between Messina and Rhegium, won't that make management rather difficult?" Mentoticles asked, looking somewhat doubtful.