Mediterranean Hegemon of Ancient Greece Chapter 1095: Observations in the Senate of the Kingdom

Four days later, early in the morning, having recovered from his cold and regained his strength, Haca finished breakfast with Hasdrubal. They left the residence together—one riding in a sedan chair, the other on foot—making their way along the flat, sturdy streets toward the Senate.

Along the way, they saw quite a few men in white robes with black stripes—evidently Senators heading to the assembly. They walked in twos and threes, smiling and greeting one another. Acquaintances gradually converged, eagerly discussing the topics slated for the day's debate. Some groups swelled to more than ten people before they even reached the square, prompting pedestrians to step aside and offer greetings, which were returned with friendly nods.

As Haca was a newcomer and hidden inside his sedan chair, passing Senators occasionally cast curious glances his way, but no one stepped forward to inquire.

Since arriving in Thurii, Hasdrubal had scarcely shown his face in public, save for attending a single banquet at the Davos Residence. Consequently, very few people recognized him. It wasn't until they neared the Grand Council Hall that a man joyfully called out to him.

Hasdrubal drew a complete blank.

"I am Antioca of Mazara," the man said with a smile.

Hasdrubal's eyes widened. Staring intently at the man's face, he finally remembered. "It's you!" he snapped angrily. "You're the one who led the Mazaran people to secretly open the city gates!—"

"Brother," Haca said, leaning his head out of the sedan to interrupt him. "As His Majesty said at the banquet, 'no fighting, no acquaintance.' The past is the past. We are all Daionian Citizens now, colleagues working together. We should be strengthening our ties!"

"Lord Haca is absolutely right!" Antioca said, smiling in relief. "We are all Phoenicians, outsiders in Thurii, and we should support one another! Naturally, I would be more than happy to follow the orders of Lord Haca and Lord Hasdrubal, and I believe the other Phoenician Senators feel the same."

Having attended the banquet at the Royal Palace the night before and conversed with Davos, Haca already had a solid grasp of the situation. From within his sedan, he replied calmly, "Thank you for your trust, Lord Antioca. I will do my utmost to honor it."

Antioca beamed. He soon beckoned over several other Phoenician Senators from Western Sicily and Sardinia.

Seeing the usually marginalized Phoenician Senators clustering around a single sedan chair, the other Senators more or less guessed the reason. Subconsciously, their estimation of the sickly new Rotating Chairman rose a few notches.

Catching sight of the massive, dome-like circular structure ahead, even Hasdrubal felt a twinge of nervousness. Originally, he and Haca had planned to enter through a side door since it was closer, but Antioca suggested, "Since this is the first time Lord Haca and Lord Hasdrubal are attending a Senate meeting, you should enter through the main doors to properly establish your presence."

Even Hasdrubal, despite his lingering grudge, had to admit the man made sense. The group bypassed the Senators queuing at the side entrance and made their way to the front of the Grand Council Hall.

Here, too, Senators were lining up to enter. Haca brought his sedan to a halt and stepped out with the support of his servants. Standing at the foot of the steps, he gazed out over Victory Square and the towering memorial column at its center. The Statue of the Goddess of Victory at its peak gleamed brilliantly in the morning light.

Though it was still early, the square was already bustling with pedestrians. There were officials heading to their respective departments nearby, merchants setting up shop along the perimeter, citizens preparing to attend hearings at the high court, and people simply out for a relaxing stroll. A few children chased puppies playfully across the plaza. The Patrol Unit, pacing back and forth in full armor, did not stop them; instead, they smiled, helping up any child who took a tumble and dusting off their clothes. It was a scene brimming with vitality.

Haca watched for a moment before remarking in admiration, "Victory Square is significantly larger than the plazas in Carthage!"

Hasdrubal wanted to point out,

But then he heard Antioca chime in. "It certainly is! Following that war, Thurii held a Triumphant Return, and I was there to witness it. This square held nearly forty thousand soldiers—the equivalent of five legions. It was an incredibly awe-inspiring sight!"

Hasdrubal remained silent, but his unsettled expression made it clear his mind was racing.

"Oh, what is this?" Haca asked, pointing curiously at the protruding platforms flanking the steps. The two platforms connected directly to the Grand Council Hall's main doors and were enclosed by railings. Bronze protrusions were welded into the platforms' stone walls, with Bronze Shields embedded between them. It made the walls look as though they were cast entirely from bronze, giving off a rather fierce, imposing aura.

"This is the Senate's public rostrum," Antioca explained. "It was rebuilt three years ago. During major celebrations, or when significant events occur or important laws are passed, His Majesty King Davos and the Rotating Chairmen deliver speeches to the people from here." Glancing at Hasdrubal, Antioca pointed at the bronze protrusions and continued, "And these are the bronze rams of Warships... salvaged from captured Carthaginian ships. Those Bronze Shields were also spoils seized by the Daionian Army during that war—"

Seeing Hasdrubal's expression sour, Antioca hastily added, "But most of them came from Rome. His Majesty King Davos once said, 'The rostrum was designed this way not to flaunt military achievements, but to remind the people and the Senators that Daionia's present peace was hard-won. Everyone must remain vigilant at all times, remembering that a nation obsessed with war will perish, but a nation that forgets war is in peril!'"

Haca savored those words before a look of deep admiration washed over his face. "His Majesty Davos is truly wise. I am confident that under his leadership, the Kingdom of Daunia will only grow stronger!"

Unable to hold back any longer, Hasdrubal muttered indignantly, "If the fools in the Carthaginian Senate understood that truth, things wouldn't have ended up like this!"

Haca clearly had no desire to dwell on the subject. He glanced ahead at the Senators peering in their direction and said softly, "Let's go. We should line up as well."

Antioca immediately spoke up. "Lord Haca, you are a Rotating Chairman. You can enter the hall directly!"

He had deliberately raised his voice. The surrounding Senators heard him clearly, and their gazes immediately converged on Haca as murmurs rippled through the crowd.

The master of ceremonies stationed at the main doors hurried down the steps. "Lord Haca?" he asked uncertainly.

"I am," Haca nodded.

"Then please, follow me." With that, the official turned and led the way up the stairs.

Haca glanced back at his older brother.

"It's a good thing you don't have to wait in line. If you fainted out here, you'd be a laughingstock. Hurry up and go," Hasdrubal said, waving him off impatiently.

Under the watchful eyes of the crowd, Haca slowly ascended the steps. Ahead of him, positioned directly across from the main doors of the Grand Council Hall, stood a golden pillar as tall as a man. Words were carved into its surface. Stepping closer, he saw they were written in Greek:

"This is the milestone," the official explained from the side. "It records the distance between Victory Square and all the major towns within the kingdom."

"Ah, a milestone. How fascinating." Haca gently patted the pillar. He knew full well that Daionia was not Carthage; given its unique system of government, the numbers carved here truly signified the reach and vastness of Daionian power. It was nothing short of remarkable!

"My Lord, please sign your name here," the official said as they arrived before the tall wooden doors, holding a wooden ledger in one hand and a white stylus in the other.

Noticing that the top of the board was marked with the time and already bore several names, Haca signed his without hesitation. His curiosity piqued, he asked, "Does every Senator attending the meeting have to sign in?"

"Yes. This way, we know which Senators are absent or late. In particular, Senators who hold no administrative appointments and are expected to attend the sessions will face criticism and penalties from the Inspectorate if they miss multiple meetings in a single month. Those who are absent for extended periods may even be stripped of their status as Senators!..."

Haca nodded slightly, though a thought crossed his mind:

The official seemed to read his thoughts and continued, "Previously, you and Lord Hasdrubal were stationed in the Southern Iberian Region for a long time, which was a special circumstance. But now that you have returned to Thurii, we hope you will abide by the rules of the Senate going forward!"

"Of course!" Haca replied earnestly.

At the official's gesture, the guards stepped aside to clear the entrance.

Haca followed the official inside. They ascended another flight of stone stairs and soon arrived at a second set of wooden doors. Guards were stationed here as well, politely searching the Senators as they entered.

The official looked back and said, "My Lord, intense debates frequently break out inside the hall. When tempers flare, there may be shouting and occasionally even minor scuffles... For the safety of the Senators, this inspection is necessary."

"I understand." With his frail health, Haca completely agreed with the precaution. He calmly allowed the soldiers to search him before following the official into the hall.

The moment he stepped through the doors, Haca's eyes were instantly drawn to a large, pure white chair—likely carved from ivory—sitting in the open space at the center of the hall. It rested solidly on a stone platform roughly two meters high, its back draped in a tawny lion skin. It faced the countless wooden chairs encircling it with an air of solitary pride.

(End of Chapter)