Mediterranean Hegemon of Ancient Greece Chapter 1153: The Reactions of Thessaly and Thebes

"Are you saying the Helots in our territory will rebel because of their influence?!" Archidamus's expression turned grave. Helot rebellions were not without precedent—this was exactly how the Second and Third Messelian Wars had started.

"Father, when you return, you must propose to the Council that we tighten our control over the Helots. If necessary, carry out a few more executions to serve as a deterrent."

Archidamus spoke of casually slaughtering Helots as easily as butchering cattle, and Agesilaus found nothing unusual about it, nodding in agreement.

Agesilaus continued, "On my way to the docks, I also saw the Theonians transporting supplies into their camp. The supply train included not only a massive number of wagons and laborers, but also soldiers, officers, and craftsmen. They were mainly responsible for escorting, directing, and maintenance. Although the entire transport column was enormous, it remained incredibly orderly, without a hint of chaos... I had long heard that the Daionian Army was equipped with a dedicated transport unit, and today I finally saw it with my own eyes—"

"Father, there's nothing remarkable about the Daionian Army having a dedicated transport unit. Don't the Persians have one too? And haven't we defeated them time and time again!" (Greeks usually brought their own rations into battle. During a campaign, if their food ran low, they would either forage locally or have their commander open a market near the camp, allowing merchants from all over to bring in grain and supplies for the soldiers to purchase.)

Archidamus spoke with clear disapproval. "Look at what you're saying, Father—first a field hospital, now a transport unit. I think by providing such excellent logistics for their army, the Theonians have coddled their soldiers. Can they still endure hardship? You must remember that victory is ultimately decided on the battlefield. Only an army forged through grueling training and unafraid of death can secure final victory!"

Archidamus was clearly brimming with confidence in the combat prowess of the Spartan Warriors, prompting Agesilaus to lower his voice grimly. "I am telling you this so you understand that the Daionian Army is completely different from the armies of the other Greek city-states we have faced. We must treat them with the utmost caution. Sparta can no longer endure another defeat... cough... cough..."

"You're right, I understand. You were just injured; you need to rest and stop talking," Archidamus said, offering a few words of advice before turning and heading toward the bow of the ship.

Agesilaus let out a helpless sigh. He could see his son's dismissiveness. This was exactly why, despite being over sixty years old, frail, and sickly, he still led armies to war across the land. He simply could not put his mind at ease regarding Archidamus!

...

Muklu returned to the camp and entered the military tent, only to find Leotychides still sitting motionless in the seat of honor, seemingly lost in thought.

Stepping forward, he said softly, "Commander, that... Spartan envoy has recovered after receiving treatment from the field hospital and has already left by ship..."

Leotychides seemed to only snap back to reality at that moment. Looking up at him, he asked, "What did you say?"

Muklu coughed lightly. "The Spartan envoy has already been sent off."

Leotychides nodded without speaking, plunging back into his contemplation.

Although Leotychides had a habit of falling into deep thought during campaigns, Muklu, having worked with him for many years, sensed that something was off about him at this moment. He lacked the oppressive aura he usually carried. Muklu remembered once joking with Leotychides about this very thing, telling him that because he was always plotting how to defeat the enemy, his intense focus spilled over and affected everyone around him.

Could he be thinking about... his uncle right now? Just as Muklu's imagination began to run wild, Leotychides's voice rang in his ears. "Bring me paper and a pen."

After hastily fetching the items, Muklu asked, "What orders are you issuing?"

Leotychides looked at him, a trace of firm resolve threading through his calm tone. "No orders. I'm going to write a letter to His Majesty."

Feeling slightly uneasy, Muklu asked no further questions and stepped out of the main tent.

The Papyrus was already spread across the table, and the pen was dipped in ink, but Leotychides hesitated to write. In his mind, images of his mother's suicide and Agesilaus kneeling before him flashed in alternating sequence. Agesilaus's visit had undeniably caused him a great deal of turmoil. It was not because he entirely believed Agesilaus's words, but rather that Agesilaus's kneeling apology and the sword strike he had delivered to the man had dispelled a significant portion of the hatred he had harbored for years. Now, his heart felt empty and unanchored. Moreover, scenes of his past life in Sparta were churning up from the deepest depths of his memory...

In truth, throughout his many years in Daionia, Leotychides had always maintained his pride as one of the Spartan Warriors deep in his heart. Now, however, that pride had suddenly morphed into a complicated yearning for his homeland, stripping him of the desire to continue fighting here. He was also well aware that after this incident, the suspicions of the other generals and soldiers toward him had only grown heavier. Leading this army into battle in his current state would likely end in disaster!

Leotychides took a deep breath and resolutely picked up his pen.

...

After the envoys of the Arcadian League were refused aid by Athens, they had no choice but to turn to Thebes. Right at that moment, news that the Daionian Army had captured Messenia spread throughout the Peloponnese, rapidly sweeping into central and Northern Greece.

Jason, who had been keeping a close eye on the situation in the south, quickly received this news and was greatly astonished. He had previously heard of this newly risen power in the western Mediterranean, but he had never felt deeply concerned about them; after all, this nation's influence over the Greek Mainland had been negligible. This time, however, they had dared to declare war directly on Sparta and had even secured the upper hand. This made him realize that Daionia's formidable strength was likely no empty boast. Consequently, he halted his ongoing military preparations, deciding to observe the developments in the south before making any further plans.

He dispatched numerous spies to the Peloponnese Peninsula to gather information while making a belated effort to collect as much intelligence on the Kingdom of Daunia as possible. He spent most of his time in his mansion in Pherae, working with his subordinates to analyze the southern situation based on the constant stream of incoming reports. Because of this, he reduced his inspection tours to the military camps outside the city, and as a result, he peacefully survived the very day that, in the previous life, had been the day of his assassination.

For the Theban government, the plea from the Arcadian League envoys put them in a dilemma. Whether adhering to the principle that "the enemy of my enemy is my friend" or viewing it from a strategic perspective, the establishment of the Arcadian League was a tremendous boon for Thebes. It severely weakened Sparta's power. As long as Thebes and the Arcadian League could ally, they could absolutely suppress Sparta within the Peloponnese.

To the north, however, Thessaly was actively marshaling its forces, and rumors that Jason would lead a massive army south were spreading like wildfire. Even though Thebes had previously allied with Jason, they still felt immense pressure. They had sent envoys to Pherae to investigate the situation, but Jason consistently brushed them off without giving a clear answer, which only heightened Thebes's vigilance.

Even though Pelopidas and Epaminondas insisted on sending reinforcements to support the Arcadian League, they met with fierce opposition from the rest of the Council. Their reasoning was sound: unable to guarantee the safety of Thebes, the Theban citizens—who had already suffered the pain of losing their city once before—would absolutely refuse to take up arms and leave the Boeotia Region. Furthermore, for the exact same reason, the other Boeotian city-states allied with Thebes would not agree to dispatch reinforcements either.

In the previous life, Thebes had also hesitated over this matter for quite some time, only resolving to reinforce the Arcadian League after Jason was assassinated and Thessaly descended into civil strife. In this life, however, Jason remained perfectly safe and sound. Although the military mobilization within Thessaly had paused, the underlying pressure remained ever-present. How could Thebes dare to drop its guard?

But when news arrived that Daionia had captured Messenia, the Thebans were overjoyed. They deeply felt that, compared to the allied state to the north that could turn against them at any moment, this newly allied kingdom to the west was undoubtedly far more reliable.

Following the Battle of Leuctra, the Thebans, led by Epaminondas, had originally intended to seize the momentum of their victory to expand their gains. However, due to Jason's obstruction and a few other factors, they had reluctantly signed a truce with Sparta. In truth, they were deeply unwilling to accept this. Now that Daionia had dealt a heavy blow directly to Sparta's home territory, the Spartans would inevitably have to shift their offensive focus toward the Daionian Army. With the military pressure bearing down on Thebes from both the north and the south suddenly alleviated, the thrilled Thebans decided to send envoys to Messenia to offer their regards to the Daionian Army.

Epaminondas volunteered for the mission himself.

At the same time, Pelopidas solemnly informed the Arcadian League envoys that although Thebes could not send military aid for the time being, they sympathized with the plight of the Arcadians, were willing to formally recognize the Arcadian League, and desired to enter into an alliance with them. Furthermore, they would dispatch envoys to Messenia to persuade their ally, Daionia, to assist the Arcadian League locally in repelling the impending Spartan invasion.

The Arcadian delegation was invigorated upon hearing this. The group immediately split into two factions: one remained in Thebes to negotiate the terms of the alliance, while the other followed the Theban delegation south, heading for Messenia.

...

"I truly never expected that Prosous would actually be a Spartan prince!" Inside the council hall of the Royal Palace, Davos lightly patted a stack of letters. These letters all came from the army stationed far away in Messenia. There were secret reports from the Intelligence Department, letters from Legion Commanders such as Oliphus, and letters from the military judges... but the letter resting at the very top was penned by Leotychides himself.