Mediterranean Hegemon of Ancient Greece Chapter 1198: Rebuilding Sparta (1)

During this difficult period, civil strife broke out in a southern town. The town's king led his loyal subjects to join Sparta, greatly enhancing its strength. With their help, Sparta ultimately won the war in Laconia and established its dominion over the region.

The Lacedaemonians from the surrendered villages were subsequently known as the perioikoi—the border dwellers of the ruling city-state. Though they possessed personal freedom and the right to manage their local affairs, they held no political rights within Sparta. Furthermore, they were placed under the supervision of military magistrates dispatched by Sparta to ensure they fulfilled their military service and cultivated the royal estates.

As for the people of the conquered villages, even former compatriots were ruthlessly reduced to slavery. This was the true origin of the helots.

From then on, Sparta established its dual kingship: one king originating from Sparta proper, hailing from the Agiad Clan, and the other originating from the south, hailing from the Eurypontid Clan.

Now, Crotokatax intended to seize the prime opportunity of Sparta's conquest to completely dismantle its original political structure and establish a new regime.

He dispatched envoys to the various perioikoi villages, inviting them to Sparta with a promise: Daionia would never harm them, but would instead grant them rights and allow them to participate in forging a new Sparta.

Additionally, he personally spoke with the captured perioikoi soldiers before releasing them. At the same time, he sent messengers to Messenia to summon a group of New Messenian citizens of helot origin. Their task was to seek out the helots hiding in the mountains and use their own examples to persuade the terrified, starving fugitives to come down and cooperate with Daionia.

Meanwhile, Crotokatax did not speak to a single Spartan. Just as he finished delegating these tasks and waited quietly for the arrival of the perioikoi and helots, a report suddenly arrived from the garrison at the defensive camp on the upper Eurotas River: they had intercepted nearly a thousand routed Spartan soldiers fleeing from the north. Upon learning that the City of Sparta had already fallen, the stragglers surrendered without a fight. Among the captives was the Spartan king, Agesilaus.

Crotokatax nearly leaped with excitement upon hearing the news. The capture of Agesilaus and his army swept away his final lingering worry. Now he could act with a free hand to execute his plans across this land.

A day later, Crotokatax met the captives at the northern entrance to the City of Sparta. They were dressed in rags, their hair and faces caked in grime, swaying on their feet as though they might collapse at any moment. Crotokatax finally understood how a mere two-hundred-man garrison company had so easily captured nearly a thousand stragglers.

He and his generals focused their gazes on the Spartan leading the group: pale hair and beard, ashen complexion, and reduced to skin and bones. With a crippled left leg, he leaned heavily on a crutch, hobbling forward with the support of the men beside him. Only his eyes retained a piercing vitality.

Upon seeing Crotokatax and his entourage ahead, the old man pushed his supporters away and stubbornly limped forward on his own.

"Respected King Agesilaus!" Crotokatax offered no arrogant victor's posture, speaking instead in a gentle tone. "Greetings! I am the Daionian commander, Crotokatax."

"I know who you are... Davos's son." Agesilaus appeared remarkably calm as he spoke in a hoarse voice. "This time, our Sparta has lost... I wish to know how you have dealt with... our Spartan people?!"

The slight tremble in his final words betrayed his inner anxiety.

A faint, mocking smile tugged at the corners of Crotokatax's mouth as he emphasized his words: "They have all been imprisoned. Many of them still refuse to accept the reality of their defeat, apparently holding out hope for the Allied Forces under your command!"

Agesilaus fell silent for a long moment. Then, looking directly at him, he spoke in a deep, meaningful tone. "A defeat is a defeat. The City of Sparta has already fallen; what is left to hope for? However, for decades, Sparta has held great influence throughout Greece. If Daionia wishes to thwart Persia's schemes and dominate these Greek city-states, Sparta can still offer you substantial assistance!"

Crotokatax was taken aback. This old man—known as Sparta's most stubborn warmonger—was actually expressing a willingness to actively cooperate. Steadying himself, he replied, "Our plans for dealing with Sparta have already been finalized. I believe you will learn of them very soon. When the time comes, I hope you will lead your people in active cooperation."

Agesilaus gave him a profound look, then glanced back at the routed soldiers passing by him. "Very well. But before that, I hope you will let us have a proper bath and a full meal."

"Rest assured, we will make the arrangements," Crotokatax replied, a complex look in his eyes. "I have some good news to tell you. Your son, Archidamus, was wounded and fled into the mountains. His injuries festered and became infected, plunging him into a coma. His guards carried him out of the mountains and surrendered to us. He is currently receiving treatment from our doctors in the City of Tegea. He had not yet woken when I left, but his physical condition is vastly improved."

Archidamus was Agesilaus's only son and the direct bloodline of the Agiad Clan. Hearing this news finally set Agesilaus's lingering worries to rest. Suppressing his inner excitement, he said faintly, "Dying on the battlefield is the glory of a Spartan Warrior. Far too many Spartan Warriors have perished in this war! But regardless, thank you for your rescue. Every true Spartan we can preserve is a blessing!"

Crotokatax stared blankly at Agesilaus's retreating back. After a long moment, he turned to Secilian and the others, his voice heavy. "This Spartan king likely wandered the mountains for days to end up starving like this. To finally return, only to learn the dreadful news that all of Sparta has been occupied—yet still remain so composed... he is truly formidable! However... I can only hope he maintains that composure once he learns of our plans to restructure Sparta!"

Secilian was somewhat surprised by the hint of resentment bleeding into Crotokatax's tone. Naturally, he could not know that Crotokatax placed the primary blame for Adoris's death on the Spartan commander, Agesilaus.

Heeding the advice of the envoys from Messenia, some of the helots who had fled into the mountains slowly returned to Sparta. True to the messengers' words, the Daionian Army did not arrest them, but instead provided them with lodging and food. This prompted even more starving helots to run down the mountains.

Meanwhile, after listening to the persuasion of the Daionian envoys, the people of the various perioikoi villages hesitantly dispatched their representatives to Sparta for the assembly.

A few days later, Crotokatax invited the perioikoi and helot representatives into Sparta's Assembly Hall, seating them in the very wooden chairs once occupied by the Spartan Elders.

Once everything was prepared, Crotokatax stepped to the front of the hall. Looking over the restless representatives, he spoke in a warm tone. "Everyone, today is a momentous day for you. First, please allow me to address you as Lacedaemonians. Do not be surprised. Whether you are perioikoi or helots, you and the Spartans once belonged to the same race. But centuries ago, your ancestors were defeated in the war resisting Sparta's unification of Laconia. You not only lost your lands and your rights, but were also stripped of your true racial name. Those who surrendered became the perioikoi, and those who were captured were reduced to helots—"

As Crotokatax reached this point, his words ignited a massive commotion throughout the hall.

Though the perioikoi possessed a bit of heritage, centuries of time had thoroughly blurred their true history. Instead, the narrative intentionally propagated by the Spartans had only grown clearer in the memories of successive generations of perioikoi: the tale that they were foreign immigrants who, after striking an agreement with the Spartans, were permitted to settle along the region's borders.

The helots, meanwhile, fared even worse. Slaves for generations, they were strictly barred by the Spartans from learning to read or write, rendering the vast majority entirely illiterate. Raised under the brutal clubs of the Spartans, they were forced to spend their entire lives in backbreaking servitude. They knew nothing of their own race's history; some did not even know the names of their own parents. They lived numb, hopeless existences...

Yet today, someone was suddenly telling them: "You, just like the Spartans, were once the masters of this land!" This completely overturned their past understanding, leaving every single person in the hall with unprecedented shock.

They murmured among themselves in doubt, some even mustering the courage to question Crotokatax directly.

"Our Daionian scholars have conducted dedicated research into Spartan history, uncovering some incredibly precious documents that completely prove you were all once Lacedaemonians. If you wish to see them, once the situation in Greece stabilizes, I will invite you to the library in Thurii to read these treasures.

"What I must tell you now is this: the Daionian Army conquered Messenia so that the Messenians, who suffered under Spartan enslavement, could regain their independence. You have already spoken with them, so you should clearly know that Daionia has kept its word.

"And now, one of the important reasons Daionia has conquered Sparta is so that you—who suffer under that same enslavement today—can reclaim your lost lands and rights, and become the true masters of Laconia!"