Mediterranean Hegemon of Ancient Greece Chapter 1216: Return to the Homeland

Standing before the familiar yet strangely foreign city of Larissa, Hylos could not help but sigh. More than thirty years ago, landless and impoverished, he had been forced to enlist with Spartan recruiters just to survive. He had left with a heavy heart; the stories he had heard about Thessalian mercenaries made him certain he would end up like the rest of them—dead on some distant battlefield, never to see his home again. He never imagined he would return as a conqueror.

Hylos sat on his warhorse, lost in thought. Most of the officials behind him already knew Larissa was the hometown of this esteemed minister, so no one stepped forward to disturb him. Hylos quickly shook off his melancholy. Taking a deep breath, he looked back at them and said, "Let's go. We're heading in."

The officer guarding the city gates hurried forward when he saw Hylos's group approach. He offered a salute. "Lord Hylos, my respects! Legion Commander Matonis and Legion Commander Lizarus are waiting for you at the city lord's mansion!"

With that, he turned and led the way.

Hylos rode slowly into the city, taking in his surroundings. The streets were clean, clearly having been thoroughly swept, though a few stray bloodstains still marred the stones. Not a single pedestrian walked the roads. Only heavily armed soldiers from the legion stood at strict attention along the thoroughfares. Yet, peering through the cracks of the shuttered doors and windows on either side of the street, he could see eyes watching them—eyes filled with a mixture of anger and terror.

The city lord's mansion sat near the central plaza. The building had been there when Hylos left the city, serving as the residence of the local tyrant at the time. So many years had passed that he could no longer even recall the tyrant's name.

"Captain! We've been waiting for you!" Matonis greeted Hylos with a wide grin as he entered the courtyard, his voice booming. "Yesterday, Lizarus and I led the men on a forced march for over 100 li without a break, then launched our assault on Larissa the moment we arrived. By the time we took the city, the troops were practically dead on their feet! But I kept your orders in mind. Lizarus and I strictly enforced Military Law. Since we breached the gates, not a single soldier has looted a home or laid a hand on a Larissan civilian. Well? Are you satisfied?"

Even though Matonis used his old mercenary title to show his affection, Hylos remained completely unsmiling. "What does my satisfaction matter? What matters is whether His Majesty is satisfied, and whether the kingdom is satisfied! This expedition into Thessaly is a critical operation ordered by His Majesty and the Ministry of Military Affairs. Whether we can completely conquer Thessaly, and by extension seize control of Greece, depends entirely on your ability to strictly execute the strategy the Ministry of Military Affairs has laid out!"

His stern expression finally softened. "Legion Commander Lizarus, Legion Commander Matonis—congratulations. From the landing until now, you have successfully led the army to achieve our initial objectives, getting our campaign off to an excellent start!"

Matonis and Lizarus hastily returned the salute with deep respect. It wasn't just Matonis; Lizarus had also served under Hylos in the past and held immense reverence for their old superior. Otherwise, he wouldn't have gone out of his way to wait here alongside Matonis.

Lowering his hand, Hylos's expression hardened once again. "But I must remind you—in a landing surprise attack, time is everything. We have secured an advantage, but you cannot grow complacent and stay here to rest. You need to seize the moment, lead your forces forward, and press the attack without giving the enemy a chance to breathe. We must occupy the entirety of Thessaly as swiftly as possible to achieve the initial strategic goals set by the Ministry of Military Affairs!"

Matonis looked slightly defensive. "It's not that we don't want to press the attack. But the men fought continuously yesterday and exhausted themselves. They need a proper rest before they can march into battle again. Lizarus and I discussed it, and we decided to muster the troops tomorrow morning to march on Pherae."

Lizarus quickly chimed in. "Matonis is right. Many of the soldiers are still asleep even now. They really are exhausted. We've dispatched the Supply Camp to purchase cattle and sheep in Larissa so the men can have a hearty meal and recover their strength as quickly as possible."

"And of course, we gave the Supply Officer strict orders against forced sales," Matonis hurriedly added. "They are to respect the sellers' wishes and purchase everything at market price."

Hylos nodded. Remembering what he needed to do next, he said, "Matonis, since you aren't marching out until tomorrow, lend me your armor for the afternoon."

"Why do you need my armor?" Matonis asked, blinking in confusion. He stared at Hylos for a moment before a look of realization dawned. "Oh... you're going to visit your old friends, aren't you? You want to show them what a big shot you've become in the Kingdom of Daunia!"

"I need them to see my high status," Hylos replied with a straight face. "Only then will they be willing to cooperate with us and help stabilize order in Larissa faster."

Hylos was well aware that since he had retired from the military, donning a Legion Commander's armor was somewhat inappropriate. However, his current attire—the pure white tunic embroidered with black trim worn by a Senator and Regional Administrator—was only recognized as a symbol of nobility by the citizens of Daionia. To the people of Larissa, it would just look like a piece of finely tailored cloth. A general's armor, on the other hand, communicated rank instantly, saving him the effort of explaining himself. For that purpose, he also borrowed a squad of guards from Matonis.

Matonis agreed without another word. But just as Hylos was about to leave the mansion, Matonis finally couldn't help but ask, "Captain... when His Majesty ordered this surprise assault on Thessaly, he didn't give us any special instructions regarding Peleus. Did he... happen to mention anything to you about it?"

Hylos stopped in his tracks and answered without hesitation. "He did. His Majesty instructed me that Peleus is to receive no special treatment whatsoever. It is to be governed exactly like any other Thessalian town."

He let out a soft sigh. "That being said, I did quietly send men to ask around yesterday. Back then, when the Macedonians raided His Majesty's village, they slaughtered everyone and burned it to the ground. His parents' bodies were charred beyond recognition, just like the rest of the villagers, and they were all hastily buried together. The area is nothing but an overgrown wasteland now. No one even remembers the exact location of the grave."

"Damned Macedonians!" Matonis roared in fury.

Clad in Matonis's armor and escorted by fully armed guards, Hylos headed toward the commoner district of Larissa, drawing countless stares along the way. Before long, he managed to track down some of his old friends and neighbors.

When they realized that Hylos—who had been gone from Larissa for over thirty years—was now an esteemed minister of the Kingdom of Daunia, they were utterly shocked.

Back in his youth, Hylos had been known for his willingness to help others and defend the wronged, earning him a solid reputation in the commoner district. As a result, even though he had returned as an invader, his old friends held no resentment toward him. Instead, they readily believed the policies Daionia intended to implement in the occupied Thessalian towns, which he explained to them, and they even volunteered to spread the word on his behalf.

Over a decade ago, when Daionia conquered Rome, they had deliberately elevated Roman slaves to positions of authority to gradually dispel the suspicions of the Roman commoners. Hylos, however, was a native son of Larissa with an established reputation. Using his personal influence to stabilize and govern the city was guaranteed to yield twice the result with half the effort.

........................................

Early on the morning of the third day, Matonis and Lizarus left behind 2,000 soldiers to help Hylos maintain order in Larissa. They then led their main forces out of the city and marched east, encountering the rapidly advancing Thessalian Army midway along their route.

When Polyphron first received the news of their approach, he was thrilled. It meant he wouldn't have to march all the way to Larissa and could defeat the main Daionian forces right where he was. But his excitement vanished as he watched the distant wave of black-helmed, black-armored enemies pouring forward. The Daionian battle line continued to stretch outward across both wings. It suddenly dawned on him that the number of Daionian soldiers likely exceeded 20,000, and the speed at which they formed their ranks proved they were exceptionally well-trained.

Panic began to claw at Polyphron. Though he was a fierce and courageous warrior, he had always fought under the command of his older brother, Jason. He had absolutely no experience independently commanding a battle of this scale. In that moment, all he could do was continuously dispatch messengers, urging his generals to assemble their formations according to his deployment plan as quickly as possible. Frantic, he even galloped his horse back and forth behind the lines, screaming hysterically, "Tell the men to form up faster! Anyone who is slow to form up will face severe punishment after the battle!"

Just as this hastily cobbled-together army of various Thessalian city-states was chaotically struggling to form its lines, the Daionian formation suddenly shifted. It fractured right down the center, the gap steadily widening until the army split entirely into two separate halves, each corresponding to the left and right wings of the Thessalian battle line.

The Daionian Army executed this maneuver for two reasons. First, Matonis and Lizarus were equal in rank; dividing the battlefield allowed each Legion Commander to lead his own troops for convenience of command and to avoid conflict. Second, they had deliberately merged their forces at the start specifically to disrupt the enemy's deployment.

This sudden shift in the Daionian ranks successfully bewildered the inexperienced Polyphron. For a moment, he was entirely unsure of how to respond. Right then, the Daionian Army launched its assault.

Not long after the battle began, both wings of the Thessalian formation collapsed. The rout rapidly cascaded through the rest of the army.

Polyphron's swift defeat was not merely the result of his lack of experience and poor tactical decisions. It was equally due to his oppressive behavior, which had provoked deep-seated resentment among the Thessalian Citizen Soldiers.