Mediterranean Hegemon of Ancient Greece Chapter 897: Naval Battle of Thermae (IV)

The captain halted, his expression frozen upon hearing the words. A moment later, a deep breath was drawn, and he declared, “Navarch, for the past ten years, you commanded our Fourth Fleet. You treated us like a father, showing immense care. How then could we abandon you and flee?! Grant me the honor of continuing to stand by your side and fight as I always have!”

“My Lord, permit me also to follow you and confront the enemy!”

“And me!”

“Don't forget me!”

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

One by one, the sailors voiced their unwavering loyalty, their determined gazes confirming their words were more than mere pronouncements.

Miltiades’ heart swelled with emotion. Gazing at his men, he finally offered a smile of profound relief. “Excellent, then let us meet our fate in Elysium together!”

With that, he brandished his short sword, notched from felling numerous Phoenician sailors, and commanded, “Increase our speed and charge! Our objective is the Carthaginian cavalry!”

“ROGER!!!” Over a hundred sailors roared in unison. They then formed a tight column, resembling the hull of a ship, with Miltiades at the forefront. He advanced, intoning an ode to Hades: “I sing your praises, mighty Hades. Lord of the night, sovereign of law, protector of the Kingdom of Theonia…”

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

While the Carthaginian forces brutally annihilated the sailors of the Theonian fleet in Sicily and the soldiers of allied city-states along the coasts from Thermae to Minoa, the Eastern Phoenician fleet did not achieve the triumphant return Miltiades had envisioned. Upon receiving intelligence via swift vessels that the Theonian fleet was attacking from the east and had successfully engaged some Phoenician warships, they rapidly consolidated their scattered vessels and sailed eastward, preparing for an engagement.

The sailors originating from Tyre, Sidon, and other Phoenician city-states, who had long served Persia’s naval needs, were motivated more by the pursuit of commerce than a fervent desire for battle. Consequently, throughout the decades of conflict between Persia and the Greek navies, particularly Athens, the Phoenicians had failed to secure any significant victories. However, the events of this day saw the Eastern Phoenician Fleet achieve a resounding success with relative ease. Thus, these individuals, adept at calculation and worldly wisdom, could have easily ceased hostilities and boasted of their accomplishments to the Carthaginians.

Nevertheless, the fleet, a composite force from Eastern Phoenician city-states such as Tyre and Sidon, faced a difficult decision. If the Theonian fleet compelled a withdrawal, they would not only be forced to abandon damaged warships on the battlefield but would also be unable to rescue Phoenician sailors who had fallen overboard or those still aboard the corvus warships. Moreover, forsaking their brethren from a distant land, a thousand kilometers away, to become prisoners of a foreign people was deemed unacceptable by many within the fleet. Upon their return to the Phoenician region, such an act would surely invite severe censure from their own populace. Hence, they resolved to continue the fight.

Indeed, another compelling reason for their continued engagement was the Eastern Phoenicians' firm conviction that their triremes held a distinct superiority over their adversaries, rendering ultimate victory a certainty.

The Phoenician fleet ultimately mustered ninety-seven vessels to confront the fleet commanded by Seclian in the waters between Thermae and Minoa. Concurrently, the Theonian fleet, in its advance, continuously assimilated scattered Theonian warships, swelling its own numbers to fifty-one vessels.

At present, the Phoenicians possessed nearly double the number of ships compared to the Theonians, with approximately half of the Theonian fleet sustaining damage. Despite these odds, the Theonian fleet remained undeterred. The flagship of the second squadron of the First Fleet, positioned at the very center of their formation, received the order. Raising three long, blood-red flags atop their masts, they signaled their unyielding resolve to fight to the bitter end, with no intention of retreating.

Meanwhile, Seclian’s corvus warship bravely led the charge, forging ahead. The sailors on all warships, casting aside their fatigue, continued to paddle and maneuver their vessels forward. Their aim was to expunge the shame of past defeats and inflict pain and death upon the enemy.

The Eastern Phoenicians initially intended to leverage their numerical advantage to broaden their formation. Rather than engaging the Theonians in a direct confrontation, they planned a strategic retreat to draw the enemy deeper, subsequently launching assaults from both flanks through a flanking maneuver.

Normally, when two fleets make contact, formations are established first before attacks are launched. However, the Theonian warships charged forward directly without organizing themselves. The Eastern Phoenicians, unfamiliar with Theonia's complete Starry Night formation, mistakenly believed they had failed to properly deploy. As a result, the Eastern Phoenician fleet could only react hastily, unable to fully execute their original battle tactics.

Initially, the Eastern Phoenicians intended to maneuver around the Theonian fleet, slow down, expand their formation, and then implement their strategy. Unexpectedly, the Theonian fleet's assault was swift, ferocious, and highly efficient. The moment contact was made, the two leading Phoenician warships found themselves in dire straits. One was grappled by a Theonian corvus ship, while another was rammed by a swift trireme.

The Theonian warships surged forward, penetrating the center of the Eastern Phoenician fleet and shattering their entire line. The two sides were quickly locked in a brutal clash.

Sailors of the Theonian fleet fought with a resolve bordering on death. Even if their ship's hull was damaged and seawater began to flood in during the combat, they would still charge towards nearby enemy vessels, or shield their comrades by blocking enemy attacks and sealing them off. If the soldiers from the corvus warships couldn't return in time after boarding an enemy ship, the sailors would unhesitatingly raise the drawbridge and ram their own vessel into another enemy ship attempting a flanking maneuver. Following this, the sailors would retrieve the weapons left behind by the soldiers who had jumped into the sea and board the enemy ship to continue the fight...

It was precisely this fearless defiance of death that fueled the Theonians' immense strength, allowing them to combat the Eastern Phoenician fleet despite being outnumbered. Their terrifying fighting spirit demoralized the Eastern Phoenician sailors, who had always served as vassals of Persia and rarely fought independently. Thus, after more than an hour of intense fighting, the Eastern Phoenicians began to retreat.

Despite their exhaustion, the Theonians had one more critical task before they could return to Selinus: to clear the battlefield and search for their comrades who had fallen into the water. This was the very reason they had fought so fiercely.

The first person they began searching for was Seclian. The warship he was on had charged into the thick of the battle and was naturally besieged heavily by the Phoenicians, eventually sinking. However, due to the ferocity of the battle, the surrounding warships didn't have the opportunity to rescue him.

Though submerged in the sea for dozens of minutes, Seclian remained remarkably energetic. Upon reaching a ship, he inquired,

“The exact number remains uncertain,” Straphacus replied. This was due to the reality of multiple naval engagements spanning from Minoa to Thermae.

Rather than reprimanding Straphacus, Seclian raised his gaze to the heavens. “It’s still afternoon. Instruct our men to meticulously comb every inch of the sea. We must not overlook any of our brethren who have gone overboard, nor any soldiers or enemy warships. Then, have them pilot the captured enemy vessels back with us to Selinus.”

“Understood, my lord.”

The matter of dispatching reinforcements to Agrigentum was conspicuously absent from their discussion. In the present situation, a swift journey to Agrigentum was unfeasible; a return to port for much-needed rest was the immediate priority.

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

The relentless pursuit by the Carthaginian fleet along the coastline compelled many Theonian sailors, who had managed to reach the shore, to plunge back into the sea. After being submerged for over an hour in the frigid water, some were at the brink of physical collapse. It was solely through the assistance of their comrades that they managed to endure until the rescue ships appeared.