Mediterranean Hegemon of Ancient Greece Chapter 911: Catana Military Conference (1)

Upon hearing the news, Hasdrubal's first reaction was dread: Daionian reinforcements had arrived!

By the time he hurried to the coast and watched the packed ships sailing out of the harbor one after another, he finally realized the truth: the Daunian Allied Forces—the very army that had fought him tooth and nail for over ten days—were fleeing!

Hasdrubal immediately rushed back to camp and rallied his troops.

By the time the Carthaginian army arrived with their siege weapons and arrayed beneath the walls, over an hour had passed. The Daionian fleet had already evacuated most of the populace. Only four hundred Gela citizens who had volunteered to defend the city—including elders who refused to abandon their homes—stayed behind to fight to the bitter end, successfully securing the withdrawal of over thirty thousand people.

On the return voyage, the escorting Sicilian Fleet looked even more imposing, bolstered by over thirty Phoenician Warships filling out their ranks, which deterred the Syracusan fleet from ever making an appearance.

At dusk, the fleet entered the port of Catana.

Seeing the familiar docks and the meager crowd gathered to welcome them, the soldiers of the Eighth Legion felt a twinge of disappointment, but mostly relief. For months, they had campaigned abroad. They had experienced the brilliant victory at Minoa and the triumph of ravaging Carthage's sphere of influence in Sicily. They had grieved when their navy was devastated by a storm, and suffered the humiliation of defeat at Gela. Ultimately, it was the rapidly deteriorating battlefield situation that had forced their return, leaving them deeply embarrassed to face their families.

Leotychides's flagship docked at a designated pier. Disembarking, he was met by Cyprolus, the Wartime Governor of Sicily and Chief Executive of Catana.

"Welcome home, Commander Prosous!" Cyprolus greeted him with a smile and a salute.

Cyprolus paused for a moment before offering genuine consolation. "Lord Prosous, 'In the Battle of Minoa, you defeated a larger force with fewer men and thoroughly routed the Carthaginian army. You captured Selinus, threw the Carthaginian-controlled regions of Western Sicily into chaos, entirely disrupted their plans, and forced them to delay their next offensive against Sicily by several months. Your performance has exceeded my expectations and flawlessly completed the mission I entrusted to you...' I am not the one saying this—His Majesty wrote it in his letter."

"His Majesty wrote a letter?!" Only then did Leotychides's expression shift.

"Would I, the Governor of Sicily, lie to you?" Cyprolus teased, producing the letter.

Leotychides immediately took it and unfolded it to read.

In the letter, Davos indeed praised the outstanding performance of Leotychides and his army during their recent campaign. However, he also issued a warning: Carthage's renewed, massive offensive against Sicily was clearly better prepared. Because the Daunian Allied Forces had advanced too deeply into enemy territory, not only was it unwise to meet them head-on, but a timely retreat was necessary to prevent the Carthaginians from striking their undefended rear. Under unfavorable circumstances, they could even abandon friendly allied city-states along the Southern Coast to steadfastly defend the kingdom's territory...

The letter had almost miraculously predicted the recent developments of the Sicilian war. While Leotychides was astounded by Davos's brilliant strategic foresight, he couldn't help but feel a pang of frustration. Why hadn't this letter arrived earlier?

"Oh, a letter from His Majesty!" While Leotychides was still reflecting on its contents, Secilian reached from behind and snatched the parchment from his hands.

"When His Majesty wrote this letter, he didn't know you were still alive and had already rejoined the fleet, otherwise the contents would have..." Cyprolus explained.

"It's better he finds out later..." Secilian replied offhandedly, though the image of the fallen Miltias flashed through his mind. He exhaled heavily and hurriedly lowered his eyes to read. "...Oh, His Majesty also says they've occupied Rome and secured vast swaths of land in the Latium region. Most of the Latin city-states have already submitted. The remnants of Rome's army have retreated to a few small towns, meaning the war in Latium should conclude in just a month or two. After that, he will lead his army south for a decisive battle against the Carthaginians in Sicily! He hopes we can hold off the Carthaginian army's offensive in the meantime and prevent them from ravaging our Sicilian territories..."

Cyprolus took the opportunity to interject, "To fulfill the mission His Majesty has assigned us, we will hold a military conference shortly to formulate a new plan against the impending Carthaginian offensive. I have already notified Brelius, Commander of the Seventh Legion. He is currently rushing here from the new military camp."

Leotychides's expression shifted slightly. "I have no objections."

"Give me a moment," Secilian said. He turned to his subordinates and instructed them, "Once the soldiers and civilians have disembarked, don't wait for me. The fleet must immediately head to the Catania naval base just a short distance south to resupply and rest. I will—"

Cyprolus interrupted him. "Lord Secilian, before you send the fleet crews back to the base, please have them disembark, assemble in formation, and march through Catana. Lord Leotychides, I ask that the soldiers of the Eighth Legion and the 4th Cavalry Legion do the same and march into the city."

"What do you mean?" Secilian asked, puzzled.

Leotychides looked at Cyprolus with equal confusion.

Cyprolus explained with a solemn expression, "Although the war is far from over, the citizens of Catana are already waiting inside the city. They wish to warmly welcome the returning soldiers and sailors to thank them for their heroic battles abroad these past few months, which have ensured the safety of our homes!"

Hearing this, Secilian and Leotychides subconsciously exchanged a glance. More than half of the men in the Eighth Legion, the 4th Cavalry Legion, and the Second Fleet of the Sicilian Fleet hailed from Catana. Their casualties had been steep since the start of the war. The fleet, in particular, had even lost two commanders. Because of this, the crews dreaded facing the people of Catana, terrified of hearing the agonizing wails of those mourning their loved ones. Yet Cyprolus had organized this modest Triumphant Return. For the depressed and dejected men who had just suffered a defeat and been forced to retreat, it was undoubtedly a perfect opportunity to boost their morale.

So Leotychides said coldly, "I will assemble the soldiers and have them march into the city in formation, but I will not participate."

"Same here," Secilian agreed. Remembering something, he turned and pointed at the civilians disembarking at a distant pier. "Don't forget about them."

Cyprolus understood what he meant. These refugees from Minoa, Gela, and Agrigento had lost their homes and families. They were engulfed in sorrow, pain, and utter despair. What would they think if they saw Catana cheering for the return of its soldiers?

Cyprolus spoke calmly, "Rest assured. I have assigned officials specifically to manage them. They won't be permitted into the city for the time being."

...

By evening, five men were seated in the Chief Executive's conference room at Catana's City Hall: Wartime Governor of Sicily Cyprolus, Sicilian Commander Leotychides, Sicilian Fleet Commander Secilian, Seventh Legion Commander Brelius, and 4th Cavalry Legion Commander Astemis.

In truth, Brelius had arrived in Catana long ago, but he hadn't accompanied Cyprolus to the port to welcome the fleet. Cyprolus had been forced to tell a white lie.

Upon meeting, however, Brelius did express his admiration for the battles Leotychides had fought recently. His tone was proper and polite, but he didn't breathe a single word about the Seventh Legion coming to Sicily to 'follow Leotychides's command.'

Cyprolus coughed dryly. Sweeping his gaze over the other four, he said, "My lords, you have all read His Majesty's letter. How we will fend off the Carthaginian army's offensive over the next month or two and prevent them from ravaging our Sicilian territories—all while holding the line until His Majesty arrives with his grand army to launch a counter-encirclement—is the issue we must discuss today. Let everyone share their thoughts first."

"I have no suggestions at the moment," Brelius was the first to speak, though his tone was humble. "According to the combat principles in the Theonian Military Law, we must have a clear understanding of the specific battlefield conditions before formulating a proper operational plan. Our Seventh Legion has just arrived in Catana, and we are completely unfamiliar with the situation here. Lord Prosous has been stationed in Sicily for years and has spent the last few months leading troops against Carthage. You must have a profound understanding of the Carthaginian army. Could we ask you to give us a detailed overview of the situation first?"

Cyprolus frowned slightly. Though Brelius spoke politely, his courtesy reflected a sense of equality between the two men. But the reality was that, according to the directives from King Davos and the Ministry of Military Affairs, Brelius had brought the Seventh Legion to Sicily to serve under Leotychides's command. One was the subordinate, the other the superior.

Leotychides's perpetually stoic face betrayed no emotion. He stated plainly, "Over the past few days, I have carefully reflected on our recent combat experiences against the Carthaginians. I have made some analyses and summaries that will be good for you to hear, so that you won't suffer any disadvantages in our future battles."

Leotychides stood up without hesitation. Looking at Brelius, he said earnestly, "Over these past few months, Carthage has sent massive armies to attack Sicily twice. Judging by their combat effectiveness, the first army and the second are completely different forces.