Mediterranean Hegemon of Ancient Greece Chapter 932: Discussion on the New Carthaginian Fleet

Inside the Carthaginian Senate, however, the atmosphere was far from the relaxed state the public imagined; it was incredibly tense.

Okriton had just secured his reelection in the October Carthaginian Suffet elections. Yet, standing in the center of the hall, he showed none of a victor's joy. Instead, his expression was grim as he addressed the assembly. "My fellow senators, I believe you have already heard the news. Our Phoenician Allied States in Sardinia—Olbia, Tharros, Sant'Ibinia, and Caralis—have dispatched successive envoys to beg for our aid. The suffetes we stationed in Sardinia have also sent back detailed reports. Greedy as starving wolves, the Theonians have set their sights on Sardinia after capturing Alalia in Corsica.

"They dispatched a fleet that not only patrols the waters of Sardinia but frequently lands on the coasts near the island's towns. They send troops to raid villages, destroy mines, and even incite slaves to rebellion... The situation across Sardinia is descending into chaos, and the citizens of our allied states are terrified. As the leader of the Phoenician City-States in Sardinia, Carthage cannot simply watch them suffer. Should we immediately send reinforcements? Please, senators, share your opinions."

"Is there even a need to ask?" Adrusbal, leader of the Neutral Faction, stood up and spoke with utmost gravity. "The most crucial pillar of Carthage's treasury is the precious metal trade, and Sardinia and Corsica are among our most vital sources for it. Not to mention, Sardinia provides a major stream of commercial income for Carthaginian merchants. Therefore, we must not only dispatch an army at once to rescue Sardinia, but we must also recapture Alalia in Corsica."

Adrusbal already commanded great prestige in the Senate, and since Sardinia truly concerned the fundamental interests of Carthage, his words drew agreement from quite a few senators.

Tepanco immediately took up the thread, eagerly offering a proposal. "Senators, there is actually already a joint army of over ten thousand Phoenician Soldiers on Sardinia Island. The Theonians absolutely dare not face them in open battle. It is merely that the cunning Theonians constantly use their Warships to bypass the garrisons and strike at poorly defended areas.

"Therefore, considering the intense fighting currently taking place in Sicily, our troop reserves are extremely tight. We do not need to send ground forces to Sardinia, but we must dispatch a fleet to repel the Daonian Fleet constantly harassing the island. Only then can we guarantee Sardinia's safety. After defeating the Daonian Fleet, we can transport a portion of our soldiers, along with the army already in Sardinia, to Corsica Island to retake Alalia."

Many senators thought Tepanco's reasoning was sound, but someone raised a question: "Our previous fleet was destroyed by a storm. What is the progress on the new one we have been building? Is it ready to set sail for battle yet?"

"I think it would be more appropriate for our naval commander to answer that question," Okriton said, looking toward Annobas, who was seated at the back of the hall.

"Roughly how long until they can sail into battle?" a senator asked impatiently.

"Generally speaking, it takes at least three months for a new fleet to gain combat capability," Annobas stated. Seeing the disappointment on the faces of many senators, a faint smile touched his lips. "However, our current situation is rather unique. The storm destroyed our Warships, but it left behind a large number of experienced sailors. They only need ten to fifteen days to familiarize themselves with the new vessels before they can be formed into a fleet and sent out to fight."

"Excellent!" The senators looked overjoyed, some even shouting in excitement. Lately, due to the threat of Daonian Warships in the northern waters, the Carthaginians had been fearful of even sailing out to sea. Never before had they felt so stifled.

"Fifteen days is too long; our allies cannot wait. I suggest a maximum of seven days! Within seven days, Lord Annobas, assemble the fleet as swiftly as possible and head to Sardinia to protect its waters and repel the Daonian Fleet's incursions. Afterward, return to Lilybaeum to guard the shipping routes between Carthage and Sicily." Okriton demanded with a severe expression, "Lord Annobas, can this be done?!"

In truth, Okriton had already discussed this with Annobas beforehand. Annobas put on a look of deep contemplation, and after a moment, he nodded gravely. "I will do my utmost to achieve it!"

"Very well, my lords. Now, regarding the reinforcement of Sardinia—" Okriton had not even finished speaking before he was loudly interrupted by Pretasdrubal. "Wait! The newly built fleet should not be sent to Sardinia first; it must go to Sicily! Sardinia is defended by over ten thousand Phoenician Soldiers. The Theonians only dare to harass it, lacking the courage to directly assault the island's city-states. Their safety is actually guaranteed, and the situation is not as dire as they claim.

"Right now, the most crucial issue concerning the survival of Carthage is not Sardinia, but Sicily! The grand army of one hundred thousand led by Lord Mago has already invaded Daionia's territory in Sicily and is locked in fierce battle with the enemy. But our current problem is that without naval supremacy, our rations and supplies must be transported by land. Because the distance is vast and the terrain uneven, it requires an immense amount of labor. This not only increases food consumption but has also left our supply lines vulnerable to several naval attacks by the Daonian Fleet.

"Furthermore, with the main force of our army far away in eastern Sicily, our rear defenses are relatively empty. Theonian soldiers have repeatedly sailed around to the west to land and raid, threatening our territories and allies in Sicily. They already sent envoys here to ask for aid, so why are we only discussing Sardinia today?! I propose that the newly established fleet be immediately dispatched to Sicilian waters to reclaim our naval supremacy, ensuring that the army led by Lord Mago can successfully drive the Theonians out of Sicily!"

Because of the military successes Mago had achieved in Sicily, Pretasdrubal had been elected Suffet once again, drastically increasing the weight of his words in the Senate. For a moment, discussions buzzed throughout the hall, yet no one voiced clear opposition.

At this point, Tepanco asked loudly, "If the new fleet is sent to Sicily, when will Sardinia's plea for reinforcements be addressed?"

Pretasdrubal shot him a glance and said, "At the very least, we must wait until Lord Mago drives the Theonians out of Sicily before considering that matter."

Tepanco sneered, speaking with a hint of mockery. "Lord Mago commands an army of one hundred thousand and has the assistance of the Syracusans, yet up to now, he cannot even capture a tiny village belonging to Daionia. The majority of his soldiers are still blocked outside the Plain of Catania. If we wait for him to capture Catana and Naxos, how long will that take? By then, I fear all the mines in Sardinia will have been turned to ruins!"

Pretasdrubal immediately retorted, "The very reason our army's advance is currently slow is precisely because the transport of rations and supplies is holding them back. Therefore, we should all the more—"

"Our fleet must go to Sardinia first!" a relatively young senator suddenly stood up and loudly cut him off.

Pretasdrubal narrowed his eyes at the speaker. It was Elacra, a rising star of the Neutral Faction. His heart suddenly tightened, and a trace of unease gripped him.

"Lord Pretasdrubal, you have just been stressing the importance of Sicily, demanding that the new fleet be deployed there. But do you know how this fleet came to be?!" Elacra waved his hands passionately. "Vast amounts of timber were felled on the Iberian Peninsula and shipped to Carthage and the ports of other Phoenician City-States. Then, every shipyard operated at full capacity, rushing construction. Do you know the most important reason why so many Warships could be built in just a few short months?!

"It was money! Back then, you were the one who told the Senate meeting, 'Although our Magonid family controls Southern Iberia, we must make some concessions to convince the local natives to allow us to safely fell large quantities of trees.' In the end, you persuaded the Senate to pass the resolution. Carthage has to allocate a portion of the treasury's revenue every month to subsidize Iberia in order to secure timber for the ships!

"Even though Carthage holds tremendous prestige and the various Phoenician Allied States have been very cooperative, do you think those shipyard owners and craftsmen halted all their other business to build Warships for us day in and day out for free? Of course not! Even if they were willing, we Carthaginians would not ruin our own reputation! We paid mountains of gold and silver to guarantee the quality of construction, and also to ensure they will continue to build Warships for us in the future.

"And what about after the fleet is established? Hiring sailors requires money! Providing rations requires money! Supplying food and gear to the entire Carthaginian army requires even more money! Lord Pretasdrubal, please tell me, where is all this money coming from?!"

Upon hearing this, Pretasdrubal remained temporarily silent. As a senator and a newly reelected Suffet, he naturally could not spout blatant lies and make himself a laughingstock.