Mediterranean Hegemon of Ancient Greece Chapter 938: Davos's Hidden Worries

"Once you and Geogris have reached a decision on this matter, go ahead and implement it," Davos said solemnly, tapping his fingers against the dining table. "Asi, you mentioned the river port earlier. Right now, merchant ships traveling from Magna Graecia to Rome use Caisrela and Antium as transit ports. Whether they continue to Rome by land or water, it is quite troublesome. Therefore, for the sake of Rome's future development, Ostia must be rebuilt as soon as possible."

"As for the population issue, since we are returning Antium, Velitrae, and Satricum to the Volsci, we will migrate the populations of those three cities to Ostia. Though in reality, it only amounts to the population of two; the people of Satricum contracted a plague, and very few are left..."

Asistes looked troubled. "Your Majesty, your proposal is excellent, but whether it is rebuilding Ostia or relocating the populations of three towns, both tasks exceed my authority as the administrative officer of Rome."

Davos smiled faintly. "The Senate's new letter of appointment should arrive in the next day or two. You are going to be appointed as the Wartime Governor of the Latium region."

Davos's words caught Asistes completely off guard; he could hardly believe it. Within the Kingdom of Daunia, a governor was widely recognized as the high official with the most actual power. Countless Senators scrambled eagerly for it, yet to this day, only Sedorum, Cyprolus, and Antonios had ever held the position. All three were exceptionally capable and represented significant factions. For Asistes to now step into the highest echelons of the kingdom's political arena left him both thrilled and anxious. His voice trembled slightly as he spoke. "Your Majesty... are you saying I am to serve... as the governor of the Latium region?!"

"What? Are you unwilling?" Davos asked, looking at him with a half-smile.

"Thank you for your trust, Your Majesty. I will do everything in my power to fulfill the duties of the governor!" Asistes immediately declared, his face full of gratitude. He knew perfectly well that without Davos's strong recommendation, securing such a position at less than fifty years of age would have been incredibly difficult.

"A promotion to governor brings greater power, but also greater responsibility," Davos said solemnly. "The Latium region is the focal point of the kingdom's northern expansion strategy. The tribes here are diverse, the relationships are complex, and the land has historically been plagued by frequent wars. As outsiders governing a population made up primarily of the local indigenous people—the Latins—how do we guarantee the safety of our territory here? How do we ensure the stability of the entire region? How can we make the people here support the kingdom? These are the pressing issues you must focus on and resolve. I expect you to work in solidarity with administrative officers like Antrapolis, Nicomachus, and Telys. Strengthen the communication between the towns here, forge our territories in this region into an ironclad block, and lay the foundation for our continued northward advance!"

Asistes nodded forcefully. His expression was solemn and he remained silent, clearly feeling the pressure.

Asistes's eyes lit up. "Thank you, Your Majesty!"

Davos turned to look at the Legion Commander of the Fifth Legion. "Arriving alongside Asistes's appointment will be another document issued by the Ministry of Military Affairs. Geogris, you are going to be appointed as the military commander of the Latium region!"

"Me?!" Geogris was thoroughly astonished. He sat there with his mouth half-open, still stuffed with food, looking rather comical. He hurriedly shook his head. "I can't! Not me! This position should go to Amyntas... Matonis... Lizarus... or even Oliphus... Any of them would be better, as they've all earned a considerable amount of military merit!"

"Who has the most merit or the longest service record is not the primary factor in becoming the Latium region commander," Davos said seriously, taking a small sip of wine. "First and foremost, it depends on who is the most suitable! Back at the camp, when I asked which legion was willing to stay behind and guard Latium, you were the only one who actively volunteered. That alone decided who would get this command! We are in a time of war, and Latium is a region we have only just conquered. The kingdom needs a commander stationed here, but not one who will aggressively seek to expand. We need someone who will strictly discipline the army, patiently train the soldiers, and closely monitor the regional situation to prevent any unforeseen accidents.

"And when enemies do appear, this commander must not only lead his own legion but also direct the reserve forces of the various towns, while coordinating and commanding the allied armies across the entire Latium region. You happen to be the perfect fit for all of that!"

"Congratulations, Geogris! I also think you are the most suitable candidate for the Latium regional commander. I hope we can work well together to maintain political stability here," Asistes said, offering his sincere congratulations.

Geogris declined no further. He expressed his gratitude to Davos and promised that he would faithfully discharge his duties as commander and protect the Latium region.

...

Davos saw off the two subordinates who were about to hold the most prominent positions for the kingdom in the Latium region.

After the servants cleared away the banquet and swept the drawing room clean, only Davos and Crotokatax remained.

"What are your thoughts on their appointments?" Davos suddenly asked his son.

"Lord Asistes is highly capable. His appointment as the governor of Latium is entirely convincing. However, Lord Geogris..." Although Crotokatax left the sentence unfinished, his meaning was perfectly clear.

Davos looked at him and asked seriously, "Before I came to the City of Rome, you were also present during the military council held at the Satricum camp. When I proposed that we needed to leave a legion behind to guard Latium before marching on Sicily, did any other Legion Commander volunteer aside from Geogris?"

Crotokatax answered without hesitation. "No! Lord Amyntas even argued that 'Latium has been completely conquered, so there is no need to leave a legion behind to garrison it.'"

Davos scoffed coldly. "Then is it worth encouraging the sort of behavior that focuses only on chasing personal glory and racking up more military merit, at the expense of ignoring the bigger picture and refusing to sacrifice one's own interests?"

Crotokatax grew thoughtful. "...So, Father, by making Geogris the commander of Latium, you are rewarding him, but also delivering a silent reprimand to the other Legion Commanders?"

Davos gave a slight nod. "Furthermore, Geogris might appear a bit clumsy in his daily conduct, not as decisive or aggressive as Amyntas or Matonis. Yet he successfully completes every single task assigned to him. Up to now, his legion has suffered the fewest casualties."

Crotokatax thought back carefully: it was true, the Fifth Legion was the most intact of all the legions.

"So based on these two points, Geogris is undoubtedly the most suited among the current Legion Commanders to serve as the Latium commander," Davos advised softly. "Croto, as a leader, you must never let personal likes or dislikes cloud your judgment of your subordinates. You can only accurately evaluate a man—and place him in a position where he can maximize his abilities—by looking at his performance in practical matters and his conduct during critical moments..."

After hearing this, Crotokatax nodded earnestly to show he understood.

Davos cleared his throat softly and asked another question. "Do you have any other thoughts regarding Asistes taking the role of Latium's governor?"

Crotokatax felt confused and asked in return, "Father, is there a problem with this appointment?"

Davos stared at him with bright, piercing eyes, his voice turning heavy. "There are no issues with Asistes himself. He truly is the most fitting candidate to be the governor of Latium! However, you must not overlook his background. His uncle, Antonios, is currently the governor of the Dauni region. His father-in-law, Vespa, is one of the Rotating Chairmen of the Senate. His brother-in-law, Bagulas, has long served as the administrative officer for vital towns in the kingdom, enjoys lofty prestige among the Lucanians, and wields considerable influence within the Senate.

"Recently, the Apulia region has been harassed by the remnants of those exiled factions, and the Peucetian area has become the focal point of their attacks. Someone in the Senate actually proposed having the Silvium administrative officer, Bagulas, take up the post of Wartime Governor for the Peucetian area... If I were to approve that proposal, then with three governors and a Rotating Chairman of the Senate, Asistes—serving as the core figure in this web of power—would inevitably become the most powerful man in the Kingdom of Daunia besides myself. What are your thoughts on that?"

Crotokatax genuinely hadn't considered this layer of depth. He felt surprised at first, then quickly fell into deep thought, but in the end he could not help trying to persuade him. "Father, I have heard that Lord Asistes has followed you ever since your time in Persia. He is one of your most trusted subordinates. You shouldn't harbor suspicions against him."

Davos's expression hardened. "My child, of course I know Asistes is deeply loyal to me. I even know that more than ten years ago, he rejected Antonios's attempts to recruit him, refusing to provide support for the candidate Antonios had selected in the Senate for the administrative officer of Naxos. However, remaining constantly vigilant about power is a fundamental skill a king must possess! Power easily breeds corruption, and highly concentrated power makes a man far more susceptible to ambition, leading to the abuse of authority for personal gain, the trading of money and power, and even sparking rebellions and igniting wars... I am sure you learned plenty of this when you studied the past history of the various Mediterranean nations under Ansitanos at the academy."

'''