Mediterranean Hegemon of Ancient Greece Chapter 995: The Exchange Between Two Naval Commanders
Previously on Mediterranean Hegemon of Ancient Greece...
But as the Carthaginian army neared the end of the mountain pass, the soldiers were shocked to see the exit blocked by a well-fortified wooden stockade. Atop its walls stood rows of enemies, bows drawn and arrows nocked.
The Carthaginian army had arrived after a forced march and carried no siege weapons. Coupled with the narrow mountain pass that negated their numerical advantage, breaching this stockade to push into Palermos territory would undoubtedly prove difficult.
Unwilling to give up, Hasdrubal drove his army forward in a probing assault. They were swiftly repelled by a hail of arrows from the wooden walls, leaving dozens of corpses strewn before the trench.
Hasdrubal had no choice but to order a retreat.
Meanwhile, Leotychides was directing a detachment of soldiers to construct a camp. He planned to anchor it at the stockade by the mountain pass and extend it northward all the way to the coast, effectively severing Palermo from the rest of the land.
On the beach, the Supply Camps of the Seventh and Eighth Legions were busy laboring to unload supplies from the cargo ships onto the shore.
Out on the waters near Palermos, the Third Fleet escorted the ships transporting troops and supplies. Although the Daunian Navy held a clear advantage in the waters off Western Sicily, this was still enemy territory. Every crew member of the Third Fleet maintained high alert; after all, upon their arrival in Sicily, they had heard how the Sicilian Fleet had been toyed with and ambushed by a Carthaginian Convoy.
"Enemy spotted to the southwest! Two yellow flags!" the lookout atop the Flagship's mainmast suddenly shouted.
Learning that the approaching Carthaginian Fleet matched his own in numbers, Midorades remained perfectly calm. He immediately issued orders: "Sound the bugles, and hoist the Starry Sky Flag! Notify the Fleet behind us to dock at the beach immediately!"
The attackers were indeed the Carthaginian Fleet led by Morbal. Ever since the City of Hadrumetum had been reduced to ashes, he had hired dozens of small cargo ships manned by veteran Phoenician captains, scattering them along the western coastal waters to track the Daonian Fleet's movements. Thus, when a massive Daionia fleet docked on the coast near Palermo, Morbal—who had been training his ships and biding his time between Carthaginian and western waters—received the news. He knew the Daonian Fleet was still patrolling near Lilybaeum and could not possibly appear so suddenly near Palermos. This had to be another Daionia fleet.Another Daonian Fleet had entered the waters around the Island of Sicily! The news doubled the pressure on Morbal's shoulders, but he still decided to lead his forces to Palermos to meet this new arrival. Perhaps because they were fresh to the theater, they would not be as troublesome as the previous fleet and would take the bait more easily.
By the time the Carthaginian Fleet arrived, Daionia's Third Fleet had already formed its battle lines on the water.
Morbal had no intention of engaging the Daonian Fleet in a head-on clash. He advanced his ships in a loose formation at a standard pace until they were about a li away from the enemy. Then, according to his prearranged plan, the Carthaginian Warships successively turned around, attempting to lure the enemy into pursuit.
At first, the Warships of the Third Fleet did give chase. However, the moment the Carthaginian Fleet tried to draw them out into the open sea, Midorades grew wary. Though the Third Fleet had won the previous naval battle off Sardinia, the sheer risk of that engagement remained fresh in his mind. He was a man who learned from his mistakes and had no desire to repeat them. He ordered his ships to halt their pursuit, swiftly regrouping the Warships and pulling them back to their original defensive positions.
The Carthaginian Fleet sailed forward to bait them several more times, but the Third Fleet refused to act rashly, opting instead to observe the situation in silence.
Morbal then detached a group of Warships to bypass the Third Fleet and strike at Daionia's transport ships. However, following the Third Fleet's warning, most of the transports had already docked at the beach, leaving virtually nothing worth raiding. Furthermore, Midorades ordered his rear squadron to trail and monitor the flanking enemies, ensuring they remained close to his main force.
The Third Fleet's caution, combined with their absolute unity and Midorades' ability to direct them as easily as one's arms and fingers, left Morbal unable to find a single opening. Instead, the maneuvers simply drained his Carthaginian crews of their stamina.
The combat power of such a well-trained Daonian Fleet was certainly not weak! Morbal dared not launch a frontal assault, lacking the confidence to secure a victory. He also knew perfectly well that even if he won, the Carthaginian Fleet would suffer grievous losses. For a Carthaginian navy already at a severe disadvantage, the cost would far outweigh the benefits. Beleaguered Carthage desperately needed an intact fleet just to deter the Daunian Navy and keep them from running rampant.
The Carthaginian Fleet finally retreated.
Midorades did not order a pursuit. He had long shed his initial impulsive urge to prove himself. King Davos had praised and affirmed his military achievements in several letters, fostering a deeper sense of confidence and composure within him. He understood clearly that for a Third Fleet fresh to the area and unfamiliar with the surrounding waters, caution was far more valuable than additional military merits.
Just then, the lookout on the mainmast shouted again, "Message from the fast ships to the east! There's a fleet approaching ahead! Ah... it's our fleet!"
Midorades' heart jolted. Secilian was here!
The Sicilian Fleet had patrolled its way into the waters near Palermos, meeting with the Third Fleet. For the first time in over a decade since the War of Southern Italy, the entirety of the Daunian Navy was gathered together. (The Sicilian Fleet had previously absorbed the First, Second, and Fourth Fleets.)
Given the elusive presence of that Carthaginian Fleet, the Warships from both sides did not draw too close, avoiding any congestion or restricted mobility in their formations. Even so, the Flagships of both fleets sounded their bugles simultaneously. Across every Warship, oars were lifted from the water and waved back and forth in the air, expressing the joy of the crews.
Amidst this festive atmosphere, both Flagships sailed to the very front of their respective armadas. The Sicilian Fleet's Flagship came to a halt, while the Third Fleet's Flagship continued forward, eventually pulling up alongside the Sicilian Flagship.
Clad in his military uniform, Midorades crossed the wooden plank bridged between the two vessels and stepped onto the deck of the Sicilian Fleet's Flagship. He offered Secilian a solemn military salute. "I salute you, Lord Secilian!"
Secilian returned the salute with equal gravity before speaking. "It has been a long time, Midorades! I have heard numerous reports of the Third Fleet's victories lately. Your performance has astonished me. Not only did you win at sea, but you also captured two major Phoenician cities back-to-back, stealing the very work meant for the army. You have won tremendous honor for our navy!"
"This was all thanks to His Majesty's full support. With the Sicilian Fleet under your command drawing the main Carthaginian forces to the front lines, the Third Fleet was able to achieve these successes without attracting attention," Midorades replied modestly. Then, his tone shifted to genuine concern. "When I was in Latium and heard the news that the Sicilian Fleet had been destroyed by a storm and that both you and Phalarios were missing, I was incredibly worried for your safety! I also feared that the Daunian Navy would take a long time to recover from such a devastating blow. Thanks to the blessings of Hades, you returned safely, and the Sicilian Fleet has been reorganized. It's truly wonderful that everything is back to normal!"
Secilian looked at the other man's sincere smile and sighed softly a moment later. "It is a pity that Phalarios and Miltias have both gone to Elysium! The Carthaginian navy is the strongest enemy we have faced so far, and they have inflicted heavy casualties upon our fleets... Recently, King Davos reminded me again, 'In this war against the Carthaginians, our navy is the most crucial force for defeating the enemy and must exert its maximum impact.' Therefore, our two fleets must join hands and strengthen our cooperation. Only then can we utterly defeat the Carthaginian navy and win this war for the kingdom!"
Secilian had been a Senator of the kingdom for many years, giving him a keen political sensitivity. When he learned that the Third Fleet had been transferred to Sicily without being placed under the Sicilian Fleet's command—instead stationed independently on the northern coast to share responsibility for the naval war—he understood the implications. King Davos and the Ministry of Military Affairs were not entirely satisfied with the Sicilian Fleet's recent performance. They wanted to use the Third Fleet to spur the Sicilian Fleet on. He also realized that after a string of victories, Midorades was no longer the subordinate squadron commander he could casually order around as he had over a decade ago.
Especially since a knot remained in his heart: he had always felt that Miltias's death in battle was his own fault. If he had not forcefully tried to strip Miltias of his fleet command the moment he arrived, Miltias might not have refused to heed his advice, which ultimately led to defeat.
Ever since then, he had consciously begun to rein in his temper. Moreover, Midorades had taken the initiative to board his Flagship today, adopting a humble posture. This satisfied Secilian, so his tone of voice had also become gentler.
At this, Midorades smiled and said, "Lord Secilian is absolutely right! The Sicilian Fleet and the Third Fleet are both the kingdom's forces, and we should naturally fight united. As long as you have a solid plan, my lord, I am willing to lead the Third Fleet in full cooperation!"
Secilian's brow furrowed slightly as he caught the underlying meaning in Midorades' words, but it quickly relaxed. "I actually do have an excellent plan," he said with confidence, "and I was just preparing to discuss it with you."
Midorades was momentarily stunned before agreeing.
The two men then dismissed the surrounding crewmen and began their discussion right there on the deck of the Flagship.
About half an hour later, both of their faces bore smiles.