Chapter 78 Conflict

After all, the Dionysian Barracks is close to Tarantum City and is still far away from the battlefield, so it does not need to be very complicated and strong. So the next day when Davos attended the combat meeting, the entire barracks was resting. According to the military law: during non-war time, one person from each team in the military camp may be granted leave to go out and must return before sunset.

Now it is in a state of semi-combat, and it is still uncertain when the army will go to the battlefield. Therefore, Antonios, who also served as military officer, issued an order: all soldiers who went out could only wander around the barracks and return when they heard the bugle.

The soldiers stayed in the battalion without doing nothing. Most of them were keen on some confrontation games, which were organized by the upper layers of the legion, such as: tug-of-war, rugby games, football games, etc. The soldiers enjoyed it. But there is one prohibition. Gambling is not allowed. Once found, it will be dealt with by military law.

The purpose of a few soldiers to go out on leave is to see the famous city of Tarantum in southern Italy. After all, most of them are not from businessmen and rich people. They have to work in the fields all the year round, and they have no time to go to Tarantum, which is only separated by a bay. Mu travel. But since it was stipulated that they were not allowed to enter the city of Tarantum, they could only stroll around in the market in front of the barracks.

As a result, the traders of Tarantum began to shout vigorously.

"Come and see! A sacred object from Egypt, a great eastern country, the hide of a hippopotamus! Look how thick it is! Swipe it twice with a knife... Look, there is no trace at all! If it is made into leather armor, it is light and easy to use. It's sturdy, and you don't have to worry about getting hurt when fighting!"

"Brother, have you seen this kind of straight sword? Look at it, it's edged on both sides, and it's very sharp!... It doesn't matter, take it and try it... Isn't it a bit heavy?! This is the indigenous people of the Iberian Peninsula. The short swords used by people, I heard that the Carthaginians have never been able to conquer the Illyrian Peninsula, and they have suffered from this weapon!"

...

Because of the soldiers' money, the small market is dominated by vendors selling weapons, followed by food.

"Try this date palm from Libya, despite its small size, it is very sweet, much sweeter than figs!"

"Salted ostrich meat from the Bedouin! If you haven't tasted it, come and try it! ... What is an ostrich? ... Well, I tell you, it's the biggest bird I've ever seen, with a horse The same size, but can't fly, can only run, and can run faster than a horse in the desert!"

...

It should be said that as a famous trading city-state in Greater Greece, Tarantum's commodities are richer and more diverse than Turii, which can be seen in this temporary market.

The soldiers wandered around with great interest. They were not just shopping. As citizens and reserve citizens of Dioria, the land allocated time and time again was enough for them to be clothed and fed, and then the surplus grains and livestock were sold in the market. With the extra pocket money, plus the loot-sharing after each battle victory, their pockets are still quite bulging.

Olivers was also a person who took leave to go out. He temporarily handed over the general affairs to the adjutant, and he wandered and relaxed in the temporary market.

At this time, he stood in front of a metal jewelry booth, picked up a palm-sized gold jewelry, and took a closer look.

"This is the statue of the Egyptian god Horus, from the hand of the famous master sculptor of the Temple of Memphis. Look how exquisitely carved this is! Wear it, and you can get the blessing of Horus!" He highly recommends.

Olivers shook his head gently, put the things down, and said regretfully: "The things are good, but unfortunately I believe in Hades."

"Occasionally, Hades wouldn't blame him for worshipping other gods, and the fields they were in charge of were completely different..." The Greeks' attitude toward gods was close to but not infatuated. What song to sing, go to sea to worship the god of the sea, fight to worship the god of war, worship Hermes in business, worship Apollo in sports... That's why businessmen persuade them like this.

But Olivers shook his head and left the booth.

The businessman was so angry that he cursed behind his back: "Dionysians are dead brains!"

If before,

Olivers will definitely turn around and have a good reasoning with the businessman, but now that he feels his identity is different, he doesn't care about it.

Going further, he saw several large tents set up in front of him, and a few beautiful women stood in front of the tents, and a fat businessman shouted loudly: "The cheapest price! The most comfortable enjoyment! Only need to pay five Drachma, you can be happy with the most beautiful girl in Tarantum..."

Olivers frowned. Ever since the incident on his way to Persia, he has always been in a relationship, and now whenever someone mentions the word "prostitute", he suddenly feels disgusted.

He turned around and walked back, but Timias took a fancy to him, rushed over to hold him, and hurriedly shouted: "Don't go, seven drachmas, two girls, what do you think? But it's a huge loss!"

Olivers didn't say a word, and with a strong wave of his left hand, Timias took a few steps back and sat on the ground.

The theater owner of Tarantum spent a long time and failed to make a business. He finally became popular, stood up and cursed: "Damn Dionysians! A bunch of hillbillies! Don't know how to enjoy happiness! What military law! Never heard of it in Tarantum's army, it's just a piece of shit that your lowly born consul came up with to rule you easily! He wants you to have no freedom, no democracy, and obey him obediently Order! You don't know how to resist, you are only worthy of being ruled by a dictator and obeying his orders like slaves!  …”

Olivers listened, furious, and strode over.

The other soldiers on the side were also indignant when they heard these words: This fat man not only insulted them, but also insulted their great commander!

In an instant, Timias was surrounded by water.

He looked at the angry faces in horror, and shouted sharply: "What do you want?! This is Tarantum!—"

Before he could finish speaking, Olivers said, "Beat him!" He punched his right fist first, directly hitting his fat face...

The Tarantum in the market heard screams from the crowd surrounded by Dionian soldiers, but no one dared to step forward to dissuade them.

"Woo! Woo! Woo!..." The bugle sounded at the right time.

"It's the assembly number!" the soldiers exclaimed.

All the soldiers in the temporary market put down their things at almost the same time, and quickly ran back to the barracks. In a blink of an eye, there was no one Dionian in the market.

The Dionysian soldiers returned to the camp so fast, as if the previous excitement was just a dream, only the theater owner who was lying on the ground was still moaning...

When the camp gates opened again, a heavily armed army came out. They lined up at the same time from the three camp gates of the east, north and south, which accelerated the speed of leaving the camp.

The traders in Tarantum were also relaxed when they saw these Dionian soldiers who were joking in the market before, but this casualness did not affect the orderliness of their marching columns and the speed of their movements.

The two legions left the barracks, and the camp was not unmanned. There are also some soldiers from the transportation battalion and a reserve team composed of more than a thousand Dionysian freemen. As a supplement to the legion, they usually serve as guards and handymen in the transportation battalion, and they also participate in battles at critical times. Therefore, the tasks of the reserve soldiers are also complicated and arduous, but every time they go on expedition, countless freedmen scramble to join it, because it allows the freedmen to accumulate merits and shorten the time to become reserve citizens.

In fact, in a legion of Dionia, in addition to the soldiers responsible for combat in the seven battalions, there are also medical battalions, engineering battalions, baggage battalions, and reconnaissance teams... Its real number is far more than 7,000. If marching in Dionia, Davos will try to arrange a marching column all the way. Although this column will extend the team very long, the flat and solid avenue system will speed up the march. But in the suburbs of Tarantum, the richest city-state in southern Italy, there are dirt roads, and the effect is the same wherever you go, as long as you don't step on the farmland. Therefore, Davos simply divided the army into four columns, each with five columns, advancing in front of each other.

Along the way, there was dust and noise.

Many Tarantum people watched on the side of the road. Facing the mighty military appearance of Dionia, the Tarantum people were in a complicated mood, but at the time of the city-state crisis, such a number and appearance of reinforcements also gave them a sense of anxiety. They have a sense of security.

It didn't take long for the Dionian army to arrive outside Tarantum.

When Eumacas was informed, he was taken aback by the speed with which the Dionysian army had assembled, knowing that the citizens of Tarantum were still gathering in the square one after another.

Although Diomilas was also a little stimulated, he still retorted: "The Dionysian soldiers are all in the barracks, and they can set off as soon as they blow the trumpet, unlike we have to notify every city and every street. …”

Eumacas had to drive out of the city, apologized to Davos, and asked the Dionian army to wait outside the city for a while, and at the same time invited Davos to enter the city, drink some drinks at his mansion, and rest for a while, After all, it was noon in early autumn, and the sun was still hot.

Davos politely declined Eumacas's kindness, how could he leave his suffering men and enjoy the comfort alone.

Before long, Triphias led a thousand Heraclean soldiers out of the city to join the Dionian army.

After a while, the two thousand Metapontum soldiers led by Tudpres also arrived.

More than an hour later, the gate of Tarantum was opened again, and the noisy voices were vented...

"Oh! Oh! This is going to the battlefield, or to the cemetery! Everyone is crying like this, what's the matter! Isn't it just fighting the indigenous people!..." Olivers told the Tarantum people because of the morning. I don't have a good impression. As soon as I see this messy farewell scene, I keep sneering and sneering.