Chapter 153 Reconquering the Inner City of Rotone

"What about Siriting and Trina?" Kunogorata, who had a bad face, asked loudly.

"I think Syracuse will restore the independence of these two city-states. After all, Syracuse is in Sicily, not in Greater Greece." Kerisopes said without hesitation.

"Independence?!" Scombras sneered twice: "Let Syracuse support a government of '10 dictatorships' one by one, as you Sparta did in the Greek city-states of Asia Minor?!"

Kerethorpes' face changed slightly.

At this time, Davos spoke: "Want to hear about our conditions?"

"You said." Kerethorpes was slightly nervous.

"As long as Syracuse withdraws from Great Greece—" Davos' words made Clethorpes happy, and he was about to answer when he heard Davos say in a more serious tone: "And let Messina, Kata Nye, Naxos, and Tauromenion are all independent, disbanding the Sicilian alliance, and most importantly, exiling Dionysius. This is my condition and cannot be changed! If Syracuse agrees, We agree to a truce!"

Kerethorpes thought Davos was joking, but saw his resolute expression, while the others were all emotional after Davos said this.

The conference hall was quiet for a while, and Clethorpes showed disappointment: "The conditions you put forward are impossible for the Syracuses to accept. It seems that you Dionia are planning to consume this time. The great war with countless casualties continues!"

"This war was provoked by the Syracuses. Dionysius led his army to invade Greater Greece, occupied the land of the Dionysian allies, and slaughtered the great Greeks. It was like a wolf broke into our country. Home, we have enough to eat and drink, and it is not that easy to leave safely!" Davos stood up suddenly and said decisively: "I once made a promise to the people, 'I will kill all the Syracuses that invaded Greater Greece. Syracuse!' For this reason all of our Dionian citizens have made up their minds to fight the Syracuses to the death! Hades on top will bless us not only to annihilate the invading army of Syracuse, but to restore us Our allies! We still have to fight Sicily, save those Greek city-states oppressed by Syracuse, and completely pull out the fangs and sharp teeth of this wolf, so that it will never be able to oppress any Greek city-state!"

What Davers said not only shocked Cleethorpes, but also surprised the elders present. It was the first time they heard Davers talk about the successor conception of this war.

"Davos." Kerisopes was anxious and reminded by his name: "I can understand your eagerness for revenge, but Syracuse is not a wolf, but a lion! You missed it This chance for peace, I am afraid that the lion will not be killed, but it will jump into the house and bite everyone to death!"

There is an obvious threat in Kerethorpes' words.

Davos just replied indifferently: "Then you have to beat it thoroughly to know who is the lion?"

Clethhorpes heard Davos' determination to fight Syracuse to the death, and wanted to persuade him again.

Davos has already said loudly: "When you were in Persia, you and I fought side by side. When you came this time, I should have treated you well, but unfortunately... Now is the time of war, you and I are enemies and not friends, I'm sorry, I can only let you go! When this war is over, we will meet again when you come back!"

Knowing that his mission had failed, Kelishorpes said indifferently, "I'm afraid we won't have the chance to meet again..."

Davos smiled lightly: "I believe you will come again!"

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Kerethorpes had been solemn and silent since he left the barracks.

After entering the port, getting on the ship, and leaving the dock, without his instructions, the captain didn't know where to go, so he had to ask loudly, "Kelethorpes, let's go to Celestine next?"

Kerisopes recovered from his meditation and said decisively, "No, go back to Sparta directly."

"Go back?!" The captain was puzzled. He vaguely remembered that the inspector's mission was to stop the war between Dionia and Syracuse, and he had just gone to Dionia.

"The Dionysians are arrogant, refuse to stop the war, and delusionally want to defeat the Syracuses. I think this city-state alliance that has not been established for a long time will soon perish!" The entourage laughed loudly.

"Perhaps, it seems that we Sparta can only rely on ourselves during this time." Kerethorpes said, and Davos's firm and confident face always appeared in his mind. A similar expression appeared before the Persian canyon annihilation, before the battle of the Kent River... It has appeared many times in meetings where the expeditionary force encountered difficulties and conducted military discussions. Davos used this expression. The look persuaded the leaders to adopt his suggestion and help the mercenaries out of the predicament. And this time, although Syracuse has obvious advantages on land, he still has unease in his heart...

Kerisopes stood at the stern, watching the port of Turii gradually recede from his sight...

He knew in his heart that the young man who humbly asked him for advice and admired him is gone forever. Davos is now the king of Dionia, and has become the mortal enemy of Syracuse. Bada's enemy, his enemy...

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Davos led the elders of the Senate to prepare rations, train the army, and replenish the soldiers of the legion (the first and second legions also suffered some losses after several battles). Dioria's fleet was busy recruiting sailors, training new ships, and formation training. The whole of Turi is in action.

And south of Dionia, Syracuse launched a second massive Crotone siege.

At the same time as the siege, Dionysius left 10,000 men to the northwest of the camp to defend against a possible raid by the Dionian army of Asprostum, while letting Syracuse's cavalry and mercenaries All the cavalry were dispatched to the north of the Croton Plain, and even to the swampy plains of Crimea. One was to observe the movements of Turii in the north, and the other was to harass Crimea and prevent it from garrisoning troops. Send troops to aid Crotone.

Although the pontoon bridge on the Neto River has been burned down and the entire river is under the control of the Syracuse Navy, it is impossible for the Dionysian army to cross the river in a short time, but the cautious Dionysius still has to do more preparations. On the sea outside the port of Crotone, Leptinius, with more than 200 warships (including the squadron from Messina), was waiting in battle, and Dionysius ordered him to desperately block it. Reinforcement of the city of Crotone by the Dionian fleet.

When everything was ready, the bugle sounded, the drums shook, and in the continuous roar of the stone bullets fired by hundreds of ballistas hitting the city wall, more than 70,000 soldiers in Syracuse pushed a dozen of them. Large-scale siege towers, dozens of siege vehicles and various large-scale siege equipment, as well as countless long special ladders, approach the city wall from the north, west and south.

In addition, Dionysius ordered the army to escort and drive more than 4,000 non-Crotone prisoners, and when the Crotones were busy preparing for the attack and had no time to pay attention to him, he stopped building lookouts and buildings as before. A platform for long-range archery, but an sloping ramp from outside the moat to the Cone Butterfly on the city was urgently built.

The Crotones also realized that the situation was urgent. Not only did all the soldiers go to the top of the city, but Dionia's ballista team was also on guard, and all the people who could wield a shield and spear were organized by Lycias, ready to go at any time. Prepare for reinforcements.

A large-scale and tragic siege battle begins...

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In the administrative mansion of Asprostum, Epithenes, the commander of the Fourth Legion, asked anxiously: "Felixius, are we really not going to help Crotone?! The brothers are full of fire and want to avenge Drakes and the dead brothers! According to the news reported by the spies, the Syracuses have made full preparations this time, and almost the entire army is dispatched. If not With our help, the people of Crotone will probably have a hard time dealing with it!"

Felixius calmly pointed to the south and said, "Although the Syracuses went to attack Crotone, Dionysius didn't forget us. The road to Crotone from the south is not. The fort they built was tightly sealed and guarded by heavy troops. Do you want our two legions to be damaged there? And we also received orders!"

Epithenes was speechless. He paced back and forth in the living room, and then said irritably, "I don't understand, Lord Davos—"

Agarcia, who was on the side, interrupted him and reminded: "It's His Majesty Davos now!"

"Okay, Your Majesty Davos." Epithenis shrugged his shoulders with disapproval. In his opinion, a lifetime consul was not much different from a king: "His Majesty Davos, why did the Mountain Scout Team give We sent an order, requesting 'we will defend Aspirustum City, do not attack rashly'! Obviously we have won the naval battle, and we can immediately send the fleet south and repel the Syracuse fleet again. In this way, our troops can build pontoon bridges on the Neto River and deter Syracuse from the north, so that they will not dare to attack Crotone with all their strength!"

"After a big battle, the general army has to rest for at least four or five days before taking further action. I think the same should be true for the fleet." Felixius defended Davos based on his consistent experience: "So we The task now is to defend Asprostum, appease the soldiers, and wait for His Majesty to lead the army to come and join him. Since even the Syracuse Navy, which we thought could not be defeated, was defeated by the fleet led by His Majesty, It is even more impossible for the army of Syracuse to defeat the army commanded by His Majesty!"