Chapter 327 Shocked Carthage

In the process of taking over, Carthage and Tyre were not without conflicts, but in the end the handover was completed relatively smoothly, and no major war broke out. It was really bad political situation in the east at that time, and Tyre himself could not be guaranteed. Still able to start a war with Carthage, the two sides eventually reached a century-long agreement, not because they were the same race, but because Carthage needed more from the eastern Phoenician region headed by Tyre. Colonizing the population and the market for trade, while Thiel needed the precious metals of the Western Mediterranean, it was a win-win.

For a hundred years, Carthage and Tyre have had close contacts and happy cooperation, but this is all in trade, politically, there has never been an exchange of visits between high-level city-states, and this is the first time they have cooperated in military affairs.

Psellica led the fleet to the Western Mediterranean, why not directly stationed in the port of Carthage? In order to avoid being discovered by the Dionysian Navy early, there is another reason that Carthage is now powerful and rich in the Western Mediterranean, which is far incomparable to Tyre, who is now under the fence, so the pride of Tyre’s nobles gives He would rather choose to stop in the town of Hadrummentum, a colonial point once established by the Tyre people, than to go to the prosperous Carthage to avoid loss in his heart.

At the same time, Pucerica also wanted to use his victories one by one to show the Carthaginians that Tyre and the eastern Phoenicia region were still the most powerful support for Carthage. Who knew that the first raid, which was carefully planned by him, was actually reversed by the Dionysians when he had a clear advantage, and many crew members were captured.

Psellica led the remnants of the warship and fled back to Hadrummentum, and immediately sent someone to tell the Carthaginian senate, hoping that they could redeem the captured Phoenician crew.

However, a few days later, the Senate responded: Dionia agreed to exchange prisoners, but only agreed to exchange them one-for-one. Since the number of East Phoenician sailors was more captured, I am afraid that a small part could not be exchanged.

Although Psellica was angry, but there was no way, Dionia was tough, insisted, and did not accept the ransom, which eventually led to some East Phoenician captives could not be rescued, which made Pseryka dare not lead the remnants The warships returned to the Eastern Mediterranean, fearful of being questioned by the people.

At the same time, the strength of the Dionysian navy made him feel fearful. He refused to go to sea for Carthage on the grounds that "the fleet was severely damaged and needed a long rest". After staying for several months, he hoped in his heart that Carthage and Dionia would finally decide the winner and reach a truce, so that he could redeem his compatriots and return to the country.

However, according to what he had learned during this time, Pserika felt that although Carthage was at a disadvantage, it was impossible to stop the war in a short period of time. However, the crew stayed idle in the city of Hadrummentum every day. After a long time, it is inevitable that he will miss his hometown, and he has asked him many times to return to the Eastern Mediterranean. Carthage to help him redeem his compatriots?

Recently,

He has been struggling with this problem, unable to eat or sleep well, he fell asleep late last night, and was still asleep this morning, when he was suddenly pushed awake: "General, the Dionians have entered the city. La!"

"What a joke, this is Africa, not Sicily!" Pserika scolded his subordinates loudly, but then he heard the deafening screams and cries outside, his face changed suddenly, and he said eagerly: " Hurry! Hurry to the port! Drive our warships out of here!"

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Where did Psellica know that one of the main purposes of the Sicilian fleet attacking the city of Hadrummentum was to destroy the combined Eastern Phoenician fleet, because it was far away from Carthage, and the defense capabilities of the port of Hadrummentum where it was anchored Not too strong, very easy to get.

The Sicilian fleet docked directly on the beach south of Hadrummentum City, and 7,000 fleet infantry quickly jumped off the crow warship, carried the prepared cloud ladder, and went straight to Hadrummentum City not far away.

At this time, it was almost noon, and Hadrummentum, who lived a comfortable life, had just finished breakfast. Some people were strolling out of the city, going to the farms outside the city to supervise the preparation of Numibian slaves for winter sowing, but they met head-on. At the sight of the Diolinian soldiers rushing like wolves, the people of Hadrumentum, who had been at peace for a long time, were suddenly frightened and ran into the city in a panic.

For the first time in their lives, the few sentinels on the top of the city encountered such a crisis. After a while of panic, they remembered to close the city gate, but at this time the city gate could not be closed, because the fleeing people had blocked the entire city gate hole.

The Dionysian Fleet infantry did not even use the ladder, so they easily rushed into the city. While they were causing chaos in the city, their main force went straight to the port.

Psellica rushed to the port, and as soon as he boarded the warship, the infantry of the Dionysian Fleet arrived, and slaughtered many East Phoenician sailors who had not yet boarded the warship.

Unarmed Eastern Phoenicians were slaughtered.

Seeing this tragic situation, Puserika hurriedly let the ship leave the port. Who knew that the battleship of the Dionia Fleet was guarding outside the port, and it was sunk as soon as it left the port. Other warships and merchant ships hurriedly turned back. As a result, they collided with each other and became a mess of porridge.

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On this day, the elders of Carthage were discussing the matter of "the Dionysians occupying the port of St. Ibinia and Saros" at the venue. They discussed for a long time and did not come up with any effective suggestions. It was because Carthage Ki now has almost all the army and navy concentrated in the direction of Sicily, and there is no extra military force to support Sardinia.

It was only at this point that they realized that Carthage was not much stronger than Dionia, and since the battle, Carthage was already at a clear disadvantage.

Pretakuba suggested: "Make another war mobilization against the Carthaginian and Phoenician allies, call up an army of 20,000 to 30,000 people, and let Lord Morbar lead a fleet to Calaris in Sardinia, Waiting for the opportunity to take back Saros and St. Ibinia occupied by the Dionians, and restore the normal order of Sardinia..."

Okriton scoffed at this, and he mocked: "Twenty or thirty thousand people recruited?! Lord Pretakuba thinks that our Carthage is Persia and can have an endless source of troops?! I tell you, this time Since the war started, Carthage has recruited nearly 50,000 soldiers (including naval personnel, and they are the majority), and so far, there have been nearly 20,000 casualties. Do you think Carthage has more? Are there many soldiers? If the people are sent to war, who will farm the land and provide food for the army? Who will do business and provide gold and silver to the treasury?  …”

Pretakuba was at a loss for words.

"Only a small number of citizens can be recruited as team officers in Carthage City, and most of the soldiers are provided by the allies." A Margonid elder quickly added.

"The situation of the allies is not much better than ours!" Okredon sneered: "They were also recruited twice, how could there be any extra troops!"

"You can recruit as many Numibians as before." Another Margonidian elder made another suggestion.

"East and West Numibia were recruited before and after 70,000 people, and their casualties were also the largest. Those Numibian tribes will not be stupid enough to agree to our recruitment requirements, and our blindly demanding will only threaten To the survival of the Numibian tribe, be careful to arouse their resistance!" Hanno warned sternly.

Hanno's words moved the elders: yes, the Carthaginians were used to the obedience of the Numibians, but this obedience was caused by decades of political and military conquest by the Carthaginians, but in fact The population of the entire Numibia is several times larger than that of Carthage. Now that Carthage is fully coping with the war in Sicily, the domestic army is empty, and it should indeed ensure stability and avoid turmoil.

Taipanlako stood up again and said loudly: "Actually, the problem of Sardinia is easy to solve, as long as Lord Margo leads the army in Sicily to defeat the main force of Dionia, who is opposed to it, and regain the victory in Sicily. The advantage of the island, you can draw out part of the army to solve the problem of Sardinia.

But now, Lord Margo, who is regarded as a hero by the Carthaginian people, is in control of the 100,000 army we have worked so hard to recruit, but he seems to have suddenly lost his courage. So far, he has never had a fight with the main army of Dionia. The battle, is it really because King Dionia frightened him? "

The elders of the Magnidites were very angry when they heard this, and were about to stand up and refute it.

At this time, the door of the venue was suddenly pushed open: "My lord, it's not good! Hadrummentum is being attacked by the Dionysians!"

The elders were all astonished, and many people immediately expressed their doubts, because there has been peace and tranquility within the reach of Carthage in Africa for a hundred years, and there has never been any invasion.

However, when the city guard who broke into the venue brought several Hadrumentum messengers who came to ask for help (actually the people of Hadrummentum who first fled to Carthage on horseback) into the venue, they wept bitterly. After narrating the general history of the disaster that was happening in Hadrummentum City, the venue suddenly became silent, and everyone had a terrible thought in their hearts: the war really spread. to the land where they live! ! !

After a while, Pretakuba resolutely suggested: "We should immediately send the Carthaginian army stationed in Numibia to Hadrummentum to destroy these damn Dionysian robbers! We should also Immediately send a fast boat to inform Morbar, let him lead the fleet to the waters near Hadrummentum, and send Dionia's warships to the sea to feed the fish!"