Davos's Army

Davos smiled. “My answer is: I accept the employment of Thurii.”

Although he had somewhat expected it, Burkos still couldn’t help showing a delighted face.

“Don’t celebrate too early! This is just my personal opinion. I still need to persuade my officers and soldiers, many of whom have grown weary of war after more than a year of campaigning in Persia, and are eager to return home.” Davos dampened his spirits first, then continued, “I will do my best to persuade them. But of course, the higher your hiring wage, the easier it will be to move them.”

“Two daric coins per soldier per month!” Burkos said decisively.

Davos calculated in his mind and asked, “How many men do you need?”

“The more the better, of course!” Burkos blurted out without hesitation.

“Ha, big talk! If I bring five thousand men, the monthly wages and supplies would be a massive amount. Can Thurii afford that?”

“I told you, Thurii is one of the most prosperous city-states in Magna Graecia! Even if you brought ten thousand men, Thurii alone could easily support you for a year!” Burkos said with confidence.

“Alright, I hope so.” Davos cautiously expressed optimism, then asked further, “Also, how do we get to Thurii? How many ships do you have?”

“I’ve already negotiated with the shipowners in Byzantium. When the time comes, as long as we pay, we can get as many ships as we need!”

“Then, will the Spartans here agree to let us leave for Thurii?” At this, Davos finally asked the question that concerned him most.

“I have already received authorization from the Spartan Gerousia. Meanwhile, Cleander, the governor of Byzantium, is troubled by your presence here. He would be glad to see you leave.” Burkos answered with complete confidence.

Thus, Davos responded promptly, “It seems you’ve arranged everything. Then, I will tell you tomorrow morning how many soldiers I will lead, and we can discuss a more detailed employment agreement.”

“Good. I’ll come again tomorrow morning. I hope to receive good news from you!” Although there had been some bumps at the start, the deal was finally struck, and Burkos left in a cheerful mood.

“My dear, are you really planning to go to Thurii?” Cheiristoya, who had been quietly listening, spoke up.

“Yes!” Davos turned around, his eyes shining with excitement. “Cheiristoya, this might be a good opportunity! An opportunity for us to turn from fish in the water into fishermen casting nets!”

…

Matonis sat on the ground, his heart both excited and curious. He knew that since becoming a platoon leader, he had never participated in the discussion or formulation of any decisions in the camp. Now, the herald Asiastes had urgently summoned them, the platoon leaders, for a meeting. Could it be that some major decision was about to be made?

He looked around and saw Olivus not far away, laughing loudly with someone else. That fellow had now also become a platoon leader, equal in rank to him. Every time he saw him, it annoyed him, so he shouted loudly, “Olivus, this is a military meeting, not your tent. Keep quiet!”

Olivus turned his head and laughed, “Oh, if it isn’t the brave Matonis! Have you punished those two soldiers of yours who violated military regulations and robbed Byzantine citizens?”

At these words, Matonis was full of anger but dared not shout back.

Since entering Armenia, Davos had become a prominent leader among the mercenaries. His military talent was not only recognized by the other leaders and soldiers but had also won the hearts of his own men. So he began to gradually reorganize and reform this unit.

Back then, during the march through Armenia, the mercenaries constantly had minor clashes with the local natives, with casualties including officers. Moreover, Armenia and the later Phasian and Taochian regions were mostly mountainous, making it difficult for large formations to deploy. So, based on the actual situation, Davos first merged the original fourteen hundred-man companies into seven two-hundred-man companies, each company consisting of four fifty-man platoons. This not only facilitated command but also made operations in mountainous terrain more flexible and adaptable. A single platoon had enough strength to repel small enemy groups, while a full company could undertake independent operations, since it had four platoons—two could engage the enemy head-on, one could outflank, and one could serve as a reserve.

After this reorganization, the combat effectiveness of his unit greatly improved. Some soldiers even boasted privately, “Our Davos is not just the God-Touched One of Hades, but also inspired by Athena!”

Then, taking advantage of the deaths and injuries among officers, Davos promoted capable trusted subordinates. For example, Heilos was promoted to company commander, while Matonis, Olivus, Georgios, and others became platoon leaders, strengthening his control over the unit.

Next, he began the second phase of reform: drafting a set of *Military Law* to strictly discipline the soldiers. For the free-spirited mercenaries, this was practically a death sentence. But the circumstances were special. A significant portion of the conflicts with the natives stemmed from soldiers arbitrarily stealing and looting property, so enforcing discipline was the best way to reduce these clashes. However, Davos not only tightened military discipline but also made regulations for marching, camping, scouting, and other military matters. For instance, Davos had been surprised earlier at how simply the mercenaries built their camps—sometimes lacking any defense at all. So he stipulated that when camping, they must dig ditches, set up stakes, and build earthen ramparts.

Initially, the soldiers were unwilling to comply. After a long march and battle, they were already exhausted—why do such hard labor? But after two night raids by mountain folk, other camps suffered heavy casualties and property losses, while only Davos’s troops remained safe behind their ditches and walls, the soldiers gradually accepted this regulation. Of course, Davos made only simple rules on various matters; he dared not be too strict. For instance, fleeing in battle was a capital offense in any era, but if he enforced that, the soldiers in the camp would revolt. So he used only lighter punishments: flogging (though not too many lashes), fasting, etc. For Greeks who valued honor, being stripped of their pants and spanked in front of their comrades was a great disgrace, so they tried to follow the rules unless in special circumstances.

Of course, many soldiers who couldn’t bear the discipline went to other camps. Added to those killed or wounded, the number of soldiers in Davos’s camp should have decreased significantly. In fact, when the entire Greek mercenary army returned to Byzantium, it had shrunk from the original thirteen thousand (counting only soldiers) to nine thousand (already half more than the historical number, largely thanks to Davos). Yet Davos’s current force still numbered about fourteen hundred soldiers, roughly the same as when he took over.

The reasons the number did not drop were fourfold: First, Davos managed the army as fairly and impartially as possible, treating officers and common soldiers alike, with no favoritism. The spoils from battles and raids were distributed by Mariji to the soldiers according to their merits, while he himself took nothing; Second, his unit had the strongest combat effectiveness and the fewest casualties, especially after the reforms. For soldiers hoping to return home alive, this was a strong reason to stay; Third, the medical camp he established healed a large number of wounded soldiers. About half of them chose to remain, and Cheiristoya’s deliberate guidance played a significant role in this; Fourth, Davos’s personal charisma. The “God-Touched One,” a military genius wrapped in mystery, he was still affable to the soldiers, even using his own horse to carry the wounded on multiple occasions… The soldiers willingly accepted his command and affectionately called him “Our Davos.”

Now, after more than half a year of campaigning in special circumstances, Davos’s mercenaries had gradually begun to adapt to these regulations—simple by Davos’s standards but already strict for these soldiers. So Matonis knew that his soldiers, having violated the laws Davos had set before coming to Byzantium, would certainly be punished. This was hard for him, a commander who shielded his men, to accept. But at the moment, he had no time to dwell on it, because Davos had already lifted the tent flap and entered the meeting place with Mariji.

Note: The historical event in which the ten-thousand or so citizen soldiers of Thurii were annihilated by the Lucanians did indeed happen, but it occurred about ten years later (exact date unknown). The reason will be mentioned later.