Volume 3: The First Croton War, Chapter 18 Marigi's Business Plan (Part 1)

He reminded Epithenis: “If these new men come, they are after all different from the current freemen soldiers of the third battalion. I'm afraid you’ll need to submit a proposal at a Senate meeting for the other senators to review and approve. I can tell you for certain—I will do everything in my power to get that proposal passed. But for them to become citizens, the conditions they’ll have to meet will probably be tougher. You need to be prepared for that. Also, when you go to the eastern Mediterranean region, do it quietly. Don’t provoke the Spartans!”

“Understood!” Epithenis said excitedly.

Next came the presentation of the company flags. The top of a company commander’s flagpole bore an iron statue of Tisiphone, the Fury of vengeance. This goddess, whom the Greeks feared, held a torch in one hand and a viper whip in the other. Beneath the statue, the flag’s fabric was embroidered with a golden star and the company number…

The top of a platoon leader’s flagpole bore an iron statue of Cerberus, the three-headed hound of Hell…

The entire ceremony lasted nearly two hours. From start to finish, the soldiers in the square remained high-spirited, and cheers from outside the field never stopped.

Finally, Davos raised the army standard again. From every phalanx below, battalion flags, company flags, platoon flags, gold and iron statues, red and yellow banners, and red, purple, and white plume crests rose together. They added a touch of brilliance to that wall of bronze, but more importantly, with these, the soldiers’ morale would surge higher, the officers’ commands would become more efficient, and movements would be faster…

Davos was pleased to see a true army taking shape. He waved the great standard and shouted: “As long as the flag is here, the unit is here! If the flag falls, the unit falls! Where the standard points, we are invincible!”

“As long as the flag is here, the unit is here!!! If the flag falls, the unit falls!!! Where the standard points, we are invincible!!!…”

…

Most of the Lucanians couldn’t understand what the soldiers in the square were shouting, but the overwhelming pressure of that roaring tide, like an avalanche or a tsunami, chilled the hearts of anyone harboring hostility.

Vespa and his son Bacule both understood, and so their silence lasted longer.

Finally, Vespa let out a long breath, as if trying to expel all the unease from his body: “Son, do you still remember the wolf packs we often see in the mountains? When a strong wolf king defeats other lone wolves, some of those lone wolves choose to join the pack. Do you think those wolves are cowardly?”

“No, Father. I think they are the cleverest, because they know that only under the leadership of a strong wolf king will they have enough food, won’t be attacked by fierce enemies, and their bloodline will continue! … As for those proud wolves, they either die alone in the mountains in old age or become food for other beasts! …” Bacule understood what his father was thinking and used the opportunity to console him.

Vespa nodded, gradually making a decision in his heart: “When I was young, I led our people in search of a livelihood and saw the armies of many Greek city‑states—Neapolis, Thurii, Tarentum… I never saw a Greek army that moved me as much as this one! You have to understand: Amendolara is just a small town. For someone to have such an army, that magistrate must have ambitions beyond the ordinary. Since we can’t defeat them and we’ve become their prisoners, then… we have no choice but to make a choice that benefits our people’s survival. I hope the Greeks won’t break their word!”

While the whole city was still immersed in the enthusiasm of yesterday’s magnificent scene in the square, Commercial Officer Mariji was at Davos’s house, laying out his trade plan: “Magistrate, our Amendolara has few people and poor land. There aren’t many wealthy citizens, no special products, and no harbor. If we follow the usual methods, it will be very hard to attract foreign merchants to trade here…”

Davos nodded—that was indeed the truth. Why had Amendolara, after more than two hundred years since its founding, always maintained a population of just four thousand citizens? Because this small town couldn’t support more people. Anyone extra had to emigrate elsewhere to find a living, so Amendolara had always remained a small town. Davos believed that since Mariji dared to state this fact, he must have come up with some good methods.

“But—” Mariji raised his voice, “our neighbor Thurii has a very busy harbor. Every day, up to a hundred merchant ships from other city‑states come to trade there. Another neighbor, Heraclea, though not founded long ago, still receives twenty or thirty merchant ships daily for trade. And Metapontum, a bit farther away, also has a bustling harbor… But based on my observations over the past few days, their harbors and markets have some problems. Because there are too many merchant ships and too many goods, there isn’t enough storage. People have to queue to rent warehouses, so goods pile up in open spaces. Under the long sun exposure, they easily spoil or get lost. At the same time, because there are so many foreign sailors, the city’s inns are insufficient. Not only are lodging costs high, but food prices are also high, causing a lot of complaints. Also, with so many people in the harbor, disputes break out easily. When disputes happen, the city‑states take too long to resolve them. That not only delays the merchants’ time but often favors their own citizens…” Mariji listed several drawbacks of the neighboring harbors in one breath. Clearly, he had done thorough research, even incorporating some of his own experiences as a merchant.

Hearing this, Davos could vaguely guess what business he planned to start in Amendolara. In recent days, when chatting with his wife Christhoya, he had realized that compared to modern people from his previous life, the economic thinking of Mediterranean merchants in this era was not inferior. In fact, Athens’ banking sector had even introduced insurance (mainly maritime insurance). More frighteningly, the Athenians already understood how to use currency to promote and consolidate Athens’ commercial hegemony. Before the Peloponnesian War, the Athenians used silver from the Laurium mines to mint extremely pure “owl” silver coins (the Athenian silver coin, with the head of the goddess Athena on one side and her emblem, the owl, on the other). Even in Athens’ darkest hours, they never reduced the silver purity, making this coin highly popular among Greek city‑states. Then Athens forcibly imposed currency unification within the Delian League, firmly controlling the League’s trade and consolidating its hegemony. Two thousand years later, Uncle Sam would pick up what the Athenians had done. Therefore, Davos did not dare underestimate the wisdom of these ancient people. He did not rush to express an opinion but listened carefully as Mariji continued.

“Thurii is only about fifty li from us, Heraclea about the same, and Metapontum, a bit farther, is just over ninety li. On a fast horse, you can get there in an hour; a caravan can arrive in half a day. So—” Mariji glanced at Davos, a smug smile on his face, “we can build a large number of goods warehouses between the Brano River and the Sisno River in Amendolara, charging lower rents. We should also build plenty of simple inns, with low room rates and abundant, affordable food. I believe this will attract foreign merchants, sailors, and even freemen to settle here. Once enough people have moved in, we can build a larger and better market next to these warehouses and inns, modeled on the one we built earlier in Thurii. With good service to protect the interests of these merchants and sailors, trade in Amendolara will definitely flourish!”

After Mariji confidently finished, Davos couldn’t help but applaud: wasn’t this just the commodity distribution center of his previous life?

“Excellent, Mariji! It seems you are truly worthy of the title Commercial Officer!” Davos did not hide his appreciation for Mariji. “When Cyrus the Younger only made you head of trade in Media, he really buried your talent!”

At the mention of Cyrus the Younger, Mariji’s expression darkened slightly. He said, “Because compared to merchants, Prince Cyrus preferred soldiers and farmers. He said many times, ‘I like two kinds of people best: those who are best at getting tools and livestock for the land and cultivating it well, and those who are best at defending that land, those tools, and those livestock.’”

Davos thought about it carefully and sighed, “Yes. After all, Persia has vast lands, farmers and herders make up the vast majority of the population, so ensuring stability within Persia is the most important issue. And with so many subject states, city‑states, and ethnic groups paying tribute to the Persian royal house every year, Persia doesn’t lack wealth. So what Cyrus the Younger said wasn’t wrong. If he were still alive, he might have become a good Persian king. It’s a pity that when so many people’s hopes rest on one man, his life no longer belongs to him. He didn’t understand that, and instead took such a huge risk by leading the charge personally… What a pity!”

Mariji sighed along with him.

“I approve of your entire plan! Let me add a few points.” When Davos finished, Mariji immediately pricked up his ears. He knew Davos had extraordinary talent in commerce—the temporary market they’d set up earlier in Thurii had been so lively mainly because of the Magistrate’s work.

“First, the roads. Right now, we only have a dirt road connecting us to Thurii and Heraclea. It’s too rough, no good for merchants to transport goods. We must build a flat, wide, sturdy road, and strong bridges over those rivers. I’ll start preparing for that soon. Second, the warehouses and inns need not only low rents but also cleanliness, hygiene, and security. No theft or robbery allowed. You and Heilos need to discuss this and come up with a plan. By the way, what are the tariffs for Thurii, Heraclea, and Metapontum?”

“It depends on what the merchant is selling. Tariffs on common, urgently needed goods are low—usually only two percent. For goods not commonly used in the city‑state, or those that threaten the livelihood of citizens producing similar goods locally, the tariffs can be as high as twenty to thirty percent…” Mariji carefully recounted what he had learned.