Volume 4: The League of Dionia, Chapter 24: The Return of Laüs and the Glory of Sybaris

"I led my tribe to arduously build a new road and a residential district for the Thua Alliance, led my tribe in the battle against Croton, and now I have captured Nerulum. With these accomplishments, I have become a senator of the Senate!" Bacule said proudly. "And my father did nothing else, but before this, no Lucanian had ever joined a Greek city-state. He bravely led over two thousand of his tribe—including families—to voluntarily join a Greek alliance, making history. He agreed and encouraged me to do everything for the alliance. Davos himself invited him to join the Senate!"

The crowd let out envious exclamations.

Asiastes emphasized again: "The Senate is open to any citizen of the alliance. As long as you contribute enough to the alliance, the Senate will take the initiative to include you!..."

Hemon seemed to understand, nodding.

"But what if Grumentum, Pyxous, or even Potentia in the north attack Nerulum, which has joined the Thua Alliance?" someone asked worriedly.

"I think you all know very well that Grumentum and Pyxous are currently fighting each other, in complete chaos. In the short term, they can't bother us. And even if they come, we're not afraid—we have Davos!" Asiastes said loudly. This one sentence was worth a thousand, immediately dispelling everyone's concerns.

"I am willing to lead my tribe to join the Thua Alliance!" Xesimas stood up and said.

"I am willing too!" Urazza stood up as well.

"I can't let Vespa be the only one gloating in the Senate!" Hemon also stood up.

...

Seeing that almost all the guests were willing to join the alliance and become preparatory citizens, Bacule and Asiastes exchanged smiles. They raised their cups: "Come, let us toast to the Thua Alliance, which belongs not only to the Greeks but also to the Lucanians!"

The next morning, Avinogis's troops opened the city gates and, coordinating with the Thua Alliance army, easily defeated the Lucanian defenders. Finally, they charged into the Great Chief's residence and caught Tura, the Great Chief of Laüs, trembling under his bed. Beside him lay the Greek slave woman he had strangled, her body already cold. Enraged Thua Alliance soldiers immediately pierced his chest with their spears.

Avinogis warmly invited Philistos to lead his troops to camp inside the city, but Philistos politely declined, saying: "Laüs has just been retaken, and order within the city still needs to be restored. Our soldiers are too numerous; staying inside might cause trouble for you and harm the friendship between Laüs and the Thua Alliance. We'll rest outside the city for a while and then leave. Davos gave instructions before we came!"

Philistos's persistence and the Thua Alliance's proactive consideration for Laüs moved Avinogis deeply. He immediately gave half of the captured money and livestock to Philistos as a token of gratitude.

Philistos did not refuse. Adding the spoils previously taken at Nerulum, the Thua Alliance's expedition was highly profitable. According to the Senate's orders, all cattle, sheep, and livestock were left for Nerulum, for Sestas to use in aiding the Lucanians who had joined the Thua Alliance. Most of the money was brought back to Thurii, part allocated as military funds, part turned over to the treasury, and a small portion distributed to the soldiers as rewards. Captured weapons were donated free of charge to the Soldiers' Committee.

Philistos left the Second and Fourth Battalions to temporarily garrison Nerulum, and with the remaining troops carrying five days' rations, left Laüs. They arrived at the entrance of the pass and halted. Following Philistos's orders, they began building a camp.

Arobbomas, who was accompanying them, found this strange.

Faced with Arobbomas's question, Philistos answered truthfully: "The Senate ordered—actually, it was Davos's order—that after capturing Laüs and Nerulum, the army must build a fortress at the entrance of the pass and station soldiers there permanently. This is to prevent a future invasion by a large Lucanian army from the north, which could besiege Nerulum and then quickly move south to block the mountain road, cutting off the Thua Alliance's support to Nerulum and Laüs."

Arobbomas was silent for a moment, then asked: "What about trade and travel between Laüs and Nerulum in the future..."

"There will be no impact at all! They can pass through the fortress smoothly, at no charge!" Philistos said affirmatively.

To avoid damaging the newly established good alliance between Laüs and the Thua Alliance, Arobbomas could only express his approval. In truth, both sides understood: building a fortress here to protect the mountain road leading to Thurii was not only for the Thua Alliance to support Nerulum in the future and resist a Lucanian army. Additionally, if one day Laüs were to rebel against the alliance or act abnormally, the Thua Alliance's army could still pass through the fortress and directly threaten Laüs—this was an open and honest stratagem!

At Sestas's temporary Chief Magistrate's residence, early in the morning, a crowd of Lucanians poured in, wanting to join the alliance, rent livestock, and lease land.

Sestas was overjoyed. He had Bacule and the soldiers of the Fourth Battalion maintain order and act as interpreters. The Registrar's assistant and the agricultural official's assistant who accompanied the army were ready.

Registration: sign, fingerprint...

Writing lease contracts: sign, fingerprint...

But then more and more Lucanians came. It wasn't just a bandwagon effect; it was also because the Thua Alliance, to quickly consolidate its control over newly captured Nerulum, had enacted a special "Intermarriage Law," making shrewd Lucanians realize they had to seize the benefits offered by the Thua Alliance quickly, or else Greeks from Thurii would compete with them for them.

Nerulum's northwest side backs onto the Lao River, across which are not-too-steep wooded hills. The southeast side is a flat, narrow river valley less than two stadia wide, leading straight to Laüs. Further east are continuous, impassable mountain ranges, with only one pass leading to Thurii. Only to the northeast, between the upper reaches of the Lao and Agri Rivers, is the terrain high but the soil still fertile. This area was previously home to many small tribes and later fell under Nerulum's control. This region is irregular in shape, rugged, and partly fragmented by mountain ridges, making it difficult to survey and allocate. Therefore, Bacule suggested to Sestas: divide the land among the tribes based on the size of each tribe, with tax collection handled by the chiefs and tribe members. Only Lucanians without a tribe would be allocated separately—though this was relatively rare. This saved time and manpower and avoided direct friction and conflict between the alliance and Nerulum's Lucanians.

Considering the special characteristics of the Lucanian mountain region and the Lucanian tribes, Sestas thought it over and agreed with Bacule's opinion.

Just as Sestas was racking his brains and busy governing Nerulum, Davos received an urgent report of the battle situation from the west. The victories at Nerulum and Laüs were within expectations; only the slight unease he felt from not commanding personally dissipated. He had repeatedly warned himself not to emulate Napoleon. The Mediterranean was vast, and the Thua Alliance would face many enemies in the future. He needed more excellent commanders capable of independent operations.

Sestas's performance at Nerulum was unexpected, but... He handed the papyrus scroll to Aristocrates and asked with slight irritation: "What do you think about Sestas letting Greek slaves massacre Lucanian prisoners?"

After deciding to have Asiastes assist Sestas in governing Nerulum, Davos had no intention of having Asiastes return as secretary. An eagle must eventually grow up and soar independently in the vast sky. But he would need to find someone else for the secretary position.

Davos recalled Aristocrates, who, back in Amendolara when facing Pleisinas demanding the return of a fugitive slave, had calmly argued and moved the senators present. So he sent Aristeidas to find him. It turned out Aristocrates was working in Cheiristoya's newly opened restaurant in Thurii. When Aristeidas told him that Davos wanted to hire a clerk—since secretary was a public office and Aristocrates was only a freeman, he couldn't hold it—he gladly accepted.

This resulted in Davos coming home at night and being scolded by Cheiristoya for poaching her staff. In the end, she "retaliated" with her mouth and hands, nearly draining him dry...

"Sir, I don't understand Nerulum, so I can't comment." Compared to the quick-tongued Asiastes, Aristocrates, who had endured hardships since childhood, was much more cautious.

Davos glanced at him: Was this a subtle reminder?

Davos thought for a moment and said slowly: "You're right. We don't understand the situation in Nerulum better than Sestas. Since we've already entrusted him to manage Nerulum, we should let him handle it... I just didn't expect this Sestas—usually unremarkable—to be so decisive and fierce. He's better than me in that respect!"

Since the Thurii Senate hall had not yet been built, the afternoon Senate meeting was still held in the Amendolara Senate.

At the meeting, Davos announced loudly: The Thua Alliance had successfully captured Nerulum and helped their ally Avinogis retake Laüs.

Although the senators had already heard the news before the meeting, they still cheered loudly.

Then Davos said with great emotion: "Gentlemen, from today onwards, the Thua Alliance possesses the territories of Thurii, Amendolara, and Nerulum. We also have Castron and Laüs as allied states that follow our lead. Although Crimissa remains neutral and Poseidonia is still in Lucanian hands, we have gained Nerulum. Apart from insufficient population, less prosperous trade, and not enough prestige, the Thua Alliance has basically restored the territory and allies of Sybaris from a hundred years ago. We will recreate Sybaris's glory in Magna Graecia!"