Volume 5: The Hegemon of Southern Italy, Chapter 59: The Secret to Dionia's Power? (Part 1)

“Oh, that’s interesting!” Canios smiled and instinctively sized up the man across from him: a lean, tall figure, a small, thin face with an aquiline nose, giving off an air of intellectual agility despite an overall frail appearance.

Noticing Canios staring, the man looked up and smiled. “I saw you at the guesthouse for distinguished visitors in Thurii. My name is Sipros, from Trina.”

Canios hesitated for a moment, then said in a low voice, “...I’m from... Elea.”

“Ah, Elea.” Sipros didn’t seem particularly surprised. He studied Canios and said earnestly, “I’ve been to Elea a few times. In fact, Trina and Elea share the same dilemma—Trina’s territory is constantly raided by the Bruttians, while Elea has long been surrounded by the Lucanians. The difference is that we have allied states backing us, while you mostly have to fight alone.”

Sipros’s words struck a chord with Canios. The sense of shared hardship made him feel an instant affinity for Sipros, and he unconsciously leaned forward.

“You’re here representing Elea to ask for help from Daonia, aren’t you?” Sipros continued.

Canios hesitated again, then said, “Elea has come to seek an alliance with Daonia…”

Sipros understood his concerns and said reassuringly, “Don’t worry. Daonia will definitely ally with you!”

Sipros’s words were startling, and Canios was taken aback. Over the past two days in Thurii, he had witnessed Daonia’s strength and prosperity and had begun to worry that the small, weak Elea might not interest Daonia, especially if it meant provoking the fierce Lucanians.

Now, dropping his guard, he asked eagerly, “Why are you so sure?”

“Because Elea’s location is very important.” Sipros speared a piece of tripe with a wooden skewer, tossed it into his mouth, chewed carefully, and then said, “It would help Daonia unify the Lucania region.”

“Daonia wants to occupy the entire Lucania region? How is that possible?!” Canios was shocked.

“It’s entirely possible. Daonia’s political system determines its expansionist ambitions.” Sipros’s face bore a complex expression as he spoke with firm certainty.

“You mean—” A sudden realization dawned on Canios. He glanced around, then leaned in and whispered, “Daonia has a tyrant.” City-states ruled by tyrants were always brutal, greedy, and aggressive—whether it was the Syracusan tyrant Gelon decades ago and his successor Hieron, the former tyrant of Rhegium, Anaxilas, or the current Dionysius—all had proven that.

Sipros shook his head. He was a thoughtful man. Ever since his previous mission to Daonia, driven by curiosity about this rising alliance, he had been analyzing the reasons for its rapid ascent. “It’s not exactly that. I don’t know if Davos, the magistrate of Daonia, can be called a tyrant. He holds supreme military command, possesses sacrificial authority, and is the highest administrative manager of the city-state alliance. But as the chief elder of the Senate—the supreme body—he wields great influence but cannot simply do whatever he wants. His proposals still need majority approval from the senators. The appointment of senior public officials also requires Senate nomination, though he has veto power. Major decisions like starting a war or making peace are collectively decided by the Senate. He cannot casually decide the life or death of citizens like a tyrant can; his actions are still bound by the alliance’s laws. However, compared to the kings of Sparta or the generals of democratic city-states, there is no doubt that he holds greater power…”

Canios listened intently, lost in thought. “No wonder I heard that this magistrate often walks around Thurii without a bodyguard, frequently strolling through the city’s neighborhoods alone—unlike Dionysius, who lives in a palace protected by a thousand mercenaries. That makes him seem like… well… a democratic king.”

“A democratic king?!” Sipros slapped the table excitedly. “That term fits perfectly! It precisely describes Davos’s position in the Daonia Alliance! It is precisely Daonia’s unique magistrate system that has enabled its rapid rise.”

“Are you saying that Daonia’s strength is all because of Davos?” Canios asked in surprise.

“Well… Davos is certainly a very capable magistrate, but Daonia’s political system is also highly unusual—” Sipros rarely found someone so simpatico, and Canios’s question gave him a convenient opportunity to continue expounding the insights he had been pondering lately. But his throat felt dry from too much sauce. He swallowed and said, “Canios, do you drink beer? The beer in this tavern is excellent. I heard that Davos personally directed his slaves through many experiments to brew it. This man is not only strong in military and political affairs but also has a unique talent for commerce. No wonder they call him the ‘God-Touched One’!”

Beer was a drink for the lower classes of the city-state, but hearing Sipros talk about it, Canios felt a bit tempted.

“Two large pitchers of beer!” Sipros called out loudly.

A narrow-necked, long-bodied pottery jug was placed in front of Canios. He lifted it, and a faint, sweet aroma wafted to his nose. He took a sip; the cool, golden liquid slid smoothly down his throat, dispersing most of the heat from his body. He couldn’t help but take another big gulp.

“Good, isn’t it?” Sipros said proudly, seeing his reaction.

Canios nodded, belched, and asked impatiently, “What’s different about Daonia’s system that you mentioned earlier?”

Sipros no longer played coy. He took a drink and said slowly, “In both Croton and our Trina, the highest authority is the Assembly. It decides everything in the city-state. Next is the Council, which is smaller in size—at least three to four hundred members attend regular meetings—to deliberate and resolve routine city-state affairs. The generals elected by the Assembly are merely the highest executors of the decisions made by the Assembly and Council, isn’t that right?”

“That’s correct. Elea is the same. That’s roughly the system of Greek democratic city-states.”

“Daonia’s system comes from Amendolara. And Amendolara… I suspect that after it broke away from Sybaris, like Heraclea and Metapontum, it was influenced by Tarentum. Since Tarentum was a colony of Sparta, it changed the ‘dual kings’ into a ‘dual magistrate’ system, and the Council of Elders into a Senate. However, the magistrates were elected by the Assembly. But after Davos led his mercenaries into Amendolara, not only did he change the dual magistrates into a single lifelong magistrate, but the Assembly also seems never to have been held…” Sipros said in a grave tone.

“Daonia abolished the Assembly?!” Canios nearly exclaimed. Before his conversation with Sipros, based on his previous assumption that Davos was a tyrant, the absence of an Assembly in Daonia would not have surprised him. But Sipros had already told him that “Davos is not a tyrant, he is also constrained by the Senate.” So he had come to regard Daonia as a relatively normal city-state alliance—thus his overreaction to Sipros’s words.

“Daonia’s Assembly has not been explicitly abolished, but it has indeed never been convened…” Sipros said slowly. “I think it might be because the Daonia Alliance is in a unique situation. After all, the citizens of Daonia are scattered across several cities, and their origins are complex. There are Greeks, a considerable number of foreigners, Thurii people, Amendolara people, Crimissa people… Holding an Assembly would be time-consuming and would easily lead to endless quarrels over interests, making it impossible to decide anything…”

Canios thought carefully and had to admit, “That might be an important reason. In Elea, even though our citizens are not numerous and have lived in the city for generations, every time we hold an Assembly, many important issues cannot reach consensus, let alone for a new alliance like Daonia with such a diverse citizenry.”

Sipros gently tapped the side of his beer jug. He hesitated for a long time, then took a swig before speaking again. “In fact, when the Assembly handles affairs… on any given issue, citizens easily express opinions and exercise their veto based on their own preferences and interests rather than the city-state’s interests. The result is often that a problem remains unresolved for a very long time, especially in times of crisis! If the Assembly cannot quickly unify opinions, the city-state falls into great danger. That’s precisely why Trina, facing constant Bruttian incursions, has a system different from Croton, Scylletium, and other South Italian city-states: once an enemy invasion occurs, Trina immediately elects a plenipotentiary general with supreme authority to decide all city-state affairs during the war! This avoids endless debate and conflict!”

Canios’s face lit up. “In Elea, during the most difficult times of war, we also elect a dictator with supreme power over the city-state, very similar to the plenipotentiary general you mentioned.”

This shared understanding dispelled Sipros’s hesitation. He said bluntly, “You see, both Trina and Elea have recognized some flaws in the Assembly and made minor changes. But Daonia has completely cast aside the Assembly, using the abilities of the magistrate Davos and the rich administrative experience of the fewer than one hundred senators to quickly pass proposals and make decisions from the perspective of the alliance’s development. Daonia has enacted several laws that the Assemblies of other South Italian city-states could never pass. Two of these are extremely important! As a newly formed alliance, Daonia’s rapid rise owes much to these two laws!”