The Rise Of An Empire In Ancient Europe-Chapter 88 Allies

As Archita walked into the expeditionary camp, cheers erupted from every tent he passed. The air was filled with excitement and joy, and even he, with his heavy heart, couldn’t help but be affected. He marveled at this mercenary force that lived up to its reputation as a battle-hardened elite—one that even a great power like Persia found troublesome! Earlier that day, he had witnessed how these mercenaries, using novel tactics and fierce offensives, devastated the Lucanians. Even more remarkable was their ability to maintain high morale after the setbacks of the campaign.

Archita’s desire to meet Juleios grew stronger.

As he approached the main tent, the young man who had left a favorable impression on him earlier stepped out to greet him. The first thing Juleios said was: "General Archita, we plan to attack the Lucanian tribal coalition tomorrow. We hope for Tarantum’s reinforcements to assist us."

Archita could hardly believe his ears. "...Are you saying you intend to attack the Lucanian tribal coalition?"

"Yes!" Juleios confirmed without hesitation.

"You mean the coalition of Lucanian tribes to the west, numbering 15,000 men, and not the Lucanians in Amendolara?" Archita asked again, still uncertain.

"That’s correct—it’s the Lucanian tribal coalition to the west," Juleios nodded firmly.

After receiving confirmation, Archita stared at Juleios for a long moment, trying to suppress his excitement. Finally, he asked, "...How do you plan to achieve this?"

"Come, let’s discuss it inside," Juleios invited him into the tent and led him to a prepared map. There, he began to detail his plan step by step.

Archita rested his chin on his hand, contemplating for a long time before finally saying slowly, "I must admit, this is an extremely bold plan. It maximizes your forces to their very limit, but it also has a certain degree of feasibility. I find it very tempting..."

"So, will the Tarantum reinforcements join us?" Juleios asked directly.

Archita remained silent, and Juleios waited patiently. After a long pause, Archita finally spoke. "It seems you’ve already decided that I would agree."

"I’ve heard that Heraclea is an ally of Tarantum. If we win tomorrow, Tarantum will no longer have to worry about the western threat and can focus entirely on the Messapians," Juleios replied calmly. His words were polite, yet the implication was clear. Heraclea wasn’t merely an ally but effectively a dependency of Tarantum. Two decades earlier, its leadership had been entirely controlled by Tarantum, and although its autonomy had since increased, Tarantum still wielded significant influence. They regarded Heraclea as a western shield. If the Lucanians occupied the Sybaris Plain and the neighboring Amendolara, it would pose a grave threat to Heraclea, possibly even endangering the northern city of Metapontum. This was a major reason Tarantum had sent reinforcements in the first place.

Finally, Archita nodded. "The people of Tarantum would be honored to fight alongside the Greek warriors who ventured to Persia!"

"That’s fantastic! It’s because of you and the Tarantum reinforcements that I dared propose this plan. Your combat prowess is formidable!" Juleios said sincerely.

After they had finalized the details, Archita suddenly said, "Juleios, I have a suggestion I hope you’ll consider."

"Please go ahead," Juleios replied, surprised by Archita’s serious tone.

"Regardless of the outcome of tomorrow’s battle, I sincerely invite you to become a citizen of Tarantum. I will personally recommend you to the Senate for an important administrative position," Archita said solemnly.

Juleios was caught off guard by this proposal. "...Well... I’ve heard it’s very difficult for foreigners to become citizens of a major city-state."

"It is," Archita admitted candidly, but then added, "However, someone with your extraordinary talent would be warmly invited by any city-state in Magna Graecia! After all, this isn’t Athens—these are colonial cities. What matters is recognizing talent!" Archita pointed proudly to his own eyes.

"Just me, and not my brothers?" Juleios asked, finding a reason to decline.

"For so many people to join Tarantum, it wouldn’t be up to the magistrates or the Senate—it would require a vote by the citizen assembly, which would be much harder," Archita admitted reluctantly.

"Thank you for the invitation. After tomorrow’s battle, I’ll seriously consider it," Juleios replied, feigning earnestness.

...

Adriankes, Sesta, and even Drakos came to Juleios after receiving his invitation. When Juleios revealed his plan to them, they were stunned.

Unlike the Tarantum reinforcements and Juleios’s mercenaries, who had suffered minimal losses in the day’s battle, their forces had lost 400 men, with Drakos’s mercenaries hit the hardest. For his 2,000-strong force, the casualties were devastating. Participating in Juleios’s plan would likely result in even greater losses, so Adriankes and Sesta hesitated.

"Leader Juleios, I’m willing to join tomorrow’s battle!" Drakos, who had been sullen, suddenly declared, startling the others.

"There’s nothing to fear from the Lucanians. I was only dragged down by the Thurian forces today. I believe that if I fight alongside you tomorrow, we’ll make them taste defeat!" Drakos said fiercely.

Juleios hadn’t expected Drakos, with whom he had once clashed, to be the first to agree. This newfound respect for the man’s fighting spirit and resilience spurred him to address the hesitant pair. "Attacking the Lucanian coalition isn’t just for Thurii’s paltry wages—it’s to defeat them and seize Amendolara for ourselves!"

His words shocked the three men.

"You’re confident you can capture Amendolara?" Sesta asked, astonished.

"We’ve stormed many fortresses in Persia. A small hill town is hardly a challenge!" Juleios said confidently. "Once we take it, we’ll invite you to become citizens of Amendolara, granting you land to settle in wealthy Magna Graecia. Of course, if you’d prefer to return to the war-torn, impoverished Ionian region, feel free to ignore my offer."

"...Are you serious? We’d really get land?" Adriankes stammered.

"Of course. This is a decision we all share!" Juleios said firmly.

"But... won’t Thurii and Tarantum oppose this?" Adriankes asked after calming down. frёeωebɳovel.com

"Thurii has been devastated and lacks the strength to oppose us. As for Tarantum, they might be glad we’re doing this. We can defend Amendolara and keep the tribal hillmen from threatening their western borders."

The three exchanged glances and spoke in unison: "We’re in!"

"Excellent!" Juleios said enthusiastically. "We’re family now! Let’s fight for our future together!"

After finalizing their plans, Juleios instructed them to keep everything confidential, especially from the Tarantum forces.

...

Later, when Juleios prepared to send messengers to Thurii with urgent requests for reinforcements, he was informed that Bourkos had already arrived at the camp. As Juleios anticipated, Thurii’s city hall and council were now desperate for his help.

When Bourkos entered the tent, he wasted no time. "Leader Juleios, do you still intend to fulfill our agreement?"

Juleios hesitated deliberately before replying, "I am a man of my word, but after today’s defeat, we’ve lost many weapons, and several of my men are injured. Tomorrow, the Lucanians are sure to attack in force. My troops are under-equipped and demoralized. Before you arrived, my officers even suggested that we withdraw."

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