Mediterranean Hegemon of Ancient Greece

Fibidas readily accepted that he was just a little hungry and picked up another piece of bread, covered with honey and chewed.

Agassius waited patiently for his meal before saying, "Can you tell me more about the details of the last time you envoyed Great Greece?"

Fibidas was refreshed.You know, when he returned, he reported to the Council of Elders, because when King Akis died, the elders were busy dealing with funerals and selecting new kings, and they were not interested in other things at all.

At the end of the briefing of Fibidas' envoy to Greater Greece, the new king of Sparta expressed concern about Dionia, and Fibidas immediately resigned to Dionysian After elaborating without any exaggeration.

Agassius supported his head with one hand, straightened up with a lame leg, listened carefully, and at the same time looked thoughtful.

When Fibidas finished, he said: "It seems that the Dionysians gave you embarrassment, and you don't have a good impression of them."

"I was angry because Dionia lacked due respect for Sparta, but personally I--" Fibidas paused for a moment, revealing a strange look, and said truthfully: "In fact, I am still more Appreciate Dionysia's..."

"Oh?" Agassius was surprised. "Why?"

"Perhaps because of the toughness they showed..." Fibidas recalled the situation and exclaimed: "Although I was only in a hurry to stay in Turui for a short time, I did not have a deal with Dionia Citizens have a very deep contact, but it feels to me... Dionysian soldiers are also very disciplined, and even heard that the Dionysian Senate also held a ceremonial ceremony for the generals and soldiers who returned from the victory. For me Feeling...feeling to me..."

Fibidas pondered and said: "Dionysia is like the Sparta of Great Greece..."

Teacher Agassi froze for a moment, then laughed jokingly; "You actually likened a city-state alliance ruled by tyrants to our Spartans of equal and free citizenship."

"Although Dionysia has only one consul and is still a lifetime, they still have elders, and based on my experience in the Dionysian elders, those elders seem to be able to influence the legislation of Dionys , The relationship between the consul and the elders of the Senate... uh... how to say? Anyway, unlike Syracuse, there is Dionysius alone!" Fibidas said seriously.

"You don't seem to have a good impression of Syracuse." Agsilaus glanced at him and said.

"I think anyone who hears that Syracuse can mobilize such a large force to attack Carthage, I am afraid that it will not be in a good mood!" Fibidas said very simply: "The tens of thousands of infantry will not Whatever it is, he still has thousands of cavalry and a huge fleet that is not weaker than us! Dionysius is an ambitious person!"

Agassius looked at him and smiled: "Pididas, you can see this, I'm very happy! In the later period of the war with Athens, we began to pay attention to the West, precisely through the relationship with Syracuse Sparta can intervene in Western affairs. Carthage is an ally of the Persians in the Western Mediterranean. We need an ally in the Western Mediterranean to suppress Carthage and protect the safety of Sparta’s rear. This is The reason we support Syracuse, but also let our Spartan power gradually deepen its influence in the Western Greek forces. However, some of the past Spartan practices blindly allowed Syracuse to expand and allow it to annex Sicily. The Greek forces of the United States may in the end cause trouble to ourselves. We don’t want our allies to be too weak, but we can’t make it too strong."

"Dear King Agsilaus, you are right! But now, Carthage still has an advantage in Sicily, and our Spartan power is concentrated in Asia Minor. At this time, we should still continue to support Syracuse." Fibidas understood the obscure words of Agassius, but he said frankly for the city-state.

"We don't need to do anything, and the power to suppress Syracuse's expansion has already appeared." Agsilaus did not feel uncomfortable, but instead smiled at him comfortably: "It was Daioni who made you uncomfortable before. Asia."

"Dionia?!" Fibidas was surprised first, then shook his head: "It can't be compared with Syracuse. Whether it is territory, population, or trade and military power, Syracuse is stronger than it is too. too much."

"It is indeed the case now, but Dionysia is expanding very quickly." Agsilaus said here, revealing a complex look: "I just received news from Greater Greece that Dionysia defeated Croto He also forced Crotone to cede the territory and signed an alliance treaty with it..."

"What happened?!" Fibidas widened his eyes. Not long after he left Great Greece, Dionia defeated Crotone again?!

Fibidas' face was unbelievable: "Crotone is obviously stronger than Dionia, and this time the Crotonians should not make another mistake, how could..."

"A hundred years ago, before the battle between Subaris and Crotone, many Greek city-states thought the same, but the result was that the weak Crotone won!" Agsilaus exclaimed: "Krithorpes It is true that Daveus is a military genius. Although Sparta regretted to miss him, it is not bad for him to lead Dionia against Siracusa."

"Dionia will definitely clash with Syracuse?" Fibidas still thought about how Dionia defeated Crotone. Some were absent, so he didn't pay much attention to it. Strong skeptical tone.

Agsilaus didn't care, saying: "Now Syracuse has occupied the eastern part of Sicily. With our support, we have accumulated such a powerful strength that we have drove the Carthaginian forces out of eastern Sicily, and It’s not a big problem, and it’s even possible...to completely expel Carthage from Sicily, even if it can’t do it, Syracuse will surely become the leader of the Greek city-state in Sicily. Like you said, Dionysius He is an ambitious person, will he be satisfied with that?" said Agsi Laos, dipping his fingers in oatmeal and drawing a simple map of Sicily on the dining table.

Fibidas shook his head.

"Will he bring troops into Afrika?" Agassius asked.

Fibidas shook his head hard.Just kidding, it was Carthage’s base camp. It had been in operation for hundreds of years. Syracuse dared to send troops to the land of Africa. Carthage would definitely let them go, just like the Spartan one hundred years ago. The army led by Dolius, the elder brother exiled by King Kleomenes.

"The only place where Syracuse can expand its power is here--" Agsi Laos then sketched a rough outline above Sicily: "Great Greece, he and Sicily are only separated by a narrow strait. It’s a Greek city-state, and Dionysius has always been cruel to his fellow Greeks..."

"You are right." Fibidas nodded and said yes.He and Agsilaus never thought of the Greek mainland on the east side of Sicily. They thought that Dionysius would not dare to offend these historic powers on the Greek mainland.

"Dionia now surrendered Crotone, Crotone further south, only the powerful city-states are left by Lockley and Lijim, and Lockley and Syracuse are allies, with Crowe Tony is a mortal enemy, and Crotone is now an alliance with Dionia, so the conflict between Dionia and Syracuse is sooner or later..." Agassius analyzed.

Fibidas stared at the table and shook his head. "Dionia is still too weak."

"As long as Dionysius's army set foot on the land of Great Greece, except for the Lockley League and Tarantum, I am afraid that other city-states will unite around Dionysia." Agsilaus said solemnly: " We don’t want another Syracuse in the Western Mediterranean, but as long as Dionia can cause enough trouble for Syracuse, I believe that Davos can certainly do it, so that Dionysius can’t Conquering Greater Greece within a time, then it is time for us Spartan to come out to mediate. Don’t forget that there is another Tarantum in Great Greece that is our friendly Spartan state."

Filipidas remembered his experience in Tarantum and said with a lip: "Tarantum may not necessarily listen to us."

"When Dionysia and Syracuse are strong, it will listen." Agsilaus sneered and extended three fingers to support the table: "Syracuse, Dior Niya and Tarantum are the three important city-states that maintain the stability of the Western Mediterranean. This is what the Council of Elders discussed after the Siracusa army attacked western Sicily and Dionia defeated Crotone. As a result, you don’t have to worry about Dionysia anymore."

"Dear King Agsilaus, I get it!" Fibidas understood that the indifferent old man in the council of elders would not care about the tangle in the mind of a young general, and Agsirous came to comfort him specially. For this, Fibidas is extremely grateful.

Agassius smiled faintly, as if this was just a hand-raising effort, and he said again, "I'll call you, there is one more thing."

Fibidas immediately leaned forward, a serious look.

Note: Agsilaus and Fibidas underestimated the boldness of Dionysius.In history, Dionysius really sent mercenaries and pirates to attack the Greek mainland, of course not Sparta, but it was the sanctuary of the entire Greeks-Delphi, attempting to ransack the Temple of Apollo and accumulate hundreds. The wealth of the holy treasury of the year to make up for the emptiness of the treasury caused by his years of war.