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“I will never yield to the Spartans, even if it leads to my death!” Grief and resentment filled Pelopidas.

Epaminondas kept calm as he gently persuaded him, “Calm down, my dear friend. You sacrificing yourself isn’t good for Thebes. Instead, you should quickly gather the anti-Spartan citizens who haven’t yet been captured and lead them to escape from Thebes.”

“You would have me run away as a coward?!” Pelopidas looked at Epaminondas in disbelief, as if he did not know him anymore.

Epaminondas became serious as he said, “When the Thirty Tyrants reigned over Athens, Thrasybulus chose to escape. Afterwards, he led the rebels to launch attacks many times and finally liberated Athens…I hope you can become like him!”

Thrasybulus’ deeds were widely known in Thebes as Thrasybulus led the exiles to take refuge in Thebes, and the Thebans took them in and provided them with support.

As Pelopidas began considering it, Charon and his other friends came to persuade him.

Finally, Pelopidas made up his mind, “Alright, I will go to Athens!”

While his friends all said goodbye to Pelopidas, Charon gave him a box containing gold and silver.

Pelopidas then hurried on the road to escape, but he swore to the gods that he would return to Thebes!

Everyone looked at Epaminondas after Pelopidas left. Even though everyone panicked when faced with this terrible news, Epaminondas kept calm as he persuaded the stubborn Pelopidas to go, which made Charon and the others look at this ordinary-looking man with awe. They then insisted that he should stay in this place.

Once the chaos in the city subsided, Epaminondas left immediately.

As he walked into the previously lively city because of the festival, the only thing he could see now was just a few people and puddles of blood in the streets. And from time to time, he would be questioned by the rude and arrogant Spartan patrols. Thus the always kind Epaminondas had his heart burning with anger…

. . . . . . . . . . . .

On this day, Sparta had carried out its attack perfectly, with Phoebidas taking complete control of the city of Thebes,

This incident also quickly shook the other city-states in central Greece, as Sparta had taken a city-state that wasn’t hostile without declaring war. With Sparta clearly violating Greek traditions and breaching the King’s Peace treaty, the other city-state began to feel uneasy. Athens, Corinth, Megara, Argos and other city-states sent delegates to Sparta to question them and demand they withdraw their troops stationed in Thebes.

For some time, the Gerousia fell into a passive state, with some elders berating Phoebidas for his recklessness. However, many more were pleased with the success of Phoebidas’ attack on Thebes, especially Agesilaus, who stated that: ‘Phoebidas successfully establishing a pro-Spartan government at Thebes is a great victory! Because even Lysander failed to bring Thebes fully to Sparta during and after the Peloponnesian War, while Phoebidas did it!’

But they must still do some superficial work to appease the anger of the other city-state. So the Gerousia decided to fine Phoebidas 100,000 drachmaes for misconduct (which he never really paid) and to return to Sparta and reflect on his actions. But they also announced that Phoebidas attacked the city of Thebes because they learned that the other polemarchos of Thebes, Ismenias, was secretly collaborating with Persia.

As one of the heads of the anti-Spartan faction of Thebes, the Spartans captured Ismenias once they breached the city so they could lay the charge on him. Then they declared that they would organise juries with the other city-states to judge the matter.

‘How dare Sparta try the ruler of Thebes for the crime of secretly collaborating with Persia?! That is ridiculous! Isn’t Sparta the biggest dog of Persia?!!’

The local Greeks inwardly swore at ‘Sparta’s audacity’ once again as they looked at the jury’s composition: Apart from the Spartans, the others are citizens of Sparta’s allies in the Peloponnese, so there is no justice to speak of as they all followed what Sparta dictates!

In the end, Sparta executed Ismenias for the crime of colluding with the enemy. And after summoning back Phoebidas, they sent another strategos to take over the defence of Thebes’ citadel with 1,500 Spartan warriors remaining stationed.

The Spartans remained thick skin in the ace of the other city-state accusations as they firmly grasped the results of Phoebidas without making any changes. And even though Athens, Corinth, Argos and the other city-state protested against this result, they did not take any more drastic action as the King’s Peace treaty weakened their strength. Moreover, Sparta’s strength forced them to hold on to their dissatisfaction. Still, Athens began providing support for the Theban, who continued to flee and seek refuge.

Although the Gerousia recalled Phoebidas, the task of suppressing the Chalkidiki League in northern Greece had to continue. Thus the Gerousia appointed Agesilaus’ brother, Teleutias, who had performed excellently in the Corinthian War.

At the same time, the Gerousia also decided to restore the city of Plataea, which Sparta destroyed 50 years ago. This town is just south of Thebes, guarding a passage from Corinth’s Isthmus to the Boeotia region. Finally, Sparta will now start expanding in central Greece.

. . . . . . . . . . . .

“Brothers, get up! We have a task!” The squad leader got into the tent and shouted.

The soldiers lying in bed and resting sat up immediately.

“Captain, what’s the mission?!” Adoris asked first.

“Commander Alexius ordered our Fourth Legion to attack Sipontum.” The squad leader replied.

“Just one legion?”

“Of course, the other legions also have their task. For example, the First Legion is going to attack Vieste…”

“Vieste, that place is really troublesome.” Adoris’ casual remark aroused the curiosity of his comrades, “Adoris, is it difficult to attack Vieste?”

“That isn’t the case.” Compared to these warriors who knew nothing about the Dauni region, Adoris had learned about it in detail from his father before the war against Dauni started. “Vieste is a small town that has less than 10,000 population. However, it is located at the top of the Gargano peninsula and is at least 75 kilometres from Lucera to Vieste. And since half of it is mountainous, the First Legion would have to take a long detour and march along the coast for safety…”

“How far are we from Sipontum?” Asked another soldier

Adoris thought for a moment and said, “It shouldn’t be more than 25 kilometres.”

“That’s great!” the soldiers sighed in relief.

“Don’t be happy too early. We might encounter Daunian warriors at any time on our way, so legatus Olivos asked us to march fully armed!”

The squad leader’s warning didn’t make the soldiers dissatisfied. From the beginning of the war until now, the casualties of the Theonian army were small. However, the recruits who had experienced many battles had shed their initial enthusiasm and longing as they felt the cruelty and viciousness of war, which included Adoris.

“Put on your armour, pick up your weapons and gather outside. If you are late, you will experience the discipline of legatus Olivos!”

. . . . . . . . . . . .

Although the Theonian army captured Lucera, Alexius only allowed the First Legion to enter the city to maintain order, while the other legions continued to stay in their camps outside the city. After all, the Daunians would soon become the people of Theonia, so too many soldiers entering the city would be unmanageable and inevitably lead to conflicts and disputes. And Alexius was afraid that the Daunians’ extreme antipathy towards the Theonians would lead to revolts, making it difficult to govern the place in the future.

After the Fourth Legion assembled, they left the camp and marched eastward.

After a short walk, they saw the broken city wall of Lucera standing not far from the north, which told the tragedy of the siege the day before yesterday.

Adoris still clearly remembers it:

“That morning, the army surrounded the city of Lucera, with thousands of cavalry galloping around and the Tenth Legion acting as a reserve to detect and defend the arrival of Daunian reinforcements.

The Fourth Legion he belonged to was responsible for attacking the west. On their side alone, they were equipped with 20 ballistae and four colossal siege towers.

At the command of legatus Olivos, the soldiers started firing the ballistae, pushed the siege towers forward, and the soldiers carried siege ladders as they rushed towards the city walls while shouting the name of Hades. Such a sight was even more exhilarating for Adoris than the previous Battle of Ofanto, as his brigade acted as the second wave of the siege this time. So even though he didn’t immediately engage in the battle, he could watch the whole battlefield more clearly.

Although he didn’t know if it was because of him that Olivos had put his brigade in reserve, he didn’t stop worrying over the siege battle that was being stalled and ached every time he saw soldiers falling from the city wall from time to time.

But it was only when a centuria attacked the top of the city wall did legatus Olivos ordered the reserve troops to attack, so Adoris and his comrades rushed up the ladder of the siege tower with high morale and swiftness to attack the frightened defenders…

The Daunians’ resistance didn’t last long before it ended. While they were excited about the victory, the legatus sent people to clean up the battlefield; there, they saw their wounded and groaning comrades, as well as many brothers who died in battle. Adoris, who was in high spirits, felt like a jar of cold water was poured on him as he experienced at that moment the cruelty of war…

“Do you think we can still watch the champions league when we return to Thurii after the war ends?” a comrade beside him interrupted Adoris’ thoughts.

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