Mediterranean Hegemon of Ancient Greece - Chapter 1065

[Chapter 14 Reasons for Refusal to Send Troops]

“Your Majesty.” Ancitanos, who had been silent before, said first at this time: “The order established by the kingdom in central Italy is not very stable. The Etruscan alliance is the biggest force that has allied with us. And they have been very friendly to us in recent years, they are in trouble, of course we should help.

What’s more, the Gauls have always been the nightmare of all forces in central Italy, and its threat to the central region is increasing day by day, we Dionia As the leader of the entire central region, the confrontation with the Gauls is inevitable, and it is the main force trusted by other forces.

Now the northern part of the Etruscan alliance is very weak, and if we have to wait until the Gauls invade the south, we will send troops. Rescue, I am afraid that when the army gathers, most of the Etruscan territory has been occupied. By then, not only will the kingdom be resented by the Etruscans, but it will also reduce the trust of other forces in us, and it will be serious Affecting our construction in the Latium domain, making our military operations less smooth.

Now the Etruscan alliance has volunteered such good conditions that we can assist them in keeping the Gauls out of the mountains , to stifle their attempt to invade the south in advance and ensure the security of the central part. Moreover, they can also obtain more land, fully incorporate the Etruscans into the kingdom’s protection circle, and accelerate the kingdom’s influence on them. It’s a good thing, we shouldn’t refuse it!”

“Lord Ancitanos, we all understand what you’re saying.” The household registration minister Rafias objected: “But you should also understand that the Etruscans will part of the land Let us hope that the people who will live there in the future can join them in defending against the Gauls, but there will always be harassed by the Gauls, and there is a danger of losing their lives at any time, and which citizens are willing to move there Where?”

“What about those pre-citizens and registered freedmen?” Ancitanos asked seriously.

Rafias shook his head and said: “Since the end of the last war, there is still a lot of vacant land in the entire kingdom that has not been allocated. This is a well-known fact. We do not give priority to the allocation of domestic land, but require these They have finally accumulated enough merit and are about to become new citizens to go to Etruria to face the terrible Gauls, which is not only unfair, but also seriously damages the credibility of the kingdom and affects our long-term execution. immigration.”

After Raphias finished speaking, the palace was silent for a while.

After a while, the Minister of Supervision Sesta said: “Why don’t we send troops to directly attack the territory of the Gauls, completely conquer the Gauls, and solve this big trouble at one time?”

Archibald, the treasurer Si immediately said loudly: “The treasury is currently in a tight state, and there is not enough gold and silver to support a big war.”

Alexis also continued: “According to the information obtained now, most of the northern part of Italy is basically under high pressure.

The Lu people occupy it. Because there is a long river in its territory, its terrain is flat and the soil is fertile, so that the Gauls can also feed a large number of people with half-farming and half-grazing. It is said that it is precisely because of the large number of people that they want to Go south to take more land.

And to the north where these Gauls live are the continuous mountains, and there are more Gauls north of the mountains… If our army crosses the Etruscan region and marches north , will inevitably lead to a long-lasting war. Now that the kingdom has just slowly recovered from the last war, it is not suitable to start another big war in a short period of time.”

“Since the northern Etruscan region There are many dangers, we don’t need to build towns on the land they have allocated to us, we can build a military fortress like the Tulii military camp, the area can be smaller, and then send legionnaires on duty in turn,

just like La River It’s the same as a fortress.” Except for construction issues, Heraclid, the minister of construction who rarely speaks in other fields, rarely puts forward his own suggestions, because the several reconstructions of the Turii Barracks are all from his design, by him Completed under personal supervision.

He believed that this kind of military fortress, which integrated military defense, town facilities and daily labor, could play a greater role on the Etruscan border.

“Lord Heraclid’s proposal to build a military fortress in northern Etruria is indeed a good idea.” Alexis first praised Heraclid, and then said cautiously: “However, send legionnaires to There, it’s debatable to take turns on duty… Lahe Fortress is located in the heart of the kingdom, there is no danger, there are not many soldiers sent to guard, the rotation time is also very short, and the supply of military rations is also very convenient. It’s a must-have experience as a legionnaire’s reservist, so citizens have no problem with it. But having the legionnaires on duty on the northern border of Etrunia, the situation is completely different–”

Alexis cleared Clearing his throat, he analyzed slowly: “First of all, the number of soldiers garrisoned by each military fortress built on the Etruscan border must not be a small number. Because they will be facing fierce Gauls. , the soldiers had to defend the fortress and repelled the small Gaul troops that harassed the Etruscan territory. At the same time, they also had to take into account that in case of a sudden and massive southward invasion by the Gauls, the weak Etruscan The Ria army is unreliable, and they are far away from the kingdom, so they cannot get immediate and strong support. They must defend themselves for at least half a month before they can wait for the arrival of the kingdom’s army. Therefore, the strength of each fortress should not be less than 1,000 people. The border

between

the Etruscans and the Gauls is very long, and I am afraid that 3 to 5 such military fortresses can play a role in defending against Gallic harassment, which means that we must at least send 3000-5000 legionnaires, which is 3/5 of the number of a legion, is no longer a small number, and the rations and supplies it consumes are not a small number, even if the Etruscans agreed to provide material assistance for free, but In the long run, it is a question whether they can hold on. If we supply it ourselves, it will pay more, because the consumption of the road will also be counted…

Secondly, it is impossible for reinforcements to go to Etruria to rotate frequently, because our army is stationed in northern Etruria, where it is completely unfamiliar to our army, whether it is an opponent or an environment. Familiarize yourself with an unfamiliar battlefield environment, understand the situation of the enemy, understand the situation of friendly forces, and let the soldiers adapt to the battlefield life there… It takes a long time in all aspects, and it only takes a long time for the generals and soldiers to become familiar with the place. , they can fully exert their combat effectiveness, otherwise the frequent rotation of troops, the soldiers are not familiar with or even unfamiliar with the surrounding environment, then during the battle may increase casualties, or even cause failure, this is the “Dionysian Military Law” “Strictly Prohibited!

Alexis said this and glanced at Davos. Davos put his chin

in

his hand and nodded slightly.

Alexis continued with his expression unchanged: “So our army is stationed there, and the time required cannot be Too short, at least half a year.

And to keep the soldiers stationed for so long in an unfamiliar place where they are always facing combat, even the nearest soldiers of the XIV Legion (that is, a corps just formed a few years ago, the barracks are near Rome, and the soldiers come from Latin The Mum and parts of southern Etruria, mainly Kesrela and Viai) will inevitably miss their hometowns too, which will lead to low morale.

What’s more, these soldiers are the main labor of the family, tending the farmland, herding cattle and sheep, or engaging in other labor to earn money to support the family. The kingdom allows them to serve for a long time. Although they may be rewarded with some rewards, they cannot fulfill their duties as Dionian citizens. Other rights and obligations, I am afraid it will still cause them and their families to complain—”

“During the Western Mediterranean War, the soldiers fought abroad for more than a year. I think their performance is not very good. Well, no complaints.

“Antaoris said disapprovingly.

“That’s because His Majesty personally led the army and always paid attention to adjusting the soldiers’ war-weariness.” Alexis did not say this to compliment Davos, he explained with a serious expression: “At that time our army was with Rome. After the fierce battle, His Majesty held several competitions and banquets to liven up the atmosphere of the barracks. When going south to Sicily to fight the Carthaginians, the main force still avoided direct battles with them, and mainly trained, repaired and defended in the camps and cities. , coupled with the great honor of defeating the original Western Mediterranean overlord Carthage inspired them, so they were able to persevere to the end.

But if they are allowed to go to the northern border of Etruria, the commanders of the various fortresses cannot be very strong. Great prestige and charisma keep the morale of the soldiers high, and we can realize the importance of helping the Etruscan alliance to maintain the security of the kingdom, but the soldiers may not think so deeply, on the contrary, they will think It is meaningless to fight for a force that has nothing to do with them for a long time, which will cause them to lose any desire to fight.”

Speaking of which, he coughed and said in a serious tone: “What’s more, as long as we are not prepared Going to conquer the Gauls in the north, then helping the Etruscan alliance and defending the northern border may be a long-term task, one year, two years, three years… If things go on like this, I’m afraid it will lead to Dionia The soldiers of the various legions complained and even refused to obey the order and went to Etruria…”

Alexis made the situation so serious that it caused a commotion among the people around him.