Mediterranean Hegemon of Ancient Greece - Chapter 752

[Chapter 98 Carthage’s Response to Defeat]

In such a situation, the Athenians did not think that they and Thebes alone would be able to fight against the mighty Sparta, and after urgent consultations between the executive committee of the generals and the council, Athens chose in front of the aggressive Spartan ombudsman. compromised.

They immediately recalled the two Athenian generals who were fighting at Thebes, and convened a citizens’ assembly to try them on the charge of “they had important public duties in Athens, but they entered the city without the permission of the Athenian government. Thebes, fighting against the Spartans, putting Athens in a dangerous situation… an act of dereliction of duty and treason.”

Although the vast majority of Athenian citizens supported the actions of the two generals in their hearts, they really did not want to go to war with the mighty Sparta at this time, so they voted in favor against their will and imposed the severest punishment on them—— Executed to appease the Spartans.

The Spartan Inspector was satisfied, and the Council of Elders was relieved after learning of Athens’ actions. Now they only need to concentrate on dealing with the only enemy – Thebes.

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After the news of “the fiasco of the Carthaginian army and the defeat of the Iberian navy” spread to Carthage, the people were shocked.

What made Carthage high-level grief grieved was the heavy losses of the Holy Corps. While crying over the deaths and injuries of their elite children, they were also very angry at the incompetence of the commander-in-chief Monte Adeno. He was sent back to Carthage to be judged by a court of hundreds and subjected to the cruel “crucifixion of the cross” in order to relieve their hatred (that is, nailing the criminal’s hands and feet to a wooden cross with iron nails) , let it be exposed to the sun and bleed to death).

Amid the outrage, Hanno did not defend Monte Ardeno and let the Senate pass the resolution.

After the Carthaginian Senate passed this issue, they began to discuss how to deal with the Dionian army that was advancing westward on the island of Sicily.

One of the new Sofites, Okridon, boldly proposed: “Everyone, it seems now… Dionia’s army and navy are powerful, and Carthage didn’t make adequate preparations before, so she took the plunge. It was wrong to go to war with Dionysus, now can we first consider… make peace with Dionysus temporarily to save the captured Carthaginian citizens while preventing the depleted western Sicily from being destroyed by Dionysus The demi

-humans are all occupied…”

As soon as Okriton said this, there was an uproar in the Senate, and Pretakuba immediately stood up and retorted loudly: “The war has only been going on for a month, and we in Carthage are about to surrender. Now?! I can’t believe this absurd proposal came from the mouth of our elected, honorable Sophie! We Carthage are not a small state, we are the ally of all the Phoenician city-states in the Western Mediterranean! We control Covering the vast areas of Sardinia, Corsica, Numibia, and southern Iberia, it monopolizes the precious metal trade in the entire Western Mediterranean. It

is the most powerful and richest country in the Western Mediterranean!

But you actually want us Surrender to Dionia, which was founded less than 20 years ago, what will the people of the areas under our control, our affiliated city-states, and our allies think! They will think that Carthage is too powerful! They will leave us, even to We sound the horns of war, like the Numibians! So now that the war with Dionia has begun, we must fight until we are finally victorious!”

Pretakuba’s thought-provoking remarks Many elders were touched.

At this time, Taipanlako stood up and said solemnly: “I think Lord Okleton and every elder here want to let Carthage defeat Dionia, but the current situation is – Dai Onia’s army is strong, they dispatched less troops than us, but they were able to make our army suffer a terrible defeat! Their navy also has an advantage! … We must admit that Dionia is indeed stronger than us in military terms now , we are not ready to go to war with Dionia at this time, but because some people are inciting the people for their own interests, Carthage is in the difficult situation today! I think first of all It is necessary to investigate these war-makers and put them on trial, so as to ensure that the Senate will formulate laws in the future, and will not fall into chaos! …”

As soon as Taipanlacco finished speaking, Pretakuba immediately retorted: “Masters, is it really that our soldiers in Carthage are not brave enough, our army is not strong enough, and our navy is not good enough?! No! It’s because our generals are not good! They are also fighting on Sicily, why the Iberian army led by Hasdruba can conquer Cerro Diham, while Monte Adeno has a heavy army, but is defeated in Minoan Under the city of Ya! I heard that after Monte Ardeno arrived in Liliba, he enjoyed wine every day, and searched for beautiful women everywhere. I never went to the military camp to learn about his troops and soldiers, and when he attacked the city of Minoa, he never How could such an incompetent commander inspire the fighting spirit of the soldiers by personally going into battle to supervise the battle, or even hiding in the tent to drink and enjoy

! The Arderno Cross is absolutely correct! Monte Ardeno is damned!” Some elders shouted angrily.

Immediately afterwards, many elders also responded by expressing their resentment towards him. Even Hanno was extremely dissatisfied with Monte Ardeno in his heart, and deeply hated that he had seen the wrong person, causing the entire political situation to be unfavorable to him.

In the midst of the noise, someone asked loudly: “Pretakuba, since you said that Carthage lost to Dionysus because of the incompetence of the commander, who do you think can lead the Carthaginian army and defeat the The Dionysians?!”

Hanno immediately turned around and looked back, finding that the speaker was an elder of the Margonid faction, and he couldn’t help but scolded: Shameless!

Just listening to Pretakuba immediately said loudly: “Ladies and gentlemen, I think you have all heard of the Lusitania in the western part of the Iberian Peninsula and the Celts in the northern mountains-”

Although most Carthians The elders of Ji have never been to Iberia, but in the past ten years, with Marco’s conquest of southern Iberia, they have also learned a lot about the situation on the Iberian Peninsula. It is said that these two races are A close branch of the southern Iberians, but more savage than them, living by killing and honoring death in battle.

Pretakuba saw that the attention of many elders was attracted to him, and then said solemnly: “These two Iberian natives have invaded the southern Iberian territory under the jurisdiction of the Governor Magog several times. He was repelled by his army. You must know that there are not only mercenaries in the Carthaginian army in Iberia, but also many Carthaginian citizens and Phoenician allies. Such a mixed army can defeat such a fierce enemy. , conquered such a large land for Carthage, why did the Carthaginian army, which had the more elite Holy Legion and more soldiers, be defeated by the Dionysian army, which was less than ours?!”

Pretaku Ba looked around the crowd and said loudly: “That’s because – only a lion-like commander can lead an army as brave as a lion; and a weak commander like a lamb, even if he is given the most elite soldiers, he can’t play. Their bravery! My lords, it is obvious that the one who can lead the army like a lion in Carthage to win the Dionian war can only be the governor of Iberia, Lord Margo!”

Although many people know Pretakuba would eventually say the name “Marco”, but when he said it, no one refuted it for a while, even his opponents had to admit that in military talent and established In terms of military exploits, no one can compare with Marco.

For more than ten years, the Carthaginians have not always lived in a peaceful and peaceful life. They have actively conquered the inland areas of Numibia south of Carthage. The rebellion of the Mibians, but the various tribes of Numibia have been under the economic control, cultural infiltration, alienation and bribe of the Carthaginians for hundreds of years, and it is impossible to organize a unified alliance to fight against the Carthaginians. Therefore, the intensity of the war is always small, far from being compared with the difficulties encountered by Marco alone to conquer the unfamiliar southern Iberia, so it appeared on the battlefield of Numibia and performed well As soon as Monte Ardeno came to Sicily, he was beaten down by the Dionians.

“Unfortunately, most of the troops led by Marco are not Carthaginians and Phoenicians…” Okleton said quietly, and he was talking about the issues that many elders were worried about before.

At this time, Pretakuba sneered: “Don’t Lord Margo want to have more Carthaginian citizens?! No! It’s because we simply can’t provide enough citizens to conquer the natives of Iberia! What’s more , Now we are faced with the fact that the kingdom of Dionia can organize more than 100,000 civic troops at one time, can we in Carthage do it?! We can’t do it! We even lost a few thousand Holy Legion soldiers We will all be saddened, UU reading www.sonicmtl.com So what can we do to compete with Dionia? We can only rely on mercenaries and alien troops!

Everyone knows that Spartan citizens are rare, and they have relied on allied soldiers for hundreds of years. Fighting against foreign troops and becoming the hegemon of Greece, I have never seen them worrying that the foreign troops under them will cause chaos! And Persia, which battle did not lead to more foreign troops than their own soldiers? But because of this, Persia Only then will a powerful and prosperous kingdom be established! What’s more, when Lord Shimilco led the army to attack Syracuse, there were also a large number of Numibians and Celts in the army! Why do we have to worry about these alien armies today who help us fight and maintain Carthage’s prestige in the Western Mediterranean?! Is it because our hearts have become fragile and cannot adapt to the strength of Carthage?! !”

Hanno insisted on Pretakuba’s final rhetorical question, certainly not because the Iberian army was largely mercenary and alien, but because the salaries of these armies were not paid by Carthage. It is provided by the institutions under the Ji Senatorium, and is directly paid by the Margonid family with the wealth they have earned on the Iberian Peninsula. In this sense, the Iberian army is the Margonid family. The family’s private army, this is what Hanno is worried about!

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