The Rise Of An Empire In Ancient Europe
Chapter 65 Building the Camp

Chapter 65: Chapter 65 Building the Camp

Cletipus glanced left and right, wanting to say something more, but when he saw Matonis’s expression, he wisely shut his mouth. Everyone knew that if Matonis, the squad leader, got truly annoyed, he would resort to his fists without hesitation. Of course, his reputation for protecting his men was also well-known throughout the army. Holding back his frustration, Cletipus raised his tool and furiously dug into the ground.

Matonis, uninterested in engaging further, grabbed a wooden basket filled with soil, climbed a wooden ladder to the surface, and dumped the dirt onto the growing mound intended for the camp’s earthworks. He glanced at the progress of his squad and found it acceptable. But when he looked over at the adjacent squad, led by Olivers, his urgency grew. Standing at the edge of the trench, he shouted, "Brothers, pick up the pace! Let’s aim to finish first and win the leader’s promised reward! And if anyone slacks off and holds us back, don’t think I’ll let it slide—understood?"

"Hurrah!" the veterans howled enthusiastically, while most of the new recruits responded half-heartedly.

"Leader," Asistes said, "this time, in building the camp, we not only have to dig trenches, build earth walls, and construct watchtowers, but also erect wooden palisades on the walls, set up walkways behind them, dig traps in front of the trenches, and embed sharp stakes. Isn’t this a bit too complicated? The workload is much greater than before. The soldiers are all complaining—do we really need this?"

While keeping an eye on the camp’s progress, Juleios replied confidently, "Of course it’s necessary! Bourkos said that last year, at least 10,000 Lucanians attacked Thurii! Unlike Thurii, we don’t have tall, thick city walls to protect us. Without building a solid defensive camp, how could we withstand the Lucanian attacks?"

Asistes shook his head, acknowledging the point.

"That’s why this complex camp design is essential," Juleios continued. "It’s tiring, yes, but once completed, the soldiers will feel safe resting inside it, and the enemy will have no way to break through. Besides, the camp doesn’t have to be built in a day—it can be completed over several days." Seeing Asistes still pondering, Juleios added, "Didn’t I already ask you to gather the soldiers who’ve worked as carpenters and form an engineering corps? Let them lead the others in constructing the wooden palisades, watchtowers, and walkways. Once they gain experience this time, future camp constructions can follow this model."

Asistes, genuinely impressed, said, "Leader, you’ve thought of everything!"

Juleios smiled. He was simply borrowing a tried-and-true method from history. The Roman legions had perfected the practice of "building a fortified camp wherever they went" over centuries of warfare. Juleios hoped to instill this military tradition into his own army.

"Leader, Phelicius is back," Asistes noted, seeing Phelicius approaching from the north.

Juleios quickly went to meet him and asked, "What’s the situation?"

"Bourkos was right. About ten miles north, there’s a small river, and beyond it lies a forested mountain."

"Is crossing the river easy?"

"The water is shallow, but we spotted Lucanian scouts. According to the guide, they might be from the city of Amendolara."

This news made Juleios pause in thought. After a moment, he decisively said, "Bourkos mentioned that the Lucanian force remaining north of Thurii is relatively small. I’ll give you 500 soldiers and 100 strong slaves. Lead them to the forest. Have some cut timber while others stand guard. If possible, scout further north and gather information about the area around Amendolara."

"Understood," Phelicius replied.

On a large boulder about 100 meters from Juleios’s camp, Drakos stood with two other mercenary leaders, observing the construction below.

"What are they doing? Why make a camp so complicated? This isn’t a camp—it’s a fortress! Did the Thurians approve of this?" one leader mocked.

"Adrianxes," said the second leader, "you have to admit, if this complex camp is completed, the Lucanians would have a hard time attacking it! Look at our camp in comparison—it’s embarrassingly simple. I heard from the Thurians that the Lucanians are gathering troops in Laos. If they launch a major offensive, we’ll likely be their first target. Shouldn’t we consider reinforcing our camp as well?"

"Sessta, you know what our soldiers are like. They’re eager when asking for money but lazy when it comes to working!" Adrianxes said helplessly.

"That’s exactly what puzzles me. Look at them—" Sessta pointed at the busy soldiers in the distance, working energetically. "They’re nothing like typical mercenaries. Even some citizen militias from city-states don’t work this efficiently. They remind me of Spartans! But when I heard their accents earlier—Thessalian, Rhodian, Thracian, Cretan, Chersonesian, Chian—they’re as diverse as ours!"

"Don’t overthink it. Even though we fought them, they bear no ill will toward us. They even helped treat our wounded. Let’s avoid provoking them in the future. Besides, their strength is reassuring—it’s good to have such strong allies nearby," Adrianxes said thoughtfully. Jumping off the boulder, he added, "Come on, let’s not linger here and give them the wrong impression."

Adrianxes had sensed the intimidating strength of this mercenary group and instinctively wanted to keep his distance.

"I still think we should consider reinforcing our defenses," Sessta said as he followed.

"Fine, we’ll discuss it with the soldiers when we get back," Adrianxes replied with a resigned shrug. Walking a few steps, he stopped and called out, "Drakos, let’s go!"

Drakos grimaced, his swollen chin aching with every movement. He cast a long look at Juleios’s camp before following the others.

Back at their camp, the wounded soldiers had returned from treatment. From them, Adrianxes and the others learned the true identity of the men they had fought earlier—they were part of the Greek mercenaries who had joined Darius the Younger’s expedition to Persia.

This revelation astonished them. Stories of the Greek mercenaries’ exploits in Persia had already spread across Ionia and Asia Minor. Sailors and merchants who frequented the Ionian cities exaggerated and dramatized tales of the mercenaries’ battles in Persia, turning them into legends. By the time Juleios’s group had reached the Ionian coast, their reputation had preceded them. Many mercenaries envied their extraordinary journey and saw them as heroes, for no Greek army had ever ventured so deep into Persian territory.

Upon learning that the group who had so thoroughly defeated them were these famed mercenaries, their resentment vanished. Instead, they felt admiration. "No wonder they fight so well—they’re the Greek mercenaries who returned from Persia! And now, they’re right next to us!"

Unable to contain their excitement, soldiers ignored their leaders’ orders, rushing out of the camp toward Juleios’s. They eagerly sought to hear firsthand tales of the legendary Persian expedition from these heroes.