The Rise Of An Empire In Ancient Europe
Chapter 67 Inquiry and Explanation (Part 2)

Chapter 67: Chapter 67 Inquiry and Explanation (Part 2)

"...I posed as an envoy from Thurii, and after much effort, I finally reached Sparta. In the Gerousia, I explained to the Spartan elders the calamities Thurii had suffered and requested reinforcements from them."

"Brilliant!" exclaimed Phrynis, unable to hold back his admiration as Bourkos recounted this part of his journey. Several other generals visibly relaxed, reassured that Sparta did not seem overly concerned about Thurii’s past assistance to Athens.

"Fortunately, we acted promptly, or Sparta wouldn’t have treated us this way," Kunogorata interjected, and the other generals nodded in agreement. Whether Sparta’s attitude shifted due to Thurii’s expulsion of Athenian descendants or because they simply didn’t care about Thurii, the generals—many of whom had supported the expulsion—needed this pretense of justification to quell their lingering guilt.

Bourkos swept his gaze across the gathered generals and continued, "When I reached Miletus and began recruiting mercenaries like Drakos and Sessta, I started hearing a lot about Darius the Younger’s campaign against Persia, where he attempted to seize the throne with the help of Greek mercenaries."

The generals nodded. Although Thurii was thousands of miles from Asia Minor, they had heard of this. The news spread not only through merchant ships traveling across the Mediterranean but also through small traders and hawkers who ventured to the mercenary camps outside the city to do business, carrying stories and rumors back into Thurii.

"These Greek mercenaries defeated the Persian king’s vast army. Although Darius was killed, they repeatedly defeated the forces of Tissaphernes, the satrap of Asia Minor, and Orontes, the satrap of Armenia, during their retreat to Greece. It’s said they even killed several notable Persian generals. Marching thousands of miles, they constantly fought against local tribes, including some fearsome mountain peoples who even gave the Persians headaches. Generals, tell me, wouldn’t such a Greek mercenary force be incredibly experienced in combat? Wouldn’t they rival the Spartans?"

"Are you saying that the army you hired is..." one general blurted out, unable to contain his excitement, "the Greek mercenary force that campaigned in Persia?"

"Yes, generals." Bourkos finally let out a sigh of relief as he observed their expressions of astonishment and excitement. "Our last defeat against the Lucanians wasn’t just due to Asiculodox’s negligence but also because our citizens, having lived in peace for so long, lacked battle experience."

In truth, after Thurii repelled the initial Lucanian invasion, they launched a large-scale offensive into Lucanian territory. This wasn’t solely Asiculodox’s decision—almost every citizen and general of Thurii supported the campaign, driven by a burning desire for revenge. This collective overconfidence and recklessness led to a near-total annihilation of their forces.

Now, Bourkos conveniently shifted all the blame onto Asiculodox (who had already been scapegoated after the defeat), noting the approving nods from the generals. Internally, he despised their hypocrisy but maintained a solemn tone as he said, **"I thought if we could hire such a force, it would not only eliminate the threat facing Thurii but also deal a massive blow to the Lucanians. So I stationed my men in taverns and inns to track the Greek expedition’s movements. I feared Sparta might recruit them, especially since the Spartan commander, Thibron, had been appointed governor of Asia Minor and was already gathering troops in Miletus.

"To prevent this Greek expedition force from being hired by Sparta, I took a fast ship to the Hellespont and eventually found them in Byzantium. Most of the mercenaries, weary of war, were unwilling to leave their homeland for the distant and unfamiliar Thurii. Only the unit led by Juleios agreed to be hired after I offered them high wages and accepted some of their conditions. Even then, as we left Byzantium, we were intercepted by a Spartan fleet. It turned out that Thibron had sent envoys to recruit the Greek expeditionary army, particularly Juleios’s unit, which was the most elite. Several Persian generals had been killed by their hands.

"However, since I already had a signed mercenary agreement and recruitment authorization from the Spartan Gerousia, I managed to bribe the Spartan envoy with half a talent of silver, securing our departure..."**

"Generals," Phrynis said, his voice filled with emotion, "after receiving our assignment, Bourkos endured countless hardships, even risking his life. He showed neither fear nor hesitation but instead used his intelligence and resilience to complete the task—indeed, to exceed our expectations! We should commend him!" Phrynis clapped first, and the other generals followed suit. The applause echoed in the hall for some time.

Bourkos, caught off guard by this shift in tone, was unsure how to respond.

Kunogorata stepped forward, his expression sincere. "Bourkos, you are a hero of Thurii! Please forgive my earlier remarks. I shouldn’t have doubted you like that—it’s just that Thurii’s financial troubles have been weighing on us all."

Bourkos nodded, signaling his acceptance.

Neonsis also stepped forward to offer his apologies.

Another general, Ansitanos, added, "Shouldn’t we visit this leader of the Greek expeditionary force to formally welcome them and express Thurii’s gratitude?"

"Ansitanos," Kunogorata said seriously, "I know you want to hear more about Persia to continue your teacher Herodotus’s great work, The Histories. But now isn’t the time. I admit that the unit Bourkos recruited is exceptionally formidable, but they are still mercenaries—foreigners! We, on the other hand, represent Thurii. Let me remind everyone: soldiers accustomed to bloodshed and killing may not only intimidate enemies but also pose a potential threat to us. History is filled with such examples. We cannot let them grow too bold or entertain any unnecessary illusions."

"You’re absolutely right!" Neonsis shouted. "They’re just freemen we hired to fight for us with our money!"

Seizing the momentum, Kunogorata continued, "Neonsis is correct! No matter how strong they are, mercenaries are still mercenaries. We pay them, and that makes us their employers. Let’s not forget the nature of this relationship!"

Even Phrynis, despite his differing governance philosophy, had to nod in agreement. "Kunogorata is right. Let’s treat them according to the usual standards for mercenaries—there’s no need to overemphasize their importance."

At this point, Neonsis proposed, "Since we now have strong reinforcements and the Lucanians are about to attack, shouldn’t we re-discuss our strategy?"

Kunogorata immediately responded, "The villages and farmlands outside the city have been repaired, and wheat seeds have already been sown. We must defeat the Lucanians before they destroy the citizens’ property again!"

"Our last defeat was caused by overconfidence," Phrynis cautioned. "We lost over 10,000 citizens because of it. This time, we must be prudent. According to reports, the Lucanian army may exceed 10,000. Including our soldiers, mercenaries, and Tarentum reinforcements, we barely number 9,000, and that count includes many citizens over 40 years old."