Mediterranean Hegemon of Ancient Greece

Seclian smiled, “Your Majesty, you can rest assured. I am also a statesman, so how can I act recklessly?!”

Davos also laughed, “I am comfortable with you sitting in the southern sea area. But after you have completely controlled the sea in Sicily, don't completely block the sea passage between Carthage and Sicily.”

“Why?” Seclian blurted out, confused.

“We must give Carthage hope so they can continue consuming their resources and send Carthaginian citizens to Sicily…” Davos' eyes gleamed coldly.

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

“Commander, how can you allow Hasdrubal to independently lead his army to attack the northern coast of Sicily?!” Milkpilles burst into the commander's quarters and loudly questioned Muntebaal.

Muntebaal did not reprimand Milkpilles for his audacity. Instead, he shrugged and asked helplessly, “If we don't let him go, what can we do? Should I punish him with military law just because he refused to send his troops as a vanguard? He had quarrelled with me for three days, which seriously interfered with my command of the rest of the troops!”

Milkpilles was momentarily speechless as he realised that since Hasdrubal was the most crucial member of the Magonids, punishing him for a dispute over military opinion wasn't something Muntebaal, with his average background and strength, would dare to do. If Muntebaal were to carry it out, there was a risk that it would instead give Mago an excuse to withdraw the troops he had sent, so he could only relent.

So Milkpilles reluctantly say, “We can report Hasdrubal's insolence in refusing military orders to the Senate and let them punish him!”

Muntebaal shook his head inwardly, thinking that Milkpilles was still too young. Asking the Senate for help before the war started would make the Elders believe he was incompetent, so how could Hanno feel assured to hand over command of the army to him?!

Then after thinking of something, a sneer appeared on his face, “It's actually a good thing for Hasdrubal to take his army to attack the north coast. If he attacks with all his might, he will draw and distract the Theonian army's attention, which would only help us. But if he doesn't act, the Senate and the people will see their inaction, and when they compare it to our achievements, it will only humiliate the Magonids. And once Mago learnt of it, I am sure he would force Hasdrubal to attack desperately, for he highly values the family's reputation more.”

Milkpilles thought for a moment and then smiled.

“How are your soldiers now?” Muntebaal asked again worriedly.

“They are all eager to fight!” Milkpilles replied.

“That's good.” Muntebaal nodded in satisfaction, knowing that the Sacred Band* led by Milkpilles would be the main force of this Carthaginian army, “Go back and get ready; we will soon attack east along the southern coast.” (T/N: The Sacred Band is the elite infantry units made up of Carthaginian citizens)

“Yes, commander!” Milkpilles left excitedly.

Having said goodbye to Hanno's son-in-law, Muntebaal felt relieved and was about to call the servant to bring a bottle of wine when suddenly a guard entered and reported, “Commander, the chief of the Sikeloi, named Archonis, has come to see you again.”

“No!” Muntebaal waved his hand impatiently, ‘A Sikeloi chieftain who has lost his people and is like an abandoned dog in the city of Lilybaeum is also worthy of visiting me?!’

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

Hasdrubal led his mixed force of twenty thousand and quickly left Lilybaeum by boat, heading north and landing at Panormus, a coastal city-state in northwestern Sicily.

Panormus was a city-state founded by the Phoenicians and had always remained under Carthaginian rule. And because of the reputation of the Magonids, the people of Panormus gave Hasdrubal a warm welcome. But when they saw fewer Phoenicians or Carthaginians in this massive force and were basically all foreigners in various dresses, they were so surprised that they refused to let them enter the city.

Fortunately, the land around Panormus was the widest of the cities on the northern coast, so Hasdrubal and Khilletztartus led the army to set up a temporary camp outside the city.

At the suggestion of Khilletztartus, Hasdrubal decided to use the city as a rear base because of its good geographical position and surroundings. So they spent a few more days setting up the camp, stocking up on food and leaving some soldiers behind, and began to lead the army eastwards.

This time they travelled overland, and after just over two hours' march, they arrived at another Phoenician city, Saluntum. It was here that Dionysius' army and the Carthaginian army led by Mago fought fiercely for months, not because it was a large city but because this modest city completely blocked the land route from the mountains to the coast, making it much more difficult to attack.

After a short stop here, Hasdrubal's army continued to march. The following path was much more arduous, with the sea to the left and towering mountains to the right, averaging about a thousand metres above sea level, and this passable coastal path was also undulating and less than a kilometre at its narrowest point, slowing the march of the entire army.

It was already three in the afternoon when they left the narrow coastline and stepped onto the soft land with low hills.

Hasdrubal was thrilled when the guide told him that Himera was ahead. So Hasdrubal immediately ordered the army to rush to the banks of the Himera River, set up a makeshift camp and prepare to spend the night.

Meanwhile, Hasdrubal, Khilletztartus and their guards rode on horseback to the place of significant importance to the Magonids.

Decades earlier, his predecessor Hamilcar had led the Carthaginian army to besiege the largest Greek city-state on the northern coast of Sicily, only for Gelon, the then tyrant of Syracuse, to arrive with reinforcements and eventually defeat Hamilcar's army.

Then, more than ten years ago, Hasdrubal's father, Himilco, led the Carthaginian army to land on Sicily again and take the city that had brought shame to the Magonids. Himilco then built an altar to Baal Hamon to comfort the spirits of his predecessor and wash away the previous humiliation by sacrificing thousands of prisoners.

When Hasdrubal and the others arrived, the city of Himera no longer existed. Instead, there was only a patch of ruins overgrown with weeds and only the river called Himera running through the ruins.

On the east bank of the Himera River were Greek villages with their inhabitants who were now fleeing east with their families.

The guards were about to move forward and intercept them, but Hasdrubal stopped them, “Don't worry, they still won't be able to escape!”

Hasdrubal dismounted and walked slowly around the ruins for a while. Then, as the troops arrived one by one at the river's edge, Hasdrubal said to Khilletztartus with a serious expression, “When we win, I will build an altar here. And this time, it will be our turn to wash away the family's shame!”

Khilletztartus nodded solemnly.

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

The morning of the following day, Hasdrubal gathered his troops and continued marching while he rode his horse at the head of the column.

Ahead lay the river Himera, and further east was Greek territory. So once the Carthaginian army crossed that river, it would mean declaring war on the Greek forces in Sicily.

Without hesitation, Hasdrubal urges his horse across the Himera River, opening the war between the two greatest powers in the western Mediterranean: the Kingdom of Theonia and Carthage.

At midday, the Carthaginian army marching along the coast suddenly halted when the Greek town of Cephaloedium blocked their way.

Compared to the city of Saluntum, Cephaloedium has a more precarious terrain, with its peaks of three hundred metres above sea level on the coast and mountain ranges averaging five hundred metres above sea level on the inland side. And the plain between the mountains, where Cephaloedium is located, is only four hundred metres wide.

As soon as Hasdrubal saw the precarious terrain, he immediately ordered the troops to form a dense column, as the narrow terrain didn't allow them to spread horizontally. After stretching for several kilometres, they blew the horns, beat the drums, and the soldiers roared.

He then sent his men into the city to persuade them to surrender, threatening to slaughter everyone, but they severely refused him.

So Hasdrubal ordered the troops to retreat a kilometre away and began preparing the siege equipment while building a makeshift camp.

Having suffered enough from ballistae, gastraphetes and siege towers when Dionysius attacked the many Carthaginian cities in Sicily in the past, the Carthaginians concentrated their efforts on developing siege equipment over the years.

While assembling the ballistae and gastraphetes, the soldiers began cutting down trees to make ladders and siege engines.

On the other hand, the people of Cephaloedium sent messengers from the port to Mylae to ask the Theonians for help.

The next day, Hasdrubal led his army to attack the city of Cephaloedium.

Since the people of the city had received the reminders of the Theonians half a month ago, they had begun reinforcing the city's defences under the Theonians' guidance. Furthermore, the narrow terrain prevented the Iberian soldiers from fully using their large numbers. And since the city's western wall was the only place to attack, it became advantageous for the people of Cephaloedium as it allowed them to concentrate their defences.

After a day of fierce fighting, they couldn't even reach the top of the city walls, and the Iberian troops could only withdraw and return to their camp.

The following day, Hasdrubal led the army back into battle, but again the siege failed, which went on for several days.

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

Two days after the departure of the Iberian army, Muntebaal led the Carthaginian army as they set out from Lilybaeum and marched east along the south coast. The army then reached Mazara in the afternoon.