Chapter 123
He reminded Epicthenis, "If these new recruits come, they will be different from the current Third Brigade. I'm afraid you will have to submit a proposal to the Senate and let the other elders discuss it. I can tell you for sure that I will do my best to pass this proposal. However, if you want to become a citizen, I'm afraid it will be harder for them to fulfill the conditions. You have to be mentally prepared. Also, it's best to go to the Eastern Mediterranean quietly. Don't provoke the people of Sparta! "
"Understood!" Epicthenis said excitedly.
Next, it was time for the company captain to present the flag. On top of the flag was an iron statue of Tisiphon, the goddess feared by the Greeks. She held a torch in one hand and a viper whip in the other. The flag under the statue was also embroidered with a gold star and the company number.
On top of the flag of the company captain was an iron statue of Cerberus, the watchdog of Cerberus.
The ceremony lasted for nearly two hours. From beginning to end, the morale of the soldiers in the square was high, and the cheers were endless.
In the end, Dyvers raised the military flag once again. Below the stage, all the phalanxes raised the flag, the company flag, the division flag, the gold, silver, and iron statues, the red and yellow flags, and the red, purple, and white hat tassels, which added some color to the impenetrable wall. But more importantly, with these, the morale of the soldiers would be higher, the commanding officers would be more efficient, and their actions would be faster. …
The Devers were happy to see a real army taking shape. He waved the flag and shouted, "Where the flag is, the team is! Where the flag is, the team is! Where the flag is! Where the flag is! "
"Where the flag is, the team is! Where the flag is, the team is! Where the flag is, the team is! Where the flag is! Where the flag is! "
… …
Most of the Lucarians couldn't understand what the soldiers were shouting about, but the tsunami of shouts created a huge pressure that sent chills down the spines of anyone who harbored animosity.
Vesba and his son, Bagoule, understood, so they remained silent for a long time.
Finally, Wesba let out a long sigh, as if he wanted to exhale all the uneasiness in his heart. "Child, do you still remember the wolf packs that we often see in the mountains? After the powerful wolf king defeats the other lone wolves, some of the lone wolves will choose to join the pack. Do you think those wolves are timid?"
"No, Father, I think they are the smartest, because they know that only under the leadership of a powerful Wolf King will they have enough food and won't be attacked by ferocious enemies. Only then will their bloodline be able to reproduce! … As for those arrogant wolves, they either died alone in the mountains or became food for other beasts! Bagoule understood what his father was thinking, so he took the opportunity to comfort him.
Wesba nodded as he made up his mind. "When I was young, I used to lead my people to make a living. I've seen the armies of many Greek city-states, Naples, Turií, Tarantum … But none of the Greek armies have touched me as much as they do! You have to know that Amendolar is just a small city. To have such an army, I'm afraid that what the Consul wants is not simple. Since we can't defeat them and have become their captives, then … we can only make a choice that is more beneficial to the survival of our people. I hope that the Greeks will not go back on their words! "
… …
While the whole city was still immersed in the excitement of the spectacular scene in the square yesterday, the commercial officer, Marigi, was at the Devers' house, telling him about his business plan. "Sir Consul, Amendolar has a small population and poor land. We don't have many wealthy citizens, no special products, and no port. If we use the usual methods, it will be difficult to attract foreign merchants to trade with us …"
The Devers nodded. That was the truth. The reason why Amendolar had maintained a population of 4,000 for more than 200 years was because the small city could not support any more people, so the extra people had to migrate to other places to make a living. That was why Amendolar had always been a small city. The Devers believed that since Marigi dared to say this, he must have come up with some good ideas.
"But …" Marigi raised his voice and said, "Our neighbor, Turií, has a very prosperous port. Every day, hundreds of merchant ships from other city-states come to Turií to trade. Our other neighbor, Heraclea, although it has not been built for long, has twenty to thirty merchant ships coming to trade with us every day. The port of Metapontum, which is further away from us, is also prosperous … But based on my observations over the past few days, there are some problems with their port and market. Because there are too many merchant ships and too many goods, there are not enough warehouses. Renting a warehouse requires a queue, so the goods are piled up in the open space. But after being exposed to the sun for a long time, they can easily rot and get lost. At the same time, because of the large number of foreign sailors, there are not enough hotels in the city. Not only is the cost of accommodation high, but so is the price of food, which makes them complain. Also, there are too many people in the port, so it is easy to have disputes. When there are disputes, the city-state takes too long to solve the problem. Not only does it delay the merchants, but it also tends to favor the people of their own city-state … "Marigi listed many of the disadvantages of the neighboring city-states. It was obvious that he had done a thorough investigation and even combined some of his experience as a merchant.
Hearing this, the Devers could vaguely guess what business he was going to start in Amendolar. Over the past few days, when he chatted with his wife, Kristoya, he found that compared to the modern people in his previous life, the Mediterranean merchants of this era did not have a bad economic concept. There was even a business called insurance (mainly maritime insurance) in the banking industry in Athens. What was even more frightening was that the people of Athens had learned to use money to promote and strengthen the commercial hegemony of Athens. Before the War of Peloponnesus, the people of Athens used the silver from the Laurian silver mine to make extremely pure silver "owl" coins (the head of the Goddess of Athens was engraved on one side, and the token owl of Athens was engraved on the other side). Even when Athens was at its most difficult, the people of Athens did not lower the purity of their silver coins, which made them very popular among the Greek city-states. Then, Athens forcefully unified the currency in the Delian League, which allowed Athens to firmly control the trade of the Delian League and strengthen its hegemony. More than two thousand years later, Uncle Sam picked up the work that the people of Athens had done. Therefore, the Devers did not dare to underestimate the wisdom of these ancient people. He did not hastily express his opinion, but listened attentively to Marigi's story.
"Turií is less than fifty miles away from us, and Heraclea is about the same. Metapontum is a little further, but it's only a little more than ninety miles away. We can reach it in an hour on a fast horse, and half a day for a caravan. So … "Marigi glanced at the Devers, and a proud smile appeared on his face." We can build a large number of warehouses between the Burano and Sisno rivers in Amendolar and charge a low rent. We can also build a large number of simple hotels, charge a low rent, and provide abundant food. I believe that will attract foreign merchants, sailors, and free people. When there are more people, we can build a bigger and better market next to the warehouses and hotels. We can use our good services to protect the interests of these merchants and sailors. Then, Amendolar's trade will definitely prosper! "
Marigi finished confidently. The Devers could not help but clap. Wasn't this the distribution center of the goods in his previous life?
"Very good, Marigi! It seems that you are worthy of being the commercial officer! " The Devers did not hide his admiration for Marigi. "Back then, Cyrus the Younger only let you be in charge of the trade in Media. It really buried your talent!"
At the mention of Cyrus the Younger, Marigi's expression became slightly gloomy. "Because compared to merchants, Cyrus the Younger preferred soldiers and farmers. He once said many times, 'He likes two kinds of people the most. One is the people who are the best at buying farm tools and livestock for the land, and the other is the people who are the best at protecting the land, farm tools, and livestock.'"
The Devers thought carefully and sighed. "Yes, after all, Persia is vast, and farmers and herdsmen make up the majority of the people. So, ensuring the stability of Persia is the most important issue. With so many affiliated countries, city-states, and races paying taxes to the royal family of Persia every year, Persia does not lack wealth. So, Cyrus the Younger was right. If he was still alive, he might have become a good king of Persia. Unfortunately, when so many people pinned their hopes on him, his life did not belong to him. But he did not understand this. Instead, he took such a big risk and personally led the army … What a pity! "
Marigi also sighed.
"I agree with all of your plans! Let me add a few more points. " As soon as the Devers finished speaking, Marigi immediately pricked up his ears. He knew that the Devers had extraordinary talent in business. The reason why the temporary market in Turií was so lively was mainly because of this consul.
"One is the road. Right now, we only have a dirt road connecting us to Turi and Heraclea. It's too difficult to travel, and it's not suitable for merchants to transport their goods. We need to build a flat, wide, and sturdy road. We also need to build strong bridges across the rivers. I'll start preparing for this soon. Another is the warehouse and hotel. Not only must we reduce the rent, but we must also ensure the cleanliness and safety. No theft or robbery is allowed. You need to discuss this with Hilos and come up with a solution. By the way, what is the tariff for Turií, Heraclea, and Metapontum? "
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