Chapter 984
The Devers stared at the confident Saterian. After a moment, he smiled. "This is the Saterian I know. I'm looking forward to the news of victory you'll bring me!"
After Saterian left, the Devers pondered for a moment before sending someone to call for Tormid and Printos.
"What do you think about transferring the Third Fleet to Sicily?" the Devers asked directly.
Tormid knew that the Devers had called for Saterian. Although he didn't know what the Devers had discussed with him, he heard that Saterian was in a good mood when he left. Hence, he asked carefully, "Your Majesty, why did you think of transferring the Third Fleet?"
The Devers glanced at him and said, "Our current strategy is to cut off the sea transportation line of the Carthage army, causing the Carthage army to fall into a predicament of food shortage and eventually be defeated by us. However, judging from the setback suffered by the Sicilian fleet yesterday, although our navy has the advantage, it's not an absolute advantage. The Carthage navy still has considerable strength and can still pose a great threat to our fleet. Moreover, the coastline of the western sea is winding and complicated, making our fleet, which has the advantage, busy cruising the long sea every day. It's very passive and also suppressing the Sicilian fleet from displaying their advantages. However, if we let them take the initiative to attack, they won't be able to seal off the sea, allowing the Carthage army to continue providing assistance to Sicily … "
"It's mainly because the navy in Sicily is not strong enough to attack and seal off the sea at the same time," Printos said.
"That's right." The Devers nodded and said, "The original mission of the Third Fleet was to attack Sardinia and seal off the route between Carthage and it. However, if we transfer the Third Fleet to Sicily, we'll have enough warships to cut off Carthage's route to the outside. The effect will be even better because our ultimate goal is to defeat Carthage. As long as we concentrate on destroying the Carthage army in Sicily, all the problems will be solved … "
After listening to the Devers' analysis, Tormid was convinced. However, he reminded, "Your Majesty, after the Third Fleet is transferred to Sicily, who will be in charge of commanding the entire navy?"
The Devers understood what he meant. If it was in the past, it would not be a problem for Secorian to be the commander-in-chief of the entire navy. However, in this war, Midolades stood out and won consecutive victories, becoming another star in the navy. Naturally, he was much more ambitious than before.
The Devers pondered for a while and said, "Midolades used to be Secorian's subordinate, so it's safer to let Secorian be the commander-in-chief. However, Midolades is more stable. We should … arrange them this way. The Third Fleet will be mainly responsible for patrolling the Sicilian sea, while the Sicilian fleet will be mainly responsible for attacking … Of course, this is only a suggestion. As for how to implement it, we still need Secorian and the others to come over and discuss it together."
"Your Majesty, why don't we station the Third Fleet on the north coast?" Printos suggested, "This time, the reason why Carthage was able to successfully transport the supplies to Sicily was because the Sicilian fleet fell for it. On the other hand, the coast north of Eryx was relatively far from Serinus, where the Sicilian fleet was stationed. From the port of Serinus, it would take the fleet more than three hours to reach Eryx at the fastest, and more than five hours to reach Palemos. In the future, Carthage may continue to use this time to target the coast north of Eryx and transport rations for the Sicilian army. And if the Third Fleet was stationed on the north coast, they could better monitor the sea around Palemos and Sorus, so that Carthage's plan could not be realized.
"In the friendly city-state of the north coast, Thadium is the closest to Sorus and Palemos, but it's a small city. I'm afraid it doesn't have a good military port to accommodate our Third Fleet. The situation of the other friendly city-states on the north coast is similar. I'm afraid that the only town on the north coast that can accommodate the Third Fleet is Messina, but it's too far from the west. It's not as good as Serinus." Tormid raised his own objection.
Printos's proposal greatly moved the Devers. Even with Tormid's reminder, he still said, "There are no military ports on the north coast. We can build simple ones first. Isn't that what we're doing here?"
Seeing that the Devers agreed with this proposal, Tormid did not raise any further objections. Instead, he brought up another matter. "Your Majesty, you previously asked the Ninth Legion to assist the Third Fleet in attacking Sardinia. I'm afraid that they've already begun their operation. If we call back the Third Fleet at this time, should we let the Ninth Legion return to Apulia?"
"The Ninth Legion …" The Devers thought for a moment and said, "Then let the Ninth Legion act together with the Third Fleet … Carthage's army is now concentrated on the south coast and the territory of the Sicans. The north coast is defenseless, and the Ninth Legion can attack Sorus or even Palemos. Once they succeed, not only will the Third Fleet have a better port, but it will also shorten the fleet's cruising distance, which will be more conducive to sealing off the western sea. Even if it doesn't succeed, it can also divert Carthage's forces … Heniboris, immediately write a letter in my name to the Midolades and Tegthenos, and ask them to lead the army to Thadium as soon as possible. "
"Yes, Your Majesty." Heniboris dexterously cut a piece of papyrus, then picked up a pen and began to write.
At this time, Martius walked into the big tent. "Your Majesty, a battle report from Syracuse."
The Devers took the papyrus scroll tied with a black rope. After quickly reading it, his face was full of smiles as he glanced at the others in the tent and said excitedly, "Good! Well done, Prososus! Everyone, let me tell you a piece of good news. The main city of Syracuse has been seized by us! "
… …
On the day that Therian went to Minoa to be criticized by the Devers, in the middle of the west coast of Sardinia, the sky had just brightened when five Carthage cargo ships arrived outside the port of Saint Iberia. During this period of time, such a situation was very common. Due to the Dionysian fleet's harassment in Sardinia, many of the Carthage merchant ships that came to transport goods could only take advantage of the time when the Dionysian fleet had not come to Sardinia's waters to rush to the various Phoenician towns and ports on the island to transport the goods that were accumulated in the port.
As the cargo ships were all manned by Phoenician crew members, coupled with the lack of time, the patrol ships did not carefully interrogate them, and they were allowed to enter the port.
In the early hours of the morning, in the middle of the west coast of Sardinia, the Third Fleet that was originally traveling south along the coast suddenly approached the sea.
The coast here was densely covered with reefs, and the shore was also mostly cliffs. There was no suitable place for ships to dock, but there was a river called Mannu that flowed into the sea from here. On both sides of the estuary, there was a relatively wide area of mudflat, which was especially obvious when the tide was low. The mudflat was covered with slippery, soft, black silt. It was easy for people to step on it, and it was very difficult for them to pass through.
However, the Third Fleet was fully prepared. The Crow warships sailed into the mudflat near the north bank of the estuary. The infantrymen of the fleet carried bundles of wheat straw that they had prepared in advance and carefully disembarked from the ships. They placed them on the mudflat, and then laid wooden planks on top of them. Soon, a wooden plank road leading to the riverbank was built.
At the front was the mountain reconnaissance squad of the Ninth Legion. They staggered on the wooden planks and finally reached the riverbank. Using the climbing tools they carried with them, they easily climbed up the not-too-steep riverbank. Then, more than a dozen rope ladders that had been prepared beforehand were hung down, and the infantrymen of the fleet quickly climbed up.
More than half an hour later, 4,000 infantrymen of the fleet landed on the north bank of the Mannu River, and then quickly marched inland, preparing to raid Saint Iberia, which was not far from the coast.
The city of Santa Iberia was a metal-processing center of the Phoenicians on the island of Sardinia. Hundreds of years ago, it was originally a town of the Nuragi, the indigenous people of Sardinia. Because of the rich iron and silver mines in the nearby mountains, they used these precious metals to trade with the Etruscans on the Italian Peninsula, which was located in central Italy, across the Tyrrhenian Sea.
After the Phoenicians colonized this island, through trade, marriage, assimilation, war, and other means, a hundred years later, the original indigenous Nuragi of Sardinia basically retreated into the mountains in the north, and the south became the territory of the Phoenicians. Apart from the city of Olbia at the northeast end, Saint Iberia was the northernmost town of the Phoenicians, and the Phoenicians developed it into an important metal-processing center on the island of Sardinia.
Saint Iberia was located in the low hills not far from the coast, close to a river called Temo to the north. Because the terrain around it was relatively flat, it was easier for the output of the mines established by the Phoenicians in the north and the ores dug in the mountains by the Nuragi to be traded here. Then the people of Saint Iberia processed and smelted the ores into metal ingots, shipped them through the port of the Temo River, and transported them to Carthage or other places. The annual production of precious metals in Saint Iberia accounted for almost half of the metal production of the entire island of Sardinia. Because of this, Saint Iberia was very important to the Phoenicians of Sardinia and to Carthage.
In the past, when the navy of Carthage dominated the western Mediterranean, Sardinia was safe. The Phoenicians on the island could fish, farm, and develop metal-processing with peace of mind. They did not have to worry about foreign enemies invading. However, since the war between Carthage and Diónia, the navy had always been at a disadvantage, and the security of the island of Sardinia had also been threatened. Fortunately, the geographical location of Saint Iberia was not conducive to the landing of the Diónia people from the sea, and the previous Diónia attacks on Sardinia had never happened near Saint Iberia.
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