Augustus Road

"Cyrus eats well, so I'll let you taste it too." - The note attached to the food that Cyrus gave to his subordinates

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There was still plenty of time, so Alp also suggested that the team could be trained step by step during this period. The Eciopes had basically never been exposed to bows and arrows before, so they could be divided into teams and first trained with simple single bows for hunting, while the Vipicinas were the first to adapt to the Nubian composite bows and sent people to Upper Egypt to purchase a large number of ready-made composite bows.

When the Parthians' new bows and arrows were really placed in the center of Lepidus' courtyard, all the generals had different expressions. Sabo and Gabe were quite interested, while Antony, Peteneus, Hybrida and other native Roman officers were dismissive of it. After Alp raised it, he put on the string and pulled it to the full, and his face suddenly became serious. He turned around and said that even if the range of this bow was not as great as the legend, it was obviously more than half the distance of ordinary bows. After that, he put on the arrow and released it far away. The arrow whistled and directly brushed past the high tower, flew far outside the yard, and then fell down.

Matthias ran out on his toes and came back with the arrow a while later. He also reported the actual flying distance very accurately, and said that the arrow was stuck in the tree trunk. He took a lot of effort to pull it out and even tore off a large piece of bark.

"This is natural, because this arrowhead has a serrated barb and a sharp edge, which is enough to shoot through the legion's lock curtain first. Or shield. And in the process of pulling it out, I guess the flesh and blood of most of the people who were shot will be pulled out, and they will be worse than death, or die directly." Li Bi Da squinted his speech and looked at the light reflected by the arrowhead, and said softly.

Over there, Alp and Selha came to a conclusion. The difference between the Parthian bow and the ordinary composite bow is that it is cut in the middle with a thin elastic iron sheet, which is in the shape of a "3" when not in use. It greatly increases the curvature of the bow and arrow, and after the string is set, it presents a round "e" shape when fully pulled. The iron sheet just plays the role of supporting stability. Alp also added that the Parthian bow's mitre is also made of special materials. The general composite bow just ties the string made of tendons and tendons to the mitre, while it has a hollow ring made of bones on each of them, which can play the greatest leverage effect and make the string stretched to the limit. It also reaches the limit of the range. Of course, the calculated penetration and penetration are enough to be described as terrifying. It can really shoot through our armor and shields.

"This bow is long on the top and short on the bottom, and it is also particularly suitable for use on horseback. It can shoot deadly arrow feathers while galloping." Alp squeaked and pulled the bowstring to the full force again, saying.

Then he saw the commander-in-chief's face change, partly due to excitement and partly due to fear. Lepidus understood how much of a threat Parthia's weapons and their fast horses would pose to him.

"We also need to imitate this bow and arrow, regardless of the progress of the training. Even if we set sail, we can train while marching." The commander-in-chief sat on a stone chair and murmured this order. Anthony and others beside him were not at all puzzled. They did not understand why this man was so desperate about the bow and arrow of the nomadic barbarians when the Roman infantry battalion tactics swept across the Mediterranean, and even wanted to form a larger proportion of archers?

Soon, Crassus's transfer order arrived in Cyrenaica. Lepidus could only take one step at a time. He took two organized legions, four archer auxiliary battalions, and two cavalry auxiliary battalions, as well as a large amount of supplies, and took the lead in riding the south wind of the African continent and sailing to the port of Commos in Crete. Just as he was about to repair the damaged ship, he learned that Crassus's fleet carrying the legion was too lazy to even stop in Crete, and braved the headwind to drive directly to Asia Minor.

Passing by Lepidus, Peteneus carefully asked the commander-in-chief, "We should be the vanguard of the detachment. Can we let the governor go ahead now?" Lepidus stared and said that no matter what others did, we must proceed steadily, wait until the supplies are replenished and the wind direction is favorable, and then go to Rhodes and arrive at Ephesus.

As a result, Lepidus arrived at Ephesus two market days later than Crassus. Fortunately, Crassus was not anxious. His camps were scattered in various corners of the suburbs, without any order. Soldiers could enter and leave houses, theaters and markets at will. Only the First Syrian Legion led by the deputy general Eutagupius and the cavalry commanded by Cassius followed the Roman style and set up camps strictly. Now they had to add Lepidus' two legions and auxiliary battalions.

"You must recruit cavalry and light infantry from various provinces, as well as the kings of vassal states to join the war." When Lepidus and Cassius found Crassus in the Temple of Apollo in Ephesus, the expedition commander was struggling to calculate something with a group of accounting slaves using scales and papyrus. After getting the consent, Cassius took one of the scrolls and read it. He was so angry that his nose was almost crooked. It turned out that Crassus was doing this: he frequently met with various kingdoms and city-states, such as Thrace, Peloponnese, and Bithynia, but he did not ask them for precious servants, auxiliary troops, or military supplies and horses. Instead, he told them, "If you don't want to participate in this expedition and fulfill your obligations to Rome, then hand over a suitable amount of talents of silver to be exempted from military service."

"The results of the augur indicate that this expedition will be full of misfortunes." Cassius, the treasurer of the Syrian province, shouted to Lepidus at the door of the temple, "You must solve this matter. He should be the one who listens to you the most."

Lebida stood there and thought for a while, then nodded to Kaxiyo. After all, we were in a relationship where we were all in the same boat, and then entered the temple again, "Your Excellency, I must remind you that the military service of those small city-states and small kingdoms will be forgotten. , but the four countries of Egypt, Galaxia, Eubotia and Armenia must not be exempted.”

"But Ptolemy in Egypt is separated by the ocean, I think..." Crassus replied absently as he was busy in front of the scales and calculation chips.

"Don't worry, he will provide ships and food." Lepidus said with certainty, because Diotusos had written in advance saying that when Ptolemy heard that you were going to Syria, he immediately remembered his previous friendship and had fifty large ships. And a considerable amount of grain is being transported to Silesia, and then to Galaxia for storage. "And I will take the guard first and rush to Eubotia and Armenia, because like Syria, they are close to the front line of the war." , changes may occur at any time, we must stabilize the hearts of the monarchs and convey the conditions of the Republic to them! "

Crassus naturally agreed and wished for it. After all, it would be difficult for him to find such a convenient money distribution center as Ephesus when he went deeper into Asia Minor. He awarded Lepidus a girdle and a priest's mask, handed him diplomatic power, and went to the eastern kingdoms. The country performs various matters. (To be continued...)