Mediterranean Hegemon of Ancient Greece

We don't have any other cities in Crotone, and it's a bit too wasteful to use the treasury money to set up a mail car to deliver letters. If... Asproustum is still ours, we can consider it. But in that case, we The roads and bridges have to be built like this. Stacypus stomped his feet. It's true that Crotone's uneven dirt roads can easily let the wagon fall apart.

Asproustum! Speaking of this, it was the pain in the hearts of the people of Crotone. Nick Stratus snorted angrily, It's all because of the incompetence of the council! You know , a few years ago, it belonged to our Croton Plains, and it was all fertile land! Now it belongs to the Dionysians...

It's time for us to set off, or we won't be able to catch Crimissa to rest tonight! Stacypus changed the subject and reminded the two of them.

How far is it from Crimissa? Nickstratus asked, rubbing his thighs. He was a little tired who didn't walk around often.

Stasipus stood up, looked forward carefully, and said with his finger in front of him: Lycassus, go look at that stone tablet, how far is it to Crimea?

Is there a distance engraved on the stone tablet? Lycasus walked over suspiciously.

After a while, he pointed to the stone tablet and shouted, 20 miles from Crimea, is that this?

That's right.

And... the next line is engraved with a small house, written 5 miles, what does it mean?

That means that there is a post station five miles ahead, which can provide short rest, food, and even accommodation. A pedestrian next to Lycasus replied.

Oh, thank you! Lycasus quickly thanked him politely.

Are you doctors? The man asked with a smile when he saw the medical box he was carrying.

Yes, I'm going to Turii with my teacher to attend a... er... medical forum.

Dionia's doctor has superb medical skills, and has the blessing of Hades to save people who are dying. You go to study, but you have found the right place! The man said with a clear look: What a coincidence! Turii.

The man's words made Nick Stratus uncomfortable, and he stood up: Come on, we have to hurry.

A group of people walking on the sidewalk.

Outside the sidewalk are fields of wheat that are being tilled, just as they have seen before. The difference is that the aqueducts are crisscrossed, wider and deeper; while the slaves are more enthusiastic about labor, they even sing loudly during their labor, and their masters not only did not stop them, but some even sang in response. Compared with the sluggish Muna of Crotone slaves, Dionian slaves are more like normal people, and this is not an isolated phenomenon, almost all the Dionian slaves seen by Lycasus are in this state.

Lycasus didn't quite understand this. He came from a farming family and knew a lot about the life of a farmer. Farmers in Crotone usually have one or two slaves, and they can’t afford any more. Because they need labor to do farm work, they are very dependent on slaves. Therefore, unlike the various workshop owners in the city, they desperately squeeze them. Treat slaves as part of the family.

When Lycasus was a child, he was cared for by the family's slaves. He always thought that the simple and honest Thracian old man was more like a father than his father.

Crotone farmers are good enough for slaves, are Dionians better for slaves? Lycasus felt that it was a little impossible. He wanted to ask Stasipus for advice, but he turned his head and saw that Nick Stratus was discussing medical issues with Stasipus, so he had to give up temporarily.

Out of the corner of his eye, he just caught a glimpse of the man who was talking before walking not far behind them. His heart moved and he slowed down: My name is Lycassus, I'm from Crotone. Thank you for your reminder just now.

My name is Cardias, a celestine. The man smiled gently: I have been to Turii many times, and I know more about Dionia. What do you not understand about this city-state alliance? , you can ask me.

The man seemed to see what he was thinking, and Lycasus nodded embarrassedly,

Asked, I don't understand why these slaves are so happy?

Cardias followed the direction of Lycasus' finger and saw the slaves singing in the wheat field. He thought about it and said a sentence: That's because they have hope.

hope?

Cardias' expression became solemn, and his voice was low and long: The great Hades once said, 'Everyone's fate is different, some are born rich, some are born poor, some are unfortunate to become slaves, some are lucky to become nobles, but As long as you always have good intentions and don't give up your efforts, when your life ends and the hell is judged, you will be faced with a fair and selfless golden scale, your status and wealth are just illusory, and the real decision of everyone's soul is to go to the beautiful Elysee, Or terrible hell? It's what you have done in your life, the good go to the Elysee, the evil go to hell, the struggler can enjoy music and food, and the indolent will always suffer hard labor...

Lycasus was stunned: You...you mean...these slaves work so enthusiastically to enter the Elysee in the future?

It's not entirely because of this. Cardias said softly: Daves, the consul of Dionia, who has the blood of Hades, was inspired by the father to pass a bill in the Senate, 'Every year in Hades At the Diss celebration, the city-state slaves who performed well in that year will be given freedom.' And Davos will also give freedom to the slaves he owns on this day. Because Davos is deeply loved by the people of Dionia , they are influenced by the consul, and if they have spare capacity, they will also consider giving freedom to private slaves who contribute to the family...

I remember that last year, a Nubian slave was sent by his master to the port market to buy goods. He rescued two drowning children in the Kekrati River. Not only was the father of the children willing to pay to redeem them, but the whole city Unanimously demanded that it be given freedom... so you see Dionia has such an atmosphere, can these slaves not try their best to express themselves!

Lycasus nodded, although Crotone also granted freedom to slaves, but it was never enacted with a law like Dionia, and the number of slaves released was so frequent and so many.

In fact, there is another reason that Cardias doesn’t quite understand: although the age composition of Dionysian citizens and prospective citizens is mainly young and middle-aged (because of the large number of immigrants accepted by Dioria), citizens have to participate in the military The training is more than ten times that of Crotone, and they have to undertake some garrison tasks. They do not have more energy and time to take good care of their land, and rely more on slaves, so they not only regard slaves as part of the family, It also gave them more labor autonomy, which was more conducive to exerting the enthusiasm of the slaves.

It is for this reason that the slaves of Sirius have escaped to Knapetia from time to time in the past two years. Cardias added.

Ah... We also had a large-scale escape of slaves in Crotone! Lycasus remembered: But it was not to Knapetia, but to a town not far from Crotone. Sprustum. We also had a citizens' assembly at the time, and we sent people to protest against Aspurstum, demanding the return of the escaped slaves, and they quickly escorted the slaves back...

If Sirius and Crotone don't make changes on the slave issue, such things will be inevitable in the future. Cardias said with a sigh. As a Sirius, he doesn't seem to be worried about this, but rather happy. See it done.

Of course, the young Lycassus didn't think so much, and he asked another topic doubtfully: By the way, what you said just now... I have never heard of what Hades said. ?

There are too many things you haven't heard about the gods. Cardias's eyes brightened: You must know that the god Zeus and his brothers and sisters worked together to overthrow their father, the god Chloe. North, when he wanted to divide up his father's power again, Hades, the eldest brother, could choose the sky or the sea as his divine domain, but he would rather choose the dark and damp hell, so as to live underground for the weak human soul. He created a fair and selfless dwelling and guaranteed the stability of the earthly world, isn't he great!

Is...is that so? Lycasus said suspiciously, Everyone knows that Hades is a hell that he was forced to choose.

Have you ever wondered, who passed down the facts you know? ... Without the permission of Zeus, the lord of the gods, how could such a secret thing be known to us ordinary humans? Zeus rules the Austrian The gods of Lympus, of course he will make the content of the rumors beneficial to him. Hades, the king of the underworld, is introverted and looks a little gloomy. The Greeks don't like him, so they all believe the rumors. Cardias said with a serious look : But in fact, among the several main gods, Hades is the most loyal to his duties and keeps his duty. Zeus, debauchery and willful; Poseidon, violent and ruthless; Ares, crazy and bloody; Herme Stupid, rambunctious; Hevistos, drunk and sexual; Apollo, proud and sinister... Only Hades, have you ever heard anything bad about him?

After Lycasus heard Cardias's words, he felt a little dazed, he covered his forehead, and said for a long time: He... he robbed Demeter's daughter Persephone as his wife.

Cardias had a look of knowing that you would say this, and he explained seriously: The harsh underground environment makes it impossible for Hades to go anywhere without a goddess, so he had to rob him. He took a wife himself.

Note:

The description of the road steles in this chapter does not come from modern ideas. In the early days of the Roman Empire, there were humanized designs for the road steles, which are very similar to the current signs. Roman merchants also sold a kind of iron water cup to Yuanxing. Travellers, with detailed road maps of the provinces engraved on them to facilitate travel.

In the previous chapter, Darius and Atossa were not related by blood, but Cyrus's son Cambyses did marry his two sisters Atossa and Cyrus in order to keep Cyrus' noble lineage from being contaminated. Roxanne. After Persia fell into chaos, Darius relied on his groom to win the Persian regime, and he also took over the pair of sister queens, making his throne more orthodox. The next king of Persia, Xerxes, seems to have been born of Atossa.