The Rise Of An Empire In Ancient Europe-Chapter 140: Burning the City

"The Crotonians have humiliated us! Why don’t our soldiers teach them a lesson?!" Stronpolis, who had once called for compromise with Crotone, now fumed with outrage.

"Our soldiers obeyed Lord Juleios’s orders and guarded the city, but they’re seething with anger! They’d gladly eat the Crotonians alive!" Amintas vented his frustration, his voice sharp with the fervor of a soldier who yearned for action.

"Governor, are we just going to let the Crotonians run wild on our land?!" Scumbras’s voice rang with indignation, the frustration of the assembly boiling over.

Juleios’s eyes gleamed as he raised his hand for silence. His tone was steady, but it carried the weight of iron resolve. "Of course not!" he declared, the room instantly hushed by his presence. "Pulling back a fist is to deliver a stronger blow. It’s a fact that Crotone’s army is stronger than ours. That’s why we must wait—like a skilled boxer who defends, watches for an opening, and strikes with a single, fatal blow!"

The assembly fell silent as his words sank in, a calm confidence spreading among the senators.

When Achytas arrived in Turii, Melanthius had already returned to the city, his aura triumphant after his menacing display near Amendolara.

Achytas formally protested on behalf of Tarantum, his voice sharp with righteous indignation, but Melanthius dismissed him with a smirk. "Crotone has no hostility toward Amendolara," he said, his tone mocking. "I merely wanted to meet this young governor, who is said to win battles against the odds. Who would’ve thought he’d be too timid to face me?!"

Achytas breathed a momentary sigh of relief at the statement but pressed on, his words carrying a warning. "If Crotone goes to war with Amendolara, Tarantum will ally with Metapontum and Heraclea to wage war against you!"

Melanthius’s smirk faltered, his face darkening. He said nothing, but the tension in the air was palpable.

"Since Crotone has already conquered Turii, erased its disgrace, and earned great glory," Achytas continued, "it’s time to return home and restore peace to this land."

Melanthius’s silence lingered, but the flicker of anger in his eyes betrayed his dissatisfaction.

After completing his diplomatic mission, Achytas hurried to Amendolara. As he approached the city’s outskirts, the sight of the charred remains of warehouses and inns filled him with unease. The air still carried the acrid smell of smoke, and the citizens he passed bore expressions of barely contained fury.

When Achytas met with Juleios, he offered condolences for the devastation before candidly addressing the situation. "Juleios," he began cautiously, "Tarantum currently has no intention of going to war with Crotone. I hope you understand."

Juleios’s reply was calm but edged with steel. "Don’t worry," he said, his voice measured. "We are furious about what Crotone has done, but we can restrain ourselves. After all, when a man is bitten by a dog, does he bite back?"

Achytas didn’t laugh at the dark humor. Instead, he studied Juleios’s expression, unsettled by the man’s composure. He recalled the aftermath of the Lucanian war, when Juleios and his men had surprised everyone by retaking Amendolara while others celebrated.

In Crotone, the city council convened to decide Turii’s fate.

"Plunder Turii’s wealth, install a puppet government, and withdraw," General Lycias, a conservative voice, proposed. "This will avoid provoking neighboring city-states."

But Myron, the chief general and a fervent advocate of bold measures, rose with fiery conviction. "No! Burn the city to the ground!"

Gasps echoed through the chamber, but Myron pressed on. "Our ancestors defeated Sybaris, destroyed it twice, and diverted the Crathis River to flood the city. This act established Crotone’s dominance in Magna Graecia. After our defeat by the Locrian-Rhegian alliance, city-states no longer respect us. We must reassert our authority! Destroying Turii is a gift from the Divines!"

Myron’s rhetoric ignited the room, his vision of Crotonian dominance captivating many. Ultimately, the council agreed.

A messenger rushed to Turii, bearing the council’s orders. When Melanthius received them, his face lit with excitement. "As the third general to destroy a city on the Sybaris plain, my name will go down in history!" he declared triumphantly.

Melanthius acted swiftly. Freedmen loyal to him constructed a pontoon bridge over the Crathis River, replacing the one burned by the Turians. Under fabricated charges, Turii’s wealthiest merchants were arrested, tortured, and executed. Their properties were confiscated to "punish the guilty," though it was clearly a pretext for looting.

Impatient with the slow process, Melanthius ordered his soldiers to plunder the city indiscriminately. Cries of despair echoed through Turii as its people suffered at the hands of their conquerors, unaware that worse was yet to come.

Amendolara’s scouts, stationed outside Turii, observed Crotonian soldiers escorting a massive crowd of displaced citizens from the city. Soon, thick smoke rose from multiple points within Turii, and flames engulfed the city. Alarmed, the scouts rushed to report to Ledes.

Ledes, upon confirming the sight himself, rode across the Saraceno River and found Turii consumed by fire. The cries of despair from its displaced citizens filled the air, the once-thriving city reduced to a smoldering ruin.

When the news reached Juleios, he was momentarily stunned. "Crotone is destroying the city! Are they planning to withdraw?!" he wondered aloud.

Arsistatus cursed the Crotonians’ brutality, but Juleios sat down, deep in thought. His mind raced, piecing together the implications of this event for Amendolara.

Suddenly, he stood and began pacing the hall, his expression intense. "If Crotone’s army starts moving now, where might they reach by dusk?" he asked abruptly.

Arsistatus considered the question. "Given the weight of their loot, they won’t move quickly. By dusk, they’ll likely only reach Castrolon."

"Will Castrolon allow their army into the city?" Juleios pressed.

"Impossible! Those people just looted and burned Turii!" Arsistatus replied confidently.

Juleios nodded, his thoughts aligning. After a few more steps, his decision crystallized. "Go inform Ledes to monitor whether the pontoon bridge over the Crathis River is intact or burned! I want updates immediately!"

Arsistatus’s face lit with understanding. "My lord, are you planning to attack Crotone’s army?"

"Whether we attack depends on whether Crotone gives us the opportunity!" Juleios sneered. "That ravenous wolf thinks it can stroll back unchallenged. It won’t be that easy. I trust that the just and impartial Hades will favor us!"

A Senate meeting was urgently convened. Juleios, with fiery determination, declared, "Crotone’s crimes must be punished! As Turii’s ally, Amendolara has a duty to avenge its people. More importantly, we must show Crotone that the Sybaris plain is not theirs to trample. I hereby declare full war mobilization in Amendolara to prepare for an attack on Crotone’s army!"

His words echoed through the chamber like a battle cry, igniting the room with fervor.

"Finally! It’s about time we teach those damned Crotonians a hard lesson!" Amintas shouted, his voice ringing with excitement.

This 𝓬ontent is taken from fre𝒆webnove(l).𝐜𝐨𝗺