Mediterranean Hegemon of Ancient Greece

Cheirisophus couldn't help but sigh, ‘The Theonians had completely turned the Gulf of Taranto into their inner lake.’ And the Theonian towns in this gulf are more closely connected through the sea.

But what Cheirisophus didn't know was that there was another reason why the Gulf of Taranto was so prosperous and bustling: The pirates that the maritime traders worried about the most in other Mediterranean city-states didn't exist here at all. After all, the warships belonging to the first fleet patrol in Roscianum's military port and Taranto's military port patrolled the gulf every day to maintain order and ensure the safety of the ships.

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While Cheirisophus compares the lively sight in this gulf with the Athenian Port Piraeus, Kunogelata's second son, Dicaeogelata, received an urgent notice from the Ministry of Military. After receiving permission from legatus Alexius, he rode furiously from Dauni on horseback while hanging his horses several times in the inn by the road. Finally, he arrived at Taranto's Military Port at dusk.

Taranto's military port served as the base of Theonia's First Fleet's main body. After being forced to become Theonia’s Free City, navarch Seclian asked for a new port due to the Theonian fleet growing too much (they acquired numerous ships in the South Italian War) that the port of Thurii could not accommodate them. Thus he suggested that it would be better to relocate the port to the large port of Taranto.

Davos readily agreed, but he thought about more than just military convenience. With the navy's presence in Taranto, they would be able to watch over and deter the erratic city-state. Furthermore, Taranto, as an old maritime trading powerhouse, had a large number of highly skilled and experienced sailors and fishermen who would be a good source of soldiers for the navy. And if they were to train them, they would begin accepting Theonia's culture and political philosophy, and thus they could, in turn, influence the Tarantines.

Faced with Theonia's request, Taranto could only agree reluctantly to hand over the western part of the port to the management of Theonia's navy. After all, they left that place deserted for a long time.

As the navy moved in, the land west of the great port until the east of Metapontum gradually came under the ownership of the First Fleet. And since the Tarantine had suffered heavy casualties in the South Italian War and didn't have enough men to take care of the land near their border, and with the skilful pressure of Davos, this part of the land was then allocated to the sailors of the First Fleet stationed here, including a large number of civilian Tarantine sailors who joined the First Fleet.

Currently, this military port has about 150 triremes and other large and small warships. And if you are to add the 50 triremes and other warships in Roscianum's military port, the First Fleet, with more than 350 warships, has become the strongest fleet in Theonia's Navy.

But even with such a number of ships, there is still enough open space to build dry docks to accommodate more ships in Taranto's military port, which shows how large it is. And the sea in the port is also vast enough that they could even hold some small-scale training, which has become one of the port's sightings that would often make the people on the shore stop and watch.

It was only after Dicaeogelata handed Alexius' letter of proof to the guard of the military port that he was allowed entry. Still, he had to wait for the ship at the military port for a long time.

“There are empty fast-sailing boats on the dock next to me, yet they made me wait here?!” Dicaeogelata became a bit annoyed.

It wasn’t until he got on board that a man came out of the cabin and explained to him, “I'm really sorry! Just now, a batch of supplies was urgently needed to be transferred from Roscianum's military port to Dauni, so the personnel in the military port were busy doing that.”

“Delivering supplies to the front line is a huge matter for the kingdom.” As soon as Dicaeogelata saw the person, he immediately understood why the ship had arrived late. Then he said in a panic and respectful tone, “And you had come to see me off, Lord Seclian. I really don't know how to express my gratitude!”

Seclian, the former fleet commander of Theonia's navy, led his fleet to defeat Syracuse's navy, which was dominant in the western Mediterranean, three times during the South Italian War, thus controlling the sea between Magna Graecia and Sicily, and played a pivotal role in defeating Syracuse and became the hero idolised by the Theonians.

But after the war and the expansion of Theonia's territory, Davos had to divide the massive fleet into four: The First Fleet settled in Taranto to defend the maritime security of the Gulf of Taranto. The Second Fleet had settled in the Catanian plain, guarding the maritime security of the Theonian city-states in Sicily. The Third Fleet was stationed in Terina to safeguard the maritime rights of the Kingdom of Theonia in the Tyrrhenian Sea. And the Fourth Fleet was in Brindisi, defending the territorial security of the Kingdom of Theonia in the Adriatic Sea.

However, Davos didn't let Seclian become the fleet commander of Theonia's navy again. Instead, he let him take the position of navarch of the First Fleet. Although the First Fleet's strength had long surpassed Theonia's Navy back then, it was still a demotion from the navy’s fleet commander to a navarch of the First Fleet. But at the same time, Davos proposed to the Senate and elected Seclian as a Theonian statesman, significantly promoting Seclian's personal status. And he also became the second youngest statesman under 30 years old after Henipolis. Moreover, after dismantling the navy, Davos also abolished the post of a fleet commander, and Seclian didn't have too many complaints.

Seclian then went to Taranto to take up his post and stayed there for ten years. Except for major matters, he seldom returned to Thurii to participate in the usual Senate meetings. And the young hero back then has now become middle-aged and became less arrogant. At this moment, he is looking at Dicaeogelata with a gentle expression, “I am also going to attend your father's funeral.”

When it comes to his deceased father, Dicaeogelata felt great pain as it was his lifelong regret that he could not accompany his father before he died.

Seclian then asked casually, “How is the against Dauni?”

“It's going relatively well. We have already captured the cities of Herdonia and Ausculum. Currently, our army has closed in on the central town of the Dauni, Lucera, and is preparing to besiege it. Judging from the current situation, we estimate the war will end before the year ends as the other Dauni tribes and towns show no signs of wanting to reinforce the city of Lucera.” When talking about the war he was involved in, Dicaeogelata was a bit excited and pleased.

Hearing the good news, Seclian could only sigh, “It's better to command an army to fight on land!” After the South Italian War, the kingdom of Theonia hasn't always been peaceful. The three wars they launched to conquer Messapi, Peuceti and Dauni weren't small in scale, only that these wars were near Theonia, and the opponent's fleet was too weak to require the First Fleet, which was defending the core waters of Theonia, to go into battle. Thus, Seclian couldn't go into battle again in the past ten years, so how could he not have regrets in his heart?

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By the time Dicaeogelata reached Thurii, his brother Sostratus and his family had already prepared the funeral.

Since Kunogelata's wife died early, his eldest daughter and two daughters-in-law were the ones to wash his body, perfumed it and dress it in gorgeous costumes according to Greek traditions that had developed over the centuries. In addition, Sostratus erected a large wooden memorial hall in front of his home. He then laid Kunogelata's body on a bed covered with herbs in the memorial hall and placed a silver coin in his mouth so his soul could pay Charon to ferry him.

And once they had arranged the memorial hall and coffin, it was the turn of Theonia's unique funeral custom: The Grand Priest of the Temple of Hades, Plesinas, led a group of priests and priestesses to the front of the memorial hall and began to sing a hymn for him, praying for his early and smooth entry into Elysium. The usual funeral usually only needed a priest of Hades to attend the funeral, but Kunogelata, after all, has a special identity and status. Thus even without Davos' instructions, Plesinas personally brought the main staff of the main Temple of Hades.

Kunogelata's immediate family, including his son-in-law Hielos, were dressed in black the following day. They all had solemn expressions as they stood in front of the coffin, and even his daughter and daughter-in-law had their hair cut short, as was customary, to express their grief.

Early in the morning, Davos, together with his two wives, Cheiristoya and Agnes, and his six children, including Cynthia and Crotokatax, arrived at the memorial hall. Davos then presented a wreath made of pomegranate leaves to Kunogelata's body. Afterwards, he led his family in a solemn salute and sang Hades' hymn. After a few words of consolation to some of Kunogelata's relatives, the Davos family walked out, washed their hands and faces with the vats of water placed outside the hearth and left.

After King Davos left, more people came to pay tribute to Kunogelata.

The first to come were Kunogelata's old Thurian friends, such as Ansitanos and Burkes…who have a deep friendship with him; Then came Cornelius, Tritodemos, Raphias, Protesilaus, Stromboli…these statesmen who had worked hard together with him in laying Theonia's foundations; Next were Kapus, Philesius, Amintas…and the other statesmen who were former mercenaries who, while dissatisfied at Kunogelata for always advocating peace and opposing war, admired him for his talent and character; Followed by Sedrum, Vespa, Hemon…and other foreign statesmen who had been with him for more than ten years and had received a lot of his care; There were also the statesmen such as Androlis, Siprus, and Lysias…who he appreciated and supported; Then came the numerous statesmen who joined the Senate after the South Italian War.

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