Chapter 48

Elutherae was a decent-sized town in Attica on the border of Boeotia. By itself, it was nothing special. It had a decent-sized population, but no larger than any other border town, where trade from one place would naturally flow through to get to another. It produced wine, but so did dozens of other places in Greece. It produced marble, but the same thing applied there as applied to wine. By all accounts, Elutherae was just another moderately-sized town in a region full of moderately-sized towns, save for two things.

First was the Temple of Dionysos. The Main Attic Festival for the God of Wine, the Dionysia, originated in Elutherae. Even after the title of Principal Temple of the Cult of Dionysos Elutherios was transferred to Athens after the formerly independent Polis of Elutherae submitted to Athenian Protection, the Dionysia of Elutherae was still considered the more prestigious festival, simply because it was the originator of the festivities.

Second, and more pressingly for my purposes, was the Fortress. Athens, upon taking Elutherae under its protection, had built a large, well-fortified, well-supplied, fortress to guard the town. Rammed Earth and Masonry walls over two and a half meters thick ringed the town, with twelve towers of good, solid, stone. Two gates, the Western Double Gate and the Southeastern, Single Gate, controlled the entrance to the town while two sally ports in the north provided ways to strike back at besiegers. Athens had even built a fortified barracks near the Acropolis to act as a central anchor point and command post for the fortifications.

By any reasonable metric, Elutherae was impregnable, even Phillip of Macedon had not taken the town during his Conquest of Greece, instead using diplomacy and brinksmanship to secure the submission of Athens after victories in the Field in Boeotia. The Athenians were confident that the Town would hold against my forces, especially with its Garrison having swelled by fifteen thousand men from Corinth and Achaea and the survivors of the Army in Boeotia that I had pushed before me.

Indeed, as my forces approached the Town and began to set up siege lines, I received an Embassy from the Athenians, hoping to negotiate peace. I received them in my command tent inside which I was planning my siege. The Guards ushered in a pair of Ambassadors, both young men, about four and six years my Junior.

The Older One wore a Hoplite's Cuirass, one of the few High-Quality Iron pieces of equipment that the Athenian Forces Proper had traded for before their Assembly had turned hostile. He was a lean man, with a body forged of hard discipline in the Gymnasion, one who I recognized right away as Timocrates of Lampascus, a member of the Athenian Boule and a defector from the Epicurean School who authored several works decrying Epicurus as slovenly, overindulgent, and weak and claimed his philosophy to be the same.

The Younger One wore the tunic and cloak of an Athenian Prytaneis, one of the Designated Assemblymen of their Boul, or Assembly. From the hostile, furtive, looks he kept shooting Timocrates and his rather plump frame, I had to guess that he was an Epicurean who had devoted himself to the transitory pleasures that the Epicurus had often warned against overindulging in. He could have been one of countless young noblemen in positions of power who had taken the wrong lessons from Epicurus and caused Timocrates to write his Anti-Epicurean Tracts.

As I understood it, Epicurus advocated pleasure as the highest good but used the word pleasure to describe the absence of pain more than he did the pleasures of good food, wine, and the flesh. It was a distinction few of his students truly seemed to understand, which had given rise to the perception outside of Athens that Epicureanism was a Philosophy of Decadence above all else.

"Hail, Pyrrhus King." Saluted Timocrates while his unknown, possible rival, gave a shallow bow.

"Timocrates of Lampascus is known to me. I am unfamiliar with you, however. Pray tell, who has Athens sent to be ambassador to my camp?" I questioned.

"I am Amynomachus, Prytaneis for the Deme of Bate and one of Epicurus' most ardent supporters in Athens." Answered the Younger Ambassador, Amynomachus.

"I see. Is this perhaps some form of rare jest that the Boule of Athens sends two men who could not be more diametrically opposed in philosophy to treat with me?" I queried.

"I am afraid, not Pyrrhus King. We are here to show that though Athens has many factions that may bicker and squabble over philosophy, economics, and politics, the Boule is still united in pursuing the City's Stratagems in this war." Explained Timocrates.

"I see. And is this an attempt at negotiation?" I asked.

"Indeed. The Boule is prepared to cede Boeotia and the Sporades to you, on the condition that your forces withdraw from Attica and Euboea." Informed Amynomachus.

"I see. And I take it that you have not made the same offer to Sparta by the fact that you chose a time when Strategos Polyarchos of the Aitolian League was out reconnoitering the defenses of Elutherae?" I questioned.

"No. We have not. Nor will we. Sparta has been a dire enemy of Athens since the days of the Delian League. That city will not be offered quarter or spared. Should you agree to our proposal, we will send the full might of Athens and what remains of those under our protection on the Laconians." Admitted Timocrates.

"I see. And if I refuse?" I queried.

"Let us be frank here Pyrrhus King, you have no reason to refuse. Do you think the Spartans will be content to sit back after we are finished and allow you peace? They are warmongers of the highest order and will not be content with simply our defeat. Even should you achieve victory against us, you will only fight Sparta in the future." Insisted Amynomachus.

"As well as that, Elutherae is impregnable. No army has managed to breach its walls since the fortifications were erected. Even the Father of Alexandros Megas didn't even dare to try, and Alexandros Megas himself recognized that fact, placing a garrison of his own here alongside ours." Pressed Timocrates.

"You are confident in your fortifications. So to was Panormos, and how well did that attitude serve Carthage?" I asked.

"It is true, we have heard of your war machines. They are certainly more formidable than ballistae." Hedged Amynomachus.

"However, Panormos was built by Punic Hands. The Punics are a weak, barbarian, people who have scarcely tried to Hellenize at all. Surely you must understand that fortifications built by true sons of Hellas cannot be compared to such Punic piles of stones?" Added Timocrates.

"Perhaps, perhaps not. We shall find out together, as I see no reason to betray my allies on the word of Athens. After all, did you not betray your own Boeotian Allies at Coronea? No, I am resolved to finish this fight. Be thankful that it seems it shall be my own forces to assault your City, for I do not doubt the Spartans would have shown Athens the same courtesy that Athens would have shown them." I intoned.

"Be wary, Pyrrhus King. You have tasted victory so often, that your confidence may sound to some like Hubris. Have a care you do not follow the same route as Ikaros and doom yourself and your men with such actions." Cautioned Amynomachus.

"Perhaps it may seem that way from the losing side. I would not know, as I am not an expert in matters of losing. Thank you for your visit." I dismissed the pair with a veiled taunt.

Fifteen minutes after the pair had left on their way back to Athens, I was studying a map of the town when Polyarchos returned. I motioned for my cupbearer to pour the Aitolian Strategos some wine, which he did as he stalked over to where I was standing and pointed at a section of hills on the northwest side of the fortifications.

"Here. These hills block the view from the City Walls and are located far enough away from the northern sally ports we've identified that our engineers will have enough warning before any sally to stop the works there is launched. They're also close enough that the engineers believe they can have a tunnel dug in just a week and two days." Informed Polyarchos with a nod.

"Excellent, while the defenders see us building our trebuchets to the south, that is where the focus of any sallies will fall. We will show them what they expect to see and draw their ire here, while the true thrust of our assault comes from the other direction." I nodded.

"Are you certain this will work? Ramps I understand, but tunnels? Undermining has never been tried on something like this before. Perhaps it might be best simply to take the week and six days to build all the trebuchets we were planning instead? Is it truly worth trying it simply to shave a handful of days off our siege?" Frowned Polyarchos.

"The week and six days is simply for building the trebuchets, Polyarchos. The number the engineers say it will require to breach the walls in four days of bombardment. By the time we assault, November will be upon us and it is likely the campaign will drag on into the new year. That, I cannot countenance, not with Bolgios and his Horde seeming as if they will assault into Hellas if the Bosporans decide they've had enough fighting for Istros." I refused.

Privately, I knew this would work. I was stealing the idea from the future Seleucids who used it successfully at Syrinx, before the Parthians retook the City, anyway. It had also worked for others, Phillip the Fifth once, the Romans in several sieges, and even into medieval times. I had no doubts that if I could draw their attention to my Trebuchets, and hide my mines behind those hills, that I would be able to successfully undermine the walls of Elutherae.

"Very well. I'll order it done." Nodded Polyarchos.

"If the Gods smile on us, we'll have the tunnel complete on time without incident. Then we'll see just how impregnable this supposed impregnable fortress is." I grinned wolfishly.

Polyarchos left to carry out the orders and I found myself alone save for my guards, scrutinizing maps and reports. I had more reason to be worried about Bolgios than Polyarchos thought. The Bosporans had just lost a field battle against Bolgios near Argamon as they attempted to push them further out of the territory of Istros. It appeared that Bolgios was gearing up for a Second Siege of Istros in the new year, heir's death be damned. The reports had reached me shortly after the news of Megara's Submission had reached me.

It was imperative that I finish my business with Athens this year, in the hopes that I could re-orient northward in time to defend Macedon, should Bolgios push the Bosporans enough to cause them to sue for peace. My cousin certainly wasn't going to be capable of defending Macedon himself, not with how he has frittered his strength away on vanity campaigns in Thrace and Dardania. With Anitiokos not able to commit more than token forces and monetary support for an initial push by Bolgios into Macedon, I was all my cousin had to rely on, truly.

Hopefully, the Bosporans could force Bolgios to retreat with a successful defense of Histria, or at least bloody him badly enough to need to pause in his conquests. Even were that the case, however, I would still want this Athenian adventure done as swiftly as possible. Luckily, it seemed things were going well on most fronts. Only on Crete were the Athenians and their allies actually making any headway, and with the Spartans sending their Second King, Areus to handle the debacle on Crete, I was assured that things were well in hand there.

Indeed, as the days pressed on, it seemed as if my strategy was proceeding apace. Over the next week and one day, the Athenians in Elutherae mounted no fewer than four attempted sallies to destroy the eight trebuchets currently being constructed in plain sight to the south of the Town. Only once had they actually gotten close to doing so, as they attempted to distract my defending men with a Corinthian Cavalry assault enough for a few of their Peltasts to sneak into our camp and torch the trebuchets.

I had led the Kaptaphractoi in countering the Corinthian Cavalry. As we countercharged out of the Camp, we struck right into the flank of the Corinthians, my lance punching through the Linothorax of a Corinthian wearing a bronze Corinthian Helm with a Horsehair Plume dyed blue like the background of Corinth's Banners. He went down off his horse, taking my lance with him and forcing me to draw my Falcata. I managed to cut out and take the throat of another Corinthian Cavalryman with a meaty thwack and a spray of blood before being forced to parry a return strike from a Corinthian's Makhaira, I brought my own blade, distinguished from my opponent's, by the forward curve of the Falcata, whereas the Makhaira had a straight back, down and dragged his blade along with it. I lashed out with my shield, smashing the rim into his throat and he fell from his horse, choking on his crushed windpipe.

I was almost immediately forced to bring my shield up, as a thrown javelin came striking out at me from near the siege lines. It seemed as if some bright spark amongst the Athenian Peltasts had realized that I'd taken the field to spoil their assault and took his shot at me. Fortunately, I was able to interpose my shield in time, the heavier iron of the Athenian Javelin bouncing off the steel of my shield, scratching the surface, but not penetrating. I spurred my horse toward him and lashed out with my Falcata in a downward chop. He managed to get his elliptical pelta shield in the way, but the hide and wicker, painted blue and embossed with the Athenian Owl, was cleaved through by the heavy, slashing, steel blade of my falcata. My cut passed through the shield like it was papyrus and bit deep into the Peltast's arm. He screamed out as I retracted my blade, falling to the ground clutching his mangled arm.

As the Kataphractoi cleaned up the Corinthian Cavalry, sending them routing back towards Elutherae, the guards I'd set on the Trebuchets returned in time to drive off the Athenian Peltasts. We lost about sixty-five men killed or wounded, while Athens lost around thirty peltasts and Corinth lost around a hundred Companion Cavalry between killed, wounded, and captured. We also didn't lose a single trebuchet.

None of the other sallies even got as close to the Trebuchets as this one did, and all told we lost around eighty men killed and wounded while Athens and her allies lost around three-hundred-twenty between killed, wounded, or captured in the various attempts to skirmish for the Trebuchets. The Athenians and their allies never even suspected we were digging a tunnel on the complete opposite side of the Town. I just wish that skirmishing for the trebuchets was all that Athens attempted. Unfortunately, the night before the tunnel was scheduled to be completed, I would be awoken to find an assassin in my tent.

Athens, it seemed, had gotten desperate. . .

XXXX

AN: Cliffhanger! I know, I know, I'm evil. But yes, I did just drop that bomb at the end and leave. You'll have to wait to see how it plays out.

However, here we get a look at a bit of the politics of the Athenian Boule, or Assembly, via their Ambassadors, get a look at Pyrrhus' plan for the Siege of Elutherae, and also get a bit of action on top of everything else. There are also some hints that something big is coming in Istros and a climactic showdown between Bolgios and the Bosporans there is going to happen come the new year, adding to the need to finish Athens off swiftly.

A note on Epicurus and Athens' Ambassadors. All of that was real historical drama. Timocrates of Lampascus was a real dude who decried Epicureanism as just an excuse for Nobles to indulge in decadence. His elder brother was actually one of Epicurus' most loyal followers. Meanwhile, Amynomachus was also a real dude, a prominent Epicurean, a Member of the Boule, and one of the people actually given property in Epicurus' Will after his death. History can get a bit crazy like that sometimes.

At any rate, we'll pick up with the Assassin in Pyrrhus' Tent next chapter.

Stay tuned. . .