The Rise Of An Empire In Ancient Europe-Chapter 30 - The General Assembly

Although Juleios was new to military strategy, he could see that the proposed formation was primarily to prevent Persian ambushes and protect the logistics. Such a wide front would inevitably slow down the march, but under the pressure of the Persians, it was the only viable option.

The leaders gathered around the rough diagram drawn on the ground.

Timasion pointed to the two blocks at the forefront and said, "Cheirisophus is a Spartan, and his soldiers are Lacedaemonians with rich combat experience. If they lead the vanguard to clear the path, I believe everyone will feel reassured."

No one objected to this proposal.

"Next..." Timasion pondered what position his camp should take.

"Next, since I'm the youngest, I volunteer to be the rear guard!" Juleios passionately interjected.

Philesius stiffened. He thought, This is bad. Juleios forgot what we discussed earlier and has actively volunteered to be the rear guard. This shows his inexperience! However, with everyone watching, Philesius dared not react overtly, so he could only signal Juleios with his eyes.

Timasion, surprised, said, "You... you want to be the rear guard?! No! No!" He shook his head repeatedly. "The rear guard is critical and requires someone with extensive experience to handle complex situations. Poor handling will drag down the entire army. I think... our camp should take the rear guard."

As soon as Timasion finished, Juleios replied, "Isn't there another rear guard? I'm willing to share the task with you!"

"No!!" Timasion immediately and loudly refused. "Cleanor, you'll take the rear guard with me!" He directly named his trusted comrade.

Cleanor, having a good relationship with Timasion, reluctantly nodded in agreement.

Thus, the rear guard was quickly decided. If Philesius hadn't realized by now that Juleios had deliberately set a trap to lure Timasion into taking the position, he wouldn't be qualified to be a deputy.

Cheirisophus frowned even more deeply. He didn't appreciate Juleios' little maneuver and instead felt increased disdain. However, knowing that Timasion's choice was correct, he directly told Juleios, "Your camp will protect the left flank." Since the mercenaries were marching north along the Tigris River, the left flank, which often bordered the riverbank, was the least likely to encounter danger.

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Juleios noticed Cheirisophus' undisguised contempt and secretly clenched his fists, nodding in agreement.

Cheirisophus then proposed that Xanthippus share the vanguard position with him.

Hieronymus, feeling similarly sidelined, was assigned the right flank. This decision was influenced by the fact that Proxenus' camp had originally been led by Agasias as deputy. The soldiers had shown considerable hesitation in electing Hieronymus as leader, evidenced by his late arrival. To err on the side of caution, they were given the right flank.

With the military meeting concluded, it was time for the general assembly.

This was both an opportunity for new leaders to debut and a chance to unify the soldiers' mindset. Cheirisophus reminded everyone to deliver morale-boosting speeches. When addressing the leaders, his gaze lingered on Juleios, clearly concerned. Speaking before an assembly of thousands could leave even seasoned leaders speechless with nerves. If Juleios failed, the carefully planned assembly might turn into a fiasco.

Cheirisophus even suggested that Juleios allow his deputy, Philesius, to deliver the speech on his behalf.

However, Juleios insisted on speaking himself.

Cheirisophus' expression darkened, but he couldn't exclude Juleios. After all, Juleios was the unanimously elected leader of Menon's camp, commanding 1,400 to 1,500 soldiers—about one-ninth of the entire army. To mitigate the risk, Cheirisophus arranged for Juleios to speak second, allowing the subsequent leaders to recover the situation if necessary.

By late August, the afternoon heat had begun to subside.

In the center of Timasion's camp, a wooden platform had been erected. The surrounding tents were cleared, creating a vast open space filled with soldiers from the various mercenary camps. They stood or sat, chatting and complaining amongst themselves.

The assembly was packed, noisy, and bustling.

Cheirisophus, accompanied by heavily armed guards, pushed through the dense crowd to the platform.

Cheirisophus was the first to speak.

There was a stir among the soldiers as they saw a stranger ascend the stage. Most of them didn't know who he was and whispered amongst themselves, trying to identify him.

Around the platform stood several loud-voiced soldiers tasked with repeating the speaker's words so the thousands below could hear.

Cheirisophus began, "Brothers from all over Greece, I am Cheirisophus, a Spartan ephor!"

The soldiers' reaction was explosive, even more shocked than when Juleios had first learned this news. For over a century, Spartan warriors had earned the awe of other Greek city-states through their strength and courage in countless battles. Sparta had become the dominant power in the Greek world, ruling the Mediterranean. To learn that a Spartan ephor was among them was both thrilling and reassuring. The anxiety caused by the recent loss of their leaders began to ease. Faces that had been pale with fear regained some color, and many soldiers began to take an interest in matters beyond mere survival: why was such a high-ranking Spartan here?

When Cheirisophus asked for silence, the soldiers surprisingly complied.

"Brothers, our situation is dire! We've lost not only our capable leaders and some platoon leaders and soldiers, but also the trust of our former ally, Ariaeus, and his men, who betrayed us! But in such critical times, we must quickly rally, face the Persians who seek to destroy us with courage, and never submit. Let us use our Greek bravery and spears to carve a path back to Greece for ourselves! Zeus walks with the brave!"

Cheirisophus ended his speech shortly after, just as the soldiers were beginning to feel inspired.

As Cheirisophus stepped down and passed Juleios, he noticed Juleios smiling at him. Cheirisophus thought, Not bad, this young leader doesn't seem nervous. But why is he bringing a herald onto the platform, carrying a bundle of wooden sticks?

Asistes was equally puzzled about why Juleios had asked him to carry the sticks, but as they stepped onto the platform, he had no time to dwell on it. The sight before him—a sea of soldiers stretching to the horizon—and the deafening roar of voices overwhelmed him. It felt as if they were a lone boat adrift on a stormy sea, constantly on the brink of capsizing.

Asistes' legs trembled uncontrollably. He felt as if the platform might collapse beneath him at any moment.

"Oh! Look at that! Who is this?!"

"A little kid who hasn't even grown up yet! This isn't the place for you! Go home and drink your mother's milk!"

"Is this really a leader elected by one of the camps?! Are they crazy?!"

The laughter and ridicule rolled in like a tidal wave.

Asistes staggered back several steps, nearly retreating to the edge of the platform. Yet in the center, Juleios stood firm, unshaken.

Even the other leaders felt some pity. No matter their dissatisfaction with Juleios, in front of thousands of soldiers, they were united as one.

"This is a disaster," Timasion muttered. "We should've never let him go up there."

The others agreed.

Xenophon urged, "Let's get the next leader up there to replace him quickly."

Cheirisophus, already regretting his decision, nodded in agreement.