The Rise Of An Empire In Ancient Europe-Chapter 39 - Individual Strategie

On this day, the Persians were not idle either.

After successfully harassing the Greeks, Artauzus returned to his camp, proudly showcasing his achievements to Ariaios.

He proposed that Ariaios transfer all the archers and horse archers under his command, promising that he could utterly crush the Greek forces.

Ariaios congratulated him on his success but began offering excuses to deflect the request. After all, Darius the Younger's army had been defeated in the earlier battle against the Persian king, leaving only around 7,000 soldiers under Ariaios' command. If he gave Artauzus all the archers and horse archers, Ariaios would be left with only about 3,000 men.

As the nominal commander of the remaining forces, Ariaios could not tolerate having fewer soldiers under his control than one of his subordinates—it would undermine his authority. Besides, a Persian army without archers was no longer a true Persian army. Being cautious and somewhat miserly, Ariaios rejected Artauzus' gamble-like strategy.

Artauzus, furious at the rejection, believed that Ariaios was simply jealous of him and did not want to see him succeed. In his anger, he stormed off to Tissaphernes' camp.

...

"Are you saying that if I give you enough archers and horse archers, you can defeat the Greeks?" Tissaphernes asked skeptically.

"Governor, because of Darius the Younger, I've had multiple encounters with the Greek mercenaries and am well aware of their military situation. Most of their soldiers are heavy infantry—slow and cumbersome. As long as we avoid close combat, they can't unleash their strength.

"They have very few archers and are no match for us. In yesterday's battle, my soldiers inflicted around 500 casualties on the Greeks" (a clearly exaggerated claim, "and if we hadn't run out of arrows, their losses would have been even greater!" Artauzus said respectfully. "That's why I propose increasing the number of horse archers and archers to intensify our long-range attacks. With greater casualties, we can crush them sooner and rid you and the king of these Greek barbarians!"

He then shifted his tone, adding, "But Ariaios rejected my proposal, so I had no choice but to come to you, Governor."

Tissaphernes didn't respond immediately. Instead, he looked sorrowful and said, "I am deeply saddened and shocked by Mithridates' death.

"His death may even embolden the Greeks, giving them confidence now that they've lost a leader," Tissaphernes continued grimly. "I've heard that Clearchus, Sparta's overseer, has taken command of the Greek army. Is that true?"

"Yes, Governor. That's what the Greek defectors have told us," Artauzus replied.

"We cannot let him solidify his leadership and gain prestige!" Tissaphernes said coldly and resolutely. "We must strike at them continuously—force them to keep fleeing, cry over their dead, and wail in hunger! Artauzus, since your methods are effective, keep using them to harass the Greeks. I'll give you 2,000 archers and 500 horse archers. As for Ariaios..."

Tissaphernes turned to Sistres, standing nearby. "I'll need you to visit him. If Ariaios is unwilling to fight the Greeks directly, let him hand over his soldiers to someone who can! Otherwise, I won't hesitate to question his actions during Darius the Younger's rebellion."

Sistres smiled dismissively. "Governor, there's no need to be so angry. I believe Ariaios is a reasonable man."

"He'd better be," Tissaphernes said, his eyes flashing coldly.

"Thank you for trusting me, Governor. I promise to bring you good news of victory!" Artauzus exclaimed excitedly.

"And if you succeed, you'll be my adjutant," Tissaphernes promised.

Watching Artauzus leave the tent jubilantly with Sistres, Orontes voiced his concerns. "Do you really think Artauzus can succeed?"

"Since he's already achieved one perfect victory, why shouldn't he have a second? If we can eliminate the Greeks in one decisive blow, it's worth the gamble," Tissaphernes said firmly.

"I didn't expect Sparta's overseer to be part of this mercenary force. It seems Darius the Younger's rebellion must have had Spartan support," Orontes said bitterly. As the son-in-law of King Artaxerxes, he remained vigilant against anyone linked to Darius' faction.

"The Greeks have always hated us—it's been that way for decades. I opposed supporting Sparta against Athens back then, but alas, Cyrus was deceived by Darius and dismissed me, empowering Darius and aiding Sparta instead!" Tissaphernes said bitterly. "And what was the result? Sparta supported Darius' rebellion to gain from it! We should have let Sparta and Athens continue their war instead of helping Sparta win—that would have been in Persia's best interest!"

"You're absolutely right, Tissaphernes. Once this matter is resolved, I'll suggest to the king that we reconsider our relationship with Sparta," Orontes said.

"Exactly. That's why we must deal with these Greeks quickly. Artauzus will bring us good news—he must!"

...

At dusk, the Greek leaders convened again in their military tent.

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"The slinger unit is now fully equipped with slings. After a day of intensive training, they've become proficient and are ready for battle," Cleanor reported. Since his rear-guard forces had suffered the heaviest losses in the previous battle, he had strongly requested command of this newly formed unit.

Next, Juleios made his report: "The cavalry unit is also ready for battle." Since most of the cavalry came from his camp and he commanded the flank, the cavalry was temporarily under his jurisdiction.

Juleios kept his report brief. After observing the day's cavalry training, he had gained a rough understanding of cavalry tactics in this era: charging with their horses, thrusting with lances, throwing javelins, and shooting arrows. However, without stirrups, cavalry couldn't ride at full speed or engage in all-out melee without risking being thrown from their mounts.

The newly formed cavalry was equipped with only one weapon—a lance—making their best use chasing down retreating enemies.

At this point, Clearchus spoke. "Gentlemen, today I took a guide and scouted the route we'll take tomorrow, as well as the surrounding terrain—"

"That was incredibly risky! Persian scouts are patrolling around our camp. If you'd encountered them, it would have been disastrous!" Timasion shouted.

"I took precautions and was under the protection of Zeus. I didn't encounter any Persians," Clearchus replied, nodding to Timasion to express his gratitude for the concern. "Instead, I made an important discovery."

"What did you find?" Cleanor asked eagerly.

"About four miles ahead, there are several mountains with only one narrow gorge leading through. Otherwise, we'd have to take a much longer detour," Clearchus said, using a stick to sketch the area on the ground. "The gorge is only wide enough for about twenty men to pass through side by side."

"You mean... you're worried the Persians might attack us as we pass through the gorge?" Zantiparis asked anxiously.

"It's a valid concern, but it's solvable. If we set off before dawn and pass through the gorge early, the Persians won't expect it," Xenophon suggested.

"That's an excellent idea! Persians fear the dark, especially their cavalry, who are prone to falling in the dark. When Darius the Younger marched with the Persians, they always waited for daylight to break camp. Even Mithridates didn't attack us until well after sunrise the other day. If tomorrow is the same, we'll have crossed the gorge before they even realize," Clearchus agreed.

Clearchus scanned the room and said in a deep voice, "Gentlemen, I have a plan. Since the Persians are relentlessly pursuing us, we can use this gorge to deal them a heavy blow!"