The Rise Of An Empire In Ancient Europe-Chapter 7 - Javelins and Food

The task assigned to Juleios and his group was grim: scavenge spears, shields, and even discarded chariots from the battlefield to use as firewood for cooking. They were provided an ox cart for the work, a minor consolation for the grim task ahead.

The battlefield wasn't far from the camp. The day before, cavalry scouts had confirmed that the Persian King's army had retreated, making it safe enough to send soldiers to clean up the aftermath. Still, many men were sent, not just for scavenging but also to guard against any surprise Persian cavalry ambushes.

Before they even reached the battlefield, Juleios noticed something unsettling. A patch of sky ahead seemed unnaturally dark, teeming with countless crows whose harsh cries echoed like an ominous warning. The closer they got, the clearer the grim reality became. The grassy plain stretched endlessly, covered in layers of corpses—both human and horse. Flies swarmed over the rotting bodies, while wolves and leopards gnawed at the remains, their cold eyes glinting as they briefly paused to observe the newcomers.

Each step brought the group closer to the stench of decay. Flies buzzed relentlessly, swirling around their faces. Juleios' face grew pale, and he fought the violent churning in his stomach.

"Juleios, you've seen this kind of scene plenty of times before. How are you still feeling sick?" Matonis asked with mild amusement. Despite Juleios' recent changes, moments like this reminded Matonis that his friend still needed looking after.

"I'm fine..." Juleios muttered, though his voice was shaky. He clenched his fists, forcing himself to take deeper breaths. The memories of this body may have seen such carnage before, but his modern mind had not. Yet, he knew that in this unforgiving world, such sights would become commonplace. He had to adapt.

Releasing his hand from his nose, Juleios forced himself to ignore the overwhelming stench. He pried apart the corpses on the ground, retrieving shields buried beneath rotting flesh. Brushing off maggots, he tossed the shields onto the ox cart with mechanical precision.

At first, the ox pulling the cart was deeply unsettled by the carnage. It nearly injured Matonis in its panic. Juleios quickly suggested blindfolding the animal with a strip of linen, which calmed it down considerably.

The group worked tirelessly, loading the cart to its brim and carrying additional bundles themselves.

"Where's Juleios?" Matonis asked, noticing his absence.

"There!" Orivus pointed to a nearby spot. Juleios was throwing a javelin at a vulture feasting on a corpse, though the nimble bird dodged it with ease.

"Looks like he's practicing for the Olympic javelin contest!" Orivus quipped.

"Shut up," Matonis barked, heading toward Juleios.

Juleios turned to see him approach, casually picking up another javelin from the ground. Despite the grim surroundings, he was slowly adapting to the environment.

"Matonis, how many archers do we have?" Juleios asked, his fingers idly tracing the tip of the javelin.

Caught off guard by the question, Matonis hesitated, but Georgilis stepped in with his meticulous nature. "Archers? Cleisophus' unit has about 300 Cretan archers. If you include the light infantry who throw javelins, I'd say we have around 3,000 in total."

"And how many light infantry do we have?" Juleios pressed.

"About 400 or so," Georgilis replied, puzzled.

"Matonis, don't use these javelins as firewood. It's a waste. Why not equip everyone with one or two javelins instead? What do you think?" Juleios suggested, his tone thoughtful.

Before Matonis could respond, Orivus interjected. "But we're heavy infantry!"

Juleios' eyes narrowed. "And when we face Persian cavalry? We can't even get close to them. All we do is dodge their arrows and javelins!" His suggestion wasn't just born of necessity; it stemmed from his knowledge of another famous heavy infantry force: the Roman legions, whose mastery of the pilum made them a force to be reckoned with.

"But Ariaeus has cavalry," Orivus argued.

"Relying on others is never as good as relying on ourselves," Juleios replied with a faint smile.

"Is this one of your divine prophecies from Hades?" Georgilis asked, eyes wide with curiosity.

Juleios didn't answer, only smiled enigmatically.

"It's a good idea," Matonis said finally. He took a javelin from Juleios and suddenly hurled it. A vulture fell from the sky.

"But, Juleios, you've got a lot to learn about javelin throwing!" Matonis added smugly.

Greek heavy infantry traditionally avoided javelins, viewing them as beneath their station. However, Greeks were not strangers to the weapon. Javelin throwing was part of the pentathlon in the Olympic Games, and boys often trained in the skill from a young age.

"Great! We'll have lamb, beef, and bird meat for lunch!" someone joked.

"Careful! I heard these birds come from Hades and their meat is poisonous," another soldier quipped.

Back at camp, livestock had already been slaughtered, their meat cut into pieces and placed in pots over makeshift stoves. The smell of cooking food filled the air, lifting everyone's spirits.

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Chiros soon returned with approval for Juleios' idea. The javelins wouldn't be a burden, and squads were free to decide whether to adopt them.

But Juleios was missing again.

"Where's Juleios?" Matonis asked.

"He went to check on the discarded animal entrails," someone replied, bemused. "Something about waste."

Moments later, Juleios returned, carrying a bloody sheep intestine on the tip of his spear.

"Get that stinking thing away from us!" everyone shouted, covering their noses.

Ignoring them, Juleios raised his voice. "I saw piles of cattle and sheep entrails dumped near the baggage camp, left for scavengers. That's such a waste! Don't forget, we were starving just days ago. If this happens again, we'll need reserves."

"Can we eat that stuff?" a burly soldier asked, skeptical.

"Of course! Entrails aren't just filling; they're nutritious. For instance, they're great for improving night vision," Juleios explained confidently.

The group exchanged skeptical looks, but Oryphus grinned. "Juleios is a god's favorite! Trust him!"

Laughter rippled through the group as they set about their tasks, buoyed by their newfound sense of hope and camaraderie.