The Rise Of An Empire In Ancient Europe-Chapter 19 - Suspicion

"The Persians are about to face disaster!" Matonis exclaimed gleefully, laughing as though the Greeks were truly about to wreak havoc.

"It seems the Persians genuinely want to see us leave!" Xilos added insightfully, nodding as he spoke.

Or perhaps Tissaphernes just wants us to think that, Juleios mused silently, keeping his suspicions to himself. He had always felt that Tissaphernes was no ordinary figure. Juleios's perspective, shaped by his knowledge from another era, differed greatly from the Greeks of this time. Over the past weeks, as he observed and interacted with Greek soldiers, he realized that most of them had grown up listening to their fathers' tales of glory—how they had crushed the Persians. These Greeks admired strength, reveled in direct combat, and even when employing strategy, preferred overt maneuvers. They were far less skilled than the Persians when it came to countering deception and intrigue.

It was precisely because Juleios recognized Tissaphernes as a cunning politician that he couldn't shake his unease. "Xenophon, do you know what our route looks like from here?" he asked, breaking his train of thought.

"I'm not entirely sure. The route is decided by Tissaphernes, Clearchus, and Ariæus in their discussions," Xenophon replied. "But I can tell you it won't be the same route we used to get here. You know why—" He shrugged. "Your leader, Menon, led the way, and on the journey, we 'collected' quite a few valuables. The local Persians hate us for it... But don't worry, we'll get back home."

"Collected?" Juleios thought bitterly. "It was more like plundering! No wonder the Persians see us as invaders and thieves." The thought left him with a familiar sense of irritation. He took a deep breath, forcing himself to remain calm. "Do you know much about Persia's geography—its rivers, mountains, cities, and roads?"

The sourc𝗲 of this content is freēwēbηovel.c૦m.

"Juleios, this is my first time venturing deep into Persia. Apart from a few famous cities like Babylon, Susa, and Persepolis that I've read about in books, I don't know their exact locations..." Xenophon admitted. Then, lifting a bundle of papyrus, he added excitedly, "But I've been recording everything we've seen and encountered on this journey. When we return, I'll write it all down so that the Greeks can understand what lies within Persia!"

Juleios gave a wry smile. "Alright, I know you'll eventually write Anabasis. But that won't help us solve the urgent problems we're facing right now."

Where could he find someone familiar with Persian geography? Juleios wondered, his frustration growing.

Over time, although the Greek mercenaries and the Persian army kept their camps at a safe distance, the two sides often crossed paths while fetching water from the rivers or gathering firewood. Such encounters frequently escalated into quarrels or outright brawls, worsening relations and deepening mutual hostility.

A few days later, the Greek army reached the Physcus River, where they unexpectedly encountered another Persian force. This army was led by one of King Artaxerxes' brothers, who had initially marched to support the king. However, by the time they arrived, the war had already concluded, and they were now retreating.

Fearing potential trouble, Clearchus ordered the entire Greek force to arm themselves fully, with their baggage secured at the center of a defensive formation. They continued marching westward in battle order. Meanwhile, the Persian army, seemingly already informed by Tissaphernes, showed no surprise at the Greeks' presence and marched eastward. At their closest, the two armies were only tens of meters apart—close enough for each side to clearly see the faces and expressions of the other. The tension in the air was palpable.

For the first time, Juleios was able to get a good look at the full structure of the Persian army. At the front of their formation were chariots—some drawn by two horses, others by four. Each chariot carried a driver and one or two soldiers. The soldiers were equipped with spears, shields, and bows, while the chariots themselves bore visible weapons such as mounted spears and hanging shields. There were only about a dozen chariots, and Juleios saw no sign of the legendary scythed chariots. He reasoned that the scythes must be detachable since they would pose a danger to the Persians themselves during long marches.

Behind the chariots rode the cavalry. Most of the horses stood around 1.4 meters tall—shorter than the racehorses Juleios remembered seeing in Olympic competitions in his previous life. The horses were bridled but lacked saddles and stirrups. Instead, thick woolen blankets were draped over their backs. The cavalrymen's equipment varied: some wore helmets, while others wore soft caps. They had no armor or large shields, and their short robes offered minimal protection. Their weapons were diverse—most carried bows, while others wielded javelins, spears, or even short maces.

Once the cavalry passed, the vast infantry followed. Watching closely, Juleios noticed that the Persian infantry marched in mixed formations: a shield-bearer carrying a large shield that covered their entire body, followed by a spearman, and then six or seven archers. This sequence repeated throughout the formation.

This arrangement matched what Antonius had described about Persian battle tactics. In combat, the shield-bearers would form the front line, creating a wall of shields to protect the formation. Spearmen behind them would fend off close combatants, while the archers at the rear inflicted heavy casualties with arrows. Despite their differing roles, all Persian infantry shared a common trait—light or no armor. Coupled with the lightly armored cavalry, Juleios concluded: The Persian army excels at long-range attacks and mobility but lacks the ability to endure close combat.

No wonder they always lost to the Greeks in pitched battles. In face-to-face combat, their lightly armored infantry could not withstand the charge of Greek hoplites. The Persian military was more suited to skirmishes, harassment tactics, and large-scale maneuver warfare.

The two armies passed each other without incident—a tense yet uneventful encounter.

After this episode, the Greek forces quickly entered the region of Media. This land had once been home to the fierce Medes, whose kingdom had struck fear into the peoples of Mesopotamia. However, centuries had passed, and the Medes' former glory was now but a memory. Under Persian rule, this once-prosperous region had fallen into decline. The terrain grew more rugged, and the villages scattered across the landscape became fewer.

With market supplies dwindling, fights over resources became increasingly common when the two armies camped near each other.

"Juleios, these leg wraps you came up with are amazing!" Xilos said one evening, sitting in the tent as he untied his wraps. "After walking all day, my calves used to swell so much I could barely move by afternoon. But now, I don't have to worry about that!"

"Of course! Juleios is 'favored by the gods!' With Hades' blessings, any idea of his is bound to work!" Olivers chimed in proudly. "Now, even soldiers in other units are starting to use leg wraps."

Juleios said nothing, having grown accustomed to such praise. These small innovations, borrowed from his previous life, were just ways to improve the soldiers' marching experience and bolster his influence within Menon's camp. However, he knew they wouldn't change the precarious situation faced by the entire Greek force.

"Juleios, there's been a rumor spreading through the camp these past few days," Giorgris said from a corner of the tent. "They say the Persians plan to capture us and present us to the King of Persia as slaves. Do you think it's true?"

This question had been troubling Juleios as well. Suspicion between the Greeks and Persians was nothing new, but the speed at which this rumor had spread—becoming common knowledge within just a day or two—indicated deliberate manipulation. From his previous life's experiences, Juleios knew rumors didn't spread this quickly without someone fueling them.

Was it the Persians? Or someone within the Greek ranks? Why spread such rumors? To break the fragile agreement between Greeks and Persians? To push the Greeks into panic and desperation? Juleios had no answers yet. Looking at the concerned faces around him, he forced himself to appear calm. "There's no need to panic," he said. "We just need to stay vigilant. Haven't we made it through safely these past few days?"

As he spoke, someone entered the tent.

"Matonis, you've been fighting again!" Xilos exclaimed, noticing the bruises on Matonis's face.

Spitting blood, Matonis grinned. "Don't underestimate the Persians. They might be bad at war, but they can sure hold their own in a brawl. It took a dozen of us, including Martius, a lot of effort to chase off twenty of them!"

Sitting down with a thud, Matonis rubbed his face and said mysteriously, "But I didn't just fight. I also heard some news."

"What news?" Xilos asked.

Matonis glanced around the tent and declared, "Ahead lies the territory of Cyrus the Younger and his mother. I've heard that there are many villages there, and they're quite wealthy!"

"So we'll finally get some good food!" Olivers exclaimed, his face lighting up.

The others in the tent grew visibly excited. Supplies had been scarce, and everyone had been going hungry for days.