Chapter 19. The mistrust

"Disaster is coming for the Persians!!!" Matonis laughed happily and loudly, as if the Greeks would actually do it.

 "It seems the Persians really want to send us away!" Xellos said in a perceptive voice.

 Or maybe that's what Tissafonis wants you to think. Davos thought in his heart without saying it out loud, he always felt that Tissafonis this person is never simple. After all, his ideas are different from the Greeks of this era, according to this period of time to the Greek soldiers in-depth contact, he found that most of these Greeks grew up listening to their fathers tell stories about how to beat up the Persians, advocate strength, like to face-to-face killing, even if the use of tactics are mostly yang, in terms of dealing with intrigue and trickery, their brain back is indeed a few less bends than the Persians.

 It was precisely because Davos knew that Tissaphernes was a masterful politician that his heart was constantly troubled, "Xenophon, do you know our route of march?"

 "Not quite sure, it's all been decided by Tissaphernes, Krilcus, Arrizos and their deliberations. But it certainly wasn't the way it came. Because you know-" Xenophon shrugged, "your chief Menon led the way, collecting a lot of goodies along the way, and the local Persians have a hatred for us ... Don't worry, we will go back!"

 Collect? I think looting is more like it! I'm afraid that in the eyes of the Persians, we are invaders! It's robbers! Whenever he heard this, Davos was always a bit annoyed in his mind, he secretly exhaled to make his mood as calm as possible, "Do you know the mountains, rivers, cities, and roads within Persia?"

 "Davos, I am also the first time to go deep into the Persian territory, besides knowing a few famous cities in the books, like Babylon, Susa, Persepolis and so on, but where exactly they are, I am also unaware of them ..." Xenophon raised a pile of papyrus in his hands paper and said excitedly, "However, I have recorded briefly what I saw every day, and when I go back, I will write them out, so that all Greeks can understand the situation within Persia!"

 Davos smiled bitterly: well, I know you'll write a book called The Longest Journey in the future, but it won't solve the urgent problems of the present.

 Where can I find someone familiar with Persian geography? Davos thought bitterly ...

 ............... ......

 Over time, the Greek mercenaries and the Persian army camped although not close to each other, but to the river to pick water, collect firewood, the two sides of the soldiers will always meet, often a disagreement, there will be a brawl, and more increase the ill feelings of the two sides.

 A few days later, arriving at the river Phaiscus, he met head-on an army led by another brother of Artaxerxes, king of Persia. He had come to the king's aid, but when he arrived, the war was over, so he had to return with another army.

 Clearchus, fearing an accident, ordered the whole army to march westward, fully armed, with the provisions guarded in the center, keeping the fighting column. The Persian army, on the other hand, was not surprised at the appearance of the Greeks in the area, and probably having been informed by Tissaphernes, they continued their march to the east. The two armies were only a few dozen meters apart at the closest point, and at a glance, one could even see each other's faces and looks, and the tension was palpable.

 However, for the first time, Davos was able to see the Persian army in its entirety: at the front were two-man and four-man chariots, drawn by two and four horses, respectively. One of the car is a royal hand, responsible for driving the chariot, the rest of the one to two soldiers should be responsible for combat, can see the carriage inserted spears, hanging shields and bows and arrows. Chariots but a dozen, did not see the legendary long sickle chariot (i.e., wheel axle extends a long sharp blade), but think about it, this long sickle must be removable, otherwise usually marching is very easy to hurt their own people.

 Following behind the chariots were the cavalry. Most of the warhorses were about one point four meters tall, which was obviously a bit short compared to the racehorses that Davos had seen in the Olympics in his previous life. They had bridles but no saddles and certainly no stirrups, only a thick blanket over the horse's back. The cavalrymen on the horses, some wearing helmets, some only floppy hats, did not wear leather armor or heavy shields, and all wore short robes. The weapons in their hands were varied: horse archers were the most numerous, followed by javelin cavalry, then spear cavalry, and a few with short hammers in their hands ...

 Hundreds of cavalry galloped past, and a huge line of infantry was displayed. After watching for a while, Davos realized that the Persian infantry marched in mixed ranks: a large shield bearer, with a shield as high as a man's shoulder and wide enough to hide a man, followed closely by a spearman, followed by half a dozen archers, and then repeated.

 This is similar to the battle order of the Persian infantry mentioned by Antonios: the great shield bearers were the first line to receive the enemy, erecting a shield wall and protecting the formation. The lancers held off the enemy, preventing them from disrupting the shield wall. The archers at the back used their bows and arrows to kill and maim the enemy. Regardless of whether it was the large shields, spearmen, or archers, they all had a common feature, light armor or even no armor, and coupled with the cavalry from before, when viewed together, Davos could easily make a judgment: the Persian army was a unit with excellent long-range lethality and great mobility, but weak in close combat. No wonder they always lost to the Greeks in battle, because in face-to-face combat, their infantry was no match at all under the onslaught of Greek heavy infantry. The characteristics of the Persian army were better suited to uncloseted long-range killing and raiding, and even greater meandering maneuvering operations.

 The two armies staggered past each other and nothing happened, a false alarm.

 After this little incident, the troops soon entered the Midian. This land had once nurtured the tough Midianites, and the Kingdom of Midian they founded was once the nightmare of the people of the Two Rivers Valley. However, hundreds of years had passed, and the splendor was no longer there, and the land under Persian jurisdiction had become a bit desolate for some reasons, and the terrain had begun to rise and fall.

 Due to the decrease in market supply, fights between the two armies over resources began to increase when they camped ...

 "Davos, this ... binding ... binding you made really works! I've been walking all day again today, if it were before, my calves would be too swollen to take a step by the afternoon, but now I don't have to worry about that!" Xilos sat in his tent and marveled as he untied the bindings.

 "Of course, our Davos is a 'God's Favorite'! We're blessed by the Underworld King, so the method he came up with can't be ineffective! Now, quite a few companions from other squads are also starting to learn how to use bindings!" Oliverus said proudly.

 Davos didn't say anything, now that he had heard such kind words so much, he was even a bit numb. He knew very well that these small tactics he knew in his previous life were merely used to improve the soldiers' marching conditions and enhance his influence in Menon's barracks, but they wouldn't make any difference to the situation of the entire Greek mercenary army.

 "Davos, these days the team has been rumored that the Persians are going to make a move against us and offer us as slaves to the King of Persia after capturing us, do you think ... this will be true?!" Giorgis' voice came from the corner.

 This was exactly what Davos had been thinking about just now. Although there had always been suspicions between the two armies before, a rumor like this could spread quickly in a day or two, making it known to everyone. With his experience in his previous life, it was impossible without someone pushing behind it.

 Was it the Persians? Or is it us? Why spread such rumors? To make the Hippo deal fall apart? Make the Greeks nervous to the point of collapse? ... Davos had no clue for a moment, facing everyone's concerned gaze, he smiled bitterly in his heart, but said calmly with a calm demeanor, "There is no need to make it so tense, we just need to stay vigilant, these days are not all safe and sound!"

 As he was talking, a man came into the tent.

 "Matonis, you've been out fighting again!" Xellos said with a slight reproach when he saw the bruise on Martonis' face.

 Martonius spat out a mouthful of blood and said excitedly, "Don't look at the Persians as not being able to fight, but they are not weak in a fight; Martius and I and a dozen others fought more than two dozen of them, and it took a great deal of effort to fight them off!"

 He said, sitting down on his bunk on his butt, rubbing his cheeks, and pretending to be mysterious, "I didn't just go to fight, I spied on a message."

 "What news?" Xellos asked.

 Martonius scanned the crowd and exclaimed, "Further on is the fiefdom of Cyrus the Younger and his mother, where I hear there are quite a few villages and more affluent!"

 "So we get to eat something good!" Oliverus exclaimed happily.

 The others were also a bit excited, having been underfed for the past few days.