Re: The Basileus is crazy
Chapter 11: A town for the taking
It is now quite fitting to take a quick look at the noble family of the Aiakides, of which Pyrrhos is the head. His three sons have so far produced only one male heir, but time is still ahead of them and that may change.
The one son is Pyrrichos, son of Ptolemaios. 12 years old, he was born in Epeiros, but has no memory of that land. His first memories are from Syrakousai, where his uncle Alexandros took care of him while his father drank himself under the table most every night.
After Ptolemaios settled at Krete, he began to show interest in his son, and sent after a tutor from the academia at Syrakousai. They boy may yet become something great, only time will tell.
At this time, about 4 years after begining his great journey from Kypros, Pyrrhos passes the Pillars of Heracles, and reaches unknown waters. He orders the captain to take the ship further west, towards the setting sun. but constant storms and lack of supplies beats them back.
Instead Pyrrhos settles for sailing up the coast of Iberia, having decided that the end of the world lies in the north, not in the west.
At this time Helenos finally orders the assault on Sidon to begin. His army of mercenary Galatikoi has prepared two rams for the assault, and now moves them into place. The Sidonoi have armed themselves as milita units, and even freed some slaves to aid them, but they are still outnumbered and unused to war.
The city of Sidon had once been a great city, home to the Phoiníkē, founders of Karkhēdōn and great sailors and merchants. After Megas Alexandros conquest of Phoinike however, the cities of the Phoenicioi had fallen into ruin, their inhabitants either dead or having moved to Karkhēdōn and other colonies.
Now Sidon is but a shadow of its old self, but the remainning Sidonoi will die for it in either case.
Helenos small army stands ready to assault the city. The Galatians are manning the rams, supported by assault infantry who fight naked in the Keltoi tradition. Some light cavalry has also joined the army, and stand ready with spears and javelins.
Spoiler Alert, click show to read:
Helenos has with some difficulties managed to strap on his old armour, but even so he has decided not to take part of this battle. Rather he shall sit outside and have wine poured down his throat and grapes fed to him by young women while his men die for him.
The Galatikoi begins pushing the rams forward, and soon they are at the gate and the wall, and begin their work.
The weak wooden wall soon tumbles over, and the Galatikoi throws their javelins at the defenders inside, and as the gate too is broken up, the Sidonoi retreat back to the city centre.
The Galatikoi moves into the city, and begins to move towards the city centre.
The cavalry is first to reach it, and hurl their javelins towards the enemy.
Soon the Galatikoi moves up, and battle is joined.
The battle is fierce, with men falling on both sides, but the Galatikoi have the advantage, as more men moves up to aid in the fighting.
The cavalry circles around the city and charges the Sidonoi in the back, but is in return attacked from behind.
The battle is clearly going in the way of the Galatikoi, but the Sidonoi fights valiantly to their end.
Soon the Sidonoi commander falls dead, and after some final fierce fighting the battle has been won, and the men celebrate.
Spoiler Alert, click show to read:
The city has been taken with little casualties, and Helenos is pleased.
Most of the city´s inhabitants are sold into slavery, and those remaining live just as slaves to Helenos and the Galatikoi.
Helenos is quite pleased with his life, as every night he drinks himself under the table in the company of young women.
All is not well though, for unbeknownst to Helenos a Ptolemaioi army is gathering in Ioudaia, likely to take back the city of Sidon. What will become of this is yet to be seen.
Next chapter: Megas Helenos
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Originally Posted by Swordmaster
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