The Royal Council

[Ibn-Khaldun]

Antiochos turns towards Polyxenidos...

I'll think about it. Will see what the spring will bring us.

OOC: Calling an Emergency Council Session would mean that Rodrico Stak, Roka and Adamantarius will not be able to take part of it since they don't have avatars yet.

[Alerion]

A messenger enters the court.

"Basileus, your son Theodoros reports that the Parthian army is on the march to Damaskos and he expects to arrive there during spring or summer, the year after the next year."

[The Celtic Viking]

Sarpedon quickly stands up and raises his right hand in a motion to speak.

"Father, if things haven't changed dramatically come spring, I would strongly suggest that you heed Lykikos' advice. Our next move needs to be planned very carefully so that no mistakes are made. An ill step now and we will stumble, and if we fall we may never get up again."

[Ibn-Khaldun]

I know this Sarpedon. If we can't destroy the Ptolemaioi now then they soon take over Sidon, Damaskos and perhaps even Antiocheia! After that you will be almost cut of from the rest of the Empire!
This year have become a nightmare!

[SwissBarbar]

Galaktíon, the messenger of Nikarchos Asterias Syriakes enters the room, kneels and adresses the basileus

"Antiochos Syriakos, Mylord, i bring word from my master Syriakes, who camps at the borderline to Assyrie . Knowledge of the tragical death of your son has recently reached this ear and he asks you to accept his heartfelt sympathy. As a sign of mourning he will not speak a word until the warmth of spring has banished winters sorrowful coldness and the days become longer and brighter."

Galaktíon stands up, bows and steps backwords to the place where the messengers have to wait in the room.

[Celtic_Punk]

"Sarpedon has a good idea on the gravity of this situation, If we lose the coastline, we lose our most crucial cities, We will be unable to afford more armies in a timely fashion. Our Eastern holdings are dwarfed in importance compared to this coast."

[Hax]

Andromachos rises furiously from his seat.

"Dwarfed in importance? You forget something here, friend. Our armies are payed by money that flows from the east. Not only the abundant trade with the civilization of Maurya through Baktria and the Keleuthos Bombykike, but also the abundance of silver and gold found in the hills of Persia, Gabia and the rest. I am the Satrap of Persia, and you would be wise to first learn of the east before you make such bold statements.

Andromachos looks at Arrhenides one last time, furiously, and is seated again.

[The Celtic Viking]

"You speak as if the East is supporting the rest, which of course is ridiculous.

The truth is plain and simple: the East is not as important as the West. It's in the west that we get the Makedonians and the Greeks. It's where we get our best and most reliable troops, and it's where we get money and manpower to survive. If we would lose the East, that would hurt us, but we would still be a power to be reckoned with. We'd still have money, we'd still have people to draw armies from, we'd still have a good chance to expand. If we lose the west, we're done. We'd be left with poor cities with low populations - who, may I remind you, are not too happy about our rule - and what rabble we could conjure up would be unreliable at best.

I do not think that Euripedes suggests that the east is worthless, not at all. He's simply saying that it's not nearly as important as the west is. That is indisputable. Perhaps you need to learn about the west?"

[00jebus]

*Messanger arrives and hands a letter to the clerk, who reads sections aloud*

My lord's and most honoured Baselios, blah blah blah... getting to the point
*the clerk clears his throat before continuing*
Timarchos Mysiakes reports victory over the Potlemai, and further, reports that a path to Jerusalem is now open, additionally he reports that part of the enemy garrison is outside the city, and the rest of the garrison could be coaxed away from the walls if it were attacked.
Further still, he reports that with extra troops, even if they be the remainder of all liberator armies, the jews could be free before summer.
and apparently, he's slightly worried about an alarmingly large Egyptian army beseiging Bostra which could interdict and advance or beseige the city once its liberated.

The rest is a detailed report of the battle that I wont bore you with now.

[Hax]

Andromachos rises again

"Sarpedon, tell me, please; what has the west? Do not forget I am as much a Makedones as you. The fiercest men are not only to be found in the west, you are mistaken here. I have enormous kleroi of land granted to Makedonian and Hellene settlers, who have fought and died for our glory. To call the people of the East rabble is ignorant at best. Do not forget that they too, supply our lands with gold."

Andromachos glances around the council.

To the point of saying that is not nearly as important as the west..I would disagree? Where would we be, if the cities of Ekbatana and Susa would lie in ashes? Where would we be if Ptolemaic banners fly over the cities of Seleukeia tes Tigrou and Babylon. Can anyone tell me here that the East is not as important as the west? Can anyone?!"

Andromachos' voice almost reaches to a shout.

"This is not what Megás Alexandros wanted. He wanted to unite East and West, Persikos and Makedones, Hellene and Aigyptes. It is the strength combined of East and West that makes us as we are. One nation, one Basileos. Be you Makedonian, Hellene, Syrian, Jewish, Babylonian, Armenian or Persian, it matters not. It matters not where we are from, and that my friends, that is exactly what differs us from the sons of Ptolemaios. The combined strength of East and West will triumph over the Kings of Egypt and it will make Alexandros' dream come true: One great nation."

Andromachos looks around the councilroom one last time, as if waiting for a comment, and then takes his seat.

[The Celtic Viking]

"Did I not already tell you? The west has great wealth, manpower, infrastructure, Makedonians and loyal inhabitants. The east has some wealth, laughable manpower, horrendous infrastructure, few Makedonians and disloyal inhabitants. Do not fool yourself and think they're equals. They're not. I think that makes at least two who has said the East is less important. I, myself, have said it twice now.

Note though that all anyone here has said is less important, as opposed to unimportant. What I think you should do now, Andromachos, is first to calm down. Take your frustration out in the training yard or something. Then when you can think clearly again without your own personal feelings getting in your way for rational thought, come back. Your whole speech about what Alexander wanted seems a little bit... misdirected."

[johnhughthom]

Lykikos stands and looks at Andromachos

"I think you should heed Sarpedon's advice and calm down, although unfortunately that was the only thing of worth in his words. "
Looks to Sarpedon
"You keep going on about Makedones, Sarpedon, as if they are the be all and end all of the Arche, why not go back to Makedonia if thats what is important to you? For one who is heir to this Empire you seem to have little understanding how it works, indeed many in the east are not 100% loyal and a strong Basileus is needed to unite them all. I wonder how they will react when they have a leader who sees them as "less important" rather than "unimportant." I'm sure the huge difference in meaning will be very reassuring for them."

He sits, shaking his head

[Alerion]

A servant sitting at the doors listens carefully to what is going on and, knowing his master would want to know of this discussion, calls for one of THeodoros' messengers to deliver him news about this unrest.

[Hax]

Andromachos glances over at Polyxenides

"You are right, I spoke in anger. However,"

Andromachos turns towards Sarpedon again

"You misunderstand my point, Sarpedon. The true power of the Arche lies to the east, at the cities of Ekbatana, Susa, Seleukeia tes Tigrou, Babylon, and Persepolis. These are the economic powerhouses on which our strength lies. You severely underestimate the strength of the east. Were it not the Persians who claimed the largest part of Asia?"

"I have not even stated once that the West is less important than the East. They are balancing eachother, as the one relies on the other. I also think that you cannot even think to state that the East has "some wealth", at best, as you put it. I, personally, control all the trade coming through, far from the East, even further than the Mauryioi who live in golden cities, as is told. The provinces of Gabiene, Perse, Parthava, Hyrkania, Austauene, Karmania and Aria are rich in the silver and gold ore, which we use to pay our soldiers. Did you think that Antiocheia and Seleukeia Pieria alone could handle all the pay for our soldiers, or Issos, Sardis, Mazaka?

Nay. The economy lies in the East, the men in the West."

[The Celtic Viking]

""Go back to Makedonia"?" Sarpedon frowns and shakes his head. "Listen up, Lykikos, and listen good: without the Makedonians and the Hellenes, we have no army. When their numbers dwindle, we are forced to turn to mercenaries, lest our armies should dwindle with them. This is a fact, not how I want it to be, or even just my opinion. That's just the way it is, and that's why I'm saying they're more important, along with the fact that they're more trustworthy. I've never taken you for a fool, but you're starting to sound an awful lot like one if you're telling me you didn't already know this."

Sarpedon now turns to Andromachos, smiling gleefully.

"I'm afraid you're contradicting yourself now. First you say that "the true power" lies in the east, continuing to say that's where our strength lies. So far so wrong, but then you go on and say that you "never once" have said the west was less important than the east! But my dear Andromachos, you did so twice before in the very same speech!" Sarpedon laughs and continues. "Which is all the more funny since I hadn't even claimed that you said anything of the sort before!

In any case, you're being a fool here. Could Ekbatana, Susa, Babylon, Seleukeia and Persepolis alone pay for our armies? Of course not! Does that mean the west is supplying all the wealth? Of course not! You're saying it does, only you take western cities instead and claim the east is paying for it. You're, quite happily I presume, forgetting that Mikra Asia is a very, very rich area, and the trade there is great as well. This I know personally because I am the satrap there, and unlike others, I actually do my job."

With a long stare straight into Andromachos' eyes, Sarpedon sits down.

[johnhughthom]

Lykikos stands to adress Sarpedon

I care little for whether you took me for a fool, I had certainly never taken you for a potential tyrant

Spoiler Alert, click show to read: 

OOC using a modern interpretation of the word here

yet I'm sure I'm not alone in becoming very concerned recently that you are heir to our Empire. I am well aware of the importance of Makedones and Hellenes to our armies but even Alexandros had others in his armies, insulting the other peoples in our Empire will not motivate them to fight with us. I am not overly concerned with your opinions on military matters, I am very concerned with how you are putting them across. You seem intent on humiliating your cousin, and you are making sure everybody knows what a great job you are doing rather than letting your actions speak for themselves.
Perhaps we should focus on the Ptolemaic threat now, this bickering would be more at home in Athens and will get us nowhere.

The Babylonian sits looking tired

[The Celtic Viking]

Sarpedon sighs.

"I never said we have, are, or should exclude non-Hellenes from our armies, so don't try to play it that way. The fact still remains, though: they are the core, and without them we crumble. If saying that makes them more important than others is "insulting", than I'm sure you'd say that it would be insulting of me to say that the cavalry in our armies are more important than the levy skirmishers. Ridiculous.

If I'm humiliating Andromachos, then it's his own fault, because I don't humiliate someone because of how they look, how they dress or because I "just want to". I only humiliate people because of what they claim, and in the right circumstances, how they claim it. I simply call them as I see them. As for letting my actions speak for themselves, I tried that, and despite working the crap out of myself and becoming the best administrator in the whole damn kingdom, that only gained me attacks from Timarchos. Perhaps you had forgotten that?

But I do agree we should focus on the current problems we're having. We can't waste time on something like this now."

[johnhughthom]

Lykikos looks confused

"Are you seriously telling me you are so insecure that being "attacked" by the man who led to our humiliation in Heirosolyma has led to these arrogant outbursts? I believe I said once before that a lack of criticism is sometime the only praise you receive in politics, criticism from Timarchos hardly counts now does it? Personally I had no doubts you would succeed as Satrap but I didn't realize you needed constant reassurances of your worth, I will try to remember in future."

Lykikos smiles to assure Sarpedon he is not serious

[Celtic_Punk]

Euripedes after watching the three men bicker for a time stands up with a look of slight distaste
"SHUT UP! STOP YOUR PETTY BICKERING! You are men! ACT LIKE IT! Andromachos, those cities are the heart of the Arche, without them We cannot function. Sarpedon, you misunderstood what I said. When I said the East, I meant the far east, bordering the Persian scum and the Baktrians. The great core cities dwarf the East AND West in importance. You are SATRAPS! You are not accomplishing anything by disputing who's Satrapy is more important. We have a new issue here. A large army at Petra. We should not provoke it by taking Jerusalem. Leave the Jews to rot. I would not trade 10 000 Jews for 100 of our soldiers. We should hold the line, Pontus must fall before we can continue into Egypt...Eurpides takes a breath and a sip of water."Another issue. The Armenian threat! After Pontus is dealt with we will have extended our borders with them. This new border needs to be enforced. I propose that after the Pontic campaign is through we raise a small contingent as a delaying force if the Hai decide to make an incursion on our lands. Euripedes looks to the similiarly aged King Your thoughts sire?

[00jebus]

*the clerk speaks up*

The... Egyptian army that Mysiakes reported is beseiging Bostra, not Petra sir, a small oversight, given that they are both desert town's nobody seams to care about..... in any case its the one north-east of Jerusalem

[Celtic_Punk]

"my mistake, please do not call me sir, I am no officer. Just merely a philosopher of sorts appointed by the young Arrhenides Gedrosianos Cunobelinus to act on his behalf in this council."

[Incitatus]

Alexandros rises and speaks to the clerk

That is quite a different matter. While the towns themselves might be of little value their geographic positions are significant. In other words, Petra is well within Ptolemaic territory – Bostra is not. Indeed, Bostra opens up an additional front. If Bostra is taken, the town could be used as a staging ground for attacks on the Levant or even across the desert into our heartlands. I am not familiar with the current positions of our forces assigned to the area, but I believe that the Ptolemaic threat must be dealt with.

In a larger sense, we have only ourselves to blame for this. We decidedly underestimated Ptolemy’s strength and cunning and we are now suffering the consequences. We also suffer from the lack of an organized strategy of defense. I believe we would ensure the security of our lands if first the Bostra threat is dealt with, and if troops can be spared the town should be taken for the Arche. Second, Hierosolyma should be taken as soon as possible. This will allow the establishment of a much more comfortable perimeter that can be held until the Invasion of Aegyptos. If anyone has a different understanding of the situation, and I believe it to be grave, let him speak. I do not see any other way to proceed.

[The Celtic Viking]

"Lykikos, watch your mouth. I am the best administrator there is in this whole kingdom, and no one comes close to matching my skill - not even my father. Why should I pretend like this is not the case? It is not out of any supposed arrogance that I'm saying this, it is out of my unwavering loyalty to reality. All I want is for the rest of you to catch up on that as well."

Sarpedon turns to Euripedes.

"Were you not the one who said we shouldn't "abandon the jews", and now suddenly you're on the opposite side of the fence? You have come to the right conclusion, of course, but I'm just wondering why you didn't value our soldiers so much before.

Also, if you hadn't heard us already, Lykikos and I had already agreed to stop before you started shouting like that. Disgraceful, and pointless."

[SwissBarbar]

Galaktíon, messenger of Nikarchos Asterias Syriakes enters the room

My Lords, once again i bring word from my Master, who has heard of the important discoussion concerning how to face the dangerous threat of the Ptolemaioi. He instructed me to bring in his opinion of his matter.

Galaktíon grabs a scroll and starts to read

My Lords

I am crossing Assyrie at the Moment and advance towards Phyrgia to join the army of Sarpedon Syriakos near the border of Pontos.

Pontos, the Kingdom founded by Mithridates the first, adherent of Antigonos, enemy of our divine father Seleukos. They may look amicably towards us now, but not because they have respect but because they fear us. I'm sure they just wait for an opportunity to extend their Kingdom at our expense!

If we draw back our Armies from the border of Pontos and bind them in the war against the Ptolemaioi, the pontic King will take his chance and attack Ipsos. Should the strong Ptolemaioi decide to send all their armies with might and main against our walls to crush us, we cannot afford an enemy like Pontos to stab in our back.

Pontos could be taken in short time, if we act swiftly. Many hellenic people live there, who could join our armies. If we'd liberate them soon, we could take the offensive against the Ptolemys without sorrow, and the western border would be save, wich is of significant importance to us and of course to me personally, as the true Makedon I am.

For now i will continue my journey and my messengers will inform me regularly about the desicions and discussions made in this council.


May the Gods protect you all

Nikarchos Asterias Syriakes


He finishes and looks expectantly to the Council

[kingsnake]

Akakios Euthymios, Strategos Aratos Representative, takes his chance and stands.

"I have recieved an update on the progress of the 1st Syrian Army.

My lord, considering all the problems with Ptolemy and the need of an efficient and quick conquest of Pontus, wishes that any modification to the plans be known to him, immediately, as he is at striking distance. If Aratos is not sent anything, he will engage the war."

The representative, now adds a more grave tone to his voice.

"Finally, Strategos Epilektos Aratos Syriakes manifests, with great respect towards Strategos Arrhenides, his discontent towards Euripedes, for insulting his roots. Calling them "persian scum", was very insulting and not how a true philosopher should behave. Aratos demands a public apology from Euripedes, here at the Council and in Aratos' presence. Additionally, he asks the Basileus, for the immediate expulsion of Euripedes from the Council, forever."

Euthymios looks seriously and directly at Euripedes. "Consider yourself lucky."

Now, turning towards the Council. "This was my master's message." Euthymios bowed his head and sat.

[MerlinusCDXX]

I agree completely with your superior, good Akakios. Had this toplofty blowhard made such a statement in my Satrapy, his head and neck would immediately part company. Glaring at Euripides you call yourself a philosopher? Come try your philosophy in Parthava you lily-livered coward. I'd be willing to bet a mint that I wouldn't need to give the order to shorten you by a head, since one of those "Persian scum" you keep referring to would continue the conversation through your respective seconds. I happen to rule over many of those Persians you like to call scum, they have fought bravely to rid the Satrapy of all manner of lawless scum, hell, if you met one of the Daha nomads we kill regularly face-to-face, you'd crap your chiton right before you grew an arrow out of your arse. I've done nothing but promote law and order in the Arkhe, mostly at the point of a sword, what have you accomplished? Besides fancy, well articulated lies.

[Marcus Agrippa]

"The personal messenger of Anaxarchos Kyrrhestikes Syriakes, stands to read his masters words to the counsel"

Generals, Noblemen, Brothers.
I ask that you heed my words for this is a time we should strive for unity against our common foe. We need a clear mind and one decision on what to do. I say we all vote on a plan to counter Ptolemy. I request first that spies be sent to ascertain what we face and where. Second: that we continue to marsh a vast army and supporting forces.
Third: that the pontic campaign start if there is no great risk of our generals being absent or getting out-manoeuvred.
Lastly: that we don’t fall pray to the infighting that split Megas Alexander’s great empire. After all he wanted unity and respect between east and west. I would encourage the eastern satrap to make plans to extend his domain to the most easterly extent he can.
Long live the Arche!
Anaxar

[MerlinusCDXX]

To Anaxarkhos' messenger

We are already working on all the things your superior has suggested, good of you to remind us. Spies are already en-route to the Southwestern front. I believe Satrap Sarpedon has the Pontic war effort well in hand, I trust he will strike when the time is right. As for the Ptolemies, we have only suffered a setback, they have taken no territory from us, and recruiting is going full tilt at this point. I believe Basileus Antiochos plans to personally repay those freaks with the best the Arkhe can muster, they have a lot to answer for. As for extending our influence to the East, this is in the works, but the time is not ripe yet. I am extending an offer to your superior, that he may actively participate in the taming of the East, as my Aide. Pretty words are well and good, but it's time to put our money where our mouths are.

[The Celtic Viking]

"As for when I will strike, I've pretty much been waiting for the clearance to do so. For one thing I think we should first send a diplomat and officially end the alliance before we attack, which hasn't been done yet, and secondly the Ptolemaic situation has complicated things. With but one word from the basileus, I can strike. My forces aren't fully gathered yet, though, and if I would have to make an assault, I would want those Jews with me, so for full efficiency and safety, we would wait at least until they get to me. But that would likely mean postponing my attack at least a year, so there is that to consider as well."

[Marcus Agrippa]

Anaxar's representative turns to face Lydikes

Lord Lydikes,
If my services are not needed in The Ptolemy war then I shall travel to aid you in the east.
I am in transit to Damaskas but need not continue with Achaios Syriakos passing from this realm to the underworld. I await conformation from those fighting this conflict of the Basileus.
Anaxar