The Royal Council

[The Celtic Viking]

"Oh, I see! So you would take the comfort, wealth and safety provided to you by me and my kingdom, along with all the priviliges that comes with being allowed a voice here in the Council, but when it comes to defending it, you won't lift a finger unless we pay you for it?"

Philadelphos looks at Alexandros with scorn and disgust in his eyes.

"Such are the words of a mercenary, and not a Council member."

[LeoCordis]

A messenger barges through crowds of clerks and civil deputies into the council chambers.

My good councilmen.

I would report, with great pleasure that my master, the Kleronomos Basileios, has successfully taken Tarsos after the defenders rallied out with a relief force led by a great general. The general has been killed and treasonous Tarsos back in our hands. My master also took it upon himself to disperse the majority of the population from the city as punishment and to hope their devious ways will be belittled if spread through various provinces.

[Myth]

"Had you provided an army with which to defend it I'd have gladly done it uncle! But seeing as how none was granted I used my own men. I see no one here raising a voice as to why the other Strategoi did not raise troops to jump to the Kingdom's defense! In fact, If I had sat on my arse and piled up my gold like most everyone else, we wouldn't have had this conversation! But because I had troops and chose to use them for the common good, now I'm suddenly a mercenary for asking everyone directly benefited from my victory to chip in for the retraining costs!"

Alexandros's eyes burn with anger and he clenches his fists.

"I am in the right and if none of you shall admit it then being on this council loses it's meaning for me!"

[Folgore]

My dear Alexandros,

Had you notified the council of your intentions to attack, I would have gladly made my army in Memphis available to you, which, I should add, I left in Memphis specifically to counter the rebel threat. Yet, arrogant as Achilles, you ride out with your small band of horsemen without as much as a word to the council. How could we have known you would dare attack with so small a force? Do not insult us by calling us idle or unpatriotic!

Yet, I cannot ignore that you have done your country a great service and you ask not to be payed, but simply to be compensated for the men you lost while defending our empire. Though my imports from Memphis are limited and I was not greatly affected by the rebels in Heptanomis, it would pain me to see these brave deeds go unacknowledged. (Indeed I choose my words carefully here, members of the council, I would not say unrewarded, as it is not a reward that Alexandros seeks!) So, I will give you 700 mnai, which I estimate to be roughly half your reinforcement costs. As for the other half, it will be up to the consciences of Zoarchos and Leontikos whether you will receive it or not.

[Myth]

Alexandros cooled down and grabbed Timon's forearm. Perhaps the comparison to Achilles, who was Megas Alexandros's own hero, struck the lad on a soft spot (a spot called vanity, which many a young men had).

"Brave Timon, I thank you for your kind words. The reason for my hasty departure was because things move slowly here and it would have taken time to assign a leader for that army, out of the usual five candidates, and it would have taken him time to march to the army and yet more time to march with the army to the threat. The rebels could have easily raided someone's estate if given such freedom. I thank you for your generosity but cannot in right accept the gold as you were in no way threatened by these rebels. I wish to split the cost of retraining in three between the wise Zorachos and my headstrong younger brother. From you I will only take the wisdom of a more reserved tone."

[Folgore]

Do reconsider, Alexandros. The Hierosolyma-Memphis trade has been most profitable to me and 700 mnai is but a a small amount, if it helps to preserve the peace in the council.

[johnhughthom]

A small girl walks into the chambers beside an older man. She looks apprehensively around her, before smiling shily at the Basileus and waving to Alexandros. The man with coughs nervously, then speaks.

"Uh, a message from Leontiskos Thraikikos my Lords. Ahem."

He reads.

"I have sent my eldest daughter, Archetime, to court to be my representative whilst I am away. I am sure some of you may think a two year old girl unsuited to the position. However, in the few days I had back home recently, I noticed she had displayed behaviour that made her a perfect candidate for the Council, she likes to stamp her foot on the ground and demand what she wants. When she doesn't get it she whines about how unfair life is and sulks for days..."

The little girls grabs the parchment and pouts.

"I do not sulk for days, who said I do? I'm going to tell daddy to cut his head off!"

Pouting, the girl storms out of the hall, closely followed by the man.

[Ashurnasirpal II]

The doors to the Council Chambers open wide as Meleagros Ptolemaios, Chancellor for the past few years, arrives to submit his report. The man walks with his characteristic limp, his wooden cast sending sharp echoes through the shaded halls. He is followed by a small Egyptian native that scurries after him carrying bundles of scrolls and flanked by a richly adorned priest of Zeus-Ammon. Clearing his throat Meleagros begins:

"Fellow councilors, I am pleased to finally meet you again after three very successful years for our Kingdom. When I first took office, we were beset on all sides by enemies, but today, I am proud to say that by your actions we have managed to pull through a difficult storm.

First of all, our Basileos and his son have reconquered Damaskos and Tarsos and are now putting siege before the Seleukid's western capital that should fall within a season's time.

Secondly, we have beaten back their fleet through generous personal contributions, especially from Leontiskos Thraikikos.

Leontiskos Thraikikos has also been capital retaking the city of Paraitonion.

Finally, though we had to deal with some very minor rebellion and the loss of Side through Seleukid gold and treachery, our conquests and my efforts to upgrade our economic structures and to sign economic treaties has seen our treasury return to profitability.

As we now prepare to discuss the future of our Kingdom, I shall set down a few ideas to orient our deliberations:

1- Polyxenos Salaminios, our diplomat who has been traveling east, should continue in this direction and reach the Kingdom of Bactria who could prove a valuable ally against the sons of Seleukos;
2- Aiglanor Karanites, our new spy, currently in Edessa, should continue to train on easy assignments to sharpen his skills;
3- Our current Kerkuroi fleet should be either reinforced or disbanded, potentially, scrapped to permit the creation of stronger ships.

As for overall strategy, our position, though stronger, is still not secure. Two paths lay before us: either we push further into Seleukid territory in an attempt to quickly topple them or we try to sign peace with the Arche Seleukia and consolidate our base, namely, Numidia and Kyrenaia.

Personally, I suggest the second option. Though an all out race for Seleukid land might be tempting and quite rewarding, we risk spreading our forces quite thin. On the other hand, a slower approach would permit us to then assault the Seleukids with more armies and on more fronts, from a solid base in Egypt.

For that reason, I propose:

Law 2.1: That a Nomarchy be created in the Kyrenaica, first based on Paraitonion, but with the ultimate goal of including Kyrene and Ammonion, with Kyrene as capital. This Nomarchy would be headed by Leontiskos Thraikikos should he accept, or should he refuse, by a strategos named by our Basileos. The new Nomarch would be charged with completing the Nomarchy's conquest using the 1st Syrian Army.

Edict 2.1: That the first Syrian Army be retrained and reinforced to a total of 8 units.

Law 2.2: That the Nomarch of Upper Egypt be charged with the conquest of the southern settlements and that an army of 6 to 8 units be created for that purpose. The conquered settlements could be initially added to the Nomarchy, with the goal of eventually creating a separate Nomarchy in the south.*
*As Nomarch of Upper Egypt, I would most likely name another councilor strategos for this mission.

Finally, I would represent myself for the position of Chancellor, but would prefer if other councilors dedicated themselves to the more military positions of Trierarchos and Polemarchos, for I do not intend to command armies in the field.


This is my report and these are my propositions for the Kingdom. May Zeus-Ammon, blessed be his name, inspire our deliberations!"