The Night of Alexandria.

[AntiochusIII]

-Part XIV: Split Forces-

Prince Herakles of Macedon rode across the lush green terrain that filled out the mountains and valleys of Thessaly. Behind him was a force of great strength; the royal army of Macedon was marching south to Greece. The Phalangite descendants of old, heroic generations of Macedon marched in the middle line; the baggage train, filled to the brim with war supplies, next to them; the light infantry, Thracians, and peltasts covered the phalanxes' flanks; the light cavalry, Xyston-carrying riders, guarded the rear; and, in front just behind the general-prince, the Hypaspists and Companions marched. All of them were confident. Herakles was an experienced general with a long line of success attributed to him. He had been Macedon's greatest general of his age, and he still was.

Then he saw a rider rode towards him from the front, cutting through the horizon with rushing speed. A messenger.

As soon as the rider came close enough, the prince noted the man's banner on his chest as the Antigonid royal star, and ordered the entire column to stop, waiting for the approaching horse and man. The messenger rode with such speed that it took no time at all before he reached the front of the army. Herakles immediately shouted question, even before the messenger could jumped down from his horse: the purpose, and message, of the hurried rider.

"What business leads you here."

"Sir, I rode...rode from Corinth here as fast as possible," he said, gasping for breath as he nearly collapsed upon landing on the ground.

"Corinth?"

"Y...Yes sir. I am stationed at the citadel of Corinth...w...well, I was."

"What is the situation?"

"W..We have been attacked sir," the man said with a worried voice, still searched for breath, "the Spartans had besieged Corinth, they seemed to be leading a new league of alliance between the treasurous cities. Rumor has it that Megalopolis, our loyal ally, is in the same situation."

"Sparta? How could they know of our plan..." the prince thoughtfully considered the matter.

"I don't think they knew your invasion plans before, sir," the messenger interrupted, recovered a bit from his continuous ride, "we in Corinth have witnessed several suspicious changes within Sparta lately. It seems that their king, Kleomenes, is intending to revive Sparta's power in the Peloponnese by driving us out of there."

"Hm! How large is the enemy's army at Corinth?" Herakles asked.

"Estimated thirty thousand men, sir. Though that's only a part of the uprising rebels. There are many more coming, and rumor has it that the entire Peloponnese, including Argos, Sparta's old rival, joined in this new Peloponnesian League. Only Megalopolis remains on our side. We request your help, sir! We need relieve forces or Corinth would be starved out!" the man responded in a swift and anxious manner.

"A full-scale uprising? Damn it! Ptolemy's hand is swifter than I though!" Herakles said, enraged.

"Go then," the prince continued, "Go and request food supply from the baggage captain. Then join the rear guard, soldier."

"Yes sir."

As the man left, Herakles thought about it, and then quickly called his captains. Three men rode forward: Phocus, his loyal servant and bodyguard; the captain of the Companions, Leukos of Pydna; and the deputy general, the veteran Damasos.

"What do you think?" the prince questioned them.

Phocus said first: "we have to continue with the original plan sir. The Athenians and Thebans must be defeated first as they pose a threat to our supply route and Thessaly. If they attack, which they will, we will be isolated."

Leukos disagreed, "but then Corinth will fall! The city is too important to our plans of Peloponnese domination to let go. Remember, Ptolemy is seeking a way to interfere in Greece, and he would start there. I'd say, attack Sparta directly and swiftly and forced them to leave to defend their homeland. If Sparta retreats, the league will fall apart. If Sparta falls, the Peloponnesian Greeks' fate will be sealed."

Damasos was furious, "but then we would have no supply lines at all! How, then, would you break Sparta and break it quick? A single battle lost and our isolated force will be doomed. We should save Corinth first and then storm Athens and Thebes with speed. Reinforcements from the king would keep them busy long enough for us to deliver a battle against the impeteous league."

"What about our ally, Megalopolis?" the prince interrupted.

All three turned their heads and gazed upon the prince. Uncertainty was in their faces. Silence.

"We cannot just leave them to their own devices," he continued, "the city may has been known to be able to resist long sieges, but, if the league fails at Corinth, and we turn back to Boetia and Attica, the Spartan-led league will no doubt launch a full-scale assault on Megalopolis."

"And they will lose but, even if they succeed." Phocus suggested.

"And no one will ever ally with Macedon anymore, since the royal Macedonian army abandons its loyal friends to their fate," Damasos proceeded, "or we can lower the campaign objectives to subdueing Attica and Boetia only. With Athens and Thebes out of the picture, and Corinth saved, we will have free hands for further acts."

"But then Ptolemy will certainly interfere," the prince said, "since this sudden rise of the Peloponnese under Sparta can only be his act. Certainly he will send in major invasion forces as 'reinforcements.' Remember, Crete is in his hands and Rhodes is pro-Egypt. The Ptolemaic fleet will have an easy time landing on a friendly Messenian or Argive shores."

Leukos then gave the idea, "the threats are too many for protracted war. We must strike like lighting of Great Zeus across Hellas if we are to succeed in this campaign. There must be a way to save both Corinth and Megalopolis by a swift action. I still suggest we find a way to strike at the city of Sparta directly. If it falls, again, the league will crumble."

They thought for a while, each finding his own solution of the sudden rise of the Greeks. With impatient troops waiting behind them, on the road; they thought until the prince smiled.

"Sparta has no walls, right?" he suddenly said.

"They have one now, sir," Damasos suggests, "but it is just a simple palisade. Nonetheless, even if we managed to forced-march across Peloponnesia uninterrupted, the Spartans will be able to fortify their city with temporary defenses. Just like Pyrrhus' time."

"But if we get there unnoticed, and be swift and deadly..." the prince continued.

"With powerful, deadly, and swift cavalry, torches and swords in hand, lighting charge out of the hills from nowhere to quickly ride down the townsfolk. Set the city on fire, occupy it for a week, to ensure the Spartans will abandon their sieges, and left, back to nowhere. Is that what you suggest, sir?" Phocus said.

"You know my mind," the prince said, his smile grew wider.

"But how would you get to Sparta, from nowhere?" Leukos asked.

"We are currently near the sea. Our fleet is currently on standby right now, in Demetrias. The admiral would spare some of his swiftest ships for a surprise landing near Sparta, wouldn't he, if I ordered? In fact, you will lead this expedition, Leukos. Listen carefully, here is your briefing: sail as swift as you can towards Sparta. Avoid land along the way as much as possible. Make your landing as quiet as possible, and make sure the Spartans don't know about your forces until it is too late. Once reach Sparta, cause as much damage as possible, as fast as possible. Set the city on fire, and occupy the place for at least one week. Leave as soon as the Spartans in the field realize your position, and get furious enough. Then, it would be in our best interests if you, after leaving the Spartan shores, continue raiding the shores along the way back to Piraeus, which will be our rendezvous point. It will provoke fear on that part of Peloponnesia, and the cities there would recall their armies. Lead two thousand Companion Cavalry from here immediately. Go east, to Demetrias. Be quick!" the prince said all these excitedly. It may be a sudden thought, but he was sure it would be the most innovative undertaking he had ever taken, yet. He would prove to the king his worth, if he could overwhelm the rising odds, and crush Sparta in the moment of its renewed pride.

Leukos barely collected all the briefings he just recieved with very high speed. It took him a short, tiny moment to realize that he had just been ordered to command a daring expedition that is a classic combination of the characteristic Antigonid swift and stern attack as well as the deadly breach on the Greeks' nerves. All he could said was : "Yes sir!"

Then he rode to the companions, slowly at first, then faster. He shouted orders to them to follow him, then rode east. The men professionally followed, little words were needed. Suddenly, two thousand finest elite warriors of Macedon rode away to Demetrias, looking for war.

The other two captains rode back to their places in the silent, amazed column. Herakles gazed on the setting sun, falling on the horizon, behind the mountains. He smiled, sighed, and continued the march.

They would reach Thermopylae tomorrow.

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Silence... My work is getting ignored. It may be that bad...