Persian Civil War

[Marshal Murat]

Chapter 2

At the end of the ferry ride the sun begins to rise and you establish camp. Sleeping through most of the day, you rise to find that many of your Greek friends and retainers have disappeared. Asking the guards, you find that they mounted up and rode a few hours after you went to sleep. Confused by their actions, your Persian advisors fear that they have gone to round up a posse to collect a bounty on your head. Mounting up, your entourage rides westward to Thrace and finding refuge in an abandoned house. Riding the next morning you approach the city of Pella. Sending two of your guards in as Mesopotamian merchants you test the Macedonians and their feelings. The reply was startling.
They returned at the head of a column of Macedonian knights from the Macedonian garrison. They were leading a chariot and take you into the city. Laurels and garlands of flowers and oak, olive and rose, they fall from the houses. The Macedonians heartily greet your force and in the agora many of the people throw down talents of gold and silver. The riches are piled into chests and as you march southward you meet the same in Epirus, Thessaly, Boeotia and inside Thebes. Declaring the city your new home, the Thebans pour out their joy and happiness quickly opening the gates to the city citadel. Your brilliant march south through Greece has bolstered your treasury and army. Your friends have rallied those who were suspicious of your cause to your side and turned most if not all of Greece to your favor.
The treasury amounts to 20,000 talents, an income comparable to that of a respectable satrap. The army is made of 5,000 Macedonian hoplites, 3,000 Epirite foot-knights, 6,000 Boetians hoplites and 2,000 Thessalonians knights. Macedonian knights number 2,000 as well. The army totals 18,000 soldiers and horsemen.The light troops were distained in favor of the heavier hoplites and knights. The citadel in Thebes is strong enough to repel any rebel assaults, though you don’t need to fear any assault. Asking the Greek governors and mayors about your celebrity they reply as such.

“Xerxes II, your favor of Hellenic culture has lent you a Hellenic air. They greet you as a royal prince of Greece. You are an idol to them, they love you. They know that since you are Hellenic in all but name that you will favor Greece and her cities above all other Persian cities. They secretly hope that you might even provide them with independence to reward their obedience.”

Now your letters to Phoenicia arrive, and dishearten you. They balk and side-step all your requests. They don’t provide any warships, citing ’pirate attacks on our ports’ as reason not to send any warships. You know the true reason. They fear they might support the wrong side in this conflict and end up with dead families. They are waiting to see the prince with the strongest forces, the largest treasury, the most land. They want to back the winning chariot when he gains the winning edge.

As you establish yourself, you prepare to leave for Athens and Sparta, but letters from the satraps and friends arrest your movement.
The letter from your child-hood friend Alcibiades stops you from going to Athens.
“The city council is divided. Some would rather use this temporary disarray to launch themselves from Persia’s side and remain free. We and others see this as an attempt to give Athens more wealth and prestige. Your presence would be disturbing. I ask you to trust my forces to swing Athens to your side.”
The satrap of Sparta sends you reeling. They are like Phoenicia in that they would rather weather the storm and go with the winner than throw their lives in with someone that might win or lose. They know that their helots are most dangerous when they scent freedom. If they send their troops away to support one prince, they expose their homes to the intrigues of the other prince. Unless one prince has gained the upper hand they will resist all advances.

The islands of the Aegean, including Rhodes and Crete, they abstain from commenting on your position but many supporters have joined your camp in Thebes, indicating a strong support for your rule. The Ionian colonies, while mostly dismembered many years back, are still very Greek at their cores and have indicated support for your possible rule but refuse to be outright.

The satrap of Thrace is becoming very independent, refusing to send any money to your war-chest. The satrap, Demetres, has also called up Thracian peltasts and knights. There are even reports that he might levy taxes on any trade going through the Hellespont. The Potideans have raised their city garrison to repel any attempted siege and Pella is thinking about calling back her knights and hoplites to repel any Thracian movements. While overt military action has not occured, it is simmering.

As you contemplate these issues in your Theban citadel you also review the reports of Sogdianos.
His movements through Baktria and Media were greeted with a noble reserve, and the people are indifferent to him. The prince levied thousands of horsemen and hill-men, but the nobles will be joining him in a couple months. His soldiers have taken much of the gold from the satraps and secured it in Ecbatana. The prince has an army and treasury and has replaced any un-loyal satraps and mayors. You have done the same with no negative or positive results. Sogdianos is still assembling his troops and fortunes, just like you.

Now you have several decisions to make.

1. Athens
A) Leave the issue to Alcibiades. You know him from your stays in Athens, and he has a good political and military mind. He is also from one of the noble families, with influence and money. If you trust him to these affairs, he could be a valuable ally and a stronger friend.
B) March to Athens. Crush any thoughts of opposing your rule by force and power. Your heavy influence will win those who are on the fence, for they will know that you are the most powerful man in Greece. They will fear your almighty armored fist, and respect your power.
C) Go to Athens and discuss the issue in the council, in person.

2. Sparta
A) Leave them alone. They are military men and would be beneficial, but they are men with families. Do not threaten them and turn them against you. They are martial men who need to be sure that you can guarantee the safety of Sparta.
B) March to Corinth, assemble troops and march to Sparta. Guarantee the freedom of helots and destroy the Spartan soldiers. They are either with you or against you. If the Greeks see what you can do to the strongest soldiers in all of the Hellenic world they might join you.

3. Navy
A) Ask the Greeks to contribute 5 warships to the Royal Fleet to be assembled at Piraeus.
B) You do not need any fleet and can worry about those issues later.

4. Thrace
A) Allow the Macedonian soldiers to return to Pella and establish a base in Pella to ensure that the Thracian satrap doesn't attempt to attack.
B) Retain your Macedonian soldiers and knights. Better to have a chicken in hand than two in the bush.

5. Oracle at Delphi
A) Attend the Oracle?
B) Do not attend.