I just did my best and hoped no-one greek would read it.

Will you be supplementing this with actual battles?

Cheers.

Bellerophon Climbed another 100m up Mt Etna before he had to stop for breath again he was never going make it to Messana.

The young spy made one last surge of effort if he could find one of these clear springs that Archimedes had told him to look for he could watch from the mountain and look for the Scipii forces from there. He climbed back to his feet and wiped the dirt off his tunic and once again began to march up again.

He didn't need to reach the Scipii though. They had come for him. Down below on the Dusty path some 10'000 troops were marching. They were draped in the Blue and white of the Scipio partisan family with the wolf's head painted on their shields. As far as he knew they only had 2'000 men in Syracuse. At nearly 5-1 Syracuse would not hold for 48 hours best. He had to get the news make to the general.

Bellerophon took his pack of and removed a small cave containing a bird. It was his pigeon, Castor. He wrote his note quickly "10'000 Roman troops will arrive at Dusk". He released the duck and then left the few scraps of meat he could spare as an offering to Hermes. He could not beat the Romans to Syracuse but he knew where his help could be used.

Back in Syracuse the blacksmiths were hard at work, spears, swords, shields, armour all had to be made as fast as possible. Every man over the age of 16 was given their orders and waited by the walls for the Latin invaders. The general Acrisius received Bellerophon pigeon some 3 hours before sunset. He did not pass on the information any further than his advisors for fear it would cause a revolt.

Acrisius gave the orders for every able man to arm himself as best he could and report to the steps of the High Councils Chamber. Then he walked to the barracks and entered his room there, were the wall hung is armour and weapons. He took off the gleaming brass armour and strapped it on with the aid of his servant Garpos. He strapped his shin-guards and pulled on his thick leather gloves. He took his helmet and ran his hand’s through it’s, blood red, horse hair plume. He buckled his fraying belt and lifted his brass hoplon. He slid his finely crafted sword into it’s helm. Finally he took his spear. The shaft was reinforced with iron and the head kept sharp and well oiled. Then marched back to the Council’s Chamber alongside Garpos.

Garpos had become a dear friend to Acrisius they drank together and Garpos was a trusted member of his elite bodyguards. They had often talked about some glorious day when they would die together in battle. Now with 10’000 Romans approaching that seemed less and less an attractive proposition. But Garpos would keep his promises to Acrisius at any cost. Should Acrisius be killed in the Forth coming battle Garpos would see to it that he slaughtered every Roman on the field or be killed himself.

The professional troops had assembled in the square at the bottom of the steps. They numbered somewhere in the region of 500 and Garpos was joined at the top of the steps by his colleagues in the bodyguard. The trained soldiers were far superior to the Roman’s best troops but at odds of 10/1 they could not hold the city. Next were the 700 or so gentlemen and city militia, Perhaps Acrisius most important men, if they should overcome the Roman Hastati then the superior professionals may be able to hold against the Scipii’s weakened ranks.

Then there was the common men another 1300 to the numbers. Most had tough leather armour and a reasonable sword and spear provided by the barracks. As they had been being made for two weeks now. Though weak should they be able to hold the enemy long enough it would give the more powerful troops time to attack the already engaged Romans.

Another 500 was made up by the archers and petlasts. They were strictly for use on the walls but with only 3000 men Acrisius knew this would be a matter of every man who could be spared. He had only one thing to fall back on and that was the courage of his men. He had to enforce on them the implications of defeat on a personal level. The last trickle of men arrived and he climbed to the top of the steps to make his speech.

“Men we Greeks are known for our hatred of the barbaric tribes. But worse yet are those who call themselves civilised but are actually barbaric hooligans. Before you go to fight these Romans tonight consider this. When was the last time the Gauls raped your wives. When was the last time the Dacians besieged your city and tried to starve you to death. When did Scythia enslave your families. Never I tell you never! But these Romans they come to do this. How can the a supposedly civilised society commit such inhuman atrocities? I will tell you. It is because they are not civilised at all they are merely barbarians but worse yet lying barbarians!

So when you fight tonight remember this you are fighting not just because of my orders, not just for Greece but the lives of you family. These Romans are but invader they fight only for money and though they would sell their own families for money we will not, an we will fight not just for denarii but for the freedom of our sons and daughters”

With that he sent out the troops he moved the petlasts and archers to the walls as well as the militia men. He kept the professionals behind the walls should they be undermined. He kept the common men in the center of the city by the steps so they could be deployed to any point swiftly.

Just as night fell an banner emerged over the darkening hills to the North. The Romans were right on time.

I'll be putting at least one up per week.

“I come to hear from the governor of this city”

Acrisius stepped forward “What news do you come bearing from your masters?” he questioned.

The diplomat produced a scroll and opened it. “The Roman Scipii family has declared the settlement of Syracuse the property of the Senate and people of Rome. It‘s inhabitants are now under the ownership of Rome. Any attempts to resist our will shall be perceived as rebellion and punished by crucifixion. Open your gates now to the best of our mercy and your life will be spared.”

Acrisius’ raged bubbled beneath the surface who were they to declare his city theirs’ he would not stand for such a disgrace. “What will become of our people?” he asked.

“We cannot guarantee the survival or freedom of the inhabitants of the city” the diplomat replied.

Acrisius exploded. He ripped a javelin from a nearby petlast. He flung the streamlined weapon down with pinpoint accuracy, it screamed as it pierced through the air seeking it's shocked target. The javelin tore straight through diplomat's flesh piercing him and then landing fixed in the ground, the rear end lost somewhere in the dying diplomants chest. Then the victim began to fall back and once again the metal scraped against the negotiators ribs The fire pain spreading into his limbs. He collapsed liflessly and died.

"I guess that concludes negotiations" Acrisius said as he clapped his hands and admired his lethal handywork.

Seeing the ongoings at the wall from some 200 yards back the Roman general Maximus Scipio spung into action he ordered his Hastati to advance sending them with ladders and a battering ram. The latter was merely a decoy to pull men off the wall for the ladder assult. It was plain to see that the cast iron gates would not fall.

The Roman archers let a volley of arrows loose upon the walls but none made it up to the men gaurding them. The Greeks returned fire and with the height advantage succeded in cutting down 10 Romans. The vetlites hurring through the Roman ranks could not reach the top of the towering limestone walls so instead were ordered to drop their misslies and attack the walls on the ladders the hastati carried.

Of the 1200 men that charged the Greek wall only 11 were missed by the greek missles and even they fled. The Youthul but inexperienced men that formed the Hastati were now raising their ladders. Whilst another maniple were cut down as they tried in vain to break the mighty gates of iron. Acrisius had not fallen for the Roman ploy and kept all his men on the walls. He kept taking in reports though as Bellerphons message had ended in one nausiating word for the general, "Onagers".

He had not seen them present but was constantly ongaurd for them. They had nothing to counter them with and it would only take some 7 shots to smash a breach in the walls large enough to launch an attack from.

But nothing like them was to be seen so For now He moved his men to the walls. The ladders were now rested so he ordered his men to burn them. rags and tar were set fire to and thrown down on the swarming invaders. To the left of the defences a young warrior had reached the top of the wall. When an archer drew back just before he reached the top rung of the ladder . The Bowmen placed a skillfull shot through his kneck and the Roman fell back taking 5 comrades with him.

Another landed to the right of the wall. A Greek battled him with a sword and torch setting his tunic a blaze he then sliced the Hastati's stomach open. The invader fell off the wall landing on his comrades at the bottom. Seeing their collegues fate they fled. The other members of the unit already ascending the ladder hesitated and paid for it with their lives. The Greeks brought forth a wooden ram and toppled the ladder back onto the fresh line on principii. It killed 5 men and shattered the ladder.

The Romans regrouped centering men for an attack against the heavily guarded gate whinch. Should they gain contral of it the Scipii forces could flood into the city through open doors. A greek ram fought back the ladders and sent to down killing the enemy like bugs. A third reached the wall but was set alight as the men climbed up wine was poured down spreading the fire and engulfing the demoralised Romans.

Another man reached the top to the right he was hit by an axe an toopled back as he fell he was impailed by his unit's banner. Now some 100 Latin corpses littered the feild and yet not a single Greek had been slayen.

The fighting continued on until the casualties reached nearly a thousand Romans at the cost of 12 Greeks. Then a horn sounded and a look of relief spread across the Roman faces. As up on the hill emereged the site of onagers. Acrisius heard the news and hurried to organize the men.He pulled back all the men at arms and left only the engineers and missle men to guard the walls. The Romans only had three ladders left anyway. The ladders went up just as the melee infantry left. But the fire and rams fended them off. easily. The onagers cranked back and Acrisius ordered him archers away from their aim.

The bolder shot through the sky in a perfect arc and collided with the limestone wall. Acrisius ordered his men to form a line behind the area hit. The archers on the wall attempted to set fire to the catapults but their blazing arrows struck only a few Hastati guarding the machines. Instead they turned their fire to the men Romans assembeling arond the strike waiting for a breach to be made.

A second shot rikoshayed off the wall smashing bricks from both sides. The shrapnel re-bounded hitting the Romans who were to eager to stay back. On the other side the Greeks began to trembel. 9000 men were lining up outside to butcher them and now only a falling wall seperated them.

More Rocks smashed against the crumbling defence with each impact the Greeks grew more terrorfied. Another boulder smashed straight into the back bottom of the wall. and suddenly a 10m segement began to collapse.

The walls were breached.

Suddenely a wave of men clambered over the rubbel and charged the massive Greek phalanx. The spearmen held as nearly 100 men impaled themselves on the shiny bronze spikes. The men kept coming and slowly they broke down the phalanx was beaten back and the wall of spears was broken. Now forced into close combat the Greeks were overwhelmed. Man to man swordfights broke out on the streets and the numerical superiority of the Romans began to show through. The Greeks were being beaten back and slaughtered. The defenders lead the Romans back to the Councilers' Chamber. And on the steps of the mighty palace lowered their spears into a final defensive formation. They made a semi-circil around the doors and the Romans surounded them on all three sides.

Just before the Scipii charged a small force hit them from the rear. It was the archers back from the wall. The bowmen put up a worthy fight but their lack of armour proved fatal as they hit the elite Roman triarii. They hacked at the experienced spearmen giving the main Greek force time to organize. But as the last archers fell the Romans slamed into the greeks once more. The outer spearmen held off the Romans for a while before once again the began to hack through. As the Greek lines broke all hell broke loose. Men were being cut down left right and center. It was hard to see who was fighting who. In the midst of the fighting Acrisius saw Garpos surrounded by three Romans. The general drew his long sword and began slashing and hacking his path to him. On reaching his cornered friend he sunk his spear into one of the threatening Principii's torso. Then as the second Roman prepared to swing his gladius Acrisius hurled his spear at the attacker. It penetrated the unguarded face of the triarii. Garpos slayed the third himself deflecting his attack then slicing him open with 3 swift swipes.

Only 1000 Greeks were left now and the Romans were moving in. Death seemed inevitable Acrisius stoob back to back with Garpos and waited for another wave of Romans to attack and cut them down. Suddenly it all changed.

Acrisius heard a louad animal roar he looked round and their towering over the now horofied Romans were elephants. Acrisius studied them in detail and realised what had happened. Carthage had come to his aid.

The Romans turned and fled as the elephants began to trample down anything that moved. They ran through the streets until they realised they were surrounded. Pockets of Iberian swordsmen sliced the routing Romans as they panicked and sprinted down the narrow streets.

20'000 carthaginians had surrounded the city when they saw the breach they moved in and set up ambushes aswell as a leaving a massive force to guard the breach, the only way out.

After an hour of fighting every last Roman was dead. The night had been costly 2000 greek men had fallen many buildings were destroyed. It would take months to Prepare for a counter strike on Messana. But the Scipii would need years to get themselves back together. Their entire army had been masacred in one night. Their was not even a suvivor to tell the tale.

The Carthaginians stayed for a week before returning to lilybauem to prepare for a joint attack on messana. Bellerphon was given a golden medal and 10'000 denarii for his bravery.

With the Scipii threat removed Stratoclis turned his attention to Appolina the Macedon city and first on the Brutii's hit-list. The war was about to be taken to the Homeland.

The Brutii landed by in the dark using the night as their protection against the athenian navy. Now the partican forces had massed on the sandy shores of Epirus and marching South to The small town of Apollonia named after the sun god Apollo.

The Brutii general rallied his forces, some 30'000 strong on the beaches. He mocked them inhabitants of the doomed town. "Oh how ironic it is that the name themselves their sun god so he will protect them. Yet who? Who will protect them when it is the moon who rules? No-one I say it is the Spartans who worship Artemis, the false Hellinic God of the moon and they are far from here they are 3 weeks from here. Some come let us surround this wall less town and enslave it's inferier people."

They arrived at the undefended town within 3 hours they crucified the 500 lawmen armed only with batons and daggers despite their total surrender then took half the population back to the ships to be sold at market in Croton.

One messenger managed to escape and rode to Thermon on a stolen horse. He arrived a five days later to give the news to the city states governer. He died of a exhaustion that night and his true name unknown he was baptised Pheidippides after the soldier who warned the Athenians of the Persians attack after the battle of Marathon and also died.

The news of Apollonia's fall reached Stratoclis in Athens in a fortnight he once again summoned the united Hellinic war council. The council sat in debate for 4 days before coming to a decision for a course of action.

Firstly they must devide the Roman forces then remove their leadership. Finally they must trick them then counter attack and take the battle to Italian soil. All was planned in immense detail and with great percision. What they failed to see in their master plan was it was to percise.