Chapter 20: Medjet Guards (Part 1)
"The warriors of a country must be brave and strong. The sons and fathers pass on their skills and perfect the art of war." - Xuanzang's description of the Indian Guards in "A Record of the Western Regions of the Great Tang Dynasty"
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After looking at the stunned Alp, Lepidus turned around and said to all the captives, "I am the Pharaoh's highest commander on the front line and have the power to deal with things on the spot. Now I have three options for you to choose from. If anyone wants to return to the Kusi area of Upper Nubia, we will distribute severance travel expenses; the second option is that I will immediately send a fleet to Sepi Island to pick up their families, never infringe on their freedom and property, and distribute the unowned land around Pelusium; the third option, of course, is what I hope most. I hope you can join our legion enthusiastically. I know that the black people of Coucy have been serving the Pharaoh for thousands of years and are the most combative soldiers in Egypt. If I give you the same white bread, beer and spicy fish, and equip you with the same excellent equipment, do you have the confidence to exert the same combat effectiveness as the other Hormachi Legion? "
At this moment, the lower-level officers who are proficient in Greek among the captives have already conveyed Lepidus' words to all the grassroots soldiers word by word. Most of the blacks (except for a few who still can't believe it) are boiling. The three roads mentioned by Lepidus are actually useless to consider: they left their hometown several generations ago. Coucy is just the name of their hometown for them. That's all. Even if they go back now, they have to pass through the area controlled by the Beneneki army. They will either be re-Latinized. Or they will be executed; in addition. If the Roman commander is willing to protect the safety of the families of some officers and soldiers on Sepi Island. And if the fortress fields are allocated, then farming is also a family matter. For me, being a soldier and getting paid is an extra income. Everyone can calculate this account - since I can get the same treatment and military pay as those fair-skinned soldiers, and can continue to be loyal to the genuine Pharaoh, this is certainly the best choice!
"Commander, I think you should unlock it first so that the lines can match the language." At this time. Alp, standing behind Lepidus, also suggested in fluent Greek that this young nobleman who is actually a Medeje man, otherwise how could he have such a high prestige and incite his tribesmen to rebel? Of course, Lepidus obviously also discovered this, so he cut his rope with a sword to win the hearts of all prisoners of war.
Three days later, Lepidus kept his word. After the tide rose, the huge fleet arrived at Sepi Island, which was a naval fortress of the ancient Egyptian army. Later, it was gradually abandoned and became a refuge for families. Surrounded by the sea on three sides, there was only one way to the land, and people and horses could only pass through at low tide. At this time, all the black prisoners of war were shackled and stood densely on the beach. When they saw their families and livestock, still with expressions of fear and fatigue, sitting on the deck, looking at each other and cheering in the crowd, "Long live Lepidus, the descendant of Rex Lius and the descendant of King Numa!" Everyone cheered with tears in their eyes.
The general Otto Aarons who followed Lepidus soon had his property in Pelusium liquidated - tens of thousands of yogurts of land, planted with flax, wheat, and spices, and many well-equipped fish ponds and canals, which used to support the Macedonian general's rich and luxurious life, plus his 800 servants and slaves, were now all assigned to the Nubian soldiers. In return, among the two thousand prisoners of war, except for more than 300 disabled personnel who were placed in the fortress to do miscellaneous work and received a considerable salary, the rest were all incorporated into the restoration army. Lepidus kept reiterating: "The release and preferential treatment of you is not my personal arbitrary decision, but the kindness of the Pharaoh. Your Majesty is tired of continuing to indulge those dignitaries and priests. What they need is the assistance of you mortals, and on behalf of Serapis, Zeus and Amon, the benefits that have been distributed to everyone will never be taken back!"
Finally, Otto Aarons, who had lost his property and power, was called in front of him by Lepidus very kindly, "General Otto Aarons, do you know the sin of resisting the Pharaoh?"
"Not sure." This was a trembling voice.
"No, I think you should know that His Majesty Ptolemy will use the scepter with a nail head to smash deep into your head, and then cut it off and hang it on the tower of the fortress to dry."
"Commander, I don't know what this is, what this is, what this is!" This is a mixture of confusion, anger and fear.
Lepidus and Antony next to him laughed, and then Lepidus stood up and pressed Antony's shoulder, saying that he was going to patrol the camp, and the things here would be left to you, anyway, it was the duty of the military tribune.
So the tribune sighed at the defeated general who was still sitting across from him, and then crossed his hands, put his legs on the table, and said in an extremely cynical attitude and tone, "There is still room for maneuver in this matter, but I am curious, in addition to the land in the fortress, how much assets do you have?"
The fool also knew what Antony was referring to, and Otto Aarons gritted his teeth and said that there were about fifty talents.
Anthony burst out laughing, then pointed at the other party and said, "Gather a hundred and give it to me within three days. Also, this is a little secret between the two of us, even General Lepidus doesn't need to know. I think you will keep your promise, right?" After saying that, he walked up to the dejected defeated general, patted his cheek kindly and intimately, just like treating a little slave with a close relationship at home, and then walked out. Suddenly he stopped in front of the door and turned back to ask, "By the way, General, I heard that you have a few beautiful black-skinned female slaves."
"It's so abominable... After a long investigation, the other party was only willing to hand over thirty talents in exchange for peace." In the fortress temple, Anthony picked his teeth with a small stick and slowly walked to Lepidus who was praying in front of the altar and reported.
"You don't have to tell me all these details. Anyway, I have entrusted you to handle it, right?" Lepidus gently sprinkled the water on his hands into the magic basin, and then Sabo next to him handed him a silk scarf. Lepidus stood up and wiped his hands clean, and said to everyone to follow me to patrol the camp.
The military camp of Perusimus is divided into three parts. One part is the fortress camp, which is mainly two thousand-man battalions; one part is the sentinel camp, and the various battalions of the legion are scattered on the streets and hills; and another part is the "Serapis Legion", which was newly formed by Lepidus using Nubian prisoners of war, some natives and fleet sailors who were jealous of the spoils of war, and some previously liberated military slaves (mainly those who made contributions in the siege of the Perusim Fortress). The total number is less than 3,000, stationed near Sepi Island, and a bridge is being built on Sepi Island-Lepidus uses this method to let these people integrate into the life and drill of the Roman Legion as soon as possible. (To be continued...)