32. A New legion

  On the 26th of February Gocelin marched on Lecce, his troops raised the banner of the Western Roman Republic, shouting and jeering at the terrified Norman garrison, one ladder was placed on the wall, and the gates opened as commotion from the citizens allowed Gocelin entry into the city. His army of 5000 were hailed as liberators and he made the usual light touch governance proclamation. He coordinated with his navy to rendezvous at Otranto, raising the flag and raising a small militia to protect the city. The cities had all pledged loyalty to Bari, receiving supplies from the central government that was eager to fortify the various cities under control. Gocelin received riders who explained that Monopoli had 20 catapults and 10 ballistae, and Otranto had 30 catapults and 20 ballistae, and that bolt shooters were making their way to all the different towns.

  “I guess my fleet isn’t really my fleet huh?”

  “Adaneus is a smart operator, he doesn’t fully trust us, but his game is to make sure the towns are loyal to him, and the Republic and not to us.”

  “Hence the artillery I guess,” Gocelin said, nodding, “I heard some news about salt flats, is that true?”

  “Yes sir,” the rider said, “Bari is spending a lot of money on it.”

  “A lot of money huh,” Gocelin said, Adaneus is smarter than I gave him credit for. I conquered the heel, but he bribed my conquests to make sure they are loyal to the Republic and not to me. I am not even hurt by it, Demetra was her name, I didn’t meet her, but she is a cunning operator. Although she might have been outwitted by that Zethos, he is more like me than she imagines. Far more. His ambition is in his eyes, not that I can talk, but I know his ilk.

  Demetra and Adaneus sold 3300 litrai of indigo and cloves, as well as 6600 litrai of cardamon; all in all about 59,000 solidi entered the treasury nearly doubling the spending ability of the state. 9,000 solidi went to the new garrison army of Taranto, catapults, ballistae and bolt shooters as well as hiring of men to guard the city. Left with 110,000 Adaneus observed the situation, fearing he might need a rainy day fund to deal with the excessive threats to his regime. His workers were more efficient processing vast quantities of goods, goods that he grew instantly, it rained semi regularly so water was not hard to come by and he did not need to use his crystals to increase the water supplies.

  “If we do come under siege and heaven forbid we lose access to markets, you could technically feed the city right?”

  “I could yes,” Adaneus said, “but as you can see that leads to problems.”

  “My love,” Demetra said, “I think you are doing a good job, I think you should give an additional bonus to the workers since they are working so well.”

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  Adaneus relented and gave 4000 solidi as a goodwill gesture, and goodwill it secured, the numbers were something close to 2000 workers, working away and earning astronomical sums for the state. Harvesting, processing and packaging to be sold to the hungry buyers who wanted to satisfy greedy customers. Adaneus had built some salt flats, he purchased 130 fishing boats for 20,000 solidi, dispersing them mostly to Otranto, whose populace were stunned by the generosity. 86,000 solidi in the treasury, which he then held by the end of the day, snacking on a chicken and mushroom pie while soldiers told him the nature of the political situation.

  “The Catholics will almost certainly unite against us, the Islamic world seems rather weak though, from what I have heard from the merchants, the Fatimids are divided, the Zirids and the Hammadids rival each other, and the Almoravids are focused on Hispania,” the soldier briefed, “although Seljuk movements might burst into Eastern Roman lands.”

  “I have heard this before, the Eastern Romans have an eastern focus, their emperor worried about the east far more than the west, we should redouble our fortifications and hope none come before we are ready.”

  “Sir there is another report, most cities only have a trickle of converts, 2000 in Taranto, 1000 everywhere else. For Monopoli the town has come under our cultural influence to the extent that the Christians are negligible.”

  “That’s good,” Demetra said.

  “The peasants are responding well, the policies are popular and deemed fair, your leasing system seems to have interested some of the vine and wheat growers as well, who wish 20 year leases.”

  “Ok, well by March perhaps,” Adaneus said.

  “Yes, the good news is that even among the Christians, many are simply cultural Christians rather than outright fanatics, politically they are aligning more with the Western Roman Republic.”

  “That is good.”

  However somewhere else, a certain someone was not so much a steward as a commander with Julian ambitions.

  “I Zethos am a Roman first and foremost, whether you are Lombard, Norman or Greek, we are Romans. Adaneus has devised a good system, and I listened and thought about how to best utilise it, this is it! 2000 maces, 2000 glaives and 2000 bolt shooters! We will march for Rome!” Zethos proclaimed to his army.

  The citizens of Taranto whispered at the grandiosity, some of the garrison openly passing letters to be sent to Bari, for this was not sanctioned by the Republic, Zethos had spent all his resources. Thankfully for the Republic there were already 500 bolt shooters and 15 catapults, but no ballistae, but with each passing day more artillery came in and the city was fortifying itself to the standards the Republic desired. Arab and Muslim traders entered Taranto to buy the spices, and local couriers travelled to Bari, which did invite raiders, with at least one shipment of 200 litrai of cloves being intercepted by Norman brigands. Adaneus proposed forts and holding a line at the heel, but Zethos had already marched his army out and intended to take the town of Matera, he had wagons loaned out from local merchants that intended to cover his logistical problems. He had not a solidi on him, he had gambled everything on supplies, bolts, food, and of course men. 4000 infantry and 6000 men handling the Tzangrai bolt shooters, with 2000 of them being apprentice runners who served a logistical function. Zethos had appointed a distinguished Lombardic glaive-man as his lieutenant Lucanus.

  “Sir, a few problems with your plan, there are at least a few towns in the way of Matera,” he explained, Massafra for one.”

  “That’s fine,” Zethos said, “we conquer that one too.”

  The soldiers heard it, and they all laughed, Lucanus green jade eyes looked at his men, and he lifted the glaive in the air.

  “If a Norman raider comes anywhere near us, we guard the convoy, we take every inch of our land! Are you ready men!”

  Leaving the city of Taranto, they headed directly for Massafra, not an inkling of doubt that they would take it.