"Oh, that cunning Phoebeidas!"

Among the Spartans who were most familiar to the military ministers, apart from Chrysops, who had come to Turriy many times for negotiations, it was probably Phoebeidas. However, in the hearts of the Dionians, he is notorious for not only participating in and directing the military operation of Syracuse to invade Dionysa in the southern Italian battles, but also designing the massacre of the Dionysius family. Although the people of Dionysia hated Dionysius, they were also very disdainful of Phoebitas for his betrayal and deception.

"Your Majesty, what is Phoebedad doing?" Tolmid asked curiously.

"He has just been appointed by the Council of Elders of Sparta to be the commander of the Culgidic League." Davers said.

……………………………………

At this moment, Phoebidas, who was being talked about by several military governors of Dionia, was leading a large group of men through the Isthmus of Corinth. His mission was to lead the main Spartan army to the Carchidic Peninsula to help Macedonia regain its lost lands, defeat Olintus, and break up the Carchidic League.

This was an extremely important task, and it was not the turn of Phoebidas, because although the booby-trapping of Dionysius was an order issued by the Council of Elders, some Spartan elders were still disgusted with Phoebidas, who carried out this massacre mission, and opposed letting him lead the army, but it was Agosilaus's insistence that allowed him to finally get this appointment.

The army was about to enter the Piosia region.

At this time, Phoebidas repeatedly reminded officers at all levels of the unit to be vigilant and cautious in marching.

Because after the end of the Corinthian War, Thebes was the last city-state to accept the peace treaty of the Great King, and after being forced to break up the Piosian League that the Thebans had been working for, the Thebans must have been very dissatisfied with Sparta's attitude, although Thebes had not done any provocative actions against Sparta on the surface in recent years, but Phoebidas did not dare to take it lightly, so as not to live up to the trust of Agosilaus.

After passing through the ruins of Platia, the Spartan army was approaching the territory of Thebes.

Seeing that it was getting late, Phoebeda ordered the troops to camp in place.

Just as the warriors began to get busy, a secretive man arrived from the territory of Thebes and insisted on seeing Phoebedas.

When the guards led him into the tent, he respectfully saluted Phoebidas and said, "Dear General Phoebidas, I am Leontiadas's henchman slave. ”

Philidas certainly knew who Leontiadas was.

The Thebans hated Sparta, but not everyone was like that, just as there were pro-Spartans among the citizens of Athens and Corinth, and Thebes also had them, and it was precisely because of their promotion in the country that Thebes finally accepted the peace treaty of the king, and because of the great power of Sparta in recent years, Thebes, in order not to provoke it, had to reuse the pro-Spartan faction that had been suppressed, in order not to provoke it, in order to show Thebes' friendliness to Sparta, Leontiadas was the head of the pro-Spartan faction, He was also one of the military consuls of Thebes this year (Thebes also practiced a dual consulship).

After confirming a Persian silver mask that Agocilaus had given to Leontiadas half a year ago, Phoebeidas' serious expression became gentle, and he asked, "What did Leontiadas send you to tell me?" ”

The slave didn't speak, just looked back and forth at the guards on either side.

Phoebidas understood, but said loudly: "They are the valiant warriors of Sparta, my good comrades-in-arms, there is nothing to keep secret!" ”

When the slave saw Phoebidas say this, he had no choice but to bite the bullet and say, "General, my master would like to invite you to lead your troops to attack the Acropolis of Thebes. ”

It turned out that although Leontiadas was elected consul, the anti-Spartan faction was the majority of the councils and citizens' assemblies, and his rights were greatly restricted, and in fact became an ornament. Feeling humiliated, he was secretly determined to change the awkward political situation.

At this time, he saw that the great army of Sparta was near, and two days later it happened to be the feast of Mother Earth in Thebes (that is, the celebration of Demeter), and the acropolis would be left undefended and handed over to the women to celebrate the festival. On the day of Mother Mother Thebes, the women of the city-state who had been doing household chores could celebrate in the Acropolis Temple, and because they were required to stay at home all year round, they would have some profligate behavior on this day, so the men of the city-state avoided it, similar to the festival of Dionysus.

So, he made a risky decision: to unite with the Spartans, capture the Acropolis of Thebes, capture the anti-Spartans, and completely control the power of Thebes.

After listening to the slave's detailed account, Phoebe Das was surprised and also moved.

Just as he was pondering, the Spartan adjutant next to him couldn't help but say: "Phoebeidas, the task given to us by the Council of Elders is to go to Calkiddic and attack Orintus, instead of rashly attacking Thebes without the permission of the Council of Elders and triggering a new war. ”

When the slave heard this, he looked anxiously at the leader of the Spartan army.

If it were an ordinary Spartan general, he might strictly follow the instructions of the Council of Elders and never make any extraneous branches, but Phoebidas was different, he was already bold, in the Southern Italian War, and in the days when he got along with Dionysius, he learned more about cunning and viciousness to achieve the end and by any means, so he groaned and said: "Thorax, after the Peloponnesian War, the Spartan army was free to enter and leave Central Greece, and after the last war, we led the army through here, You have to get the consent of several important city-states in Central Greece in advance, otherwise you can only take a boat to Northern Greece, do you know why? ”

The adjutant named Thorax said without thinking, "It's because of Athens and Thebes...... These Central Greek city-states are against us. ”

"So you see Sparta was blocked in the Peloponnese by Athens and Thebes, and its movements were very unfree, and we needed to make Thebes an ally of Sparta again, which was far more important than attacking Calchidic, which was thousands of miles away! Now that we are approaching the territory of Thebes, and the Thebans are about to hold a celebration, apparently thinking that we will lead our army to northern Greece, they are completely careless. If we miss this great opportunity, we will regret it very much! Phoebedars muttered, his fists clenched, his eyes glinting with greed.

…………………………………

Thebes is on the plain south of Lake Jereka, and its city is stuck on the main road to western and northern Central Greece, and on the east and west sides are mountains that stretch for three or four hundred meters above sea level, and although it is not too difficult to travel, it is far less convenient than passing directly through Thebes. It was also thanks to the fertility of the southern plains of Lake Jereika and the ease of transportation that led to the prosperity of trade and commerce, which made Thebes a major Greek state.

The Acropolis of Thebes was built on a cobble-oval plateau called Kadmia in the city, and it was one of the best cities in Central Greece. It is only due to the terrain that the city of Thebes is a rectangular shape that is long from north to south and narrow from east to west, and the acropolis is almost next to the eastern wall near the mountain range.

On the day of Mother Earth's Day

Phoebidas led a part of his army to lurk quietly in the mountains east of Thebes, and when Leontiadas used the power of his consul to divert the defenders of the eastern gate, Phoebidas led an army to rush in and quickly occupied the treacherous but undefended acropolis.

The Council of Thebes, composed of nobles, was threatened and blockaded by the exile scoundrels hired by Leontiadas, and was unable to rally citizens in time to resist.

The pro-Spartans had already formed an armed force to attack the southern gates of Thebes, opened the gates, put in the remaining Spartan troops, and led them to hunt down anti-Spartans in the city, and the city was full of screams and chaos......

……………………………

While the Spartans were storming the city of Thebes, Pelopidas was attending a banquet at Charon's home.

Charon was a well-known and wealthy merchant in the city of Thebes, who was a bold man and made many friends, and he invited many friends to his house on the grounds that "the women of Mother Earth are reveling in the temple, and we men cannot treat ourselves badly".

Ipaminonda was not on the invitation list, and at the age of 37, he had always been obsessed with learning, rarely took the initiative to participate in political affairs, and did not like to make friends, and he was not well-known in Thebes, but Pelopidas was his best friend and forced him to come to the banquet.

During the banquet, Ipaminonda deliberately sat in the corner, quietly tasting the food and listening to the other guests.

Pelopidas was the most striking, he was energetic, articulate, quick-witted, knowledgeable, and he was actively involved in politics as an adult, and although he was still young, he already held important positions in the city-state and was the most active among the anti-Spartan factions, so many people surrounded him and were proud to talk to him.

In the middle of the feast, one of their friends broke in and told them that the Spartans had entered the city and were hunting down a member of the pro-Spartan faction!

This astonishing news caused chaos in the banquet.

Pelopidas was the first to react, he shouted: "We must hurry up and gather the citizens and drive the Spartans out!" Who's going with me?! ”

But no one came out to respond.

Disappointed, Pelopidas turned around and walked out, but was stopped by Ipaminonda: "My friend, please calm down! Just now Phedas had already made it very clear, 'It was the collusion between Leontiadas and the Spartans that made it easy for the Spartan army to enter the city. 'This is an elaborate plan, the Spartans have taken the Acropolis, and with the help of traitors, you will not only not be able to leave the frightened citizens unprepared against the murderous Spartan warriors, but you will also make yourself a delicacy in the mouths of hungry wolves! ”(https:)

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