"Are you sure you're going to do this, Appis?"

Towards the end of winter, Apis led an army of 30,000 to the Roman town of Calabria, the southernmost point of Italy. On the other side of the strait is the abundant island of Sicily. The cold sea breeze blew on Appis's face, and the sword wounds of the years were slightly attacked, making Apis feel a heart-piercing pain.

The fleet mobilized from Spain had arrived on the coast, and now it was up to Apis to give him the order to launch a naval battle to drive Antony's fleet out of the strait. Then, carrying 30,000 Roman soldiers, he set foot on the land of Sicily.

"Yes, I'm ready, what about you? Brothers. ”

Draped in a thick cloak, Apis turned to ask Klein, who was dressed in military uniform.

"If you're ready, I'll do it."

Listening to the sound of the waves crashing against the reef, Crane replied firmly.

Two days later, a massive naval battle took place on the strait between Italy and Sicily.

Anthony's sea lion fleet did not think that on the ocean they still have opponents, and there should be no opponents for at least half a year. You must know that since the Battle of Ostia, everyone thought that Appis's fleet had been wiped out. It takes at least a year to build a full fleet, and sometimes it takes months to find the right wood for the keel. After the fleet is built, experienced sailors and crews are also needed. So the rebuilding of the Navy in general takes a long time. But after half a year, Apis actually pulled up a new fleet. In fact, with the money supported by politicians and business tycoons, Apis spent a lot of money to co-opt pirates roaming the western shores of the Mediterranean......

In the midst of the fire, Anthony's Alexander navy fled in disarray. They patrolled the strait for three months, never seeing a ship passing by, not even a fishing boat, and when it appeared, it was such a large naval warship. To everyone's astonishment.

Within a week, Apis' 30,000 Roman troops landed in Sicily with lightning speed. Katana, Syracuse, and Shilorum fell one after another. Many of the local defenders had no idea that Appis would land in Sicily in a short time, and since Antony had fled to the East, no one wanted to make a senseless sacrifice. Many of the towns along the way did not even put up any resistance, and opened the gates to allow Appis's army to enter.

A month later, in the whole of Sicily, only the southwestern city of Lilibal was still stubbornly resisting. All the Anthony supporters on the island fled there.

On the bay of the city, the famous Battle of Lilicol took place, which was the first naval rivalry between Rome and Carthage. The result was that the mighty Carthaginian navy was beaten to grandson by the rookie Roman Republic. Now, Apis is revisiting the old place in a warship, and his mood is up and down. However, this inspection is not to rely on history, but to study the strategy of siege.

Anthony's remaining supporters fled to the city, where they frantically demolished many of the city's houses and used the stones to build a long embankment along the shoreline to prevent any foreign ships from docking. From a distance, it looks like a large-scale Great Wall on the sea.

"We can break this levee with a catapult and then rush in with a boat to land."

Crane stood beside Appis and looked at the seawall from afar. There were no glasses in this era, so whether it was Klein or Apis himself, all they saw was a thin line of coastal defense.

For its height and thickness, it is simply impossible to judge.

"No, it's too risky, man, you have to consider the range and power of the catapult, even if the dam is blown open at sea, the broken seawall will get the ship stuck in it, we don't know if the seawall is built against the beach or extends out of the shore, if the seawall is still some distance from the shore and our soldiers have to swim through it, then the risk is very great. When the time comes, our soldiers will simply become targets for their flesh. ”

Appis retorted.

"If the situation at sea is unknown, then we will have to besiege the city."

Klein shrugged his shoulders and said helplessly.

"Yes, maybe that's the best way to do it right now. Storming any city is risky. ”

Appis replied.

The next day, in the wilderness outside the city of Lilibal, tens of thousands of Roman legionnaires and slaves began to sweat and build trenches and fortifications. Since the city was not as large as Rome, it only took a month to besiege the entire city with fortifications. While building the fortifications, the centurions under Apis unexpectedly discovered a small hill outside the city, much higher than the city, and placed catapults and crossbows here, just enough to throw and shoot at the city.

So, over the next few days, a large number of the legions' catapults and crossbows were carried up the high ground, and artillery stones and arrows were thrown into the city. The flying stones and arrows that fell from the sky from time to time made the defenders and citizens of the city anxious every day, for fear that the stones and arrows would fall on their heads in the next moment. Although the lethality is minimal, the psychological pressure on the soldiers and residents of the city is enormous.

The soldiers of the Ninth Legion suggested that the carcasses of dead cattle and dead livestock should be hung on catapults and thrown into the city, causing disease and destroying the city. But Appis rejected such an offer. And taught the soldier who made this suggestion a hard lesson-

"There are many innocent Romans in the city, and they are unarmed residents. Perhaps from the bottom of their hearts, they were unwilling to help Anthony's men, but the city was controlled by these people. We want to kill and punish those who resist, not innocent citizens. ”

As soon as this remark came out, it was quite politically offensive. No one dares to come up with a nest of theories.

……

"Apis has surrounded the city, and we have no way to live, not even supplies and food. The city's reserves may last for a few months, but what about after that? If Anthony hadn't come, would we have died here in vain? You know, Anthony didn't get here that quickly. Even if he were to come back, he would probably have to recapture his Brindisi and Calabria first, and then he would think about it. ”

Appis besieged but did not attack, causing the entire city and some of the city's defenders to worry. Once people are cut off, they are very insecure. It's human nature. The former mayor of Lili, Krusinas, was anxious and constantly admonished Anthony's subordinate, Aquinus. I hope he will come up with a solution as soon as possible, that is, a plan to break through. But Aquinus, the general of the city, didn't seem to care.

"Don't worry, old Crusie, before the siege of Appis I sent ships to report to Anthony about the situation here. Anthony will not leave his men alone, don't worry, I bet you, at the latest, we will definitely be able to see Anthony's reinforcements on this sea in a month at the latest. ”

Aquinus replied.