Mediterranean Hegemon of Ancient Greece

Strasippus then asked the shopkeeper, “How much does it cost to buy a set of this surgical instrument?”

“A set?!” The shopkeeper curled his lips, “You are physicians from a foreign city-state, so it is no wonder that you don't know that when the physicians in Theonia do their operations, they will use different tools on different types of operations. Moreover, the Theonian Medical School will also have new surgical tool designs from time to time. These surgical instruments that are here in the shop could perform at least five to six different types of operations.”

“And, even if you are allowed to buy it-” The shopkeeper looked at the three and rolled his eyes, “You won't be able to afford it.”

“We can't afford it?! Tell me, how much do these cost?” At this time, Nicostratos also came over, refusing to back down.

The shopkeeper glanced at him, pointed to the shop and said, “The things that you have just picked up are worth about 30 Minae.” (T/N: About 18,000 Obols)

“30 Minae?! Just for these few little things, it is already worth 30 Minae?! This is plain robbery!” Exclaimed Lycasis with a look of surprise.

“Stop spouting nonsense if you don't understand a thing!” The shopkeeper spat and argued, “Do you know how difficult to make these things are? How high are its requirements? I tell you, just making one kind of this knife would take us enough time to make 30 copper shields, and it has to be made by the best foundry in order to make a surgical tool that meets the requirements of that group of physicians. People say it is excellent, ‘naturally, the tools used on the human body must be very exquisite. Otherwise, it is not to save lives, but to take lives!’ So tell me, should such a price not be high?! And these tools can't be made by any iron workshop. And in Thurii, only we, Tios Weapon Workshop, have the ability to make this!”

The three became dumbfounded.

“Also, I was talking about its previous price. Their current price now is 40 Minae.”

“Why?”

“Because we won't produce these surgical instruments for days to come.”

“Why is that again?”

“Because our workshop has received a big task from Theonia's Department of Road Management. They want to build stone bridges and need huge iron grates to put into the river and empty it to make it easier to cast the pillars with that slurry rock and stone thingy* in it, so our workshop has to concentrate all the foundry and collect all the good iron ore to make these big guys…” (note: Which is actually ‘Davos’ cement)

. . . . . . . . . . . . .

Just as Nicostratos and his group were touring the port market in high spirits, Appian and his wife drove north to the hot spring swamp of the Tiro River, a tributary of the Cosceli River.

Back then, Davos became famous in the war against the Lucanian coalition by wiping them out, laying the foundation for the establishment of the Theonia Union. The big riverbank, which was covered with corpses at that time, now has a 20-metre high and 2-diameters white memorial pillar with the event of that battle carved on it and a bronze statue of Davos holding a shield and spear at the top.

The great victory in the battle of the great riverbank was initially called “the Pillar of Miracles” by the people, a metaphor for the miraculous victory of the archon of Theonia, Davos, who overcame a larger number of enemies with less. Later, students from various city-states' schools in the union were often brought here by their teachers so that they could feel the hardship of the early days of Theonia's establishment and the greatness of Davos, which were also later nicknamed “ the Pillar of Youth” by the citizens, as a place for children to be educated, but it also had a deeper meaning. Since this battle, the Theonia Union is like a newborn child starting to grow up healthily…of course, this is something to think about later.

Not far from the memorial pillar, there is a large circular burial mound and a tombstone engraved with “the tomb of the warriors who died in the battle of the great riverbank”, and below it is an inscription of Davos, “The war was a thing of the past, and our blood has now become one.”

There were also two bronze statues of men standing in front of the burial mound. One is a Lucanian, and the other is a Greek, both smiling, and their strong arms shook with each other. The Greek man's left hand is pointing to Thurii a few kilometres away to the east, making an inviting gesture, the meaning of which is self-evident.

In the burial mound, there are no bones. Back then, the Thurians cremated thousands of Lucanian warriors, and it is rumoured that it took them three days and three nights to burn. Then they poured the ashes into the river, feeding the fishes and the shrimps. For political purposes after the establishment of the Theonia Union and under the strong suggestion of Davos, this burial mound was built. Every year, people come here to pay homage to it, most of whom were Lucanians.

Of course, this was not the main reason why this once desolate place has become lively now. On the other side of the Tiro River, where the spear of the statue of Davos was pointed, there was once a hot spring swamp here filled with deserted ponds, snakes and insects, which has now been replaced by a huge building. Then using Davos' cement, dozens of aqueducts were built to bring the hot spring water into the building, and finally, a large canal leading the hot spring water out into the river. This is the famous Thurii's hot spring in Magna Graecia.

Although the Greeks don’t like taking baths, the Theonians have developed the habit of taking a bath under the long-term education of the physicians headed by Herpus in recent years. They even learn that it is more beneficial to their health by taking a bath with hot spring water. Thus on the day of the opening of the hot spring, almost all the men of Thurii came to the hot spring swamp to try it.

As a result, the hot spring became overcrowded. Later, the hot spring also revised its rules and set some limits on the duration and the number of people entering.

After returning to the city with reluctance after taking a hot spring bath and enjoying all kinds of novel services, the Thurian men began to promote it, “Taking a bath in the huge bathhouse is so amazing.” They even praise that this was the Elysium that the archon had built for the mortal world!

And soon after, the public learned that women were also allowed to enter the hot spring.

Since then, the Thurians have been flocking to the bathhouse every day and regarded it as an essential enjoyment in life, while the people of other Theonian city-states have also come to enjoy it from time to time.

At the same time, the Thurians even regarded the “hot spring bathhouse” as one of the three major entertainments for guests from afar, making the Thurii's hot spring bathhouse famous. (the other two are tasting Thurii's food and going to the arena to watch the ball games.)

The large hot spring baths will also become free for the public on certain special days in Theonia, making the baths, which are already cheap (just one obol), even more popular. For example, because of the Marriage's Day, the hot spring became free for all couples who had come to take a bath. And this is the reason why Appian came here with his wife.

Today, many couples came and were all consciously formed a long line and moved towards the hot spring entrance slowly.

At this time, a commotion happens in the rear of the line. Appian turned his head to look at the situation.

“What happened?” His wife asked curiously.

“It's nothing. It’s just that two statesmen of the Senate had come as well.” Appian said with indifference. Among the nearly 100 statesmen in the Senate, except for the Thurians, most of the Theonian citizens in other city-states only know the chief statesmen, Davos, the statesmen who had served as the city's praetor, and the various statesmen who are holding important positions in the legion, which is not surprising. Whether it is training or battling, the citizens that have served in the army will have deeper memories of those officers.

Finally, after crossing the wooden bridge over the Tiro River and standing at the entrance. The hot spring keeper looked at Appian and his wife and asked, “Are you a couple?”

The two of them nodded.

“Theonian citizens?”

Appian nodded and said, “We are a couple that has taken part in the Marriage's Day this year. Do you have a private room for a small bath?” With that, he stretched out his left hand and his wife's right hand. On his ring finger was an iron ring engraved with Hera's emblem, a “Peacock”. At the suggestion of Davos, the Temple of Hera, under the charge of Agnes, apart from presiding over the celebration, they also present the wedding rings blessed by Hera to the newlyweds to encourage and monitor their marriage’s stability. (Of course, there is a small processing fee.)

“Congratulations!” After the keeper confirmed, he turned and looked at the wooden wall nailed with many long nails, only one of which had a key. He took it and give it to Appian, “Hera has blessed you. This is the last one. The room number is written on the wooden board. So that no one can disturb you, you can lock the door after entering the room. And you can just return the key at noon.”

“Alright. Thank you.” Appian then led his wife into the middle passage, as the left and right passage lead to the men's and women's baths, respectively.

As time goes on, the queue at the entrance has almost reached the end.

When the keeper saw the two men in front of him, he was stunned and immediately began to smile, “Lord Pollux, lord Enanilus.”

“Do you have a private room left?” Asked Pollux straightforwardly.

The keeper pointed to the wooden walls with only nails left behind and said apologetically, “Because of the Marriage's Day, the rooms are all full.”

Pollux pouted with dissatisfaction, then said with sarcasm, ignoring that the keeper is a servant of Davos, “Look at how our archon takes care of the people of Theonia!”

Enanilus did not answer and just let the slaves behind him take out four Obols and paid for himself, Pollux, and the two slaves accompanying them.

After they went in, the keeper went into the back of the room under the excuse of going to urinate. He then quickly find the hot spring manager and said, “Pollux and Enanilus came together!”

. . . . . . . . . . . . .

After a short walk along the passage on the left, a vast area appeared in front of them. In the middle is a large bath, with several small baths beside it, and they were all releasing steamy hot fogs.

Many men were soaking in the pool and enjoying the moisture of the hot spring water. Some were lying on the wooden benches beside the bath to be washed by their slaves or getting massaged by specially trained slaves. There are also a few people leaning against the wooden wall, chatting with each other…and they all have one thing in common – they are all naked.

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