Chapter 3129 viaticum (7)

Lydia is located in western Turkey, bordering the Aegean Sea. According to archaeological discoveries, the city of Troy is located on its coastline.

Not only does it have fertile land, but it is also between the Mediterranean Sea and the interior, making it easy to become a commercial thoroughfare. In addition, the Hermus River and its tributaries flowing through Lydia have a large amount of alluvial gold, allowing Lydia to possess rich gold reserves.

Around the 8th century BC, a small group of Cimmerians who had lived north of the Black Sea in the Greater Caucasus discovered this wealthy country. Lydia trades with surrounding countries all year round. Due to its developed economy, Lydian currency has become the hard currency of that region. It is said to be a mixed currency of 60% gold and 30% silver. However, the currency gold-silver ratio found in archeology is 5:5, which means they are the first country to manipulate currency value to make profits.

Facing the Cimmerian attack, Lydia was helpless and even lost its capital for a time.

After finally driving away the Cimmerians, they competed with the Medes for Assyrian hegemony. After the two powers refused to give in, they finally made peace with the solar eclipse in 585 BC.

The Medes did not know at first that there was a country like Lydia hidden in the interior of Asia. When the Greeks launched trade to the Black Sea, there were many Mede cities along the Black Sea coast.

In addition to the eclipse, a Greek mathematician named Thales assisted. Thales, one of the Seven Sages of Greece before Socrates, was born into a wealthy merchant family in Miletus. He also did business in his early years and visited many Eastern countries. He learned the Babylonian method of observing solar and lunar eclipses, and measured the distance of ships at sea and the height of the pyramids. But his most outstanding contribution was his refusal to use mysterious or supernatural factors to explain natural phenomena, and his attempt to explain the world with the help of experience and rational thinking.

After making peace with the Medes, the Lydians marched westward and conquered the Thracians and Carians who had migrated to Asia. They even had a plan to conquer the Aegean Islands across the sea, but in the end they chose to give up because they lacked a navy.

At that time, all parts of Greece were in a period of transition when the aristocracy was disintegrating and tyrants were rising. All the exiles went to the great eastern countries to seek political assistance.

King Croesus of Lydia also used a supportive approach to indirectly control many cities. This approach later became the policy of the Persian Empire to control Greece.

According to legend, when the Lydian capital was destroyed, although Cyrus had ordered Croisus to be spared, the latter became a prisoner. But Cyrus did not ask him for ransom. Instead, he tied the king and 14 Lydian youths and placed them on a huge pyre.

Later generations have no way of knowing why Cyrus did what he did, but it is said that Apollo sent magical rain to bless him. Both Herodotus and Ctesias agreed with this supernatural phenomenon, although they Descriptions of specific miracles vary.

After some time, Croesus appears to have been released and, according to legend, was treated well and became a close advisor to Cyrus and his son.

In 334 BC, Alexander of the Macedonian Kingdom led his army to the east and defeated the declining Persian Empire. Darius III, the last monarch of the Achaemenian Dynasty, was killed, and the country was once divided. But after the death of Alexander the Great, the Persian Empire reunified and expanded its territory, mainly eastward, even reaching India.

At this time the ruler of the Mediterranean was Rome, and the conflicts between the two empires were mainly in Mesopotamia and Asia Minor.

Before Caesar's assassination, a prophet said, "Only a king can conquer Parthia."

The Parthian Empire was located in Asia Minor, which was the eastern part of the former Kingdom of Lydia. It was also known as the Parthian Empire. Some of the emperors of the Parthian Empire would claim to be descendants of the Achaemenid dynasty.

The book Pomona read recorded something that is difficult to verify.

The battle in which Cyrus used camels to defeat Croesus took place near Cappadocia, but it was not called that name at the time. It was later named "Beautiful Horse Country" by the Persians. , because here the strongest horses and gold and silver are paid as tribute.

Alexander the Great and his subordinates once expanded the "Beautiful Horse Country" to the area reaching the Black Sea in the north and the Euphrates River in the west. A large number of Greek immigrants also arrived here. Since the emergence of Christianity, Cappadocia has been the most pious place.

Millions of years ago, volcanoes on the east and west sides of Cappadocia erupted, covering the entire area with volcanic ash. Almost as soon as the magma cooled, human footprints set foot on this land.

Weathering and rainwater washed away the soft mud and sand, leaving behind valleys of basalt and limestone. In order to avoid the suppression of the Roman army, believers used strange rocks to dig out caves to live in, which later turned into an underground city.

In addition, Cappadocia is now one of the best places in the world for hot air ballooning. The chronicle of Tacitus records that Corbulo's war against Parthia left part of his force in Syria to guard a fortress on the Euphrates, a city that should have been called Malatya.

Malatya is located on the Euphrates River. It is the only plain in this complex terrain. In the past, people used it as a pasture for horses.

In addition, there is a "gate" formed by a natural cliff, which is called the Caspia Gate. If you do not pass through this "gate", you can only travel along the mountains and rise to an astonishing height. And horses are not allowed because this road not only has many twists and turns, but is also very steep.

The Armenians had always been under the protection of Roman suzerainty and ruled by kings chosen by the emperor.

But in fact, during the era of Tacitus, the Romans only maintained or had the power to handle Armenian affairs in name only, and the real power was in the hands of the Parthians.

The situation was similar during the ancient Roman Republic. The difference was that the republic controlled these small countries not through suzerainty but huge debts.

The king of Cappadocia was once captured and paid a ransom to be freed, but the money was not too much, especially with his son-in-law working for him, but it was not that easy for him to become king again.

Rome only ruled Asia as a province, and the kings of Asia Minor were carefully selected subsidiary kings of Rome. It was these kings, not Rome, who were responsible for the guarding and management of these areas. Antony regarded these areas as a reward and even gave them to Cleopatra.

The Roman Empire's highways could not be built until they reached the Euphrates River. This was due to the limitations of ancient manpower. Even modern technology may not be able to dig tunnels in such complex areas.

Taxation in the province of Asia has always been very poor. Later, Rome promulgated the provincial law of Asia, which was collected by knights. The tax collectors paid cash according to the contract and thus obtained the power to collect taxes in the province.

In 167 BC, due to war and provincial income, the Senate announced the abolition of civil taxes. After that, the Romans in Italy enjoyed exemption from direct taxes for nearly 400 years.

As the "gold content" of Roman citizenship increased, more and more people aspired to become Roman citizens, and the Senate regarded citizenship as a reward.

By the time Pompey arrived in the East, all the provinces of Asia were already in debt, the total amount of which amounted to about 800,000,000 sesterces, twice the annual Roman tithe.

Brutus, who was involved in Caesar's assassination at the time, had a trust which he gave to the kings of Cappadocia as a loan to resolve their financial crisis.

This place is close to the Parthian Empire. Although the Kingdom of Cappadocia was no longer as vast as it was when Alexander the Great was at that time, the fortress city of Malatya was still in its hands.

If Caesar really becomes the king who conquers Parthia as predicted, then the Kingdom of Cappadocia is on his only way.

Even if the loss of trust of Brutus himself is ignored, the chain reaction of Caesar's expedition is unpredictable. At least the decree issued by the Senate to exempt citizens from tax is expected to be revoked.

Originally, every time the army came back victorious, many trophies would be displayed. Those real money and silver were much more attractive than the tax-free notices of the Senate.

There was no income from serving in Rome, but there were still ambitious young politicians willing to borrow money to participate in elections. When Caesar was appointed to go to Spain, the creditors were "reluctant" to let him go.

There is a travel expense to go to the province to serve, but most people who are willing to leave do not go there for the money.

Even if you are willing to give up the prosperity of Rome, those opera houses and the Colosseum, are you willing to give up the people at home and the wheat waiting to be harvested in the fields?

The ancient Greeks regarded colonization as a kind of sorrow, while the Romans would try to avoid garrisoning troops in far away places. If they had to send troops, they would rush along the Roman Avenue that symbolized "victory".

When it was time to eat, Pomona and Severus went to the Sicilian restaurant downstairs to dine. The boss was very hospitable and invited them to drink wine brewed by his old family.

This is not a famous wine, it is a little too sweet, but it is brewed according to ancient Roman techniques. As long as the Romans have visited, there must be vineyards, and this is the wine they drink.

If you feel it doesn't suit the taste, you can add water and spices yourself, which may be difficult for French red wine lovers to accept.

The layout of this Sicilian restaurant is very homely, and the food provided is home-cooked. It does not have the high-end feel of a French restaurant, and the waiters are not as well-trained as those in French restaurants.

That was a "relative" of the boss. This young man felt that he was buried in this restaurant. The boss was scolding him several times because the customers were absent-minded when ordering.

Severus was chatting with his boss with a smile on his face, which made it difficult for people to connect with the "vampire" who "keeps out strangers" and usually lives alone in school.

"So, do you plan to stay here for a long time?" the boss asked.

"No, we are here for a trip and will go back after the summer vacation." Severus said.

"Summer vacation? Are you still students?" the boss asked in surprise.

"No, we are teachers, teaching in a school in Scotland," Pomona replied.

"Oh, you are colleagues." The boss said.

"Yes," Pomona said.

"No," Severus said.

The boss looked at the two of them suspiciously.

Pomona took a sip of the sweet wine.

"Let's talk about something else. When do the oranges in Sicily ripen?" Pomona smiled sweetly, which was even sweeter than the sip of wine just now.