I am the son of the traveler

Chapter 96 Preparations for Military Expansion
The first time Antigonus met Helen was when he personally visited the Senonides manor that afternoon. Although Senonides was still adhering to the tradition that men and women should meet less before getting engaged, he still let them Meet each other so that you don't even know your partner.

After seeing Helen, Antigonus couldn't help feeling inwardly that Agnes hadn't lied to him. Helen was very beautiful. Although she was only 15 years old, her eyebrows and eyes had already opened, and she could vaguely see what she would look like in the future.Helen's face has a pair of beautiful eyes that are childish and decorated with long eyelashes, like two crystal grapes, she is slightly wheat-colored, but compared to the obvious white skin of ordinary women, she looks so healthy, brown Her long curly hair hangs down her head like a waterfall, and she wears a beautiful corolla made of several flowers, which makes her charming and charming, full of agility like a little girl.

Antigon just glanced at her and then looked away, but he was very clear that the little girl had been watching him secretly, so he smiled slightly and said to Senonides: "Teacher, since everyone has no objections, Then we can discuss when the engagement ceremony will take place."

In ancient Greece, people got engaged first, and then held the wedding formally, just like modern people.

"We need to prepare first, and get engaged after a while." Senonides replied.Because it will take two years to get married officially, they don't need to rush to get engaged. By the way, people in ancient Greece believed that the most suitable season for marriage was winter. You can get married in a few months.

Antigonus nodded. He glanced at the philosopher who followed him, and said, "I'll let Teacher Nicolides prepare with you."

"Also, if you need anything, you can also ask Hephaestion, the clerical manager... Oh no, he's still busy in Larissa." Antico patted his head, paused, and continued : "Since Hephaestion is not in Pella, then you can go directly to my personal clerk Eucrates and the mayor Attalus and ask them to assist."

"Yes, Your Majesty." The two old men said in unison.

"Yeah." Antigonus nodded, and then looked at Inspector Siparcus, who had been sitting silently, and called softly, "Sipalcus?"

"I'm here, Your Majesty." Hippalcus, who was called by Antigonus, quickly got up and replied.

Seeing that he still had the same expressionless face for thousands of years, Antigonus chuckled and said, "We will be a family after we get engaged, so you don't have to keep a straight face every day."

"Yes, Your Majesty." Sipalkos said, his face only softened for a moment.

Seeing this, Antigonus could only smile helplessly. Senonides wanted to reprimand his eldest son, but because Antigonus was present, he held back.

Because he couldn't find a reason to contact Helen, Antigonus discussed with them for a while, and then returned to the palace with the guards.

……

After returning to the Vagina Palace, Antigonus called the military consul Kronos and discussed with him the matter of the kingdom's army returning to the city.

Because Antigonus had ordered before, the soldiers returned to the barracks after accepting the triumphant ceremony, put their weapons and equipment back into the warehouse (the self-provided equipment that responded to the call-up was not counted), and after another roll call, they were allowed to go home. Tico intends to reorganize the army, so they are currently released from military service.

"I'm going to reorganize the kingdom's army." Antigonus said straight to the point, "Establish a more complete standing army."

"What are you going to do?" Kronos asked without objecting.

"Temporarily divided into several stages, the first stage recruits a double phalanx of copper shield pikemen (the double phalanx consists of 8192 heavy infantry) and a regiment of Macedonian heavy infantry, unified into the first army. "

"First Legion?" Kronos looked puzzled.

"Yes, First Legion." Antigonus nodded and explained, "These soldiers will be the main force of the new First Legion. After the recruitment is complete, I will officially announce it."

Hearing this, Cronus nodded, but then he noticed a problem, and said with a distressed expression: "But, Your Majesty, the source of recruitable citizens in Pella City is not enough for us to recruit so many soldiers... "

"That's not a problem." Antigonus waved his hand. In fact, in the army following Alexander the Great, the soldiers were not all Macedonian citizens. Among them, a large number of free citizens joined the army in response to the policy. Otherwise, Macedonia How could it be possible to recruit an army of about 4 citizens in the backcountry of the kingdom?
Therefore, he planned to follow the example of Philip, the father of Alexander, and expand the scope of conscription of the Copper Shield Pikemen to the free people. Compared with the Macedonian citizens, the number of free people was significantly more.

Although he didn't know why the system made it so that only Macedonian citizens could be recruited as Bronze Shield Pikemen, the rule is that the dead are alive, and it's not impossible for him to change it.

Seeing Antigonus's indifferent expression, Cronus opened his mouth to speak, but Antigonus had already spoken before him, "I will draft a decree in a moment, starting tomorrow, the phalanx infantry The scope of conscription will be extended to the freedmen, and the weapons and equipment will be borne by the state, but the traditional heavy infantry will still be recruited from wealthy citizens and let them provide their own equipment."

Cronos naturally understood the effect of Antigonus's policy. He quickly thought of the economic aspect, and hurriedly said: "Your Majesty, if the country provides equipment, it will cost a lot of money. I think you should It would be better to ask the chief clerical officer for his opinion."

Antigonus was very clear about the implication of the military consul, but he was not going to change it. If he wanted to implement the standing army system, it was necessary for the state to provide equipment, and the kingdom's finances were healthy, but the money for building weapons and armor was still affordable.What's more, he has already asked Agnes to prepare, and he will follow the boat to the Republic of Feronia to withdraw money in a few days.

"Hephaestion is not in Pella, so just do as I say." Antigonus said, "You don't have to worry about the treasury's storage, and I can also withdraw money from my internal funds when necessary."

Seeing that the king had no intention of changing his mind, Kronos could only silently nod in agreement, but then he asked again: "Since the heavy infantry has plans to recruit, what about the auxiliary light infantry?"

(End of this chapter)