Chapter 755: The Great Naval Battle of Selinus (I)

Despite resolving the issue, Anibal remained motionless, prompting Bomilcar to send someone to inquire about his condition.

But Anibal only replied that he needed some time to improve their cooperation since they had just integrated with the Iberian fleet.

A few days later, Anibal finally arrived in Lilybaeum and told Bomilcar that he had assembled the warships and was ready to protect his transport fleet and reinforce Selinus tomorrow.

"Tomorrow?" Bomilcar looked through the window at the thick cloud-covered sky, which made him uneasy. So he said hesitantly, "The seasoned sailors at the port told my subordinates that after assessing the weather patterns for the past few days, they had predicted that Sicily's southwestern waters would experience continuous rain for the next two days and strong winds and waves. These conditions pose a certain risk to the ships navigating the area."

But Anibal just replied calmly, "It is precisely because of this risk that the Theonian fleet would likely hide in their port and dare not go to sea, allowing our fleet to enter the port of Selinus smoothly."

"What if the Theonian fleet heads out?" Bomilcar asked cautiously.

"Then I would defeat the Theonian fleet!" Anibal said confidently, "Whoever can adapt better to the sea, whoever can handle the ship better, whoever knows the sea better, will win this naval battle! And our Carthaginian sailors have the advantage!"

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

Early the following day, the Carthaginian squadrons received orders to depart from their respective ports and hastily gather in the sea near the port of Lilybaeum. In the port, hundreds of labourers and slaves carried grain to the docked cargo ships while groups of soldiers boarded the transport ships in an orderly fashion...

Countless ships crowded the port, and numerous labourers and workers were busy in it...such a bustling sight caught Bomilcar's attention, but his face inevitably looked a bit nervous. He then said expectantly to the fleet commander beside him, "Anibal, I will leave this caravan's safety to you!"

Anibal replied calmly, "Rest assured! With us working together, we can send the Theonian fleet to the sea to feed the fish even if they appear! Don't you think so, Adhimilk?"

"That's right, General Anibal. The Iberian fleet would gladly defeat the Theonian fleet under your command and make Lord Mago's expedition smoother." Adhimilk replied, seemingly being respectful.

Bomilcar looked at the two significant figures in the Carthaginian fleet, causing him to frown and hesitate to speak.

Suddenly, Anibal said, "It's getting windy."

"It's the northwest wind," Adhimilk chimed in.

Bomilcar saw the rising wave on the sea and then felt something wet on his face as he quickly reached out to feel the rain.

In the blink of an eye, raindrops fell on the sand beneath his feet, making small holes. At the same time, he was proud of himself for having prepared the cargo fleet in case of rain.

And because of the rain, they had to speed up the preparation. Afterwards, Sakarzidon, Lord of Lilybaeum, arrived to tell Bomilcar that the fleet was ready.

"We should also board now and get ready to depart!" Anibal spoke, then headed towards the nearby military port. Adhimilk followed him as the Iberian fleet was also docked there. Within the port, a unique warship was moored, Anibal's flagship, known as the twin-headed serpent.

Even before Syracuse rose to power, Carthage had already established itself as a dominant maritime power in the western Mediterranean. All city-states in the region recognised Carthage as the leading naval force. Although Carthage had experienced both victories and defeats in the wars it participated in over the past few decades, it had never lost in an actual maritime battle. (both of Carthage's naval losses were due to getting trapped in the ports, unable to exert its advantages.) The Carthaginian navy relied not only on its large seafaring population but also on the technological advantages it had accumulated over the centuries. The Carthaginians have always been at the forefront of technological innovation in Mediterranean navigation.

Especially in this particular decade, Carthage began to feel increasingly threatened by Theonia, which had replaced Syracuse as the dominant Greek city-state in the western Mediterranean, particularly in terms of naval strength. Despite Carthage's shift in development focus towards inland Africa, maritime trade remained the foundation of their prosperity and power, so it was inconceivable to relinquish their naval dominance. Therefore, Carthaginian shipwrights began developing the Quadrireme.

The quadrireme is a taller, longer and wider version of the primary warship of the Mediterranean forces, the trireme. It has up to two hundred fifty sailors, with four layers of rowers seated on each side. While its fastest speed is slightly slower than that of a trireme, its wide deck is large enough to accommodate many soldiers in combat, even though its heavy hull made it less agile. The Carthaginians had also reinforced its huge hull, providing additional protection in the face of collision tactics, although it rarely used such tactics in combat. Instead, it relies more on hooking itself with enemy ships and engaging in boarding combat, making the quadrireme a warship clearly designed to counter the Theonian navy.

However, since traditional naval tactics and warships had been popular for hundreds of years, the Carthaginians adopted a cautious attitude towards this new type of warship. As a result, they had only built twenty of them so far, scattering them among various squadrons and using them as flagships for various naval generals.

But Anibal's flagship differed from other ships in the fleet, as it was a huge warship made by merging two quadriremes. Carthaginian shipwrights spent three years solving many technical problems before developing it: They had to lower the ship's height and tightly meld the two ships from bow to stern using the strongest planks and then place a tall structure on the wide deck to turn it into a true fortress at sea. This structure was manned by many sailors, soldiers, and archers, making it a daunting prospect for any enemy ship seeking to engage in battle. However, these modifications also affected the ship's speed, making it sail slowly.

The twin-headed serpent is a legendary sea monster in Carthage that is known for causing huge waves, sinking ships, and devouring crew members. The Carthaginians even used these monsters to frighten their children. And by naming their flagship after this creature, the Carthaginians clearly demonstrated their high expectations for the ship and its crew.

By the time the twin-headed serpent sailed from the military port, warships had already covered the entire sea outside. These ships go up and down under the surging tide, making it look like a floating forest. And the addition of the Iberian fleet further expanded this forest of ships, creating an even more impressive spectacle.

Anibal then divided the huge fleet into three: The front, the middle and the rear, with his flagship in the middle and the Iberian fleet in the rear, as if to show that he was impartial.

Upon witnessing the strong winds and waves at sea, Anibal ordered the entire fleet to stay away from the coast and increase the distance between each ship. Additionally, he instructed them to lower their sails while maintaining a high degree of concentration to avoid any ships from splitting off from the fleet.

Once the more than a dozen horns sounded on the twin-headed serpent, the huge fleet began advancing along the coast towards Selinus, with a frontal width and column length of five kilometres. And their duty is to open up a safe naval passage for the transport fleet behind them.

But the strangest thing was that as the fleet began to sail, the winds and waves gradually subsided, and the rain stopped, which excited the crew as they believed the sea god was protecting them.

From Lilybaeum to Selinus, the land distance was over fifty kilometres, but the sea route was even farther. Moreover, due to the wind and waves influence, the Carthaginian fleet only reached the sea near Selinus by noon.

Anibal then ordered the fleet to stand by on the sea east of Selinus while maintaining vigilance.

Then after he gave his order, he sat in the spacious and comfortable deck structure and ate a steaming hot lunch while talking to his subordinates. Despite the chilly sea breeze outside, he acted as if there was no tension of a possible war at any moment.

In fact, Anibal still felt conflicted. He had just integrated the Iberian fleet and needed time to adjust. Moreover, they needed time to restore their morale after a recent defeat. But, as a proud Carthaginian naval commander, he was also eager to personally test the strength of the Theonian navy, which had maintained its power in the western Mediterranean for years. He hoped to demoralise them by having them taste the strength of the Carthaginian navy.

After taking a sip of honey water, Anibal took the towel handed to him by his slave and wiped his mouth before standing up. Since he was already in his fifties, he didn't usually eat much since his digestion had begun deteriorating. However, he had unknowingly overeaten and felt slightly uncomfortable, so he paced back and forth to aid digestion.

Suddenly, the captain of the twin-headed serpent came in and reported, "Commander, the transport fleet has begun entering the port!"

"Did you find any signs of the enemy in the east?" asked Anibal.

"There haven't any report."

"I hope the fleet can unload the supplies quickly so we can return earlier. The weather is a bit worrying!" the adjutant said anxiously, "And even if the Theonian fleet finds us, I am afraid they won't dare fight us."

Anibal didn't say anything and only watched the clouds as they almost completely blocked the sun. Although it was still daytime, it seemed to be dusk as the drifting dark clouds turned the sky and sea dark. Even the sea and sky in the distance were the same, making it impossible to see far away. Although the rain and wind had stopped, thick water vapour filled the air.

"Urge the convoy to hurry up!" Anibal finally spoke.

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

The lookout on Carthage's foremost quadrireme grasped the wooden mast with both hands as he strained his eyes to peer into the distance. The ominous clouds overhead made him nervous, and he silently grumbled about the captain. 'Why would the Theonian fleet venture out in such terrible weather? There's no need for me to stay up here. It will be no laughing matter if there's a heavy rain or lightning strike!'