Chapter 157: The Thua Union in the eyes of foreigners (II)
Chapter 157: The Thua Union in the eyes of foreigners (II)
Through the management office, Tios contacted Thurii’s four ship owners (because he only has one ship with him), under the guarantee of the market officer (the officer assured him that the shipowners will do their best to help him transport the goods, because they are all the preparatory citizens of the Thua Union. If they fail to fulfill the agreement, the Union will consider that their integrity is questionable and will immediately cancel their citizenship) and so Tios was assured and discussed the price with the shipowners. After signing the agreement, he is now relaxed and so, he leisurely explored the market.
Although the market of Thurii is relatively crude, it has a strict management, good order, clean environment, and it has at least no peculiar smell, which is very rare.
There are also many kinds of commodities in the market.
In the crowded market, Tios accidentally found a place with a large open space, and it only has a large house, but he could see the market patrol team patrolling the streets around the house. So Tios curiously walked over and saw a sign outside the house that said, Cheiristoya’s Bank.
In many Greek city-states, there are banks in all the prosperous cities. This is not a new thing. However, it is rare to see such a long line in front of the bank’s entrance and all the people were excited. In addition to currency exchange, a bank will also provide loans and the interest rate of the loan is usually 20% and even 30%. Usually, unless a merchant is in an urgent need of money, or has no other way besides going to the bank to borrow money, otherwise, he will never go near it. What is more, it is rare for borrowers to be so happy at the thought of repaying so much interest.
Therefore, Tios came forward to ask politely, only then did he find out that, this bank’s loan interest rate is only five percent!
Tios thought that he had misheard it, as everyone must know, the Mediterranean trade is well developed, and after a trip, you can get more than 10% of the profits. Of course, the premise is that there are no accidents, such as pirates, storms, and so on…so a 5% interest is equivalent to the bank lending money in vain! No wonder the customers are lining up in front of the entrance!
Tios, too, was greatly moved, wondering whether he should borrow a large sum of money in order to buy more wheat.
However, when he asked at the counter, he found out that this bank only provided loans to the citizens of the Thua Union.
Which made him depressed.
On the way out of the market, he calculated in his mind that his five ships of wheat, due to the low tariff and the relatively low price of the wheat, could earn him at least one tarant when he sold it back to the city-state of Corinth. Therefore, despite the announcement of the Thua Union’s 《Civil Service Law》 and being slightly depressed from learning about the Cheiristoya’s bank’s preferential treatment for the people of the new union, he was still happy. He then felt tired and hungry due to the day’s work, so he decided to stay in Amendolara as Nicobulos has suggested.
As soon as he got out of the market, someone has stopped him and asked, “Are you going to Amendolara? Do you want to take a carriage?”
“A Carriage?” Tios saw six carriages drawn by horses on the grass not far from the market. The roads in most parts of Greece are rugged and uneven, so it is not suitable to ride a carriage, and it cost a lot of money to raise and maintain horses. Therefore, only a few wealthy merchants and nobles use it as an entertainment tool. Just like the racing events in the Olympic games, this is the only time an ordinary spectator can have a chance to see them. And though Tios has some wealth, he had never ridden a carriage since he was young, and so he asked with curiousness, “Can I take a carriage to Amendolara?”
“Of course! You will know if you try it. It is fast and comfortable, and it will only take you a few hours to get to Amendolara.” The old coachman strongly recommended it.
“How much?” Tios became interested.
“Just 2 obols.” Seeing a business, the coachman also revealed a smile on his face.
The price of 2 obols is really not expensive. So Tios decided to experience the feeling of riding a carriage. He sat on the carriage’s seat which was padded with wheat straw and covered with fur, which was very soft.
Solikos waved the reins and steered the carriage forward slowly.
A few coachmen nearby exclaimed in envy, “Soli, you manage to get another customer again!”
Solikos laughed, “Ha ha, just wait patiently and it will be your turn soon.” The carriage was already on the move, while he was talking.
Solikos flicked his whip and the horse began to trot, and the wheels began to accelerate…
Soon, the horse began to gallop…
“How is it?!” Solikos shouted as he controls the reins.
“Excellent! It’s so great-” As soon as Tios opened his mouth, the strong wind rushed through his throat, and an invisible force pushed him back tightly on the chair and the scenery on both sides was rapidly going by. He liked the high-speed stimulation. It wasn’t because Tios has never ridden a horse, it’s just that riding a horse is too bumpy and after a long time, his buttocks and thighs will hurt, unlike now which is so comfortable.
He, of course, know that this was mainly due to the road, which was so flat and solid, and it is also wide enough to have 6 carriages running side by side. At the same time, he also noticed that there were ditches and trees parallel to the road on both of its side. When he thought about it, he manage to understand the intention of the builders, and could not help but exclaim, “Your roads are really well built!”
“Of course, this is the best road in all of Greece!” Tios did not refute the words of Solikos, because it was true that he had never seen such a good road in all the city-states that he had visited.
“I heard that the road was designed by our Archon, Lord Davos, himself! He is indeed the descendant of Hades, as he can do anything!” Solikos said with pride.
Tios has only heard the name of Davos after arriving in Thurii, but after half a day, his ears were already filled with the deeds of this man, when Davos led the mercenaries to repel the Persian army multiple times…when Davos defeated huge number of enemies with only few men, and annihilating the Lucanian army, and capturing the army of Crotone…when Davos drafted and proposed to enact the 《Immigration Act》…and so on.
Tios did not believe the rumors about Davos being a descendant of Hades, because many Greek city-states and rulers have claimed to have some kind of intimate relationship with the gods, such as the Spartans claiming that they were the descendants of Hercules, Athens claiming that their city-state had always been under the protection of Athena. Even Corinth itself has claimed that it has a very close relationship with Poseidon, and even dedicated the Isthmian games in his name…
However, it was the thing that Davos did that surprised Tios. If all these things were really done by the Archon, then it can be said that the Thua Union has almost all relied on Davos’ own strength. It is no wonder that the people of the Thua Union are full of reverence when they mentioned him. And he even heard that Davos is still a very young and unfathomable man! Would he be the Periander or Pheidon of the Thua Union? (Periander, one of the Seven Wise men of ancient Greece, was the ruler of Corinth in the 7th century B.C., and had made Corinth the richest city-state in Greece. Pheidon, is the king of Argos in 7th century B.C., he is the arch enemy of Sparta and he had once ruled the Peloponnesian Peninsula and made the Spartans tremble in fear under his prestige.)
“Not only does Lord Davos took good care about us ordinary people, but his wife is also a good person!” Solikos then continued, “It was she who proposed that the citizens who could drive carriages be allowed to take people on this road, and provided us with loans, even though my properties were burned in a fire by Crotone. Otherwise, how could I even afford to buy an expensive horse carriage?”
“What’s her name?!” Asked Tios out loud against the wind, and he thought of a possibility.
“Can the name of the Archon’s wife be asked casually?!” Solikos pretended to be angry and then laughed, “But our lord doesn’t care about such conservative tradition of city-states, and had even allowed his wife to appear in public and to open a bank that provided low interest loans for the citizens. Her name is the name of the bank-”
“Cheiristoya’s Bank!” Tios blurted it out.
“Yes, as long as you have been to the bank, you will see it. And she is the most beautiful woman in our Thua Union!” Solikos sincerely praised, “I recently heard that she is currently pregnant. Hence why she didn’t appear in the market for a long time. Both of them are good people, and everyone hope that she would give birth to a healthy boy that can become an excellent archon in the future.”
“You mean to make their son inherit his position? Won’t this make the government of Thua Union into a monarchy?” Solikos was taken aback by the question of Tios, and then laughed, “It’s just an idle talk, why are you taking it seriously?”
He raised his hand and flicked the whip in the air. The horses that was trying to gallop to the middle of the road became scared and obediently returned to its original path.
Solikos drove his horse for a while, and then he said seriously, “You have to know that the strategoi and the statesmen in the old city hall of Thurii knew nothing but debate and quarrel every day. The way to transport ores is so bad, and even after so many days, I still haven’t seen the city hall do anything to change it. It can’t even compare to the order of the archon for life, Davos, who had managed to make such a good road in just more than three months. What is more important is that once a war broke out, not only the strategoi and the Council, but even us citizens will convene an ecclesia only for our own interests, to vent our hatred and to deny all proposals that are not favorable to us. And in the end, nothing will happen, and the army of the enemy will already be outside the city…”
Solikos sighed heavily and shook his head vigorously. He seemed to want to throw away all the painful memories, “The democratic system used to be very free, but we in Thurii have already tasted the pain of our city being destroyed. The management of a city-state should not be directed by people who knew nothing, but should let the truly capable people to implement their ability and govern the city-state according to their plans without any interference…”