Chapter 237 - 236
The hillside he’d chosen to make their stand upon rose out of the Arcadian landscape like an unassuming giant, its slopes rolling gently toward a jagged crown of rock.
To an untrained eye, it appeared no different from the countless other hills dotting the plains, its flanks draped in sparse vegetation and rocky outcroppings.
But Julius saw its potential the moment they arrived and his suspicions about the terrain were verified before his very eyes.
To him, it wasn’t just a hill—it was a fortress in disguise.
This location was the place upon which a national project could be created, a great watchtower and fortress site capable of policing the entire area and meant to provide protection for travellers and merchants travelling the great peloponis rode from Athenia to Sparta.
As the last of the Romanus legion’s columns crested the rise, Julius rode at the head of the formation, his gaze sweeping over the land below.
From this vantage point, he could see the Arcadian plains stretching wide and far, an unbroken expanse of golden grassland punctuated by clusters of distant trees.
The main road ran parallel to the hill, a natural route for the Greecian Allied forces to take as they advanced.
They would see the hill and the troops stationed atop it and believe they had the Romans cornered.
But that belief would be their undoing.
"Get the men working,"
Julius ordered, his voice crisp as he turned to Haddin, who rode beside him.