Sam Barone: Battle For Empire

With that, Jedidia agreed. Since the fall of the last three Kassite outposts in the east, all of King Shirudukh’s enemies had been vanquished or destroyed. From the Indus to the western mountains, every city and village bowed to the King of the Elamites, and paid tribute.

“But your losses were heavy.” Shirudukh voice turned grave. “And the cost to my treasury was high. Nor will we find much gold or anything of value in the lands of the Kassites.” He frowned at his generals, as if the near total destruction of the enemy’s cities and villages were a failure on their part.

“The wealth will return, in time,” Lord Modran said.

“Perhaps. But even so, we must find a new source of gold and slaves, as well as a way to expand the Elam Empire.”

Jedidia’s eyes widened in surprise. Expand the Empire? Were there new lands to conquer?

King Shirudukh noticed Jedidia’s expression. “Yes, General Jedidia, it is never too early to begin planning for our next conquest. But this time we will wage war not against a handful of cities, but against a rich and fertile countryside. The Land Between the Rivers, across the Zagros Mountains, awaits us.”

Grand Commander Chaiyanar recovered first. “My King, I have heard of this land, but it is hundreds of miles away, across the mountains.” Chaiyanar couldn’t keep the doubt from his voice. “How will we fight such a war, so far from our cities?”

Jedidia had his own misgivings. He knew something, of course, about The Land Between the Rivers. Traders ventured there often enough, but the long and dangerous journey made only the most valuable goods worth the risk. He, too, wondered how it would be possible to fight battles so far from home, and on the other side of the rugged Zagros Mountains.

“It can be done,” King Shirudukh said. “The land there is fertile. Its fields and herds will produce more than enough to feed our soldiers while they march and fight. And the cities quarrel constantly with each other. We will take advantage of that distrust, and their cities will fall before us.”

“How many men will you send against them, my King?” Jedidia’s soldiers were exhausted, their ranks thinned by the long fight against the Kassite forts and villages. He needed time to regroup and rearm. Chaiyanar and Modran had lost even more soldiers than Jedidia.

“Ah, a good question. The answer is simple. We will send all of our armies across the mountains at the same time, leaving only enough men to maintain our garrisons.”

Chaiyanar, quicker with his sums than the others, spoke first. “If we take all our soldiers, my King, that would be more than thirty thousand men.”

Shirudukh leaned back against the divan, and one of the slave girls rose hastily and rearranged the thick pillows. “We will send more men than that. This campaign must be swift and absolute. I intend to conquer the entire region within two to three months. And to accomplish that, we will have to prepare an army of almost fifty thousand men. The cities in The Land Between the Rivers will either submit when they see the size of our forces outside their gates, or they will be crushed, quickly and savagely, at whatever the cost. Even if all their cities join together to resist us, they cannot field more than fifteen or twenty thousand men.”

“My King, it will take many months to raise and train so many,” Lord Modran protested. “And how will we supply them?”

Shirudukh frowned at Modran’s question. “There will be time. You will have two years to recruit and equip new men. During that time, you will stockpile whatever supplies and weapons you need, and prepare for the invasion. Then, just before the end of the harvest, we will invade.”

Jedidia considered the time span. The main harvest still lay months away. So Shirudukh’s plan meant at least two years. More than enough time to levy and discipline new men, while gathering the many materials needed to wage war.

“My men will be ready, my King, to march at your command.” For once, Jedidia had managed to speak first.

“And after your victory, Great King, who will rule these new lands?” Chaiyanar couldn’t keep the anticipation from his voice. “The city of Sumer is reputed to be the wealthiest in those foreign lands.”

Shirudukh nodded approval at Chaiyanar’s eagerness. “The city of Sumer is indeed a ripe plum, as is Isin. But Akkad is the jewel of the Land Between the Rivers. It is surrounded by fertile land and filled with much wealth. One of you, perhaps two, will rule those cities in my name. And at least one will return to hold the lands of Elam.”

Jedidia saw Lord Modran open his mouth, then close it. Jedidia, too, resisted the urge to ask who would get what. Whomever their ruler named today would mean nothing. The King would play the three of them against each other for the next two years, until he made his final decision.

King Shirudukh rose, and one of the slave girls gathered his linen garment and fastened it around his waist. “Come. Let me show you our next conquest.” He strode across the garden to a small table, waving the nearby guards away.

Jedidia and the others moved to the other side and faced the King. Glancing down, Jedidia saw a map spread over the surface, the four corners held down with small chunks of marble.

“This is the Land Between the Rivers.” Shirudukh pointed out the two mighty rivers, the Tigris and Euphrates, and the main cities of Akkad, Isin, and Sumer. Then, step by step, the King outlined his plan of attack.

“There is yet much to learn, of course, and many more details will be needed. But I have already dispatched the first of my spies across the mountains, to gather information, and to smooth the way for our armies. When all is ready, we will work out the details of command, the soldiers needed, and the supply routes. At the start of the campaign, I will move my Palace to the city of Sushan, to be closer to the Great Sea. But until then,” Shirudukh’s voice hardened, “you will tell no one.”

The King stared at each man in turn, a grim look that warned them not to discuss the invasion with anyone. “With the conquest of The Land Between the Rivers, the size of our Empire will nearly double. These new lands and cities will provide great wealth to the empire. And I intend to take that prize.”

Jedidia nodded. New battles to be fought, new territory to conquer, and new spoils to gather. The prospect was indeed exciting. With any luck, Jedidia’s own wealth would triple.

“And who rules the strongest of these cities now, my King?” Lord Modran, always cautious, wanted to know the worst.

“Akkad is the most powerful city in the Land Between the Rivers,” Shirudukh said. “It is ruled by a northern barbarian, who seized power fifteen years ago. He is said to be dull of wit, and his wife and others rule in his name. Sumer, near the Great Sea, is weak, with only a small army. Isin is warlike, but the smallest of the three cities. Sumer was defeated by Akkad not long ago, and now frets under Akkad’s growing power and influence. Isin, too, has no use for Akkad. Our invasion will give both of them the chance to turn on and destroy their rival.”

Jedidia had heard of Akkad’s ruler, a common fighting man named Eskkar. Traders claimed he seldom uttered more than a few words, and that one of Eskkar’s wives talked in his place. Against such a weak ruler, if Shirudukh could turn Isin or some of the other cities against Akkad, victory would be assured. No single city, especially with its forces depleted by war with its neighbors, could resist the might of the Elamites.

“And now, my faithful generals, you may leave and return to your duties,” Shirudukh said, his interest already reverting to his slave girls. “Just make sure your men are ready when I summon you.”