It is the First of January, 481 AVC. King Pyrrhus the First sits on a hungry throne. He turns to the east and observes his lands, turning to his wife Agape he whispers these words.
"Ancient giants in the west are begging to stir and wake from their slumber. And when they have awaken, we will be brushed aside as weed on a beach. Agape, to live we must expand, and to expand we must fight. Fight our Greek brothers for the good of us all, and to ensure Greek sovereignty and to protect it from outsiders."
With this noble goal in mind, king Pyrrhus orders his tiny band of soldiers to march east into the lands of weaken Macedon. The king removes all funding from any other government funded departments, and uses his whole treasury to conscript an army of 21,000. As word of this giant army spreads throughout Greece, the city state of Sparta sends an emissary offering an alliance, and the Aetolian League sends an envoy to offer a tribute to Epirus.
Meeting no initial resistance king Pyrrhus marched over Macedon and Thessaly, however an army of Macedonian mercenaries was being fielded. The Macedonian king was preparing to make a suicide charge into the bulk of the Epiran army.
Knowing that his army could overpower any Macedonian army, king Pyrrhus marched south into Argolis. Quickly defeating the Macedonian army of 3,000, Pyrrhus immediately laid siege to the city, and captured it. Using this swift victory as a morale boost, he marched east into Euboea; Euboea surrendered Immediately, knowing it could not hold out.
Pyrrhus sent an envoy to the exiled Macedonian king, a peace treaty, asking for Thessaly, Euboea, and Argolis, leaving Macedon with only it's capital province. Pyrrhus also demanded a heavy tribute. Macedon, agreed.
Only a year after this peace was established, Macedon defaulted on it's payments, and king Pyrrhus was quick to declare war. Macedon could afford only an army of 1,000. Pyrrhus swiftly killed them all and took the city, and thus annexing the rest of Macedon.
A seemingly new age begun after this annexation. All of Greece was Eprian, or allied with Epirus. All was right with the Epiran empire. All seemed right with the world, tragically however, the king did not live to see this new pease carried out, in good health; Pyrrhus passed away, dieing of old age. The king who had fought both the Roman's, and Carthage, the great king who chivalrously defended Magna Grecia to the end, was dead. Leaving behind a legacy that will be remebered for thousands of years.
Alexander, the king's son, was apathetic towards the news of his father's death. Slow to take the reigns of the empire, he lothargically stepped up to the throne, as king, and as Pyrrhus' only son.
Alexander ruled over the peace for a time, until one night his father came to him in a dream, "My son, you were not an extraordinary child, this was my fault. I had no time for you in my life son, and I regret it deeply, I love you child, but now is the time to create a legacy of your own, greater than mine, as I know you can. Make me proud son, allow me to cease regretting my mistakes, and rejoyce at your success... son, my time is over, but yours has just begun...". With that his father vanished. With tears welling up in his eyes, Alexander raised himself from his bed, and walked to his balcony, slouching against the rail, he began to cry to himself. He never felt a connection with his father, but he knew he had to make him proud.
With his new-found enthusiasm, Alexander ordered a clandestine assasination attempt on the life of an Illryian official. Knowing that the bumbling idiot he sent could not hide from the most clueless bodyguard; Alexander wrote his orders on parchment and signed it with the Epiran Royal Seal, so there would be no confusion as to who sent the Assasin.
The assasin was immediatly caught, and executed. Pretending to take offence to the immidiate assination, Alexander declared war on Illyria, and mobilized his army, who began to march northward toward their now enemy, Illyria. Alexander's army of 21,000 easily overpowered the outnumbered, under-trained, and lacking in discipline army of the Illyrian king. The army marched across Taulanti, then taking Scodra and thus the capital, they moved west, heading toward Illyria's last stronghold, Dalmatae. During the siege of Dalmatae, Alexander recieved word that his father's long time ally, the Greek city of Tarentum had fallen to their ancient enemy, the Romans. Busy at the time, Alexander could do nothing but swear a blood pact to avenge Tarentum, and punish Rome.
This however, was not the worst news to be recieved during the siege. A few days after the grave news of Tarentum had arrived, another messanger was recieved into the camp. Angry and suspicious of Epirus' growing power, 30,000 Balkan Barbarians were storming south into north Epirus. Alexander knew a quick peace must be achieved in Illyria so that the barbians could be properly fought off. He did this by assaulting Dalmatae with all his forces, quickly overwhelming the Garrison, he expidiently sent word to Illyria's king, demanding the provinces of Dalamtae and Taulanti, and asking for tribute, in retun for peace. Illyria accepted and Alexander moved his army to deal with the Barbarians.
The barbarians were defeated and driven further into Epiran territory, and futher away from their already thin supply lines. Pursuing the barbarian army, Alexander drove their morale so low, that after three battle the barbarians disbanded and ran back into the Northern uncolonized provinces.
Flushed with this new victory Alexander was eager for the news that Illyria could not make their tribute, and was equally as eager to declare war on them. Alexander's army of 21,000 now veteran men took the capital of Illyria, Scodra, and quickly annexed the nation. Alexander returned to the city of Epirus a victor. Hailed through the streets, parades were held for three days to celebrate both him and his generals.
After this unparalled triumph, Alexander was quick to realize that he had drove his nation's noble reputation to through the dust. He knew that he could no longer have any realistic hopes of annexing the last independent Greek states. He knew that he had to sit, and be appeased with his new empire, and he knew that his only way to expand would be colinization of the North.
Epirus' reputation with foreign powers was at an all time low, and to avoid an internation catastrophe, Alexander decides to scrap any plans of any future military action.
To Be Continued...
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