This proposal was quickly approved, which somewhat surprised Spartacus as it wasn’t on tonight’s agenda. However, it was what he hoped to see.
Cleonis’s face looked slightly unusual; without voting rights, he could only watch helplessly as the decree "forbidding rebel soldiers from slandering or criticizing others, with violators punished by military rods and severe cases beheaded" was formed.
Cross released his tightly embraced arms, reached out to grab some bread, and took a big bite.
Maximus exhaled lightly, feeling much more relaxed.
"Let’s do this, let’s discuss while eating." Spartacus, seeing that the meeting had started, straightforwardly said, "Atmidonos and Tormas joined our Free Italy more than four months ago. Our smooth move south was inseparable from their efforts.
After arriving here, they led their troops to fight everywhere, and our ranks have become as large as they are today, partly thanks to them. So I propose that Atmidonos and Tormas formally become members of our Free Italy Military Commander Conference."
Everyone unanimously approved Spartacus’s proposal, which caused the eyes of the other three newcomers to become eager as well.
"Enomai unfortunately died in battle, which is a significant loss for us. He was a great warrior, a brave leader, and played an important role in our Free Italy’s development until now! Unfortunately, he can no longer fight alongside us!" Spartacus said gravely.
Hamilcar, Antonix, and even Cross, his former gladiator companions, all showed expressions of sorrow.
Maximus covered his mouth with his hand, displaying a pained look, though he didn’t feel much about Enomai’s death. Instead, he thought Enomai was merely a brute, suitable for front-line combat rather than leading armies, and considered his unexpected death to be a good thing; otherwise, he could likely become an Achilles’ heel in the battles against the Roman Army.
"... I have discussed with Hamilcar before; we thought a simple funeral for Enomai wouldn’t suffice. It must be done very solemnly, so all the brothers know of Enomai’s greatness!" Spartacus said solemnly:
"... Tomorrow morning, all the troops will gather in that open area north of the city. We leaders will carry Enomai’s coffin around the field once, then place it in the center, where the priest will deliver a eulogy, cleanse his body, and place a silver coin. All brothers will observe a moment of silence and offer prayers. Finally, we will light the coffin."
"Spartacus, your plan is thorough. I fully agree; let Enomai journey to the netherworld like a hero!" Cross said sincerely.
Maximus and the others had no objections either.
"Then it’s settled for tomorrow’s burial." Spartacus continued, "After Enomai’s departure, his army retreated here, but now, the ranks are a bit disorganized...
Wolf wants to become the new leader of this army, but Wit disagrees, believing he is the most suitable candidate, while Pequot and several other leaders wish to lead their teams and join other armies..."
"What do you all think we should do?" Spartacus asked, looking at Cross, Maximus, and Attutmus.
Previously eager to speak, Cross didn’t rush to speak this time because he realized Enomai’s followers were dissatisfied with him, so he didn’t want to start. Avoid saying anything wrong and sparking new trouble when any word might cause a new issue if it spread.
Maximus didn’t respond initially but asked, "Do we know how many soldiers are left in Enomai’s army?"
"There are less than 6,000 people, over 2,000 of them injured," Hamilcar replied.
Cross was shocked, "Why so few?! I remember Enomai had over 10,000 troops when he left Turi!"
"Enomai fought for more than half a month in Metapontum, with significant casualties, coupled with his unexpected death in a surprise attack. The troops attacking the city lost their command and quickly became chaotic. The enemies launched a counterattack, and many brothers died under the city without even having a chance to escape..." Spartacus said heavy-heartedly.
The organization and discipline of Enomai’s army were the poorest among the rebel army, just as written. Such an army might win when the wind is favorable, but when adversity strikes, they easily collapse, regardless of their numbers... Maximus thought, then spoke up:
"Enomai’s army suffered a severe defeat, their morale significantly affected. If they are made to fight independently again, they’re likely to face another defeat... Hmm, I don’t think Wolf or Wit have Enomai’s prestige to command the entire army.
I heard even Pequot, who didn’t want to be a leader, has far more support from the warriors than those two, so I think we should follow Pequot and the others’ lead, allowing Enomai’s soldiers to join other troops willingly based on their preferences."
Maximus focused on his own army, rarely interacting with other troops, but that didn’t mean he was unaware of their situations.
Several key figures in Enomai’s army were former gladiator companions, and Wolf and Wit were Germans, close confidants of Enomai.
Enomai wanted to be like Cross, recruiting as many Germanic slaves as possible to form a team. However, there were few Germanic slaves in Italy at the time, so other races in his army far outnumbered the Germans. As a leader, Enomai was relatively fair to his warriors. Wolf and Wit, on the other hand, had no such reservations, favoring their compatriots, making it impossible to win the warriors’ loyalties.
Of course, this wasn’t Maximus’s main reason for opposing them as leaders.
The main reason was: initially, 200-something gladiators who escaped from Capua elected Spartacus, Cross, Enomai, Antonix, and Hamilcar as leaders. Maximus, through his clever operations, finally became one of them.
Apart from these six, even though the rebel army has grown significantly, other gladiators have mostly become team officers commanding hundreds or thousands but haven’t gained the right to lead independently again. If Wolf or Wit were now elevated to leader status, would other gladiators have thoughts about it?
Not to mention the other teams, Maximus couldn’t guarantee that Fesaros and Torrelugo, who had already become Legion Commanders in his army, would remain calm.
"I think Maximus is right; they should be allowed to join other teams voluntarily to avoid more defeats." Cross looked at Maximus and expressed his support once more, which was rare in itself.
"I also agree with Maximus’s reasoning, and I support his opinion."
After Spartacus spoke, Antonix and Hamilcar also voiced their agreement; evidently, everyone considered it essential to ensure internal stability within the rebel army.
Attutmus’s team did not include any rebel army elders from Capua gladiators, and his agreement was merely an expression of goodwill towards Maximus.
After finalizing the decision on handling Enomai’s army, Spartacus lifted the pottery jar, sipped some porridge, and said in a low voice, "The Metapontum people killed Enomai and many of our brothers; we must avenge them! I propose we gather our troops and attack Metapontum once more. We must take it to honor Enomai’s loss and our numerous brothers and simultaneously intimidate other southern towns!"
Spartacus, holding the jar in his right hand and clenching his left fist, unleashed an imposing aura on his once-gentle face.