The grand hall of the Spartan Gerousia fell into an uneasy silence, the air tense with the weight of unspoken rivalries. All eyes were fixed on the two figures at odds—Pausanias, the stoic king, and Lysander, the calculating reformer. Their strained relationship was well-known, and any clash between them had the potential to shift the balance of Spartan politics.
Breaking the silence, Elder Diopetis coughed and posed a question to defuse the growing tension. "This alliance mentioned in the report—what do we know of it? I've never heard of it before."
Lysander, ever composed, leaned forward. "It is a newly formed entity in Magna Graecia, formally called the Thurii-Amendolara Alliance." His words were met with blank stares from the elders, many of whom cared little for the distant western Mediterranean. Noticing their confusion, Lysander continued, "Do you remember the Thurii envoy who came to Sparta seeking aid last year?"
