On July 25, the cavalry Xerxes had been waiting for arrived.
Horses took up a great deal of transport space. This time, the navy had brought only fifteen hundred cavalrymen and their mounts, along with eight hundred pack horses.
"Why so few?"
Xerxes inspected the harbor with a dark expression. After two days at sea, the horses were listless and had lost a little weight. The grooms checked their condition, then led them into cool, well-ventilated stables to rest.
"No matter what, we must set out tomorrow."
Xerxes had not abandoned the idea of taking the offensive.
Over the past few days, he had searched the surrounding area for horses. With the Perollo Family's assistance, he had requisitioned four hundred harness horses and a hundred grooms.
Oxen did most of the plowing in Italy; horses accounted for only a tiny fraction. Four hundred harness horses were all the Sciacca Region could provide.
Perollo noticed Xerxes's hesitation and suggested using ox carts. The nearby estates had no shortage of draft oxen, and requisitioning one or two thousand would be easy.
In this period, ox-drawn supply carts were common in European warfare. Oxen had the advantage of endurance and needed only hay or grass each day, unlike horses, which consumed grain.
Nevertheless, Xerxes rejected the proposal.
Supply units could use ox carts, but field troops needed horse-drawn wagons. Ox carts could not keep up with marching infantry and could easily slow down the entire force.
On the 26th, Xerxes left Sciacca with the Tuna Legion, the cavalry, and the Mountain Infantry.
An army of over ten thousand had only twelve hundred horses to pull its cannons and supply wagons. As a result, they carried fewer provisions than normal and brought no siege cannons.
After marching north for two days, Xerxes suddenly