As the Athenian soldiers tightened their grip on Thrace, their siege extended beyond the military targets to the very heart of the Thracian government. The once formidable Thracian consulate found itself surrounded, its members facing the relentless pressure of the Athenian army. Every avenue of escape was sealed off, and the dignitaries within sensed the inescapable fate closing in on them.
Within this turmoil, Alcides, bearing the severed heads of Rhesus and the other senator, sought to use these grisly trophies as a bargaining chip. However, his attempt to negotiate with the Athenian soldiers met with jeers and mockery. The Athenian commanders, unimpressed by the gladiator's attempt at an alliance, ridiculed him for daring to think a mere slave could sway the course of their conquest.
