Santheres
17-09-2008, 00:51
Short Name: Cadmeia
State Religion: Greek PantheonPatron God: Artemis
Government: Monarchy -- King Alexandros
City colours: Purple, white
Demonym: Cadmeian
Official language: Greek
Population: 245,000
Standing Army: 4,500
Currency: basic unit: gold drachma; 1 talent (33 kg gold) = 6000 (5.5g gold each) drachmae; 1 drachma = 22 obols (.25g gold each
Trade Goods: Ships, metalwork (esp. copper and iron), purple, pottery
Importing: Silver from Ahura Mazdan -- purple
History:
Cadmeia began as a small hamlet that sustained itself with hunting and fishing. Its island had once been dominated by several powerful states which constantly warred over the resources on the island. Cadmeia itself remained under the governance of Telia for hundreds of years. The warfare on the island bankrupted the city-states as they could never ally themselves or stand to share the island. While these cities fought amongst themselves, Cadmeia built its fortune building and selling ships to cities all over the Greek world.
By 500 BC, Cadmeia became the wealthiest town on the island and hired a mercenary army from the mainland to free them from Telian rule and crush the other cities. The service was expensive, but it gave the Cadmeians the time they needed to build a powerful navy and solidified Cadmeian rule over their former dominators. Some of these mercenaries stayed behind and became the professional core of the Cadmeian army, which ensured that Cadmeian rule cannot be questioned lightly. Around 457, Cadmeia had created the largest navy in their region, but a storm in 456 destroyed half of these ships as they sat at anchor, returning Cadmeia to a lesser position, though still maintaining a powerful naval tradition.
Society:
Cadmeians have a long, proud tradition of hunting and as such have many men experienced with bows and javelins. Hunting is generally seen as a noble pursuit, so even the poor from peripheral villages can earn some respect from the true Cadmeians.
There are four classes, and limited mobility between the upper two. Slaves are the lowest, followed by free men who work for the upper classes and own no land at all, living in apartments with other free men. Tenants are those who have the resources to rent land for businesses or industries but do not actively own any land that is not the building in which they live -- they can be merchants. Their landlords are the highest class and own large tracts of land for business and industry. Landlords are full citizens and have all the rights and responsibilities Cadmeia bestows. Tenants have the ability to become landlords by buying land.
Landlords of military age typically serve in the professional core of the army, or as naval officers, as they do not have to be present to maintain their income and support their families and slaves. In times of war, they are required to serve for this very reason. Free men are also expected to serve should the city raise the call to arms. Slaves are typically brought along to aid in the service, as well.
Women in Cadmeia enjoy similar status to men. Though they cannot become the monarch, they can exercise much control over those of inferior ranking. In many cases, they even control their husbands and children so well that they have great influence on the workings of the city. Women do not serve in the military, though as homage to their patron goddess, the Cadmeians have an auxiliary force of female archers as the last defense of the city. This force, the potniai, is comprised of virgins who have vowed to remain pure for the rest of their lives -- they begin service early, promising themselves before the age of 14 (typically by the time they are 12, as they may be married once 13) and beginning training at 15. The vow is taken after they have turned 16 and have accompanied the men on a military campaign to witness battle firsthand and therefore be able to fight when called for. If they back out, they must serve Artemis in temple for another year before being released to their families. They are servants of Artemis and serve in her temples when not training or accompanying the men. The potniai also practice ritual flagellation in service to Artemis, as well as conduct missions across Greece. Women who are not part of the potniai are found husbands at an early age and are expected to teach their children what it means to be Cadmeian, and to raise good citizens.
Though all the gods are respected, Artemis and Apollo are worshiped above all.
The king is advised by a senate of landlords, who have some measure of power over his decisions and can help guide the city in a direction more in-line with their wishes. The king does have final say, however, unless the priests have good reason to intervene.
Social Quick Reference:
Upper class
Landlords - landowners; required service when attacked; some are professional soldiers; senators
Landladies - typically wives; can be landowners; acting heads of household
Upper-middle class
Tenants (male) - merchants, learned professionals (engineers, etc.), priests; homeowners
Tenants (female) - wives, business operators (for husbands); can be homeowners
Middle-class
Free men - tradesmen; required military service when attacked; cannot own land
Free women - tradeswomen (midwives, prostitutes, etc.); priestesses; wives; most of potniai; cannot own land
Slave class
Bonded men - debt bonders, work jobs a slave might; cannot be officially sold, but debt can be turned over -- however, families cannot be forced to separate; service not required but may be coerced
Bonded women - debt bonders, work jobs a slave might; cannot be officially sold, but debt can be turned over -- however, families cannot be forced to separate; service not required but may be coerced
Slaves (male and female) - hard labor slaves, pleasure slaves, house slaves; service may be demanded by owners; cannot be legally freed
Slavery
Economy
Cadmeia is a gold-standard city, though silver coin is seen commonly in small transactions. Electrum was once used before Cadmeia was able to obtain a large enough gold supply, but is now out of official circulation indefinitely.
Cadmeia's main exports are her ships, purple dyes, copper and iron products, and pottery. Her grain production is reserved for herself, as the production doesn't satisfy the current need -- most of the Cadmeia's territory is covered in forests or contains mines. The timber industry is large, but that wood is typically not sold abroad as it is used to support the massive shipyards. The woods of Euboea are large and rich, but are not wholly under the control of Cadmeia and those that are are carefully watched over by those who own them, making sure that the supply of timber to the shipyards (which they frequently also own, or at least have investment in) lasts as long as possible.
Individual traders may deal in fish, grapes, herbs, olives, and slaves but these do not add much to foreign trade. There are only a handful of grape and olive farms, and most of these go to support the local economy. Slaves being resold -- as Cadmeia herself has not taken slaves once in her history -- are a rarity. Cadmeia is a large market for slaves, wine, cereals, and olive oil.
Military
As all Greek states, the primary unit of the army of the phalanx. Heavily-armed and armored phalangites are not the largest percentage of fighting men -- each hoplite has one or two squires to support him in combat, and he has his flanks protected by small cavalry squadrons -- but they are by far the most important in Greek ground-based warfare.
Each hoplite is armed with a 10-foot spear, and one of his squires carries two additional 10-footers should the first spear be shivered. The phalanx typically operates with the first rank taking the brunt of the attack, as per usual, and the next three thrusting over the shields of the first. The following ranks angle their spears upward to deflect incoming arrows. Hoplites are also equipped with the traditional hoplon, Hellenic (Corinthian) helmet, xiphos, and heavy armor.
Behind the phalanx, and frequently operating on the flanks as well, are the squires. One of the squires, the junior squire, remains behind the line with the extra spears, providing a constant flow of weaponry to the front in order to maintain the spear wall. He also is trained as an archer (toxotai) and peppers the enemy line with arrows -- junior squires are typically drawn from volunteer hunters. Senior squires work in conjunction with others of their rank as peltasts, light infantry armed with crescent shields -- of different material ranging from wicker to bronze depending on how well his master has been able to afford to equip him -- and four javelins. Most also have xiphos -- those who could not afford a sword take what they can, typically short spears.
Cavalry is the main weakness of the Cadmeian military. They have no heavy cavalry and rely on mainly on prodromoi, light scout cavalry that is very efficient in chasing down fleeing enemies, but cannot stand in pitched combat. They are mainly used in hit-and-run raids on the rear of the enemy line to remove hostile archers from the field. In critical moments, they can also be used in attempts to drive through the flanks of a phalanx and break up the formation just enough to allow the allied phalanx to push through. Prodromoi have leather armor and are equipped with a cavalry sword, small shield, and typically two javelins.
The bulk of the army is drawn from volunteers when war looms. Cadmeia operates a professional force who began as mercenaries and volunteers but, being landowners, stayed on as they were supported by their farms and mines and had no need to work themselves. The professional core is small and each has only one permanent squire. These squires are an elite force in their own right and have the honor of fighting alongside the phalanx to protected their unguarded left flank.
The Cadmeian navy is also a powerful force in its own right and definitely more formidable than its army. As Cadmeia stretched across its island, ground troops became much less important to their military tradition. After all, if they could prevent hostile armies from ever landing, they wouldn't have to meet them on the field.
Cadmeia and the towns in her hegemony make great use of their local timber and imports, creating some of the fastest and strongest ships in the Aegean, and selling them widely, though typically saving the best productions for Cadmeia's fleets. Ships are rowed by a combination of trusted slaves and free men, who earn a modest wage for doing so and enjoy other benefits for their service.
Military Quick Reference:
Heavy Infantry - Hoplite: full armor, hoplon, 10-foot spear, xiphos -- Professional: 2,000
Light Infantry - Peltast: leather armor, wicker/bronze crescent shield, javelin (x4), xiphos -- Professional: 2,000
Missile - Toxote: cloth armor, bow/sling, knife, carried 10-footer (x2) -- Professional: 0
Missile - Potnia: cloth armor, Cretan longbow, xiphos -- Professional: 500
Cavalry - Prodromos: leather armor, crescent shield, makhaira, javelin (x2) -- Professional: 500
State Religion: Greek PantheonPatron God: Artemis
Government: Monarchy -- King Alexandros
City colours: Purple, white
Demonym: Cadmeian
Official language: Greek
Population: 245,000
Standing Army: 4,500
Currency: basic unit: gold drachma; 1 talent (33 kg gold) = 6000 (5.5g gold each) drachmae; 1 drachma = 22 obols (.25g gold each
Trade Goods: Ships, metalwork (esp. copper and iron), purple, pottery
Importing: Silver from Ahura Mazdan -- purple
History:
Cadmeia began as a small hamlet that sustained itself with hunting and fishing. Its island had once been dominated by several powerful states which constantly warred over the resources on the island. Cadmeia itself remained under the governance of Telia for hundreds of years. The warfare on the island bankrupted the city-states as they could never ally themselves or stand to share the island. While these cities fought amongst themselves, Cadmeia built its fortune building and selling ships to cities all over the Greek world.
By 500 BC, Cadmeia became the wealthiest town on the island and hired a mercenary army from the mainland to free them from Telian rule and crush the other cities. The service was expensive, but it gave the Cadmeians the time they needed to build a powerful navy and solidified Cadmeian rule over their former dominators. Some of these mercenaries stayed behind and became the professional core of the Cadmeian army, which ensured that Cadmeian rule cannot be questioned lightly. Around 457, Cadmeia had created the largest navy in their region, but a storm in 456 destroyed half of these ships as they sat at anchor, returning Cadmeia to a lesser position, though still maintaining a powerful naval tradition.
Society:
Cadmeians have a long, proud tradition of hunting and as such have many men experienced with bows and javelins. Hunting is generally seen as a noble pursuit, so even the poor from peripheral villages can earn some respect from the true Cadmeians.
There are four classes, and limited mobility between the upper two. Slaves are the lowest, followed by free men who work for the upper classes and own no land at all, living in apartments with other free men. Tenants are those who have the resources to rent land for businesses or industries but do not actively own any land that is not the building in which they live -- they can be merchants. Their landlords are the highest class and own large tracts of land for business and industry. Landlords are full citizens and have all the rights and responsibilities Cadmeia bestows. Tenants have the ability to become landlords by buying land.
Landlords of military age typically serve in the professional core of the army, or as naval officers, as they do not have to be present to maintain their income and support their families and slaves. In times of war, they are required to serve for this very reason. Free men are also expected to serve should the city raise the call to arms. Slaves are typically brought along to aid in the service, as well.
Women in Cadmeia enjoy similar status to men. Though they cannot become the monarch, they can exercise much control over those of inferior ranking. In many cases, they even control their husbands and children so well that they have great influence on the workings of the city. Women do not serve in the military, though as homage to their patron goddess, the Cadmeians have an auxiliary force of female archers as the last defense of the city. This force, the potniai, is comprised of virgins who have vowed to remain pure for the rest of their lives -- they begin service early, promising themselves before the age of 14 (typically by the time they are 12, as they may be married once 13) and beginning training at 15. The vow is taken after they have turned 16 and have accompanied the men on a military campaign to witness battle firsthand and therefore be able to fight when called for. If they back out, they must serve Artemis in temple for another year before being released to their families. They are servants of Artemis and serve in her temples when not training or accompanying the men. The potniai also practice ritual flagellation in service to Artemis, as well as conduct missions across Greece. Women who are not part of the potniai are found husbands at an early age and are expected to teach their children what it means to be Cadmeian, and to raise good citizens.
Though all the gods are respected, Artemis and Apollo are worshiped above all.
The king is advised by a senate of landlords, who have some measure of power over his decisions and can help guide the city in a direction more in-line with their wishes. The king does have final say, however, unless the priests have good reason to intervene.
Social Quick Reference:
Upper class
Landlords - landowners; required service when attacked; some are professional soldiers; senators
Landladies - typically wives; can be landowners; acting heads of household
Upper-middle class
Tenants (male) - merchants, learned professionals (engineers, etc.), priests; homeowners
Tenants (female) - wives, business operators (for husbands); can be homeowners
Middle-class
Free men - tradesmen; required military service when attacked; cannot own land
Free women - tradeswomen (midwives, prostitutes, etc.); priestesses; wives; most of potniai; cannot own land
Slave class
Bonded men - debt bonders, work jobs a slave might; cannot be officially sold, but debt can be turned over -- however, families cannot be forced to separate; service not required but may be coerced
Bonded women - debt bonders, work jobs a slave might; cannot be officially sold, but debt can be turned over -- however, families cannot be forced to separate; service not required but may be coerced
Slaves (male and female) - hard labor slaves, pleasure slaves, house slaves; service may be demanded by owners; cannot be legally freed
Slavery
Economy
Cadmeia is a gold-standard city, though silver coin is seen commonly in small transactions. Electrum was once used before Cadmeia was able to obtain a large enough gold supply, but is now out of official circulation indefinitely.
Cadmeia's main exports are her ships, purple dyes, copper and iron products, and pottery. Her grain production is reserved for herself, as the production doesn't satisfy the current need -- most of the Cadmeia's territory is covered in forests or contains mines. The timber industry is large, but that wood is typically not sold abroad as it is used to support the massive shipyards. The woods of Euboea are large and rich, but are not wholly under the control of Cadmeia and those that are are carefully watched over by those who own them, making sure that the supply of timber to the shipyards (which they frequently also own, or at least have investment in) lasts as long as possible.
Individual traders may deal in fish, grapes, herbs, olives, and slaves but these do not add much to foreign trade. There are only a handful of grape and olive farms, and most of these go to support the local economy. Slaves being resold -- as Cadmeia herself has not taken slaves once in her history -- are a rarity. Cadmeia is a large market for slaves, wine, cereals, and olive oil.
Military
As all Greek states, the primary unit of the army of the phalanx. Heavily-armed and armored phalangites are not the largest percentage of fighting men -- each hoplite has one or two squires to support him in combat, and he has his flanks protected by small cavalry squadrons -- but they are by far the most important in Greek ground-based warfare.
Each hoplite is armed with a 10-foot spear, and one of his squires carries two additional 10-footers should the first spear be shivered. The phalanx typically operates with the first rank taking the brunt of the attack, as per usual, and the next three thrusting over the shields of the first. The following ranks angle their spears upward to deflect incoming arrows. Hoplites are also equipped with the traditional hoplon, Hellenic (Corinthian) helmet, xiphos, and heavy armor.
Behind the phalanx, and frequently operating on the flanks as well, are the squires. One of the squires, the junior squire, remains behind the line with the extra spears, providing a constant flow of weaponry to the front in order to maintain the spear wall. He also is trained as an archer (toxotai) and peppers the enemy line with arrows -- junior squires are typically drawn from volunteer hunters. Senior squires work in conjunction with others of their rank as peltasts, light infantry armed with crescent shields -- of different material ranging from wicker to bronze depending on how well his master has been able to afford to equip him -- and four javelins. Most also have xiphos -- those who could not afford a sword take what they can, typically short spears.
Cavalry is the main weakness of the Cadmeian military. They have no heavy cavalry and rely on mainly on prodromoi, light scout cavalry that is very efficient in chasing down fleeing enemies, but cannot stand in pitched combat. They are mainly used in hit-and-run raids on the rear of the enemy line to remove hostile archers from the field. In critical moments, they can also be used in attempts to drive through the flanks of a phalanx and break up the formation just enough to allow the allied phalanx to push through. Prodromoi have leather armor and are equipped with a cavalry sword, small shield, and typically two javelins.
The bulk of the army is drawn from volunteers when war looms. Cadmeia operates a professional force who began as mercenaries and volunteers but, being landowners, stayed on as they were supported by their farms and mines and had no need to work themselves. The professional core is small and each has only one permanent squire. These squires are an elite force in their own right and have the honor of fighting alongside the phalanx to protected their unguarded left flank.
The Cadmeian navy is also a powerful force in its own right and definitely more formidable than its army. As Cadmeia stretched across its island, ground troops became much less important to their military tradition. After all, if they could prevent hostile armies from ever landing, they wouldn't have to meet them on the field.
Cadmeia and the towns in her hegemony make great use of their local timber and imports, creating some of the fastest and strongest ships in the Aegean, and selling them widely, though typically saving the best productions for Cadmeia's fleets. Ships are rowed by a combination of trusted slaves and free men, who earn a modest wage for doing so and enjoy other benefits for their service.
Military Quick Reference:
Heavy Infantry - Hoplite: full armor, hoplon, 10-foot spear, xiphos -- Professional: 2,000
Light Infantry - Peltast: leather armor, wicker/bronze crescent shield, javelin (x4), xiphos -- Professional: 2,000
Missile - Toxote: cloth armor, bow/sling, knife, carried 10-footer (x2) -- Professional: 0
Missile - Potnia: cloth armor, Cretan longbow, xiphos -- Professional: 500
Cavalry - Prodromos: leather armor, crescent shield, makhaira, javelin (x2) -- Professional: 500