Future-Rome
20-09-2008, 04:30
Kynokephalai Polis (Κυνοκεφαλαι Πολις)
Location: Lemnos
Demonym: Kynokephaloi, or simply Kynoi (Kynic)
Language: Greek, Thracian
Currency: Drachma.
(Exchange rates: 6 obols = 1 drachma, 8 chalkoi = 1 obol; 100 drachmas = 1 mina, 60 mina = 1 talent)
History:
The earliest inhabitants of the island of Imbros were of Thracian origin, who established a strong presence on the island by the first arrival of Hellenic peoples from mainland Greece. The Imbrians were increasingly Hellenized by subsequent waves of settlers from the mainland, who founded the settlement that would come to be known as Kynokephalai around 600 BC.
The name Kynokephalai, from the ancient Greek kynokephalos (dog-headed), came from the dog skins and headdresses worn by the old Thracian warrior cult that dominated the island when the Hellenes first arrived. The Cult of Lycaon thrives today on similar symbology, and rivals the worship of the conventional Olympian gods; the chief Olympian deity is Zeus Lycaeus, as he relates to the legend of Lycaon. Even older legends speak of Presbys Lukos, or Old Man Wolf, an ancient shape-shifting being who still roams the hills of the island at night hunting for human flesh; Lycaon’s tradition is sometimes blurred together with this deity. The human sacrifice incumbent in these ancient religions, while frowned intensely upon by the Olympian religious tradition (and never done in view of the public eye), has still not died out completely in Kynokephalai.
After its founding, Kynokephalai grew quickly into a considerable trading and naval power in the northern Aegean. Imbros’ position right outside the Hellespont made Kynokephalai a natural conduit for goods from Thrace, Scythia and the Black Sea to pass by sea to mainland Greece and the lower Aegean, and its proximity to Asia Minor allowed easy trade with the Ionian poleis as well. A capitalist society quickly took hold, and a ruling aristocracy established itself based on wealth through commerce. The ruling elite pushed Kynokephalai’s mercantile presence into any and all foreign markets that they could; this brought in even greater wealth, but most of it went straight into the pockets of the aristocrats who owned the merchant fleets, and the gap between classes grew ever greater.
This continued until 497 BC, when a man who called himself Pankratos led a coup against the aristocracy, backed by the common people who were sick of the aristocracy’s self-serving governance. After sparking a short series of riots in the city, Pankratos successfully installed himself as the tyrant of Kynokephalai and enforced his power by importing Thracian mercenaries from the mainland. His next act was to institute a wave of reforms that redistributed the polis’ wealth and broke up the aristocratic families’ monopoly on shipping. These reforms solidified his popular support, though they earned him the hatred of the former elite.
These former elite finally managed to have Pankratos murdered in 486 BC, and attempted to erase the tyranny and reclaim their former power. Unfortunately for them, Pankratos’ son Archilaus was of age and was able to quash the coup with his father’s Thracian mercenaries, execute the ringleaders and most of their relatives, and assume the tyrant’s throne himself. Once in power, Archilaus started Kynokephalai’s military buildup by commissioning the first state army to serve as bodyguards to the Pankratid family and as a police force to quell future uprisings. The Pankratides have ruled unopposed ever since, and have built Kynokephalai into a significant power in the northern Aegean. The current tyrant is Archilaus’ grandson Philomachos.
Society:
Kynokephalai is a typically Hellenic society in most respects. Ordinary citizens form the bulk of the polis, and are supported by a reasonable slave population; social station is determined largely by personal wealth, though all citizens technically have the same rights and freedoms under Pankratid law. The Pankratid family holds absolute power and enforces it with a well-trained standing army, though their rule is generally not so harsh as to provoke outright civil unrest. Below them is a hierarchy of ministers and officials who handle the day-to-day minutiae of running the polis. Trade is given free rein to ensure that wealth continues to flow into the polis, and the Pankratides tax it enough to pay for civic and military expenses without discouraging its growth; despite Kynokephalai’s increasing militarism, her main source of influence continues to be commerce and wealth.
The Kynoi are a devout and superstitious bunch, especially the farmers and herdsmen who live outside the city in the interior of the island. Other Greeks are sometimes put off by the somewhat barbaric nature of their religion, specifically the Cult of Lycaon and its ties to human sacrifice and barbarian mysticism, but the Kynoi are proud of their lupine legends and their predatory symbology. Festivals and religious holidays are commonplace, as in any agrarian society, and tend towards the wild and ecstatic, though not so much as to offend the common Hellene’s sensibilities.
Industry in Kynokephalai is supported largely by imported raw materials. Imbros does have ample deposits of copper and tin for bronze-making, and as such the Kynoi are excellent metalworkers. Precious metals are imported from Thrace, with which the Kynoi produce jewelry; they also produce good quality pottery. Foodstuffs are not an export item, as Imbros’ agriculture is strained enough supplying its population. The slave trade does modest business, most going into household service, with a very few unfortunate souls ending up on a sacrificial platter.
Military:
The Pankratides have steadily built up Kynokephalai’s military power over their century of rule, using funds from trade taxes to fortify the polis into a veritable fortress-city and equip and train a standing army to complement the existing navy. In times of war, mercenaries from neighboring Thrace round out Kynokephalai’s military capabilities.
Hoplites (http://www.sgibson.k12.in.us/gshs_new/ms_socstud/marathon_dwmpnl/hoplite%2065.jpg)
These elite heavy infantrymen comprise Kynokephalai’s standing army. Drawn from the polis’ male citizenry, they are equipped and trained by the state and serve as the Pankratides’ bodyguard and police force in times of peace. Each hoplite is equipped with a helmet and cuirass of bronze, greaves, an eight foot spear, a xiphos or machaira sword, and a broad shield covering him from shoulder to thigh. Hoplites fight in a dense phalanx formation, using their shields to cover each other while advancing with a wall of spears.
Greek Peltasts (http://community.imaginefx.com/fxpose/johnny_shumates_portfolio/images/10283/419x425.aspx)
Lightly armed skirmishers armed with three or four javelins and a crescent-shaped wood or wicker shield called a pelta. Kynic peltasts serve as militia called up only during times of war; they are cheap to field, as they require no armor but a shield and helmet. Peltasts harass the enemy by delivering a shower of javelins and melting away, weakening enemy infantry formations before they clash with the heavier hoplite phalanxes.
Thracian (http://www.ancient-bulgaria.com/images/Thracian.jpg) Mercenaries (http://imperiaru.boom.ru/RUS/033.JPG)
A fierce and rugged people to the northeast of Greece, the Thracians hire out to the Kynoi as mercenaries to supplement the polis’ infantry. Thracian warriors vary from light infantry similar to peltasts to heavier infantry wielding knives, axes, and the fearsome rhomphaia. Thracian cavalry is particularly sought after by the Pankratides, as Kynokephalai has no cavalry corps of its own; these elite Thracian warriors are clad in maille and wield heavy spears and bows.
Triremes
The backbone of the Kynic navy. Triremes carry 170 oarsmen on three banks, as well as marines for shooting at enemy crews and boarding enemy vessels.
Penteconters
A smaller lighter version of the trireme, with a single bank of oars. Penteconters have only 50 oarsmen to triremes’ 170, and are used as fast patrol ships and merchant escorts.
Location: Lemnos
Demonym: Kynokephaloi, or simply Kynoi (Kynic)
Language: Greek, Thracian
Currency: Drachma.
(Exchange rates: 6 obols = 1 drachma, 8 chalkoi = 1 obol; 100 drachmas = 1 mina, 60 mina = 1 talent)
History:
The earliest inhabitants of the island of Imbros were of Thracian origin, who established a strong presence on the island by the first arrival of Hellenic peoples from mainland Greece. The Imbrians were increasingly Hellenized by subsequent waves of settlers from the mainland, who founded the settlement that would come to be known as Kynokephalai around 600 BC.
The name Kynokephalai, from the ancient Greek kynokephalos (dog-headed), came from the dog skins and headdresses worn by the old Thracian warrior cult that dominated the island when the Hellenes first arrived. The Cult of Lycaon thrives today on similar symbology, and rivals the worship of the conventional Olympian gods; the chief Olympian deity is Zeus Lycaeus, as he relates to the legend of Lycaon. Even older legends speak of Presbys Lukos, or Old Man Wolf, an ancient shape-shifting being who still roams the hills of the island at night hunting for human flesh; Lycaon’s tradition is sometimes blurred together with this deity. The human sacrifice incumbent in these ancient religions, while frowned intensely upon by the Olympian religious tradition (and never done in view of the public eye), has still not died out completely in Kynokephalai.
After its founding, Kynokephalai grew quickly into a considerable trading and naval power in the northern Aegean. Imbros’ position right outside the Hellespont made Kynokephalai a natural conduit for goods from Thrace, Scythia and the Black Sea to pass by sea to mainland Greece and the lower Aegean, and its proximity to Asia Minor allowed easy trade with the Ionian poleis as well. A capitalist society quickly took hold, and a ruling aristocracy established itself based on wealth through commerce. The ruling elite pushed Kynokephalai’s mercantile presence into any and all foreign markets that they could; this brought in even greater wealth, but most of it went straight into the pockets of the aristocrats who owned the merchant fleets, and the gap between classes grew ever greater.
This continued until 497 BC, when a man who called himself Pankratos led a coup against the aristocracy, backed by the common people who were sick of the aristocracy’s self-serving governance. After sparking a short series of riots in the city, Pankratos successfully installed himself as the tyrant of Kynokephalai and enforced his power by importing Thracian mercenaries from the mainland. His next act was to institute a wave of reforms that redistributed the polis’ wealth and broke up the aristocratic families’ monopoly on shipping. These reforms solidified his popular support, though they earned him the hatred of the former elite.
These former elite finally managed to have Pankratos murdered in 486 BC, and attempted to erase the tyranny and reclaim their former power. Unfortunately for them, Pankratos’ son Archilaus was of age and was able to quash the coup with his father’s Thracian mercenaries, execute the ringleaders and most of their relatives, and assume the tyrant’s throne himself. Once in power, Archilaus started Kynokephalai’s military buildup by commissioning the first state army to serve as bodyguards to the Pankratid family and as a police force to quell future uprisings. The Pankratides have ruled unopposed ever since, and have built Kynokephalai into a significant power in the northern Aegean. The current tyrant is Archilaus’ grandson Philomachos.
Society:
Kynokephalai is a typically Hellenic society in most respects. Ordinary citizens form the bulk of the polis, and are supported by a reasonable slave population; social station is determined largely by personal wealth, though all citizens technically have the same rights and freedoms under Pankratid law. The Pankratid family holds absolute power and enforces it with a well-trained standing army, though their rule is generally not so harsh as to provoke outright civil unrest. Below them is a hierarchy of ministers and officials who handle the day-to-day minutiae of running the polis. Trade is given free rein to ensure that wealth continues to flow into the polis, and the Pankratides tax it enough to pay for civic and military expenses without discouraging its growth; despite Kynokephalai’s increasing militarism, her main source of influence continues to be commerce and wealth.
The Kynoi are a devout and superstitious bunch, especially the farmers and herdsmen who live outside the city in the interior of the island. Other Greeks are sometimes put off by the somewhat barbaric nature of their religion, specifically the Cult of Lycaon and its ties to human sacrifice and barbarian mysticism, but the Kynoi are proud of their lupine legends and their predatory symbology. Festivals and religious holidays are commonplace, as in any agrarian society, and tend towards the wild and ecstatic, though not so much as to offend the common Hellene’s sensibilities.
Industry in Kynokephalai is supported largely by imported raw materials. Imbros does have ample deposits of copper and tin for bronze-making, and as such the Kynoi are excellent metalworkers. Precious metals are imported from Thrace, with which the Kynoi produce jewelry; they also produce good quality pottery. Foodstuffs are not an export item, as Imbros’ agriculture is strained enough supplying its population. The slave trade does modest business, most going into household service, with a very few unfortunate souls ending up on a sacrificial platter.
Military:
The Pankratides have steadily built up Kynokephalai’s military power over their century of rule, using funds from trade taxes to fortify the polis into a veritable fortress-city and equip and train a standing army to complement the existing navy. In times of war, mercenaries from neighboring Thrace round out Kynokephalai’s military capabilities.
Hoplites (http://www.sgibson.k12.in.us/gshs_new/ms_socstud/marathon_dwmpnl/hoplite%2065.jpg)
These elite heavy infantrymen comprise Kynokephalai’s standing army. Drawn from the polis’ male citizenry, they are equipped and trained by the state and serve as the Pankratides’ bodyguard and police force in times of peace. Each hoplite is equipped with a helmet and cuirass of bronze, greaves, an eight foot spear, a xiphos or machaira sword, and a broad shield covering him from shoulder to thigh. Hoplites fight in a dense phalanx formation, using their shields to cover each other while advancing with a wall of spears.
Greek Peltasts (http://community.imaginefx.com/fxpose/johnny_shumates_portfolio/images/10283/419x425.aspx)
Lightly armed skirmishers armed with three or four javelins and a crescent-shaped wood or wicker shield called a pelta. Kynic peltasts serve as militia called up only during times of war; they are cheap to field, as they require no armor but a shield and helmet. Peltasts harass the enemy by delivering a shower of javelins and melting away, weakening enemy infantry formations before they clash with the heavier hoplite phalanxes.
Thracian (http://www.ancient-bulgaria.com/images/Thracian.jpg) Mercenaries (http://imperiaru.boom.ru/RUS/033.JPG)
A fierce and rugged people to the northeast of Greece, the Thracians hire out to the Kynoi as mercenaries to supplement the polis’ infantry. Thracian warriors vary from light infantry similar to peltasts to heavier infantry wielding knives, axes, and the fearsome rhomphaia. Thracian cavalry is particularly sought after by the Pankratides, as Kynokephalai has no cavalry corps of its own; these elite Thracian warriors are clad in maille and wield heavy spears and bows.
Triremes
The backbone of the Kynic navy. Triremes carry 170 oarsmen on three banks, as well as marines for shooting at enemy crews and boarding enemy vessels.
Penteconters
A smaller lighter version of the trireme, with a single bank of oars. Penteconters have only 50 oarsmen to triremes’ 170, and are used as fast patrol ships and merchant escorts.