Difference between revisions of "Archive:Pre-Imperial Alcia"
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===The 3 Jewels of the East=== | ===The 3 Jewels of the East=== | ||
''Main Article:'' [[ | ''Main Article:'' [[Xharmanni Confederacy]] | ||
Writing arrived in the Xharmani city of Viriz first, in 897 BCE, and quickly spread to Kassa and Cos, as well as the settlements under their protection. The three city states were run by a combination of religious and martial aristocracies, led in dual each by a High Commander and High Priest. Before the acquisition of writing, the three had warred often, but the distinction between myth and history is hazy amidst these battles. | Writing arrived in the Xharmani city of Viriz first, in 897 BCE, and quickly spread to Kassa and Cos, as well as the settlements under their protection. The three city states were run by a combination of religious and martial aristocracies, led in dual each by a High Commander and High Priest. Before the acquisition of writing, the three had warred often, but the distinction between myth and history is hazy amidst these battles. | ||
Viriz had established, and was growing a strong trade relationship with the people of the Neviran Delta, and was, by 864 BCE the most prosperous and wealthy of the three cities. However, it had tried to access the bountiful copper and tin reserves found further inland, but found the endeavour too risky, due to the "Ottanic Barbarians" (an old High | Viriz had established, and was growing a strong trade relationship with the people of the Neviran Delta, and was, by 864 BCE the most prosperous and wealthy of the three cities. However, it had tried to access the bountiful copper and tin reserves found further inland, but found the endeavour too risky, due to the "Ottanic Barbarians" (an old High Xharmanni term that seems to refer to the North Xhovian speaking people or peoples found along the southern portions of the (NAME) river) frequent attacks on any forces sent too far from the territory of the city-state. This led to a meeting between the High Commanders of the three cities, agreeing that it served their mutual interests to seize the copper and tin mines and share them between the three cities. This alliance, combined with a later meeting by the High Priests, and a further one with all six leaders present, led to the formation of the Xharmanni Confederacy in 859 BCE. | ||
===The Empire of Inner Xhodiar=== | ===The Empire of Inner Xhodiar=== | ||
In the 810s BCE, the Hykiri of Xiáz conquered Zegwá, and found for the first time, her empire was too large to run effectively in the absolute fashion she had been up to this point. This led to her restructuring her territories. No longer was it absolute rule by her alone, although she still held supreme authority. Now, the territory was divided up, between (NAMES), and power delegated to them. This is the point at which historians tend to agree the Empire of Inner Xhodiar can really be stated to have begun. | In the 810s BCE, the Hykiri of Xiáz conquered Zegwá, and found for the first time, her empire was too large to run effectively in the absolute fashion she had been up to this point. This led to her restructuring her territories. No longer was it absolute rule by her alone, although she still held supreme authority. Now, the territory was divided up, between (NAMES), and power delegated to them. This is the point at which historians tend to agree the Empire of Inner Xhodiar can really be stated to have begun. For the next 40 years, the Empire of Inner Xhodiar would be the dominant force in western Alcia, only further fuelled with the discovery of gold in the Xhoriqhi hills. | ||
===The Hillsmen of the East=== | |||
The newly formed Xharmanni confederacy had succeeded to a degree in seizing the Ottanic mineral mines, however, they faced a new threat now, having conquered and displaced the Ottanics. In 823 BCE, records start appearing frequently reporting attacks from Hillsmen tribes, who despite their technological inferiority, had a surprisingly successful record of defeating Xharmanni forces. The Xharmani names for these tribes included; Giants, Beastmen (perhaps reference to the fact that, according to Xharmanni sources, at least one tribe wore the pelts of Alcian Lions as a sort of military attire), Suxhan, Delidu and Runnilmi. This conflict would never be fully resolved, and would outlive the confederacy itself. | |||
===The Age of Agwa=== | |||
''Main Article:'' [[Agwa (Bronze Age State)]] | |||
Further inland from the Empire of Inner Xhodiar, in 773 BCE (traditionally), the city of Agwa was founded, built by exiles and outlaws from the Empire, speaking Mhetannic dialects primarily. It was built on the banks of the (NAME) river, and became a common destination for exiles from Inner Xhodiar, but also for the Outer Xhorial people downriver, who in Agwa, saw prosperity. This rapid influx of people led to extremely rapid expansion territorially and economically for the city, until they too began encroaching on the territory of Western Hillsmen. Agwa however, took a different approach. Via negotiations, including a tribute of some 2000 pounds of gold, the Hillsmen became a vassal of Agwa, allowed to retain their territory as their own, but subject to Agwa law, and honour sworn to defend Agwa from any harm. | |||
By 755 BCE, Agwa had become large and prosperous enough to attract the attention of the Hykiri of Inner Xhodiar. The two states had both been expanding inland, but Inner Xhodiar was doing so at a much slower rate. Fearing losing their dominance over the region to the "Criminals and Savages" of Agwa, they began a period of rapid eastwards expansion, exclusively via conquest, with records describing extreme violence, both from the inner xhorial forces, but then later, the tribes and cultures they were attempting to conquer, especially when they began to find Outer Xhorial villages and settlements. The most notable incident therein was the cannibalisation of the 23rd Cohort, where an entire military Cohort was trapped in a valley, killed, and cannibalised by a numerically superior outer xhorial force. | |||
Though initially successful in expanding to a greater territory than Agwa, the Empire of Inner Xhodiar nearly emptied its coffers in this expansion wave, and had greatly overstretched its administrative capacities. Locals started becoming officials in the new provinces, which functioned effectively as independent petty kingdoms due to lack of communication with Xiáz. | |||
Agwa meanwhile managed to turn a profit from these new provinces, trading with them despite the Hykiri ostensibly forbidding contact with them. This led to an increase in influence and power for Agwa. | |||
===The King of the Hills=== | |||
''Main Article:'' [[Nuhnimn (Historical State)]] | |||
In 775 BCE, an Eastern Hillsmen Warlord, Anng Ar Nuhni, declared himself as (TITLE) or "King of the Hills" in Classical (HILLSPEAK), bringing writing to the hills, "inventing" a script from what he had seen in the Confederacy (think Cherokee Marly). Despite initially only ruling over a small handful of villages which he had been the chief of beforehand, he quickly united the Hillsmen tribes to the south of the Confederacy, primarily by diplomacy more than conquest, with the stated goal of rivalling if not defeating the Confederacy. | |||
By the start of 768 BCE, the Hillsmen's Kingdom was large enough that the Confederacy began to worry, its forces were primarily occupied defending the western border, and so it sent diplomats to Nuhni, to try and negotiate a peace. These diplomats were executed after negotiations broke down, being torn in half by having their hands tied to one (PACK BEAST) and their feet to another. This began a short, decisive war with the Confederacy, which, despite ostensibly ending in a stalemate, led to the breakup of the confederacy, as cos paid tribute to the Hillsmen, Kassa was burned, and Viriz fortified and isolated itself. | |||
==Alcian Iron Age== | ==Alcian Iron Age== | ||
Revision as of 09:02, 2 May 2019
Pre-Imperial Alcia refers to all of the history of Alcia prior to the formation of the Holy Xhovian Empire, and as such is a very broad term. Academically, it is commonly used for the periods from the Alcian Bronze Age (circa 2500 BCE) to the formation of the Empire (1134 CE).
Alcian Bronze Age
The Alcian Bronze Age is commonly held to have begun around 2500 BCE, by archaeological discoveries of bronze working in inner Xhodiar. Among the artifacts discovered from the pre-literate period (2500BCE - 970 BCE) are primarily weapons and tools. The development of bronzeworking spread north, but was still an economic boom for inner Xhodiar, and the other cultures in the tin and/or copper rich areas along the (NAME THE MOUNTAIN CHAIN) mountains and eastern coast. In this time, settlements began growing in size, and structure, especially Xiáz, which quickly grew to be the largest city in the region by 1000BCE. Around the same time we start to see the rise of the Eastern Xharmani cities, of Kassa, Viriz and Cos It was in or around 970 BCE however that writing was transmitted to Xiáz, via traders from Hemesh, keen to purchase their bronzeworks, and written records begin.
Xiáz Rising
Main Article: Empire of Inner Xhodiar
Settlements had existed around the area of Xiáz since before the Bronze Age began, but according to sources written in the 950s BCE, they unified circa 1645 BCE (archaeological evidence suggests a later date closer to 1500BCE), due to mutual interests in trade and shared language, which led to great prosperity. Rapid economic and urban expansion on the back of the bronze boom led to Xiáz being the centre of culture in western Alcia in the period, and it quickly found itself in possession of the funds, metal, means and desire to expand by force to some of the neighbouring areas.
Xiáz's army utilised its wealth to issue equipment, paid for from the Hykiri's treasury, to citizens who were conscripted into service by the existing warrior class. This led to a two tier army, utilising lightly or unarmoured peasant conscripts, armed with bows, or cheap bronze weapons, and then armoured and/or mounted elite formations of the warriors, who would be entirely equipped with bronze swords and spears, as well as shields. By 895 BCE, Xiáz controlled a significant portion of the western coast, having expanded south initially, but most efforts being focused on a second wave of northward expansion, up into the coast of modern day Jugia.
With Xiáz expanding, new settlements began to crop up within their borders, the most significant of which was Mhętha, which starts appearing in records from 883 BCE.
The 3 Jewels of the East
Main Article: Xharmanni Confederacy
Writing arrived in the Xharmani city of Viriz first, in 897 BCE, and quickly spread to Kassa and Cos, as well as the settlements under their protection. The three city states were run by a combination of religious and martial aristocracies, led in dual each by a High Commander and High Priest. Before the acquisition of writing, the three had warred often, but the distinction between myth and history is hazy amidst these battles.
Viriz had established, and was growing a strong trade relationship with the people of the Neviran Delta, and was, by 864 BCE the most prosperous and wealthy of the three cities. However, it had tried to access the bountiful copper and tin reserves found further inland, but found the endeavour too risky, due to the "Ottanic Barbarians" (an old High Xharmanni term that seems to refer to the North Xhovian speaking people or peoples found along the southern portions of the (NAME) river) frequent attacks on any forces sent too far from the territory of the city-state. This led to a meeting between the High Commanders of the three cities, agreeing that it served their mutual interests to seize the copper and tin mines and share them between the three cities. This alliance, combined with a later meeting by the High Priests, and a further one with all six leaders present, led to the formation of the Xharmanni Confederacy in 859 BCE.
The Empire of Inner Xhodiar
In the 810s BCE, the Hykiri of Xiáz conquered Zegwá, and found for the first time, her empire was too large to run effectively in the absolute fashion she had been up to this point. This led to her restructuring her territories. No longer was it absolute rule by her alone, although she still held supreme authority. Now, the territory was divided up, between (NAMES), and power delegated to them. This is the point at which historians tend to agree the Empire of Inner Xhodiar can really be stated to have begun. For the next 40 years, the Empire of Inner Xhodiar would be the dominant force in western Alcia, only further fuelled with the discovery of gold in the Xhoriqhi hills.
The Hillsmen of the East
The newly formed Xharmanni confederacy had succeeded to a degree in seizing the Ottanic mineral mines, however, they faced a new threat now, having conquered and displaced the Ottanics. In 823 BCE, records start appearing frequently reporting attacks from Hillsmen tribes, who despite their technological inferiority, had a surprisingly successful record of defeating Xharmanni forces. The Xharmani names for these tribes included; Giants, Beastmen (perhaps reference to the fact that, according to Xharmanni sources, at least one tribe wore the pelts of Alcian Lions as a sort of military attire), Suxhan, Delidu and Runnilmi. This conflict would never be fully resolved, and would outlive the confederacy itself.
The Age of Agwa
Main Article: Agwa (Bronze Age State)
Further inland from the Empire of Inner Xhodiar, in 773 BCE (traditionally), the city of Agwa was founded, built by exiles and outlaws from the Empire, speaking Mhetannic dialects primarily. It was built on the banks of the (NAME) river, and became a common destination for exiles from Inner Xhodiar, but also for the Outer Xhorial people downriver, who in Agwa, saw prosperity. This rapid influx of people led to extremely rapid expansion territorially and economically for the city, until they too began encroaching on the territory of Western Hillsmen. Agwa however, took a different approach. Via negotiations, including a tribute of some 2000 pounds of gold, the Hillsmen became a vassal of Agwa, allowed to retain their territory as their own, but subject to Agwa law, and honour sworn to defend Agwa from any harm.
By 755 BCE, Agwa had become large and prosperous enough to attract the attention of the Hykiri of Inner Xhodiar. The two states had both been expanding inland, but Inner Xhodiar was doing so at a much slower rate. Fearing losing their dominance over the region to the "Criminals and Savages" of Agwa, they began a period of rapid eastwards expansion, exclusively via conquest, with records describing extreme violence, both from the inner xhorial forces, but then later, the tribes and cultures they were attempting to conquer, especially when they began to find Outer Xhorial villages and settlements. The most notable incident therein was the cannibalisation of the 23rd Cohort, where an entire military Cohort was trapped in a valley, killed, and cannibalised by a numerically superior outer xhorial force.
Though initially successful in expanding to a greater territory than Agwa, the Empire of Inner Xhodiar nearly emptied its coffers in this expansion wave, and had greatly overstretched its administrative capacities. Locals started becoming officials in the new provinces, which functioned effectively as independent petty kingdoms due to lack of communication with Xiáz.
Agwa meanwhile managed to turn a profit from these new provinces, trading with them despite the Hykiri ostensibly forbidding contact with them. This led to an increase in influence and power for Agwa.
The King of the Hills
Main Article: Nuhnimn (Historical State)
In 775 BCE, an Eastern Hillsmen Warlord, Anng Ar Nuhni, declared himself as (TITLE) or "King of the Hills" in Classical (HILLSPEAK), bringing writing to the hills, "inventing" a script from what he had seen in the Confederacy (think Cherokee Marly). Despite initially only ruling over a small handful of villages which he had been the chief of beforehand, he quickly united the Hillsmen tribes to the south of the Confederacy, primarily by diplomacy more than conquest, with the stated goal of rivalling if not defeating the Confederacy.
By the start of 768 BCE, the Hillsmen's Kingdom was large enough that the Confederacy began to worry, its forces were primarily occupied defending the western border, and so it sent diplomats to Nuhni, to try and negotiate a peace. These diplomats were executed after negotiations broke down, being torn in half by having their hands tied to one (PACK BEAST) and their feet to another. This began a short, decisive war with the Confederacy, which, despite ostensibly ending in a stalemate, led to the breakup of the confederacy, as cos paid tribute to the Hillsmen, Kassa was burned, and Viriz fortified and isolated itself.