STGOD: SPQA Data thread

[Zor]

This is a Work in progress for an STGOD based off of my thread here in which SD.net was given possetion of its own island empire in the Atlantic. I would like to thank Duchess for pointing out a flaw that i have rectified. I would apprietiate it if someone would develop a map of of Atlantia and the island chain.

If anyone asks, SPQA stands for Senatus Populusque Atlanticus.

---
The Hesperides Island Chain and Atlantia

The Hespherides is a large island chain of volcanic origin along the mid Atlantic ridge, running from 300km to 1100km north of the equator composed of some 100 islands of various sizes arising from the Mid Atlantic Ridge. The seas around the Hesperides are rich in marine life. Most of these islands are very small, no larger than 2,000 square kilometers, with one notable exception, Atlantia.

Geography

Atlantia is a roughly triangular Island (pointing south) with a total land area of approximately 85,000 square kilometers (including 1500 square kilometers of lakes scattered across it, the largest being Lacus Pilum in the northeast, covering 130 square kilometers). The coastline, while having a few rough areas is for the most part smooth with beaches and short cliffs. For the most part Atlantia is divided into two geographic regions, inner and outer Atlantia. Atlantia is geologically active and light earthquakes are quite common and volcanic eruptions have happened, but it will be some time (about 1000 years, give or take a century) before the next big eruption hits.

Outer Atlantia is the larger of the two, constituting slightly less than two thirds of atlantia’s land and holding 80% of Atlantia’s total population. Outer Atlantia refers to the area on and nearby the coastline, which is hilly, wet (comparable to England in terms of precipitation), fertile and has a large amount of farmland, forest and bogs. It is crossed by twenty rivers. Fourteen of Atlantia’s cities are located in this region, twelve on the coast. The largest bay on Atlania is Sextius Bay on the coast of Nova Latium on the northeastern coat, which is about 30km in diameter, defined mainly by the Sextius peninsula

Inner Atlantia is inward, at least 50 kilometers from the coast (which it is closer to at the southern end). It is far rockier, being very mountainous and dryer than Outer Atlantia but still fertile enough to sustain its food needs. It is rich in various minerals, including iron, copper, tin, zinc and most other minerals, including gold and silver, although there are no fossil fuels on Atlantia anywhere. It is also home to the big cattle and sheep ranches of Atlantia.

Atlania has no native mammals beside several species of bats, but seals are common on the coastline and a few species of chicken sized flightless birds (including three predatory ones) have evolved. As well, Salmon have gotten into a few Atlantican rivers.

History

(Note-The Atlaticans don’t use Christian dating, they use the Roman calendar which is based around the supposed date of the founding of the City of Rome, Ab Urbe Condita (AUC), which is in 753BCE, CE and BCE are used for the convenience of the reader)

The Hesperides were first reached by man around 8,000-6,000 BCE, with small groups of Africans, North Americans and Europeans arriving in small groups washing up. By 0CE the Hesperides had a population of approximately 30,000 living (20,000 on Atlantia) at a Neolithic level, having devised basic farming. However, these were soon to be displaced.

In 324, fearing catastrophe from the lack of rituals being preformed because of the rise of Christianity, a group of 1,633 middle class men and woman and veterans along with their families a few trusted slaves in the Roman empire pooled their money, bought several ships and headed off west in search of a fabled ‘land across the sea’. Few people in Rome paid attention to this and it was rapidly forgotten. By sheer luck, the fleet (after loosing more than 400 lives and a ship), landed in north eastern Atlantia and set up the city of Nova Roma in Sextius bay. The first few years of the colony’s existence were hard, but Nova Roma had managed to establish itself well enough by 330 thanks to cutting a deal with one tribe in aiding them in a war against another using steel blades, shield walls and armor of the Romans. These Romans gradually gained dominance; by 500 their population had gone up to 20,000 (not including some 3,500 more in three client kingdoms) and had secured the Nova Latium area through superior military force. In 503 this time, Tiberius Livius Cordus was given the title of Dux by the Atlantian Senate after convincing them to go out on a war of conquest to unite the Island. As such three cohorts backed up by 500 Auxilia from the client kingdoms were trained and readied and within two years had managed to conquer the entire island, and to secure his claim on power, founded seven new cities under the command of trusted officers and he bought his way into power (which he latter consolidated into hereditary monarchary) by flooding the senatorial class with new members from out of his ranks. Meanwhile, the old ways of the native Atlanticans were gradually ended in favor of the new Roman way of doing things. As well, gunpowder was discovered around 750 and was used for fireworks.

For three centuries, Atlantia was ruled very much by the Dux until the reign of Dux Gaius Livius Otho, who was famous for his grudge bearing. Eventually, this lead to most of the senate backed by the army (who had lost several well like officers to said vendettas) rebelling to overthrow him in 835. The war lasted for three long years and only ended when Otho died from a heart attack. After his death his successor to sign a treaty that limited the authority of the dux, ensured basic freedoms such as from arbitrary punishment and mobility and placed power in the senatorial class. The result of which was the emergence of a powerful nobility, which gradually improved from there.

However, this also destabilized Atlantia leading to several small scale wars and conflicts between various prominent nobles inside Atlantia, leading to the development of cavalry tactics and, starting in 931, cannons to break through walls. The development of gunpowder weapons was also accelerated by expeditions to claim the various islands of the Hesperides and the emergence of piracy by cannon equipped ships in a period between 1000 and 1200. Gunpowder hand weapons were experimented with from between 950 but only became really effective around 1350 and only became widely used in the succession war, in which, after a successional problem in 1374, several factions vied for power and saw the emergence of basic early gunpowder tactics of phalanxes of Arquebus armed legionaries backed by Pikemen by noble forces, before the war ended with the further reduction of the Dux’s power (reducing him to little more than a figurehead and religious leader) and the rise of the Senate as the main governing body of Atlantia.

The Republic of the Hesperides

Population and cities-Total population 831,000 of which 760,000 live on Atlantia. The Capital of Atlantia is Nova Roma which has a population of 50,000. There are also 15 other cities across Atlantia with populations in the area of 5,000-15,000 across Atlantia.

Government-Formally Atlantia is a constitutional Monarchy under the Dux; however the real authority is vested within Atlantia’s nobility, which makes most of the laws on both a federal and provincial level. There is also a council of the plebs representing the lower classes of Atlantian Society, but through patronage the Senatorial Nobility controls that as well.

Society-Atlantian Society is based very much on Roman Society, but has progressed in several areas. Most notably is slavery, although not illegal slavery has not been a big part of Atlantican Society for over 700 years on the grounds that there has not been a big slave population. As well no one is bonded to the land as a serf. By the year 1450, effectively the entire population of Atlantia has citizenship status and as such has a decent amount of legal rights (right to trial, mobility, speech, freedom from arbitrary punishment etc.). The most prominent people in Atlantia are the Nobility which rule over either the sixteen cities in Atlantica or fiefdoms. As well, the Atlanticans also value woman very highly (which is the result of centuries of gradual improvement on the roman outlook of woman). Female witnesses are honored in court, are educated in a manner closer to men if they are wealthy, they have full property rights and can act as nobles, assuming that there is not a male heir.

Atlantia also has an advanced knowledge of medicine by the standards of the day which again, is something they got from Rome. Basically every Atlantican noble has plumbing in his/her estate. Finally, they are strongly isolationist, very much fearing an attack by Christians.

Military-As it stands the Senate controls the biggest army known as the Senatorial Army, an all volunteer professional force recruited from across the Hesperides with three fortresses (Castra) in various regions in the Empire. Total manpower for the senatorial forces is currently 16,500 men divided up into three legions. As well, the senate maintains a small navy consisting of 15 ships comparable to Caravels armed with 8 light (one Roman palm (74mm) caliber) cannons for anti-piracy roles and driving back any invaders, should they come. The infantry are equipped with cannons ranging from One Palm caliber to Four Palm with the standard armament being one Digit (18.5mm) Arquebus and matchlock pistol, pikes and Gladius and Spatha for close quarters. About one tenth of the force is cavalry which is armed with Spatha and Pistol, normally wheeling around their enemies during combat and engaging in close combat when they break. Republican Legions are clad in Lorica Segmentana and they do bear a resemblance to the Roman legionaries of old, but have adopted pants and simple boots to augment their apparel.

As well, each city governor has at his control several Urban Cohorts of soldiers that act as a bodyguard, assist in law enforcement and are capable of serving as infantry and artillery crews should the need arise. These are backed up by a force of Vigiles who as general policemen and firefighters.
___

Zor

[Zor]

The City Owners

For the reason as i want the cities of Atlantia to play a role regardless of the Moderators, i would like for sixteen volunteers to own the city. For this reason, they are now on a first come first serve. And FYI, yours truely will not be taking a city.

Zor