Unfortunately I hit something of a snag with respect to real life so I can only comment with the detail I'd like on your first note, but it's been bugging me so here goes.
While the alliance with Carthage would certainly be a chance thing, I do think that that chance is highest with Exoria. Their preference is to spend most all of their foreign policy on the local barbaroi to be on top of their sentiments, build ties to them and seek to bring in others under the Eretrian umbrella; it would make sense that they would favor that instead of spending all sorts of time going out down the coast to check up on the new cities being founded, support their interests and fund the coalitions needed to make the Sikeliote League possible. I can absolutely see them getting a laser focus on the local situation with invading the Dauni and all of that, greatly irritating Taras to the point where it's wanting to jump in, inspiring Carthage to act. After all, a more 'barbarian' Eretria has tended to make the western Greeks unsettled (see what the Metapontians were thinking about us prior to the war with Taras and imagine if we'd gone moreso in that direction) and simultaneously signals a leadership more open to speaking with barbaroi over things such as alliances; these leaders also either were once based in or have family who were exiles in Carthage, providing them a great chance of Carthaginian contacts no one other faction would have. If Carthage has the opportunity and contacts to leadership to play the local Greeks off of each other I can absolutely see it taking that.
Plus it ties into all sorts of other stuff. Exoria has a powerful local army but the navy's kind of bad? Guess who has the most massive one around if Akragas or whatever starts making trouble. A powerful and developed army and heroes but some money troubles from them? Hey, guess which empire is loaded and quite frequently hires mercenaries to help in its wars? Western Greeks getting mad about all that cavorting with barbaroi? Have a powerful friend on the opposite side from you to open up a two front war. I mean, it is the case that Carthage can wind up distracted or something and might not rush in if there are bigger fires to put out elsewhere, but the point of the military reform was to make it so that Eretria could handle most problems on its own and they also support a longer campaign time as well as the sewers as siege defense which would both serve to put time moreso on the side of Eretria and allow Carthage time to get its affairs in order were we to face some existential crisis. Thurii & the Sikeliote League have their own reliability problems as we've found; to start off the combo of us all appeared quite intimidating so long as we weren't actually at war, but when we did then it kind of fell apart. Because we didn't go with the Antipatrids, we weren't in alliance with Metapontion, which meant that we couldn't get military access after we ended up spooking them; there went much of the utility of Thurii. The Sikeliote League for its part got immediately bogged down in skirmishes with Syrakousai after that city capitalized on us being in a distracting conflict. We ended up fighting Taras mostly alone except for our tributaries and league; our alliance wasn't really equipped to help us greatly versus Taras. Perhaps we'd have fared better if we had had more tributaries, an upgraded army, and Taras dealing with the lingering effects of having been wrecked by Carthage. In the ideal sort of Thurii & Sikeliote League alliance situation (with Metapontion and the Antipatrids), war with Taras would probably have been less likely over it because we'd have greater prestige and it was stated that powers would be more willing to engage in diplomacy before going to war, Eretria would have been a larger city anyway, and the inclusion of Metapontion and better relations with the other Italiote cities to prevent their banding up dramatically shift the balance of power away from what Taras ended up having in our run.
There's more that's bugging me here (for instance your comment on Antipatrid military traditionalism when they're one of the major proponents right now of launching into reform) but I'll have to get to it later.
Edit: Also I don't think Exoria Eretria with an enemy in Taras would be all that concerned about Syrakousai. The city is pretty far away without the seething hatred to animate them to strike Eretria anyway, they'd have to lay siege for a ridiculously long and expensive time despite that distance if the Exoria sewer idea went through even if they were to fight through a diverse & reformed army including more tributary unit diversity. Even so, Carthage has an answer for that situation in the form of its hold on the west of the island, and at least with the starting spread of Greeks it was very possible for Carthage to effectively throw its weight around on Sicily.
I suppose where we disagree is that you see the differences between what we had when we chosed the Drakonids and what we would have gotten with the Antipatrids and the Exoria as a matter of nature will I see it as a matter of degree. If we had chosen the Exoria the fleet would still have been alright, perfectly able to patrol the coast and conduct anti-piracy expedition and therefore to fulfill the role the Exorian geopolitical vision would have had in store for it. No need to call Carthage in to do that. Similarly, while chosing the Exoria would probably have meant neglecting our diplomacy in Magna Grecia just like the Drakonids did (Metanpontion didn't hate us, they simply didn't want us to destroy the balance of power) I doubt it they would have been so quick to adopt a policy that would have alienated them so profoundly unless, like I described earlier, they essentially faced an emergency. Yes, the ties build by some influential member of the Exoria back when they where mercenaries for Carthage but the quality of the Eretrian army after their reforms would have been such that the ods of such an emergency even happening would have been far lesser. I am also sceptical that Carthage would have been willing to finance our armed forces even in peace time as you imagine would have happen or that, even if they concentrate on the Italian Hinterland, they would have completely turned their back to the power games among the Western Greeks.
In fact, at the end of the day the post-war settlement was Herodion great geopolitical legacy to the region and I can't imagine the Exoria not being preocupied that Syracuse, or anybody else, seek to undermine it. Hence why Thurii and the Sikeliote League.
As for the Antipatrids, their overall traditionalism has been noted multiple time and while they do want to reform the hoplites those reforms still fit in a traditionalist outlook. Basically, for a traditionalist the hoplites, the reasonably well off but not too well off citizens, usually farmers, soldiers, should be the spinal chord of your armed forces, the ones on which you count to bring victory to your polis and it is therefore natural that the most traditionalist of the Demes seek to focus on them rather then the fleet like the Drakonids or a combo of our professional elite forces, the cavalry and our barbaroi allies like the Exorians. That doesn't mean they're isn't some value in the Antipatrid outlook on this one, we got multiples warnings that our hoplites have grown a bit complascent in the first years of Eretria-Eskhata existence, fighting Lapgives heavy infantry who couldn't really compete with them, so I would say the reforms are definitely a plus for an Antipatrid platform. Traditionalism is not necessarely bad if what people propose out of it make sense in a given situation.
On a purely factual basis, however, it does come from a place of traditionalism in military affairs.
Unfortunately family members have posted pictures onlne and I'd prefer not to accidentally dox myself via my cat
So I've been thinking in general on the update speed and my own motivation and workload. My general feeling is that I may be better served to move to a shorter update model where I divide up a turn into several updates. Each individual vote would be its own update and then if needed there would be a longer end of turn report with its own vote options (similar to how I handled the Sallentine war). This is because right now I don't really have the motivation, except when I'm really feeling it, to sit down and write down 8,000 words over the course of a single weekend. Even if I do it'll take up my entire afternoon, and is fine for a story but not for a quest where constant engagement is important. I also feel as though individual parts of an update can be missed by voters when they're hit with 9,000 words; only the vote choices matter, and that makes more nuanced thoughts or attention paid to foreign affairs harder to get.
So my general feeling is to divide a single turn like this:
1. The prose opening, update from the Proboulos and Xenoparakletor and city stats for the turn, so people can properly digest and discuss it. No votes here so discussion can be more about the "lay of the land" and foreign happenings rather than a specific vote, and so people can digest whatever happened in a prose opening. This is also more rewarding for me because prose openings are often my favorite part of an update but because they're at the beginning they don't get as much attention; there's so much else to deal with.
2. Individual posts for each vote. There can be multiple votes per post, but it's all focused on the same issue, so the Metic Assembly would be its own post, Kymai choices would be its own post, etc. This way players are focused on whatever is right in front of them.
3. If needed, a turn-end report which is a little longer and acts as a followup. This is most obviously needed for wars, big diplomatic coups, and big foreign expeditions and embassies where I do want to invest more effort.
4. The next turn.
Election turns would proceed as normal though the platforms and votes for Xenoparakletor and proboulos would be split from the opening and turn report.
I think this is better for both me and the players; better for me because it "chunks" a really lengthy turn into much more manageable 1-3K word write-ups, and better for players because it allows them to absorb each vote and option in turn. It may end up making each individual turn longer, but given we were already on a once a week schedule I don't think it would make such a big difference. I am now free to crank out updates on weekdays because all I need to write is like 1-3K words rather than 8,000.
I also think it would be better for both me and the players because I often cram a ton of details into an update, but it's harder for players to catch on those details if there's so much else to do. And it is more of a quest format rather than a story format because it prioritizes update speed over update length so that there's more active engagement and discussion.
I can't promise when an update will be quite yet but I'd like to hear people's thoughts on this change in anticipation of that.
If it's easier on you I say go for it. My only concern is that we cant vote along a set goal, like boosting colonies or what have you. We might more easily set ourselves up to fail like the unforeseen circumstances with Ankon.
Also we must destroy Telemon's Rome from the past!
If it's easier on you I say go for it. My only concern is that we cant vote along a set goal, like boosting colonies or what have you. We might more easily set ourselves up to fail like the unforeseen circumstances with Ankon.
Oh, I see what you mean. I think what I'd do is just include what will be voted on in the turn into the beginning-turn report. The Proboulos would list off the agenda for the turn so players know what's coming up. However, sometimes I would make it a surprise or not tell players because it would be reactive- if, e.g, there was some diplomatic crisis that blew up, I wouldn't tell that to players before that vote went up.
I think this also allows more leeway for user motions; If players have a user motion proposed at the beginning of a turn I can just incorporate that as its own separate post with accompanying arguments.
In general I fully support you taking whatever steps necessary to keep writing this quest engaging for yourself. Whether this is by moving back to the old system of multiple turns per year, or some other measure. My only concern with "a single update per issue" would be the loss of potential synergies between two "issues".
For example, during the last Update we had two sub-categories: A Choice of Prophecy (Kymai related) and In the Land of Cliffs and Forests (Central Adriatic/Nea Kymai related). I'd hope that under the new system topics as closely related as these two are still presented in the same update.
Another example would be the update before the Sallentine War (Wrestling with Diplomacy). There the question of whether to provoke Taras, by allying the Messapii, had a huge influence on the [League] and [Peukettii] votes. I dare say, we might have postponed the Synedrion and/or taken increased tribute from the Peukettii, if war hadn't loomed on the horizon.
Both of these examples probably, come down to how you divide the updates. I don't think 6-8k updates are necessary to ensure cross issue synergies aren't lost, however 1-2k might occasionally(!) be too small.
One thought I had was to maybe seperate years into a intro, a domestic and a foreign policy update.
In general I fully support you taking whatever steps necessary to keep writing this quest engaging for yourself. Whether this is by moving back to the old system of multiple turns per year, or some other measure. My only concern with "a single update per issue" would be the loss of potential synergies between two "issues".
For example, during the last Update we had two sub-categories: A Choice of Prophecy (Kymai related) and In the Land of Cliffs and Forests (Central Adriatic/Nea Kymai related). I'd hope that under the new system topics as closely related as these two are still presented in the same update.
Another example would be the update before the Sallentine War (Wrestling with Diplomacy). There the question of whether to provoke Taras, by allying the Messapii, had a huge influence on the [League] and [Peukettii] votes. I dare say, we might have postponed the Synedrion and/or taken increased tribute from the Peukettii, if war hadn't loomed on the horizon.
Both of these examples probably, come down to how you divide the updates. I don't think 6-8k updates are necessary to ensure cross issue synergies aren't lost, however 1-2k might occasionally(!) be too small.
One thought I had was to maybe seperate years into a intro, a domestic and a foreign policy update.
If it's easier on you I say go for it. My only concern is that we cant vote along a set goal, like boosting colonies or what have you. We might more easily set ourselves up to fail like the unforeseen circumstances with Ankon.
Also we must destroy Telemon's Rome from the past!
I will echo the sentiment of most that anything which work for the mod is good and, as I am among those guilty of not giving the prose part proper attention, I will add my personal favourites top 5 as well
I. What was lost: I already spoke of this one in the past, and I am glad that the Sicels seem to be poised to survive, after all, even if the war between Carthage and the Sicilian greeks is gonna make a rather massive mess of the island.
II. Wrestling with Diplomacy: As a good Atticophile I quite enjoyed the monologue of the rowers, it really convey well the essence of Athens Maritime Democracy and the pride of those on which back its power resided.
III. Civic Ambitions: This is one really conveyed well what is good and uplifiting about the ethos of Eretria as a state.
IV. Brother's War: It really fleshed out an antagonistic figure. You could feel Eudoxia strenght of character here and the reasons she had to dislike Eretria where quite understandable, even if blaming it for the stasis was a bit much and you could make an argument that peoples like her, unable to let the grudge go even if they privately admited Eretria actions where understandable, where at least as responsible for the estrangement between the two cities then Eretria original decision to yield to Kerkyra.
V. Blowing smokes: Yes, Erasmos Dion was already quite clearly a rather unpleasant figure and seing him relish in devastating the countryside wasn't quite pleasant but the tentalising glimpses we got at the end of how, at last, Eretrian butterflies had well and truly reached Hellas really make one lokking forward for more!
One the one hand I can't really argue against you taking any steps necessary to have you enjoy writing the quest since the first priority should always be you having fun but I have to admit that I personally favor the existing format/longer posts. As somebody who treats quests nowadays more like interactive novels than anything else the longer and more complex updates make it easier for me to actually get into a story and its characters than shorter updates do. With a 2-3k update I often reach the end of the post just when I actually enter the proper mindframe to really enjoy and engage with the content you provide.
Unfortunately family members have posted pictures onlne and I'd prefer not to accidentally dox myself via my cat
So I've been thinking in general on the update speed and my own motivation and workload. My general feeling is that I may be better served to move to a shorter update model where I divide up a turn into several updates. Each individual vote would be its own update and then if needed there would be a longer end of turn report with its own vote options (similar to how I handled the Sallentine war). This is because right now I don't really have the motivation, except when I'm really feeling it, to sit down and write down 8,000 words over the course of a single weekend. Even if I do it'll take up my entire afternoon, and is fine for a story but not for a quest where constant engagement is important. I also feel as though individual parts of an update can be missed by voters when they're hit with 9,000 words; only the vote choices matter, and that makes more nuanced thoughts or attention paid to foreign affairs harder to get.
So my general feeling is to divide a single turn like this:
1. The prose opening, update from the Proboulos and Xenoparakletor and city stats for the turn, so people can properly digest and discuss it. No votes here so discussion can be more about the "lay of the land" and foreign happenings rather than a specific vote, and so people can digest whatever happened in a prose opening. This is also more rewarding for me because prose openings are often my favorite part of an update but because they're at the beginning they don't get as much attention; there's so much else to deal with.
2. Individual posts for each vote. There can be multiple votes per post, but it's all focused on the same issue, so the Metic Assembly would be its own post, Kymai choices would be its own post, etc. This way players are focused on whatever is right in front of them.
3. If needed, a turn-end report which is a little longer and acts as a followup. This is most obviously needed for wars, big diplomatic coups, and big foreign expeditions and embassies where I do want to invest more effort.
4. The next turn.
Election turns would proceed as normal though the platforms and votes for Xenoparakletor and proboulos would be split from the opening and turn report.
I think this is better for both me and the players; better for me because it "chunks" a really lengthy turn into much more manageable 1-3K word write-ups, and better for players because it allows them to absorb each vote and option in turn. It may end up making each individual turn longer, but given we were already on a once a week schedule I don't think it would make such a big difference. I am now free to crank out updates on weekdays because all I need to write is like 1-3K words rather than 8,000.
I also think it would be better for both me and the players because I often cram a ton of details into an update, but it's harder for players to catch on those details if there's so much else to do. And it is more of a quest format rather than a story format because it prioritizes update speed over update length so that there's more active engagement and discussion.
I can't promise when an update will be quite yet but I'd like to hear people's thoughts on this change in anticipation of that.
I like it. I have felt that the updates from the prose openings did set the mood for updates well, but I wasn't quite sure how to deal with them beyond adding context to my vote. More discussion for these sections would be great and influence how use motions are made. Good idea.
The life of man is competition. From the moment a boy is born he is appraised for his ability and strength. From the moment he is able to walk he is made to walk faster. From the moment he is able to speak he is made to speak better. He is taught of the exploits of heroes whose exploits are so far beyond his reach he can barely fathom them, and yet still he dreams to surpass them. The Hellene who encompasses all these virtues is the man victorious on battlefield and athletic field, who holds a wreath of Olympia in one hand and a spear in the other, who is loved by the people and hated by the weak.
It is the dream of boyhood, and it is to be cherished.
And then, inevitably, a day will come when the dream will die upon his lips. Perhaps it is when he is unconscious on the battlefield, comrades fighting desperately to save him from his grisly fate. Perhaps it is when he is holding the child who has died in his arms, or when he faces the denunciation of the urban mob and sees everything he has worked for turned to ashes in his mouth. He will look at all that he has done, and find that he can do no more.
And then a that point he will have a choice. Most men will accept defeat. This man will will sit back and accept his inferiority to the legends he once yearned to rise above. He will relax and grow fat and happy, and he will allow himself to forget everything he has worked for, to recede into the background, to let history take its course. He will lounge comfortably in his Attike estate or exiled abroad, withering away to nothing, until none remember him, until the fates sweep him away, dust in the wind.
But there are some few who do not give up. There are some who take challenge as opportunity, failure as lesson. There are some who see the world as a bounty for them to seize, who see the competition as the point of life to the end of their days. There are those that fight every moment of their waking lives for the sake of glory. There are some who see the dream of boyhood as the dream of manhood, and who see surrendering it a surrender of the soul, not the putting aside of childish notions. To put aside the rise, to put aside the chance to scream into the heavens and be heard, to put aside the chance to yearn for something more, is the choice of cowardice, not wisdom.
And I refuse. I refuse to fade away. I refuse to surrender. I refuse to yield to fate, I refuse to become dust in the wind, I refuse to sit comfortably and to relax, broken and tired. I refuse to resist life's many pleasures, to love and laugh and fight, to plot and scheme. I refuse to lose, to grow old and to forget the joy of youth. I refuse to surrender to the Gods, to accept inferiority, to accept anything less than that which I deserve. I refuse to become a slave to fate, a ghastly beast no better than a slave, bowing meekly to the work of others, living in the legacy of giants.
Where others fall, I stand upright. Where others falter, I am unbroken. Where others hesitate, I do not blink.
I am the one who crosses the Olympic field in victory. I am the one who decides the fate of cities. I am the one who will escape from underneath the shadow of the Parthenon. Fear me, hate me, fight me, but regardless I will rise. I am Alkibiades, and you will remember my name.
For there I was in Sicily, and the Sicels were snuffed out. And so here I am in Olympia, and the Spartans are sealed out. And so tomorrow I shall be in Athenai, and-
Well.
You can't just expect me to just give that away, do you?
Goings on from around the Mediterranean, presented by Xenoparakletor Obander Eupraxis of the Demos Antipatria
OBANDER: Citizens, I speak frankly to you. This has been a troubling year in affairs foreign. The peace in Hellas is collapsing before renewed efforts by Athenians to violate its hard-won terms before the agreement has even been finalized. To our west, Rhegion has shocked all Italia. Among our own vassals, there is troubling news I will seek to investigate. It is days like these that I wish to return to my farm and eat from my fine and ancient tree of figs, but is that not the wishes of all old men? To sit below a tree and dream of peace? But, no, no. I cannot. I see before me the men that shall protect this city in the coming years, men who have protected, men who are my friends. I see a city worth defending, and I will do so, and fulfill my duty as xenoparakletor. The people accept nothing less. To that end, however I have also appointed Kyros Gennadios to serve as my deputy for the remainder of my term. When I depart to Athenai this year he will stay in Eretria and prepare for my meeting with the various Messapii chiefs.
I turn now to the news from across the Mediterranean.
News from Hellas & East! The Athenians have aimed to undermine the peace with Laikadaimon. King Agis II has warned them that the terms of the peace may be invalid if they do not surrender Pylos, but the Athenians have refused. To make matters worse for the Spartans, they have done extremely poorly at the Olympic Games, while the rising Alkibiades has received first place in discus-throwing, 2nd in wrestling, and 4th in chariot-racing. There are rumors of a new coalition emerging against the Spartans, formed out of Elis, Mantinaea, and Argos, once more emerging from its long quiet to take the stand against Laikadaimon. Sparta itself has been sealed out of the Olympic Games by Elis, a clear display of the tensions that have emerged between the two parties, but other news is unclear. I must journey to Athenai to discover the truth of the matter.
In the east the satrap of Lydia has revolted against the Mede. He has been summarily defeated and killed, but it is rumored that his son has been invited to Athenai, a troubling affront to the fearsome Persians.
News from the West! Rhegion has been utterly victorious against Lokri Epixephyrii. A daytime raid executed by Barabas, exploiting the lack of fortifications in Lokri's ancient harbor, has destroyed Lokri's fleet, humiliated it, and led to widespread looting and fire in the city. On land, the Lokrians were able to defeat Rhegion once in pitched battle, but the cities of Medma and Metauros defected from the Lokrians, apparently due to bribes and further coup attempts, this time successful, by Barnabas. The great weakness of Lokri was that these settlements, its colonies, agitated for a more democratic and fairer suzerainty they were never granted. Barnabas has promised to protect their liberty and reduce their requirements of tribute if only they agree to contribute levies in Rhegion's defense, whereas Lokri demanded everything from them, and so as their weakness has been exposed they have defected from their harsh and foul master.
With their dependencies having defected, with Rhegion having defeated them at sea, with them humiliated, the oligarchic government of Lokri has collapsed and the city has become a democracy. Unstable and prone to stasis, this new government has signed a terrible peace with Rhegion that has shocked the west, and thanks to the support of Taras, something that the other cities cannot intervene on. Instead, Rhegion has cemented its place as a rising power, and Lokri has been consigned to a fate of mediocrity and stasis, forever left behind. The impression in Krotone is one of widespread fear, and many advocate an Italiote League to protect the small cities of Italia and their freedom more than ever before. The whole of Italia is gripped in panic, and old statesman may be replaced by new demagogues as the people become inflamed at the danger of this new sea power.
Kymai has at last fallen. More shall be heard of this when we speak of it in the agenda, but it must be said that not many citizens were left when the city fell, and those who men who fought to the last did so with an extraordinary bravery.
News from the Adriatic! Warring between the Etruscans has ended for the time-being, as far as can be told from the news. There is no news from Ankon on the matter of the Picentes, while the people of Kymai have begun to settle in the hinterland of their new settlement. Among the Peuketii, more unsettling news; a village has been burned, it has been told to us by a trusted noble, by the king Gorgas. It is not known why. There may be some grave discontent among the common people, though those we have spoken to disdain the commoners, calling them a lower class of being. This attitude is one to be wary of.
Goings on from within the city, presented by Proboulos Epiktetos Linos of the Demos Drakonia
EPIKTETOS: Citizens, why do I speak to you? Why do I address you with the matters of finance, with the business of government? Why do I torment you with the accounting of ships and armies, the construction of new wonders and the appraisal of the best speakers from among us? It is because we are a free people, and all Eretrians have a stake in what we do. That a man entrusted with the service of government stand stand before the people, and address them on equal terms, is the intoxicating opportunity of the free and the liberated. It is something afforded so rarely to those across the world. The Mede lies in perpetual bondage to his masters. The Spartan provides authority to the ephors, so that he may enjoy a time of leisure. The Athenian entrusts the business of administration to slave, and disdains the matters of finance. But in Eretria, everything is entrusted to the citizen. Is that not extraordinary? Is that not worth high praise?
And fine, too, what we have been able to do with this authority. There is no problem that cannot be solved with the will of the citizenry, no trouble we cannot overcome. The harbor of Byssos grows by the day, the sand and mud piled there forming into a new shoreline. We raise earth from the waters, and sacrifice to Poseidon for allowing us this grave intrusion. We build new warehouses and places of commerce, and pray to Ploutos and Hermes that all shall be well. And all is well in the city, for our finances remain stable, we have gained new migrants from abroad of immense skill and talent, and we have ahead of us, when our harbor has been completed, a destiny of wealth and prosperity that will make us the envy of all the Hellenes, a Carthage upon the Adriatic.
Now let us turn to matters of praise. The following citizens have been awarded drachmae for their participation. Praise is given to Phokion, son of Aristeides, and Leander Long-Speaker, for their proposals to the assembly, and significant trophies of drachmae. Eutychon son of Eutychos who still yet seeks a bride, Leukos the Accountant, Skantarios the Hoplite, Kleon son of Aristophanes, Heliodoros son of Giorgos, the boy who has become a man, Arkadios who spoke kindly on the matter of generosity, Arktos son of Arktos Arkadios, Nikephoros the Hopltie, Gregorios son of Alexios, Hermesdora Eretriazenis who is congratulated on the matter of gaining twin sons, which one might hope will grow to become as the Dioscuri, Alkaios son of Kleitos, Glaukommes son of Perixeontes, Kalyx the animal breeder, Kipekos wide-speaker, and Aniketos the philosopher, have all been given trophies for the speeches and words.
Alexis Aristeides is given a trophy for the performance of his new play, Plataians, which recounts the gross impiety and disrespect of justice reflected in the triumph of Spartan arms over Plataiai and the subsequent killing of the city's men. It is recommended that this play be viewed by women as well as men, so those womenfolk understand the costs of war, and are ready to come to the defense of their families in the event of siege. It is a fine work, and more evidence that Eretria is not, as Athenians so claim, a Tartarus for culture.
The major issues to be placed before the assembly in this year are those relating to a sculptor who has come from Kymai along with 200 of his fellows, the matter of the Athenian Expedition, and the matter of the embassy to the Messapii, along with addressing the recent spate of problems with the Peuketii.
As for the city's finances, we shall begin adding to the recruitment roll of rowers in the following year. Kymai Adriatika, as it is called, or just Kymai for its citizens, has been established, and they inform us they shall surely join the Epulian League in the following year when their finances are in order. It shall be a fine influx of coin to us, and one that we shall appreciate well.
Demography & Culture
Eretria Eskhata - 356 OL
Adult Freemen: 24,181 (Census of 353 OL) Citizen Ratio: 42.0% Adult Male Citizens: 10,156 Adult Male Metics: 14,025 Total Free Population: 84,254
Patron Gods: Divine Marriage of Athene & Apollon Other Major Gods: Poseidon & Demeter, Zeus, Ploutos, Artemis
Political Offices
Next Election is 357 OL.
Proboulos: Epiktetos Linos (Demos Drakonia). Xenoparakletor: Obander Eupraxis (Demos Antipatria). Lead Strategos: Only appointed in times of war. Metic Prytanis: Timotaios Herais (Demos Antipatria).
Agoranomos: Itheos Akadios (Demos Exoria). Assembly of the Mint: Krethon Ibykos (Demos Exoria). Popular Tribunal: Sosibios Kineas (Demos Drakonia). Chief of Public Lands: Kebes Bisaltos (Demos Exoria). Grand Mantis: Parmon Polyeides (Demos Drakonia). Elder Ekdromos: Austesion Sabyllos (Demos Exoria).
Great Works
Wide Walls: Proud stone walls that protect the city from enemies. Sea Wall: Protect the city from any sea-based attack. Arkadion: A Temple to the Divine Marriage of Demeter & Poseidon. Temple of the Divine Marriage: A temple to the Divine Marriage of Apollo and Athena. Temple to Zeus Olympios: A temple to the supreme God of the Hellenes, Zeus Olympios. Temple of Artemis Amarysia: A temple and attached grove to the huntress Artemis. Naval Barracks: Where the city's rowers train. Hill of the Divine Marriage (Great Work): An artificial hill that looms above the city and holds its most important temples. Byssos Harbor: (Under Construction, done 359 OL).
Treasury & Income
Treasury in 356 OL: 294.4 Talents Income: 313.6 Talents Taxation: 191.0 Talents Commerce: 98.1 Talents League Income: 11.3 talents (Melaina Kerkyra & Epidauros) Tribute: 11.2 Talents Public Revenue: 2.0 Talents
Expenses: 309.5 Talents Navy Upkeep: 78.9 Talents (New Ships) Army Upkeep: 44.0 Talents Construction: 110.0 Talents (Great Harbor of Byssos) Misc: 40.0 Talents (Grain Subsidy to Kymai, Expedition to Melaina Kerkyra and Epidauros) Salaries & Subsidies: 24.0 Talents (Registry of the Merchant Fleet) Sacred Treasury Contribution: 31.1 Talents (10% into Sacred Treasury)
Sacred Treasury in 357 OL: 1597.9 Talents (+31.4 Talents per turn) Treasury in 357 OL: 298.5 Talents
Levy Pandemos: 14,286 (75% of all Adult Freemen minus men in special units and navy)
4,094 Hoplites (19% of all Adult Freemen)
675 Cavalry (3% of all Adult Freemen)
9,516 Psilloi (53% of all Adult Freemen)
Deployed Levy
Standing Army (Eretria Eskhata)
500 Sacred Ekdromoi (deployed at all times for 38.5 talents a turn)
50 Kleos Exoria (deployed at all times for 5.5 talents a turn)
City of Thurii: Full alliance with the city of Thurii cultivated in opposition to potential ambitions by Taras or other Italiote powers. Freemen & Ships: 14,000 Freemen, 20 Triremes.
City of Krotone: Full alliance with the city of Krotone cultivated in opposition to Syrakousai. Freemen & Ships: 10,000 Freemen, 10 Triremes.
Sikeliote League: Full alliance with the Sikeliote League cultivated in opposition to the main power in South Sicily, Syrakousai. Freemen & Ships: 22,000 Men, 15 Triremes.
Treaties
Treaty of Phaidros: Signed in 348 OL. Enforces peace between signatories. Signatories: Thurii, Eretria Eskhata, Taras, Metapontion Duration: 20 Years (Expires 368 OL)
Treaty of Eupraxis: Signed in 351 OL. Reconciles signatories, places permanent embasses in each city, and bars alliances with Mainland powers until end of Peloponnesian War. Signatories: Taras, Eretria Eskhata
A/N: Okay, let's try this instead. No votes for this part of the turn, just discussion and a new map for people to pore over.
Italian league... that will be interesting. Also Kymai has fallen but looks like we evacuated a lot of the city. I do wonder if they razing of Kymai by barbori will have an impact of other Greek perceptions.
Also there are issues amongst the Puektti.... time to figure out what is going on.
Alkibades, was he the trouble making at athenian that was banned from Sicily?
Also Reighnon really pulled off a major coup there and backed by Taras interesting
And we are making a small profit this turn! Excellent more so once grain to kymai 8s off the ledger
The major issues to be placed before the assembly in this year are those relating to a sculptor who has come from Kymai along with 200 of his fellows, the matter of the Athenian Expedition, and the matter of the embassy to the Messapii, along with addressing the recent spate of problems with the Peuketii.
The major issues to be placed before the assembly in this year are those relating to a sculptor who has come from Kymai along with 200 of his fellows, the matter of the Athenian Expedition, and the matter of the embassy to the Messapii, along with addressing the recent spate of problems with the Peuketii.
I am sorry Epiktetos is just sometimes, so droll. Its time for lunch and he just goes on and on and on and we are all sitting there slowly withering away as the rules of the assembly force us to listen to him. Zeus himself would bestow upon us his thunderbolts if only we made him go elsewhere.
So it looks like Lokri is destined for a future of mediocrity and subjugation. Which is too bad for them, but at least I won't have to try to remember how to spell the second half of the city's name as often.
So it looks like Lokri is destined for a future of mediocrity and subjugation. Which is too bad for them, but at least I won't have to try to remember how to spell the second half of the city's name as often.
