Azagartian Empire

The Azagartian Empire The Empire Xšāça
727 BC–369 BC
File:Old Azagartian Empire, greatest etent.png
Capital	Chousa, Mithradat-Alcaeia, Fasargadae, Azagart,
Common languages	Old Azagartian Aerionese
Religion	Avestism
Padishah or Shahanshah
• 727 BC - 697 BC	Artabanus I
• 697 BC - 677 BC	Alexander VII
• 656 BC -634 BC	Artabanus II
• 634 BC -599 BC	Alexander IX
• 589 BC - 570 BC	Atossa
• 589 BC - 566 BC	Alcaeus XI
• 566 BC - 531 BC	Mithridates II
• 531 BC - 511 BC	Alexander X
• 511 BC - 470 BC	Artaxerxes II
• 470 BC - 452 BC	Mithridates III
• 453 BC -406 BC	Artaxerxes III
• 376 BC -369 BC	Telephus IV
History
• Azagartian Migrations	811 BC -804 BC
• Establishment of the empire	727 BC
• Azagartian Conquest of Ochran states	753 BC -745 BC
• Conquest of the Alcaeid Kingdom	730 BC - 727 BC
• Scipian Campaigns	690 BC - 590 BC
• Azagartian-Alanahri Wars	542 BC- 492 BC
• Disestablished	369 BC
Currency	Daric
Preceded by Succeeded by File:Flag of the Alcaeid Kingdom.png Alcaeid Kingdom Mesopontian Empire File:Flag of the Mesopontian Empire

The Azagartian Empire (often erroneously called the First Mesogeian Empire by modern Mesogeian historians, or more commonly called the Artabanid-Mithridatid Empire after the two ruling dynasties that ruled over it was believed to have been one of the world's earliest examples of a multinational state or empire, having spanned three continents, to include south western Ochran, south eastern Belisaria (present day Mesogeia), and north eastern Scipia.

The empire came into existence in the late 8th century BC with the rapid conquest of much of south-western Ochran, south eastern Belisaria, and parts of Scipia by successive kings of the Artabanid dynasty, which was preceded by the migrations of the Azagartians into south-western Ochran in the late 9th century BC.

Much of the framework of the highly centralized Azagartian empire, including its highly safisticated bureaucracy, languages, advanced infrastructure, and military technology was inherited and later adopted by successive states and kingdoms, particularly the Mesopontian Empire and its eventual successor the Mesogeian Empire.

The Artabanid dynasty, the founding dynasty of the empire is credited with rapid military expansion into much of south-western Ochran, military campaigns which reached their height during a century long period of campaigns known as the Scipian Campaigns (690 BC- 590 BC).

The Artabanids are also notable for the rule of Atossa, credited to have been one of the earliest female rulers in recorded history. Atossa was a concubine who seized power upon her husband's death and ruled in her own right for almost twenty years before being removed by her own son whose disaterous reign hastned the collapse of the severely weaked Artabanid dynasty.

The Empire of the Azagartians reached the zenith of its power during the reigns of Mithridates II (r. 566 BC-531 BC) who founded the fabled Mithridatid dynasty (566 BC- 369 BC), Alexander X (531 BC-511 BC) who consolidated it, and Artaxerxes II (511 BC-470 BC) who oversaw the final completion of military expansions of the empire.

During the first 300 years of its existence, the Azagartian empire was arguably the most powerful state in the eastern Periclean region, experiancing a revival period during the first 160 years of the Mithridatid dynasty. Following successive failed attempts at extending their authority deeper into scipia via modern Alanahr the empire quickly began to unravel and crack under the weight of own over-extension. The last effective king of kings of the empire was Artaxerxes III, whose accession as a child credited him with one of the longest reigns in Mesogeian history.

In 375 BC, a confederation of disgruntled Alcaenian city states in what is now southern Mesogeia launched an independence revolt which quickly gained a wider and more significant following. Eventually the Alcaenians and their allies overthrew Telephus IV, the last Mithridatid king in 369 BC and established the Aegaid dynasty of the newly extablised Mesopontian Empire which rapidly took on a more Alcaenian facade.

History

TBA

Skadian Secession

Mithridates II overthrow of the last Artabanid ruler was contested and even opposed by many within the Empire. Among them, the Satrap of Chirasmia, the far-eastern province of the Empire, declared himself an independent ruler with the title of Skadanshah, "King of the Skadians". The Skadanshaheh would reign for 60 years until Mithridates' grandson, Artaxerxes II, in alliance with the nomadic Sayar People, was able to re-conquer the province in 500 BC.

Little in known of the Skadian people referenced by the rebel-kings title or of the supposedly-nomadic Sayars. Both people make their first apparition in history through the monuments erected by Artaxerses to commemorate his victory. Coinage found in Shirazam gave the name of three Skadanshah: RDWN (Ardawan), BRWRT (Phraortes), and BRYRBT (Friyapāt). The exact order of monarchs is unknown, as the Skadanshah are never called by names in Azagartian sources.

The most well known trace of the Skadanshah rule was the construction of the Fifty Fortresses of Shirazam, the ruins of a majority of which are still visible in modern days.

Government

The government and the imperial court were synonymous, functioning as one institution through which all other institutions operated as an extended apparatus which was based out of the five imperial capitals of Chousa, Mithradat-Alcaeia, Fasargadae, and Azagart, which all included imperial mints, archives, and regional chancellery offices for the management of the imperial road systems, imperial postal service, collection of tribute, implementing of taxes, and the general conscription of military forces.

From its earlies establishment, following the Azagartian migrations westward into what is now south western Ochran and modern Mesogeia, it gave special consideration to Erani speaking persons (who occupied the lofty offices) although they appointed non-Azagartians indiscriminately and allowed for a system of autonomy to exist throughout the empire (which included but was not limited to local peoples being allowed to keep their local customs, religions, and customs), so long as tribute, military obligations, and loyalty to the imperial dynasty were upheld.

While local customs such as languages were respected, the official language of administration and communication was old Azagartian; before it gave way to Aerionese, which remains the national language of the modern Mesogeian empire.

Administration

At the local level, provinces were divided into Satrapies, (later on being subdivided into hyparchies, and finally into localized eparchies. Some conquered kings and princes were allowed to continue as client monarchs with their actions being monitored by imperial inspectors (who were called the eyes and ears of the Emperor) who traveled around the empire gathering reports and information for the imperial government and serveiling provincial and local officials on behalf of the central government

Military

The Azgartians maintained a large and diverse imperial army drawing conscripts from across their expansive empire, which filled the ranks of their infantry, cavalry and navy.

The infantry division of the empire was subdivided into the Imperial Guard, Front Guard, and the Rear Guard, which signified the infantry guards responsible for guarding the emperor and providing specialized services, in addtion to providing for the empire's offensive and defense respectively.

The cavalry division, arguably the most decisive branch of the imperial military was subdivided into charioteers (something that was rapidly abandoned following the introduction of horse archers), horse cavalry, and war elephants (which were used as shock forces).

In comparison to the infantry and cavalry forces of the empire, the naval divisions were largely seen as an afterthought for much of the Azagartan empire' history and were limited for much of its existence to defensive functions serving as a patrol force against pirates and invaders and acting as a transport system for the far more stategic infantry and cavalry divisions.

Culture

Society

The empire placed a high regard on the respect for social order and hierarchy (a notion that was later inherited by the modern Mesogeians), this included but was not limited to ancestral veneration, patriarchal norms, obligations of loyalty to superiors which prescribed to the mutual performance of “friendship/alliances” (which included gift giving, performance of favors, and ritualized duties between superiors and subordinates).

Equal importance was placed on such qualities pertaining to equestrianism, archery, honesty and honorable virtues.

Religion

Although they later on implemented Avestism as the national religion of the empire, the religion was largely a syncretic religion combining localized cults and customs under a pantheon of deities centered around Hormazdas (or Hormisdas).

Successive imperial dynasties from its earliest days are believed to have claimed descent from Hormazdas (Lihnidosized as Hormisdas) by way of his semi mythical son Azgartius who was believed to have been the older brother of Alcides the other mythic hero in Mesogeian mythology, which they claimed granted them dominion of the “known world”, and imperial rule by right of their perceived possession of Khvarenah (imperial glory).