Azagartian Empire
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The Azagartian Empire The Empire Xšāça | |||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 727 BC–369 BC | |||||||||
| File:Old Azagartian Empire, greatest etent.png | |||||||||
| Capital | Eryanopoli (Dzhuvenestan) | ||||||||
| Common languages | Old Azagartian Aerionese | ||||||||
| Religion | Avestism | ||||||||
| 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 | ||||||||
• Invasion of Leon the Great | 386 - 369 BC | ||||||||
• Disestablished | 369 BC | ||||||||
| Currency | Daric | ||||||||
| |||||||||
The Azagartian Empire (also known as the First Mesogeian Empire, the Artabanid Empire, or the Artabanid-Mithridatid Empire), was an early nation-state situated in portions of Ochran, Belisaria, and northeastern Scipia. It is widely regarded as one of the world’s earliest instances of a multinational state, once encompassing numerous ethnicities under its dominion.
The origins of the Azagartian Empire can be traced back to the Ayar migrations of the 9th and 10th centuries BC, originating from the region surrounding the Chuyan Sea. Various Ayar nomadic groups, including the Merdian-Ayars in Tarsas, the Dzhuven and the Gerki in Dzhuvenestan, the Sayaro-Skadians and the Errons in Shirazam, the Dardaloni in Vardana, and the Aerionese in Mesogeia, eventually came to be incorporated within the empire’s borders.
The empire came into existence in the late 8th century BC after the King of the city of Eryanopoli, Artabanus I, launched a rapid conquest of neighboring Ayar kingdoms, rapidly bringing modern day Dzhuvenestan, Tarsas, and Shirazam under his rule. Successive kings conquered large swaths of modern day Mesogeia and parts of Scipia. A significant portion of the highly centralized Azagartian empire’s framework, encompassing its sophisticated bureaucracy, diverse languages, advanced infrastructure, and military technology, was subsequently adopted and utilized by subsequent states and kingdoms, notably the Mesopontian Empire and the Tarsas.
During the initial three centuries of its existence, the Azagartian empire arguably possessed the greatest power in the eastern Periclean region. It experienced a resurgence during the first 160 years of the Mithridatid dynasty. However, subsequent unsuccessful attempts to expand their influence further into Scipia via modern Alanahr precipitated the empire’s rapid decline due to its own excessive expansion. The last effective ruler of the empire was Cyrus IV, whose ascension to the throne as a child was attributed to one of the longest reigns in Azagartian history.
In 375 BC, a confederation of disaffected Alcaenian city-states in present-day southern Mesogeia initiated an independence movement that swiftly garnered a broader and more substantial following. Ultimately, the Alcaenians and their allies overthrew the final Mithridatid king in 369 BC, establishing the Aegaid dynasty of the newly established Mesopontian Empire. This empire rapidly adopted a more Alcaenian character.
The Artabanid dynasty is also notable for the rule of Atossa, who is credited with being one of the earliest female rulers in recorded history. Atossa, a concubine, seized power upon her husband’s death and ruled in her own right for nearly twenty years before being removed by her own son, whose disastrous reign hastened the collapse of the severely weakened Artabanid dynasty.
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: Bardyia of Chorasmia, Chosroes Skadanshah, and Ormisdas Skadanshah. 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, operating as a unified institution through which all other institutions functioned as an extended apparatus based in the five imperial capitals of Chousa, Mithradat-Alcaeia, Fasargadae, and Azagart. Each capital housed imperial mints, archives, and regional chancellery offices responsible for managing the imperial road systems, postal service, tribute collection, taxation, and general conscription of military forces.
The Azagartians gave special consideration to Erani-speaking individuals, who held prominent positions. Though they favored Erani speakers, they also established a system of autonomy throughout the empire. This autonomy allowed local peoples to preserve their local customs, religions, and traditions, provided that they fulfilled tribute obligations, military service, and loyalty to the imperial dynasty. 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.
List of Rulers
First Dynasty
| Portrait | Name | Relationship with Predecessor | Reign |
|---|---|---|---|
| X | Artabanus I | None | 727 BC - 697 BC |
| X | Cyrus I | Son | 697 BC - 677 BC |
| X | Anoshiruvan I | Son | 656 BC - 634 BC |
| X | Araxa I | Nephew | 634 BC - 599 BC |
| X | Anoshiruvan II | Son | 589 BC - 570 BC |
| X | Artabanus II | Son | 589 BC - 566 BC |
| X | Marzban I | Son | 566 BC - 531 BC |
| X | Marzban II | Nephew | 531 BC - 511 BC |
| X | Bagabuxša I | Son | 511 BC - 470 BC |
| X | Phraortes I | Son | 470 BC - 452 BC |
| X | Atossa | Concubine | 453 BC - 406 BC |
| X | Anoshiruvan II | Son | 376 BC - 369 BC |
| Bahram I | Son | 369 BC |
Administration
At the provincial level, provinces were divided into Satrapies, which were subsequently subdivided into hyparchies and finally into localized eparchies. Some conquered kings and princes were permitted to retain their titles as client monarchs, with their actions subject to monitoring by imperial inspectors known as the “eyes and ears of the Emperor.” These inspectors traveled throughout the empire, collecting reports and information for the imperial government and serving 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 value on the respect for social order and hierarchy. This included, but was not limited to, ancestral veneration, patriarchal norms, and obligations of loyalty to superiors that prescribed the mutual performance of “friendship/alliances” (which included gift-giving, the 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 Avestism was later adopted as the official religion of the empire, it was essentially a syncretic religion that amalgamated various local cults and customs into a pantheon of deities centered around Hormazdas (or Hormisdas).
Since its inception, successive imperial dynasties have consistently asserted their lineage from Hormazdas (Lihnidosized as Hormisdas) through his semi-mythical son, Azgartius. This lineage was believed to confer upon them dominion over the “known world” and the right to rule through their perceived possession of Khvarenah (imperial glory).