Symmerian Empire
Symmerian Empire | |
|---|---|
| 246 BCE–1305 CE | |
 Flag | |
 Traditional territory of Symmeria | |
| Capital | Parilla |
| Common languages | Ancient Symmerian |
| Religion | Hellenic polytheism |
| Demonym(s) | Symmerian |
| Government | Absolute Monarchy |
| Historical era | Antiquity to Medieval |
• Conquests of Orestes II | 246 BCE |
• Dissolved | 1305 CE |
| Currency | Drachma |
| Today part of | Syara Ruvelka Allamunnika Delkora Quenmin |
The Symmerian Empire (Symmerian language: Simmerioi agrós, literally Symmerian Realm or Symmerian Land) was a large, continent spanning State that ruled over much of Siduri between antiquity and the late Medeival-Era, reaching its' apex in the 8th 8th Century CE.
Ancient Symmeria was a kingdom located in northern Syara that under the reign of Orestes II expanded to become a major power in northern and western Siduri, encompassing most of modern-day Ruvelka, Mansuriyyah, and Shirvaniya, with Orestes' ascension in 246 BCE generally used to mark the transition from the Symmerian Kingdom to the Symmerian Empire. Subsequent Symmerian expansion between the 2nd Century BCE and the 4th Century CE was driven by a mixture of commercial expansion and conquest, checked by the Acrean Empire in Eracura, the Seyhad League in Mansuriyyah, and the Qho Dynasty in Shirvaniya. The defeat of the Seyhad in the 1st Century CE and the collapse of the Chalna Empire paved the war for Symmerian expansion into Nayala, but remained limited to the coast owing to stiff resistance from the Nayalan tribes. Contact, and later open conflict with the Hannashka Empire and the Guan Dynasty of Serikos further limited Symmerian expansion. Between the 2nd the 5th Centuries the Empire was rocked by internal instability, including the temporary overthrow of the ruling Zelusian Dynasty during the Archon Rebellion and the establishment of the Boulekratos. The rise of the monotheistic/pantheistic Zobethos faith in the 3rd and 4th Centuries further internally destabilized the Empire leading to the Symmerian Recession, and the Empire's near dissolution during the 16 Years' Crisis. The reign of Alexarchus (447-459) is often credited with averting the Empire's total collapse, and also led to the Hayren Migration to southern Syara and Ruvelka, forming the genesis of the modern Hayren populations in both states.
Following the conquest of the Hannashka by the Rideva Empire the Symmerians were free to pursue the defeat of the Hui, and later the Zhang Dynasties of Serikos, which culminated in the conquest of the latter in the 6th Century. This was followed by an invasion of Quenmin in the 7th Century which brought Symmeria into direct conflict with the Sabrian Empire, sparking the Sabrian Wars, which ended with the Symmerian conquest of Knichus, marking the effective extent of Symmerian territory and the conclusion of what became known as the Hegemonic Wars. This territorial zenith was tempered by increased instability among the Empire's diverse, multi-ethnic and multicultural populace, the largest of its day. This was exasperated by the decline of the Acrean Empire, leading to increased instability in Eracura which frequently boiled over across the Sundering Sea as coastal raids and pillaging. Symmerian reprisals eventually led to the Sundering Wars, highly destructive conflicts that weakened both empires, contributing to the dissolution of the Acrean Empire in the 11th Century. The outbreak of the Burning Plague brought an abrupt end to the conflict and devastated the Empire, killing approximately 10-20% of the population (and in Syara itself likely 25-33%). The ensuing instability became known as the Crisis of the Ninth Century, during which the empire effectively fractured. Infighting among the various rebellious and usurping powers allowed Aristoxenus to reconquer most of the Empire's territory at great cost in several bloody wars, including the Tống Rebellion.
The Later Symmerian Empire was marked by significantly decreased and decentralized power throughout was remained of the Empire, allowing the Slavic League to invade and occupy Syara in the 10th Century, known as the Slavokratia. Syara was reconquered for Symmeria under Kallixeina the Reclaimer and restored the capital of the Empire in Parilla in 973. The reconquest of western Siduri however was followed by increased instability in the East, most evident in Seleucus' Civil War, which was followed by the Autumn Flag Rebellions and marked Quenmin's secession from the Empire. Previously peaceful relations with the Ridevans deteriorited as the Empire attempted to reassert influence over eastern Siduri, sparking the Symmerian-Ridevan War which ended with the loss of Knichus, Erania, and Lemobrogia. Between the 12th and 13th Centuries the Empire was almost constatly embroiled in rebellion by steppe nomads in Shirvaniya, the Rawwadid Sultinate in Mansuriyyah, during which Symmerian rule over Mansuriyyah was effectively ended after the Battle of Tell Saqara. A dynastic dispute between Eryx and Zethos IV resulted in the War of the Marked in the 13th Century and the end of Symmerian rule in Serikos. In the following decades, the rapidly expanding Adamdar Empire would invade Ruvelka and Syara properly, effectively ending the Symmerian Empire in 1305.
The Symmerian Empire endured for 1,551 years and profoundly shaped the societies and cultures it encountered, resulting in a varied Hellenic diaspora across Siduri, which persist to modern day in groups such as Hellene Gylians. Despite this the actual residual impact of the Empire varies significantly by region; the Symmerians made little effor to incorporate the people they conquered into Symmerian society, and thus many facets of Symmerian culture, including the Symmerian language, are extinct, even in areas ruled over by the Symmerians for a millenia. Although contemporaneous with other empires including Acrea, Sabria, and Rideva, the Symmerian systems of governance and its political institutions were heavily drawn from the Sardaranian Empire, which many Symmerians considered their true Precursors. The moniker of "empire" itself is sometimes questioned as Symmerian rule bore little resemblance to other imperial states throughout history, with a common description of Symmeria being less of an empire and more of a confederation of tributary states held in power by a militarized aristocracy.
The Zelusian Dynasty would remain in power in Syara followed the Adamdar conquest and rule over what became known as the Symmerian Khanate, until its reorganization into the Rioni Union in the 15th Century. Despite this the Zelusian Dynasty would endure into the 20th Century until the Refusal War, with the Symmerian Empire and its legacy playing major roles in the national identity of the Republic of Syara, and the modern day Syaran Commonality.
Etymology
The standard name Symmerian is dervied from the Sabrian Simmeri, itself derived from the Symmerian self-identifier of Simmerioi, but the actual origin is uncertain. A commonly accepted proposal is from the Zeliat term smyri, itself believed to mean either "south" or "southern". This theory has been rejected by the likes of linguistic historian Danijel Žarković who argued the term lacks any "real historical basis". Other linguists have proposed the term originated from the old Erani Gayamira or Gāmīra', or "roving unit", with the corruption transferring the /g/ to a /c/ and later adopted as /s/. Alternate explanations, including a Segelen or Kartozan origin have been put forward but remain unpopular among academic circles.
The term "Symmerian Empire" itself is a product of modern historians who seek to differentiate the imperial period of Makedon from Ancient Symmeria, before it became a continental power. The term was never recognized or utilized by the Symmerian themselves. "Symmeria" within the context of the Symmerian language entailed all land that was under the control of the Symmerian King (basileús), and therefore did not designate a specific geographic or territorial extent. Some Symmerian, both officially and unofficially, referred to the territory under Symmerian control as "Realm" (agrós), which means "land" or "countryside". This term remained in use in modern Syara starting in the Republic.
History
Historians use the ascension of Orestes II in 246 BCE as a dividing mark between Ancient Symmeria and the Symmerian Empire, which saw Symmeria rise from a local power in Syara to the premier power of Siduri. The change from kingdom to empire was recognized by the Symmerians as a change in government or society, and continued to refer to their domain simply as the "Realm" of Symmeria.
By the third century BCE Symmeria had been placed in a position of power relative to the other Syaran nations, namely the Kydonian League and Galania. Orestes made clear his intention to conquer Syara and beyond shortly after taking the throne, a move which was opposed by his older brother Lycklos, who was killed by Orestes in response. Orestes set out to conquer the remnants of the Kydonian League, weakened by years of Bastarnae invasions and civil wars, in 244 BCE. By 240 BCE Orestes had led Symmeria to victory over the tribes of Scitaria and had defeated the Galaians at the Battle of Nemaro, establishing control over all of Syara. In 238 BCE Orestes crossed into Ruvelka and conquered the Kartozan and mountain kingdoms of the Kurillas and Matra Ranges. By 233 BCE Orestes had conquered the Sardaranian Empire before crossing the Kurilla Mountains in 232 BCE and invading Shirvaniya. Campaigns against the Shirvani and Erani kingdoms of central Siduri continued until 227 BCE, at which point Orestes abruptly ended his campaigns and returned to Syara for reasons that are still uncertain.
Orestes's rapid conquests transformed Symmeria from a relatively isolated power in north-west Siduri into a major regional power across the continent. The destruction caused by the Symmerian conquests effectively ended the dominion of the Erani Empires that had dominated much of central Siduri for centuries, which was followed by the rise of nomadic empires in central Siduri and the Chalna Empire in the south. Symmerian expanse had also brought the empire into direct contact with the Han of Serikos, and to a lesser extent the Quảng Dynasty of Quenmin. Relations were also established with the Acrean Empire of Eracura.
Following the death of Orestes II, Symmerian expansion took on a much more gradual process driven largely by commercial endeavors and colonization. The two most common areas of colonization were in Boreas, the region of Eracura closest to Siduri, and Mansuriyyah. Both regions provoked conflict with the native inhabitants, the Bosrei in Boreas and the various Mansuri tribes of Mansuriyyah. Conflict between these groups and the Symmerian generally consisted or asymmetric fighting and border skirmishes across several years and decades rather than large-scale warfare.
Symmerian domination of north-west Siduri had brought profound change to the society and culture of Syara. For many citizens of the former Kydonian League, the birthplace of democracy and countless theorists of philosophy, science, and art, life under a highly militarized autocracy that was the Zelusian Dynasty produced a profound culture shock. For many Kydonians who had grown up in a society that valued open air symposiums and mass assemblies for decision making, being ruled over by highly aggressive and confrontational Symmerian nobles and aristocrats was considered insulting and demeaning. While the Symmerians gradually adopted many of the artistic and philosophical tenets of the rest of Hellenic Syara, the initial decades of Symmerian rule were dominated by animosity and general unhappiness. Further compounding this issue were economic concerns; the vast influx of foreign slaves captured during the Symmerian conquests resulted in a diluted labor pool that made it difficult for other Syarans to find work and pay.
Eventually the mixture of economic and political stress resulted in several waves of migration from the former Kydonian regions across Siduri, most notably settling in the Chalna Empire and the Liúşai League, where they formed a sizeable population in Gylias that persists to the modern era as Hellene Gylians. Separated from the rest of Hellenic Syara, the Hellene Gylians would go on to preserve many of the Hellenic cultural and social traditions that gradually evolved and changed within the Empire. In Syara, the consolidation of all power under the reign of an absolute monarch brought with its own set of challenges including dynastic conflicts. The first of these was Zarina's Civil War, sparked by the Queen Zarina's conflict with Menedemus over Zarina's insistence on maintaining her son Nikomakhos's claim to the throne, which was resolved in a Zarinan victory.
The rapid expansion of Symmerian conquest had also served to wildly inflate the wealth of the Symmerian nobility and aristocracy, necessitating the creation of large estates to leading to competition over land claims and titles. Driven in part by this competition, large number of Symmerian nobles, along with other Syarans looking for land and wealth outside of Syara, began settling on the edge of the Empire's borders. Apart from Boreas, the most common destination was Adnaniyyah in Mansuriyyah. The growth of Symmerian colonization of northern Mansuriyyah eventually led to competition and eventual conflict with the native tribes of Qatna, Erani, Kanesh, Kenaani, and Irviyim. The Kenaani in particular alarmed at the expansion of Makedon, responded by forming the Seyhad League to oppose further Symmerian incursion into Mansuriyyah. This eventually escalated into open war, in what became known as the Seyhad Wars, the first lasting from 163-145 BCE. The second conflict waged by Arcidamus, lasted just four years before the Symmerian King withdrew back to Syara.
Following the collapse of the Chalna Empire in 93 BCE Symmerian pre-eminence in western Siduri became largely unmatched, leading to the Third Seyhd War from 20-6 BCE. Led by Phalaris, the Symmerians successfully conquered the Kenaani city-states of Mansuriyyah, eventually driving the League from Siduri entirely and assuring Symmerian dominion over western Siduri was, at least for the time, unchallenged. While the Symmerians had been able to secure victory on land, defeating the Seyhad at sea had proven far more difficult. Lacking an extensive maritime history and tradition, the Symmerians had been forced to rely heavily on their satrapies, namely Scitaria, for assistance in constructing and manning a large navy. Despite fielding over 300 Quinqueremes built under order by Phalaris, the Symmerians had still struggled to achieve naval superiority against the Seyhad. For the fourth Seyhad War (52-56 CE), two years of successive naval warfare were required before the Symmerians were able to invade the island of Yalunji, where they destroyed the last bastion of the Seyhad League.
Institutions and Government
Symmeria was ruled by a King (basileus) who served as the head of state for the Empire, as had been the case in Ancient Symmeria. The King wielded largely uncontested power and served as the chief executive, supreme commander of the military, and chief justice of the Empire. The King was also expected to serve as a high priest on occasion, and mark important celebrations and religious festivals with animal sacrifices. This practice declined somewhat with the rise of Zobethos, which saw many roles of the high priest transferred over to the Oracle of the All-Mother. The king was also responsible for setting of foreign policy and hosting foreign dignitaries.
Although the King wielded absolute power, he was often expected to focus primarily on grand strategy and military leadership, while the more mundane and tedious affairs of the Empire were left to the Royal Court. The Royal Court was composed of the companions (hetairoi), members of the Symmerian nobility, aristocracy, judiciary, religious council, military, and representatives from the various provinces of the Empire. The Royal Court was typically tasked with the drafting of laws and treaties, as well as handling other matters of internal management and administration. The Court could also try subjects of the Empire for treason as well as issue directives regarding criminal punishment and demands for extradition or transfers of money.
The Royal Court gradually grew more powerful and influential over the course of the Empire's duration, both out of a deliberate effort by the Court to acquire more gravitas but also out of the necessity of governing an increasingly large and complex domain. At the beginning of the Empire under Orestes II the Court had largely existed as a rubber stamp institution and membership conferred few special privilege's. By the time of Alexarchus however the Court held enough power to challenge and undermine the King's authority if it so desired. The Court's power would ultimately wax and wane numerous times over the course of the Empire, and largely depended on the King at the time.
Imperial Administration
Ruling over the conquered territories of Siduri was complicated by a lack of a robust administrative system that resulted in significant variations in the power dynamic between Parilla and the various provinces of the Realm.
The Symmerians divided their Realm into provinces, the total of which varied over time but numbered around 50 at the peak of their dominion. The Symmerians attempted to divide their provinces based on ethnic and cultural ties, but this practice proved difficult to maintain in light of migrations and changes in demographics across the Empire throughout its history. Provinces could be formed, disbanded, and reformed based on political and social developments. Over the course of the empire's existence provinces gradually became more fluid and less defined, and by the 12th Century had effectively become mobile, tracking populaces as they migrated around Siduri rather than assigned to specific geographic regions.
Each province was led by an Archon, also known as a Viceroy. Initially the Archon was appointed by the King, but following the Crisis of the Ninth Century Archons frequently appointed their own successors or were chosen in part by local authorities. The Archon ruled in effective as a downsized version of the King, ruling over a Court which handled administrative, judicial, and financial matters within the province. The chief responsibility of the Archon was maintaining order and preventing rebellions while ensuring a steady flow of tribute and taxation revenue to Parilla. Underneath the Archons were his military advisors and local officials. Standard Symmerian practice when incorporating a new province was the annihilation of the previous upper class and the statement of lower level leaders into positions of power; the conquest of Serikos concluded with the extermination of the Zhang Dynasty and the establishment of the Yu Dynasty. The local officials went by various titles depending on their culture; in Symmerian Quenmin the Quenminese government was known as the Ten Ministries.
A major responsibility of the Archon was to ensure a supply of manpower in case of war, which could result in conscription being implemented. Upon the outbreak of fighting, an Archon would typically be informed by courier from Syara and be tasked with supplying a set number of troops to assist in the war effort. How many troops were required were based on census reports conducted by the Archon's court, and the Archon could also be called upon to lead troops into battle if necessary. An Archon could be punished or removed from service if he failed to provide military forces for the war effort.
Archons initially held onto Symmerian court customs, but as time went on it became increasingly common for Archons to adopt the practices and customs of their respective regions. This was partly driven by necessity following decades of instability post-Burning Plague where central authority was severely weakened and regionalism became necessary for the continued functioning of the state. Archons could sometimes become sources of rebellions, or their rule could inspire revolts if they behaved cruelly or poorly enough. Unlike the King, who usually ruled until death, Archons were expected to retire once they had reached a certain age, as the duties of Archon typically involved more direct intervention into political and social affairs and the Symmerians were reluctant to trust such duties to exceptionally old men.
Local Rule
Local rule typically remained in the hands of previous rulers prior to Symmerian conquest and annexation, and for many in the lower class life before and after Symmerian rule did not affect much change. This could vary considerably depending on the nature of the Symmerian conquest, which could range from swift and relatively bloodless campaigns to extended wars of attrition.
Summation of life under Symmerian rule is difficult due to the vast differences in experience across the Empire, which ranged from radical reformation to existing power structures or upheavals caused by conquest to insignificant alterations to daily life. Even after the most bloodiest of conquests however, life under Symmerian rule did not differ much from previous regimes, although both improvements and declines in living standards did occur with regular frequency. Life under Symmerian hegemony posed it's own set of challenges. Submission to Symmerian taxes and demands for tribute extracted heavy tolls from many regions, and payments towards Parilla could drain entire towns and cities of finances and material. Rebellions, revolts, and unrest frequently broke out across the Realm in response to unfair financial burdens, which usually resulted in the implementation of more reasonable standards. Symmerian subjects could pay their dues in either coinage and products, such as grains or ores, with significant variance between regions and provinces.
Laws
The Symmerians lacked a constitution or an extensive codex of laws. Provinces typically retained the legal codes of their previous regimes and governments, and traditional customs were often maintained. Symmeria did not recognize any complex concept of citizenship; anyone who inhabited lands under Symmerian rule were considered subjects to the King, with the only effective distinction being between slaves and free people. Slaves freed by their masters were counted by the Symmerians the same as free citizens, but in some regions they were more restricted.
Application of the law was thus heavily dependent on the location in question. The closer in proximity to Symmeria, the more likely Symmerian-specific laws would be enforced. On the fringes of the empire though local rule largely dictated the law. Individual Archons and Viceroys at times would enforce a more standardized practice of the law. Most commonly this was related to punishments derived from Symmerian practice; murderers were to be hung, rapists castrated, thieves flogged, and serial offenders of either sexual or physical violence could be impaled.
Some laws were held as universal, known to the Symmerians as the Laws of Gaia which forbade certain practices, namely human sacrifice and cannibalism, both of which were punishable by death. Treason against the Realm and King was also punished by death. Other crimes such as murder, rape, theft, and assault were typically handled by local authorities according to local custom and law; exceptions were made for Symmerian nobles and officials who could only be punished in by the Royal Court.
Stability
The Symmerian Empire grew more unstable the larger it became. Symmerian rule and administration was fundamentally paradoxical, with a highly centralized autocratic figure at the top, while increasingly autonomous rulers with only a Royal Court centered in Parilla in between. This created an unstable power dynamic that could only fully be held in check by military force, which increasingly became the principle factor holding the Realm together. By the 8th Century Symmeria was not so much an empire as a confederation of tributary states held in power by a military-political elite. Even as the Empire reached its zenith in the 8th Century, it became clear the effective administration of Symmeria was becoming untenable. On top of the problems of administration, the geographic make up of the Realm compounded the issue; most of the Symmerian interior consisted of flat steppe that was home to perennially rebellious nomadic tribes, while most of the Empire's population centers were clustered around the eastern and western coastlines of Siduri. This created a vast internal gulf of lowly populated regions that still needed to be maintained and guarded, and proved a constant drain on the Empire's finances.
Various solutions were proposed to handle the difficulties of administering the Empire. Short term solutions involved distribution of Serikese and Quenminese bureaucrats, renowned for their meticulous record keeping, to different regions to mediate administrative affairs. Longer term solutions involved reforming the Empire's structure; one solution advanced by Hermippos involved transforming several of the internal provinces into more autonomous client kingdoms, shifting administrative focus towards the more densely populated urban coast. Another suggestion involved splitting the empire into eastern and western halves; this was shelved due to the belief that neither Serikos nor Quenmin could be trusted to maintain loyalty to Parilla.
The Burning Plague effectively ended any chance Symmeria had at reformation. The remaining 438 years of the Realm's existence was marked by constant rebellion and internal strife, scarcely held in check by an increasingly depopulated and depleted military elite. Territorial loss began in earnest during the 9th Century and continued on until the final conquest of Symmeria by the Adamdar Empire.
Society and Culture
The Ancient Symmerians became a distinct people from the Aleitians sometime in the early 1st Millennia BCE, although the origins of their status as a separate people probably began several centuries earlier. Examples of pottery, ornaments, and burial places stretching across northern Syara, and to a lesser extent Ruvelka, point to a shared cultural lineage, if not necessarily a common political environment or single identity. The first coherent, concrete example of a unified Symmerian state was formed in 556 BCE under Epikharmas, the first Basileus (King) of Ancient Symmeria.
The Symmerians descended from the same stock as the Kydonian League and the two cultures continued to share many similar traits. Nevertheless the diverge of the two into separate groups eventually led most Kydonians to consider the Symmerians a separate, though related people. There are conflicting sources of information as to where the Symmerians landed in relation to the Kydonians. In relation to the Kydonians, the Symmerians fell closer than the Kartozan, but still retained what were often seen as barbaric qualities; the Symmerians didn't mix their wine, nor did they embrace many of the Kydonian philosophies. Instead the Symmerians retained much of the cultural standards of Archaic Syara; boys were not allowed to sit among men until they had speared their first boar, soldiers who had not slain a man in battle had to wear a red sash around their waist, and their political system remained dominated by small clusters of aristocrats ruling over large numbers of people in highly personalized inner circles.
By the time of the conquests of Orestes II this perception had changed and the Symmerians had become more synonymous with the general Hellenic identity of the Kydonians, although they were still treated as something of an outlier than the various city states that formed the Kydonian League. The expansion of Symmeria into a continent spanning empire in many ways both changed and did not change the basic tenets of Symmerian society. At some point during the reign of the Symmerians the Kydonian dialect became essentially extinct.
Imperial Society
Summation of the society of the Symmerian Empire is complicated by the multi-cultural and multi-ethnic composition of the Empire throughout the duration of its existence. The Symmerians made little effort to incorporate the people they conquered into their empire; Hellenization was inconsistent and rarely utilized as an official policy. While it did occur, its impact was highly disparate, resulting in significant variations in Hellenic influence across the Empire's duration and breadth.
The Symmerian cosmological view was predicated on the belief in a fundamentally ordered and organized universe; things existed the way they did because the Gods (and later Mother Gaia) had made them so. This extended to the existence of foreign peoples and cultures. Thus, it seemed pointless to endeavor to change the way of barbarians, since if they were supposed to be Hellenic, they would have been made so. The Symmerians nevertheless viewed their way of life as superior to foreign societies, and thus did not discourage foreigners from learning Symmerian customs. Some Kings attempted to enforce Hellenic standards more consistently across the Realm, but this never took hold for long and was usually abandoned by local rulers when possible.
The Empire's society largely reflected the political standard of the Realm. At the top were the Symmerians, the chosen children of the All Mother and the elite of the Empire. Directly beneath the Symmerians was usually reserves for the Syarans, Ruvelkans, Kartozan, and later the Hayren, followed by the other various people of the empire. This organization was largely unofficial and in practice there was little legal distinction between the various non-Symmerian people of the Realm. The Syarans, by virtue of their close proximity to Symmeria, gradually Hellenized and thus climbed the social ladder steadily over the course of the Empire, although never quite reaching the same level as Symmerians themselves.
Language
The Symmerian language was the de facto official language of the Empire. It was used to record official works and decrees, and was used as the basis for written treatises and literature. The Symmerian tongue was a close relative to the Kydonian language that had been dominant in Classical Syara, but gradually gave way and was eventually overcome by the Symmerian speech owing to the dominance of the Symmerians in positions of power and in government. For most senior aristocrats and public figures in the Empire, knowledge of Symmerian was necessary to gain access to the upper levels of government, and it was common for senior members of government from across the various provinces to learn Symmerian. Despite this, local ordinances and rulings were usually passed down in the language most appropriate to the respective provinces.
Religious Beliefs
Up until the mid-2nd Century CE the Symmerians largely followed the Hellenic Pantheon of the Kydonians, however as early as the 4th Century BCE differences had emerged among deities and practices. According to Androcles (412-341 BCE) the Symmerians favored the worship of Zeus, Athena, Artemis, and Hestia. By the time of Orestes II veneration of the other Olympian Gods had largely faded; testimonies and sites of worship found afterwards almost exclusively feature the "quartet" of god and goddesses that the Symmerians became primarily associated with. It is unclear why the Symmerians gravitated towards these four Gods rather than other Gods that were commonly worshiped and favored by other ancient Syarans. Ante Dujić, writing in 1971, comments on the unusual selection the Symmerians associated their faith with:
Why the Symmerians venerated the four Gods they did remains a matter of dispute within academic circles. The Symmerians were, unquestionably, a very warlike people with an appetite for song, wine, and boasting. But Ares, Apollo, and Dionysus are conspicuously absent from crafted shrines and temples. Despite the Symmerians clearly viewing the role of women as home makers and mothers, Hera is mysteriously absent. The Symmerians instead placed their hopes and faith in the King of the Gods (perhaps the most understandable given their autocratic nature), the huntress Artemis, the strategist Athena, and the home maker Hestia. While these seem sensible on some level, it remains a matter of inquiry among scholars.
Nadezhda Tatarcheva, writing in 2016, argues that the Symmerians were principle worshipers of concepts and ideals rather than objects or people. Veneration of the "quartet" reflected Symmerian drive towards the more intangible:
The Symmerians of antiquity were a prideful, boastful, and emotional people. They carried themselves with an energy and zeal for life that demanded accomplishment and success. They were a competitive lot who constantly maneuvered and endeavored for favor and fame, competing against each other, their ancestors, and themselves. This drove them towards more than just the physical, but the emotional and ethereal. The prayed to Zeus not for thunder or lightning but for the power and strength he wielded from his throne. They loved war and reveled in military affairs, but preferred the mental abilities of Athena's strategy to the raw bloodlust of Ares. In Artemis they sought the exhilaration and glory of the hunt, and in Hestia they saw not a literal hearth but a presence of mind at peace, warm and protected with the familiar. The Symmerians saw glory as achieving something beyond mortal coils, elevating oneself to a level above their normal existence; it's not hard to see where the influence of the Chalna lay.
Symmerian religious beliefs were heavily influenced by the various cultures and societies they encountered, resulting in a number of syncretic belief systems such as Symmerian Buddhism.
Beginning in the 2nd Century Zobethos began to rise in influence, especially among the lower classes and slaves with whom the promise of salvation and eternal paradise was more appealing than the afterlife of traditional Hellenic polytheism. This culminated in the Zobethos Civil War in the 5th Century CE, which ended with the establishment of Zobethos as the state religion of the Empire. Despite this, the Symmerians made little to no effort to convert their various subjugated tribes to the faith, owing to the retention of traditional Hellenic world views regarding the natural diversity of the world.
Funeral rites were of immense importance to the Symmerians. Burials and cremations were the most common forms of entombing the dead, and nobles were often buried with a variety of grave goods. Funerals were a deeply ritualistic matter and giving the honored dead a proper burial was of supreme importance for the Symmerians; recovery of the dead after battles was almost always attempted, and sometimes bargained for with an opposing army. Funeral practices remained largely the same even after the rise of Zobethos, indicating the inertia such a deep seeded cultural practice could carry. Specific prayers had to be said dependent on the nature of the deceased and the manner of their death (illness, old age, fallen in battle, murdered). Offerings were usually made during the funeral to ensure the individual remained tranquil in the afterlife; it was common for drachma to be place don the body to pay the toll for the Ferryman across the River Styx. During Zobethian times this was changed to a solemn prayer to safeguard the soul to the afterlife, where instead Charon would ferry them to the Garden of Gaia.
Influence from Tennai led the adoption of reincarnation as a component of Symmerian views of life and death. Reincarnation was believed to be the fate of the average individual; those neither particularly good nor wicked would be reborn into a different body. The honored dead who had lived lives of good faith and spirit would be welcomed into the Garden of Gaia, the equivalent of heaven for the Symmerians, while the wicked were banished into Hades.
Demographics
The Empire's demographics were never stable, largely due to the frequent and extensive conflicts the Empire engaged in during the Hegemonic Wars. Conquest was the primary means by which the Symmerians gained new territory, which often resulted in depopulation of many regions through conscription and subsequent casualties. The conquest of Serikos itself halved the population of the province, and by the end of the Sabrian Wars the population of eastern Siduri is believed to have decreased by 10-20% both as a result of direct fatalities and economic hardships. Plagues, famines, and civil unrest at various stages of the Empire further undermined population growth. The frequency of which conscription was implemented often resulted in a gender imbalance among Symmerian provinces; after the Second Sabrian War it is estimated women accounted for over 60% of Quenmin's population.
Most of the Empire's population resided in two main regions, the western coasts from Syara to Mansuriyyah and in the east in Serikos and Quenmin. Much of the interior was by comparison sparsely populated, including Shirvaniya, eastern Mansuriyyah, Knichus, and eastern Ruvelka. Symmeria was less urbanized than both the Acrean Empire and the Rideva Empire, although it was more urbanized than any preceding Siduri empire. The average Symmerian city numbered around 10,000 inhabitants, while the majority of the populace resided in settlements of several hundred to 1,000 citizens. The Symmerians do not appear to have favored either urban or rural lifestyles, but occasionally relocated peoples to shore up depopulated regions or invigorate local economies critical to the empire, such as mining or farming.
Calculating the total population of the Empire is hampered by the lack of any nationwide census conducted over the course of the Empire. Provinces occasionally conducted their own internal census, but this was often done inconsistently and operated under different standards, sometimes excluding slaves or children for example. Frequent population losses due to wars and famines further complicate the matter, resulting in major variances between population estimates. Atanas Dobrudzhanski, writing in 1997, estimated that at its peak in the 8th Century, the Symmerian Empire was inhabited by roughly 250-300 million people, including both citizens and slaves. Other estimates are more conservative, falling between 200-230 million, while other less reputable claims range from 350-400 million. Dobrudzhanski's estimates remain the most popular and the most supported. At the time, the Empire would have accounted for roughly 20-35% of the population of Tyran. The Crisis of the Ninth Century and subsequent periods of civil wars meant that by the 11th Century, the population of the empire had shrunk to less than 200 million, roughly a third of the population.
Symmeria's population remained among the most diverse of any Empire. At it's peak, the various people of the Symmerian Realm included Symmerians, Bosrei, Scitarians, Galanians, Kartozan, Ruvelkans, Hayren, Qatna, Erani, Kanesh, Kenaani, Irviyim, Seyhads, Khaltians, Nalayans, Tahrmirihian, Adamdar, Taypa, Odamlar, Abkai, Shirvani, Khiyzan, Kazarakhai, Imertians, Serikese, Biểc, Cham, Hmong, Zhuangs, Töbedars, Mirians, Aōteans, Sidi, and Condottiero.
Gender
The Symmerians were a patriarchal society and remained so throughout the duration of the empire. Nevertheless the role of woman gradually evolved over the course of the Empire. At the time of Orestes II women enjoyed little legal power; they could not own property, manage business, or represent themselves in legal matters without male assistance. Exposure to the culture of Tennai and Sabria saw the steady erosion of Symmerian patriarchal tendencies and women steadily gained more influence and rights. By the time of Alexarchus a woman could initiate divorce proceedings of her own accord, own her own property (which she retained control of even after marriage) and could represent herself in court. By the time of the Crisis of the Ninth Century women could even hold political office and serve as military leaders, although this remained rare. Most women nevertheless remained in traditional roles as caretakers and mothers. As in most cases in Symmerian society, the breaking of tradition was mostly accepted if demonstration of sufficient zeal was made.
Arts
The Symmerians inherited much of their artistic traditions from the Kydonians, with public displays of art including statutes, monuments, and other forms of iconography. Coins were often minted to reflect Kings, important figures, Mother Gaia, or important events and battles. Privately art fell into two domains; for the poor, it was mostly for religious, funerary, or personal usage. For the wealthy, art was often used for decoration or appreciation; commissioning sculptures or paintings of friends and family members was a common expression of admiration.Sculptures are the single most common surviving form of art remaining from the Symmerians, in no small part owing to the longevity of the material used. Heroic nudity was often the style of choice for men, especially generals.
Theater was the mainstay of performative art, followed by music. Theater was based in the Kydonian style, although unlike the Kydonians the Symmerians had little qualms about female actors participating in plays, whereas the Kydonians had instead employed men in drag or young boys to simulate the higher pitch tone of female voices. All-female acting troupes existed at times but were rare, with most troupes being male-only, and some mixed-gender. Theater productions were typically conducted in a venue similar to (if not in deliberate construction than in immitation of) amphitheaters, with a large semi-circlular audience around the stage. Unlike the Kydonians the Symmerians often blended genres, producing what modern audiences might identify as "dramadies", or the combination of comedy and drama. Recreations of classic myths were common or retellings of contemporary events, such as battles and wars, were frequent.