This is a great timeline, and I think that Endymion is basically going to have to create new religions for this ATL. I mean, I see the 'BC' in all of the dates, but I assume Christ is butterflied away(or at least St. Paul). I have never really followed an ancient timeline before this, and this is too good to pass up. I do think it will get difficult if Endymion decides to take this to modern day though, since it becomes less and less structured. Are there any other timelines that start so far back and yet move up all the way through history?
- Status
This is a great timeline, and I think that Endymion is basically going to have to create new religions for this ATL. I mean, I see the 'BC' in all of the dates, but I assume Christ is butterflied away(or at least St. Paul). I have never really followed an ancient timeline before this, and this is too good to pass up. I do think it will get difficult if Endymion decides to take this to modern day though, since it becomes less and less structured. Are there any other timelines that start so far back and yet move up all the way through history?
This is one of my favourite ongoing TLs and I always make sure to check for updates whenever I log on. Do continue!
Well, there was Robertp6165's "Ancient Egypt Survives" TL, but that was kinda deliberately ASB.
Bruce
Deleted member 5909
Organization of the Argead Empire
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Above[FONT="]: A scene from an Armenian rock relief depicting King Alexandros V Eupatōr (right), crowned and holding a lotus flower, with his satrapēs, Artostēs (left), shown bearing a shield. Dated year thirty-five of Alexandros Eupatōr Theos.
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Alexandros Basileus Theos inherited a tested and efficient administration from his Achaemenid predecessors. This already effective system has been further improved by the successors of King Alexandros Basileus, who have introduced reforms influenced by both their Macedonian origins and also neighboring states, such as the Roman Republic. One such reform, and arguable one of the most important promulgated, has been the establishment of Attic Greek as not only the language of the royal court and aristocracy, but also the official language of the empire and its administration, replacing Aramaic. This was first officially declared in a royal order issued by King Alexandros Basileus in the thirty-sixth year of his reign (300 B.C.), and has been in place ever since.
The Argead Empire is divided into nearly forty provinces, each under the command of a satrapēs, a provincial governor appointed by the Great King from Babylōn. The satrapai are drawn largely from the ranks of stratēgoi and thus are required to have both military and civil experience. Further, with very few exceptions, they are appointed from the nobles of the ruling elite alone, who as a matter of custom have an established monopoly over the highest positions in the royal administration. The satrapēs acts as the Great King’s personal representative in the province, enforcing his laws and decrees, overseeing the local government, and commanding the provincial garrison. The satrapai are also charged levying troops, one of their most important administrative duties.
Due to the great amount of power that they possess, the powers of the satrapai have been greatly curtailed over the history of the Argead Empire by successive Great Kings, to prevent any potential revolts or loss of royal authority in the provinces. The first of these reforms was instituted by King Alexandros Basileus in the fortieth year of his reign (296 B.C.), limiting their term of office to no more than ten years. This greatly served to decrease their power base, as previously most satrapai served for life and had accumulated enough power locally to make their office a de facto hereditary one. The second major reform was issued by King Alexandros IV Sōtēr in 274 B.C. This law, mostly in recognition of the failure of his administration to implement the earlier reforms of his father, severely curtailed the powers of the satrapai, limiting them to terms of only three to five years of service in each respective province, and reassigning the collection of taxes to directly appointed royal officials. From this point onwards, the satrapai have been a class of courtier administrators, generally being recalled to Babylōn and transferred to another province after the expiration of their services. This policy has been widely effective, and ensured that no single subject becomes too over mighty during his service to the Great King away from the court.
It should be noted that in times of particular crises or need, the Great King will appoint a hyparkhos, or vice regent, to oversee a particular region or military theatre. These extraordinary officials, usually appointed from the most experienced of the Great King’s stratēgoi, serve not only as military commanders but also civil governors, having authority over all the satrapai within their region of command.
The satrapēs is assisted by a series of civil servants appointed directly from Babylōn to assist him and ensure that regular reports reach the royal court. Though in the early Argead Empire these officials were mostly recruited from the ranks of the minor nobility, by the reign of King Alexandros V Eupatōr, the Argead Dynasty has come to rely increasingly on the use of eunuchs in the civil service, which has the effect of confining the minor nobility increasingly to service in local government. The Great Kings see eunuchs as far more loyal and trustworthy, and by the early second century B.C. they are known to fill much of the middle levels of the royal administration. The primary assistant of a satrapēs is the logothetēs, or royal secretary, who acts as virtual second-in-command of the province, overseeing its local government. The satrapēs is also assisted by an asēkrētis, or royal inspector and an arkhon, who acts as chief judge, hearing all local appeals on behalf of the satrapēs, along with a full staff of eunuch civil servants.
The wealth of the Great Kings is largely based on their effective system of taxation, much of which they inherited from the Achaemenids. The annual income in tribute for the Great King is valued at over 20,000 Euboean talents—a staggering sum. The currency of the Argead Empire is, and has remained since the time of King Alexandros Basileus, the drakhma. (in both gold and silver denominations). It is worth noting that the financial stability of the Argead Empire, due mainly to its location at the center of most major trade routes in the known world, has ensured that its gold and silver coinage remains stable. Thus, even Roman and Carthaginian merchants are known to prefer Argead drakhma over their own native currency. For the purposes of taxation each of the Argead Empire's provinces has a set annual tribute, which is assessed annually based on the local harvest. The collection of royal tribute in the provinces is personally overseen by an eidikos, a eunuch appointed directly by the royal court. Each province not only pays in gold and silver to the royal treasury, but also sometimes also in kind, depending on the district, with Mesopotamia traditionally also supplying eunuchs to the royal court, Aigyptos having an additional payment of grain to the royal army, and Nabatēnē traditionally giving a gift of prized Arabian horses. Tribute is collected each year in the spring, being received ritually by the Great King at Sousa from the eidikoi and provincial delegates during the equinox.
Local government has largely gone unchanged by either the Argead Dynasty, or their Achaemenid predecessors. In Aigyptos, for example, the native nomos system remains in effect, with the local nobility and priesthood serving in their traditional positions in local government. The same policy rings true for other provinces of the empire, such as Iōnia, where the Greek cities are allowed to maintain their traditional democratic constitutions, albeit modified to ensure that their sphere of influence never extends beyond civic affairs. In other regions of the Argead Empire more accustomed to autocratic rule, such as the cities of Anatolē, Mesopotamia, and Syria, local governors and magistrates are appointed directly by the royal court, though the Great Kings make sure to only select officials from the native nobility. Even in India, the native Kshatriya and Brahmin castes continue to fill local positions of authority, while in Ioudaia, the mysterious kohen priesthood of the Hebrew peoples has been largely left to administer the city of Hierosolyma.
The royal civil service and administration is made possible by the wide network of communications first instituted by the Achaemenid Dynasty, and later expanded by the Argeads. The main roadway of the Argead Empire remains the Royal Road, a vast highway stretching from Sardeis in Lydia all the way to Sousa. The other primary roads are the Alexandreia Road, which extends from Babylōn to Kyrēnē, and the Oriental Road, which winds its way from Persepolis to Taxila. These are joined by a large network of secondary roadways stretching across the empire. The system of royal couriers adopted from the Achaemenid Dynasty also secures speedy correspondence by posting mounted messengers at every city along the major highways; thus, via the Royal Road, a message from Sousa can reach Sardeis in just seven days (something that would take a man on foot over ninety days). The royal roads not only ensure efficient communication, but also guarantee a smooth system of trade and commerce in the empire.
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Deleted member 5909
You're quite right in assuming my intentions to butterfly Jesus away, as it seems the most logical decision in TTL. However, the only reason that I have continued to use OTL dating systems at times, such as B.C., is more for the sake of clarity, and due to the fact that it is easier to conceptualize for the reader. Nevertheless, I must say that in TTL the Argead Calendar (calculated from Year 1 in OTL 808 B.C.) remains the standard, with most dates being counted from the regnal years of the contemporary king.
Oh, and I would like to state for the record that I only plan on continuing TTL to the fall of the Argead Empire (though I'm not discounting the possibility of any spin offs in the future). But don't worry, the Argead Empire still has at least two or three good centuries left in it, if not more. By now I'm sure that it's obvious that the empire is on the path to becoming Rome's primary rival in TTL.
And who knows? They may just outlast their enemies in the west. Then again, nothing is permanent, either...
Edit: I've edited the section about the Argead Royal Calendar in the previous post on the king and his court. Feel free check it out.
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Good update.
Thing is, how mysterious is the Hebrew priesthood? All the Argeads would need to do is read the Torah to see the operating instructions.
About the eunuchs, over-reliance on eunuchs became a problem for the Chinese emperors in OTL. It might be a problem for the Argeads in TTL.
Thing is, how mysterious is the Hebrew priesthood? All the Argeads would need to do is read the Torah to see the operating instructions.
About the eunuchs, over-reliance on eunuchs became a problem for the Chinese emperors in OTL. It might be a problem for the Argeads in TTL.
As time goes, will the Royal Argead Cult-centred religion of the Empire begin to employ a professional priesthood and scripture-based doctrine, perhaps influenced in part by the Avesta, or would some brand of Hellenistic style Neo-Zoroastrian cult develop out of all this?
Even if the Empire under its current dynasty doesn't last, would there still remain a large Middle Eastern super-state stretching from Syria to eastern Iran survive down the centuries under different dynasties, like a perpetual counterpoint to China?
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Deleted member 5909
You know, I never thought much about the Post-Argead period until now. That seems like a splendid idea! As I said, there may be a spin off TL in the future; we'll just have to see...
Deleted member 5909
True, but remember, much of the ancient world considered the Jews to be a mysterious and odd sort, since they only worshiped one god and had a set of obscure scriptures. Without the Diadochi, there is no push by Ptolemy to translate the Torah into Greek, and, without any Diadochi wars, there is no interest of opposing powers in Judea--it just remains part of the southern reaches of the province of Syria.
Also, the tolerance which the Hebrews have been treated with by the Argeads means that they'll probably just continue to exist as an obscure religious sect in Judea
Deleted member 5909
Also, just out of curiosity, I'm considering editing the dating system here to reflect the Argead Calendar in TTL. Would anyone prefer this, or is the common reckoning in OTL sufficient and less confusing?
I prefer Anno Domini myself. You just don't gain much while increasing confusion greatly when using an artifical calender. Maybe an occasional reference to the year as locals reckon it, but that's it.
Do the Argeads have any contact with the Han dynasty in China? King Mithridates would be a contemporary of Han Wen Di, one of the greatest Han Emperors, and the Han are also the only state in the entire world that is more populous and wealthier than the Argead Empire. We are also not too long before Ambassador Zhang Qian arrives in Central Asia looking for trade and allies against the Xiongnu. A larger and more powerful state in Central Asia, particularly if the Yuezhi and other nomads bounce off their defenses might attract the attention of the Han Court a few decades earlier.
Do the Argeads have any contact with the Han dynasty in China? King Mithridates would be a contemporary of Han Wen Di, one of the greatest Han Emperors, and the Han are also the only state in the entire world that is more populous and wealthier than the Argead Empire. We are also not too long before Ambassador Zhang Qian arrives in Central Asia looking for trade and allies against the Xiongnu. A larger and more powerful state in Central Asia, particularly if the Yuezhi and other nomads bounce off their defenses might attract the attention of the Han Court a few decades earlier.
In my ATL project, I just align the ATL and OTL dates side-by-side.
Central Asian groups like the Saka and the Yuezhi/Tocharians seem like interesting groups. Even OTL Greco-Bactria was gradually overrun by them, whom in turn adopted Hellenistic cultural traits. Would we be seeing a later analogy here?
Deleted member 5909
We've already seen some of the effects. If you remember, the Scythians (the Greek term for the Yeuzhi) did attempt an invasion of Bactria, but were unsuccessful, though they were able to overrun most of the Argead Indian possessions. Of course, that doesn't mean that they won't be any future trouble, just that the abandonment of much of India allows the Argeads to consolidate and secure their eastern frontiers for now.
I like the idea of contact with Han China, however. Expect to see some interesting developments in that area in the near future. We just may see the first Chinese embassy in the history of the Argead Empire during the reign of King Tiridates II--after all, the Argeads may have heard tell of the Han Empire in the far east, but vast distances and a lack of any direct contact have thus far prevented much thought or policy in that direction. Key words being thus far...
Nice! Again, this is one of the very few ancient TL's that have kept me very interested. Nice job.
Keeping it in BC/AD would be best. One of the weaknesses of some of the Roman TLs I've read is they keep it in Ab Urbe Condita (the pre-Christian Roman dating--from the founding of the city) and mentally translating it is a pain.
Even without the Diadochi wars, couldn't someone have an interest in these "Jews" and see what makes them tick? Particularly if the court religion takes a monotheistic turn (Zeus-Aheruzada?) and the rulers grow curious about this other monotheistic religion.
Even without the Diadochi wars, couldn't someone have an interest in these "Jews" and see what makes them tick? Particularly if the court religion takes a monotheistic turn (Zeus-Aheruzada?) and the rulers grow curious about this other monotheistic religion.
Due to the large Iranian population, I reckon that any Monotheistic development may be influenced by Zoroastrianism. With some of its adherents probably resentful of the past Macedonian conquest. A possible future scenario might be that a new Iranian dynasty were to rise to power in the wake of the Argead collapse, they might ally themselves with a powerful underground movement of Persian zealots whom yearn for the past glories of the Achaemenid era.
If the ruling powers maintain Polytheism, they could be in a position to re-mold, regulate, and centralize all religion within the Empire without offending the piety of the subject provincials. Create a new full-time clerical structure that unites all or most of the regional cults. Religious officers or "Episkopoi" (Overseers/Bishops) could be appointed by the Basileus to administrate over the various priesthoods within the Satrapy, perhaps.
And this may not be be too important to the overall picture, but another, if often overlooked, hotbed of Monotheism would be the Getae tribes that lived south of the Carpathian mountains. In the First Century BCE, Burebista, a contemporary of Julius Caesar, united the Getae/Dacian tribes, conquered swathes of land throughout the Balkans, and was a follower the mysterious Healer-God Zalmoxis, even going as far to reset his people's calender to the year of Zalmoxis' alleged birth in the 700's BCE. Just thought I'd put that last one out there.
If the ruling powers maintain Polytheism, they could be in a position to re-mold, regulate, and centralize all religion within the Empire without offending the piety of the subject provincials. Create a new full-time clerical structure that unites all or most of the regional cults. Religious officers or "Episkopoi" (Overseers/Bishops) could be appointed by the Basileus to administrate over the various priesthoods within the Satrapy, perhaps.
And this may not be be too important to the overall picture, but another, if often overlooked, hotbed of Monotheism would be the Getae tribes that lived south of the Carpathian mountains. In the First Century BCE, Burebista, a contemporary of Julius Caesar, united the Getae/Dacian tribes, conquered swathes of land throughout the Balkans, and was a follower the mysterious Healer-God Zalmoxis, even going as far to reset his people's calender to the year of Zalmoxis' alleged birth in the 700's BCE. Just thought I'd put that last one out there.
There's also concievable Confucian influence. Confucianism is a tremendously useful ideology/religion for a God-King and has monotheist tendencies. (in the sense of consigning all Gods and spirits to an universal and benevolent, but rather hands off Heaven) Chinese armies should be reaching Ferghana by the 110s-100 BC, and there can be a full scale exchange of religion and culture.
Deleted member 5909
Religion in the Argead Empire
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Above: Statue of the popular Persian goddess Anahita dating from the late third century B.C. Note the heavy Hellenic influences in the representation.
The Argead Empire is home to countless deities, local beliefs, and customs. Aside from these many native religions and pantheons, the empire also plays host to many schools of philosophy and mystery cults that have made themselves popular with the intellectual elite and the common people respectively. The Great Kings of the Argead Empire do not interfere with their subjects’ native beliefs and traditions, and tolerance has always been the domestic policy of Babylōn, something inherited from the preceding Achaemenids. Indeed, even at the royal court, there are a plethora of deities worshipped, both foreign and native Greek and Persian, as well as many popular philosophical forces. While the Royal Cult could be said to be the official religion of the empire, it is considered little more than a state cult, a unifying belief that exists alongside the native pantheon. However, aside from the daily rituals of the royal court, local participation in the Royal Cult is usually limited to festival days and public sacrifices, though its integration with the native beliefs of each province allows it some flexibility.
While the traditional Greek centers of the Argead Empire are the provinces of Libya and Iōnia, the Macedonian component of the ruling class has ensured that Hellenic deities have become popular throughout the empire. This is especially true at the royal court, where gods and goddesses such as Apollo, Athena, Dionysos, Hera, Herakles, Poseidon, and Zeus are worshipped alongside, and often associated with, such Oriental deities as Ahuramazda and Mithra. In particular, Zeus and Dionysos have enjoyed great popularity and a wide base of worshippers. Hellenic practices and religious customs have also influenced local beliefs, and the reverse is also not unknown. This is especially true when it is realized that Greek settlement throughout the Argead Empire has brought with it many new customs and deities.
In the lands of Mēdia and Persis, the native religion remains little changed. Ahuramazda continues to be worshipped as the great lord of the sky, though he has adopted a great many of the traits of Zeus due to Hellenic influence—indeed, the Royal Cult proclaims his worship as that of ‘Zeus-Ahuramazda’. Other popular deities of the Persian pantheon include the war goddess Anahita (identified with Artemis), the light god Mithra (identified with Apollo), the fire lord Atar (identified with Hēphaistiōn), and the victory deity Verethragna (identified with Hēraklēs). Interestingly enough, blood sacrifice was not practiced by the Persians during the Achaemenid Empire, and it is only exposure to Hellenic customs that has revived animal sacrifice, which is increasingly common even in Persis by the second century B.C. Other features of Persian religion include small temples, sacred fires, open air altars, and the existence of a professional class of priests (unlike the Greeks). It is worth noting that after years of Achaemenid rule and the settlement of Persian peoples throughout the empire, Persian deities and religious customs have become widespread.
In Anatolē, the ancient gods of Lydia and Phrygia continue to be venerated, with the worship of some even having spread throughout the Argead Empire as foreign cults. This is especially true with the worship of Kybēlē, the Phrygian mother goddess, and her consort, the castrated lord Attis, whose orgiastic cults have become popular in Syria and Mesopotamia, especially amongst aristocratic ladies of the royal court. The Ephesian Artemis is also famed throughout the empire, and while her cult is not widespread, her great temple at Ephesos remains a place of pilgrimage and veneration for many subjects. Also popular is the god Bassareus, often identified with the Greek Dionysos.
The peoples of Mesopotamia continue to practice their own native beliefs, with such deities as the war and fertility goddess Ishtar, Enlil, the sky Mesopotamian sky god, and Sin, god of wisdom. The neighboring province of Syria, too, has exported its own popular deities, such as Astarte, Baal, and Melqart. In recent years, with the accession of King Tiridatēs II Eusebēs, the deity Marduk, supreme god of Babylōn, has also begun to achieve popularity throughout the realm, mostly due to the Great King’s own Babylonian ancestry and his promotion of the god’s worship. Interestingly enough, Babylonian astrology, famed for its complexity and precision, has reached a point of reverence in the empire that borders on religious devotion in some circles, with astrologer priests often being consulted by subjects of all ethnicities before major endeavors and as a form of prophecy. Though disdained by the intellectual elite and the native religious authorities in the provinces, it has nevertheless managed to become the standard even at the royal court, though influenced to some degree by foreign Vedic and Greek traditions and learning.
In Aigyptos, the people worship their own pantheon of gods, known throughout the empire for their ancient origins and animal attributes. The Indian provinces of Indikē and Sattagydia also venerate their own deities, many of whom are similar to the Persian pantheon, such as the supreme lord Indra and the war goddess Kali. Both Aigyptos and the Indian provinces are also unique in that they not only possess a hereditary priesthood caste, but also one which holds a great deal of wealth and power, with temples owning their own estates. In India, this is taken to the extreme, with the holy Brahmin caste exercising a monopoly over power, alongside the warrior aristocracy, and enforcing the rigid local caste system based on religious teachings and interpretations, many of which are found in the collections of holy hymns and wisdom venerated by Vedic faithful.
Other, more foreign deities, whose worship was once confined to their own locality, are also becoming popular, with a widespread following. These include the Egyptian goddess Isis, famed for her mystery cult that she shares with her son Horus, and the Indian god Vishnu. The most obscure of the religions of the Argead Empire, however, are the Hebrew peoples in southern Syria. The Hebrews, who inhabit the city of Hierosolyma and the lands surrounding it, venerate a single deity, their own tribal god Yahweh, holding him to be the one true god. They are ruled by powerful class of priests and follow a strict set of laws and beliefs, set down by their prophets in the collection of holy books known as the Torah, and are often distrusting of outsiders. Aside from some of the more obscure Persian sects detailed above, they have the distinction of being the only peoples of the empire to follow a revealed religion.
Mystery cults have also gained popularity in recent years, particularly during the early second century B.C. These devotional faiths, each involving secret rites of initiation and worship, include the Mysteries of Isis in Aigyptos, the Cult of Orpheus, and those of Demeter and Persephone at Eleusis, which, despite being in enemy Roman territory, is still a great site of pilgrimage for many devotees each year. The orgiastic Cult of Dionysos has also gained considerable popularity in Babylonia since its introduction there by the King Alexandros Basileus in 306 B.C.
However, religion is not the only source of spirituality in the Argead Empire. Philosophy remains dominant in many sections of the educated upper class. Indeed, the influences of Hellas in the west and India in the east have combined to introduce an intellectual revolution from the later years of the reign of King Philippos III Euergetēs onwards. This has been aided by the foundation of the so-called Four Great Libraries, at Babylōn (by King Alexandros Basileus in 298 B.C.), Ephesos (by King Alexandros V Eupatōr in 215 B.C.), Sousa (by King Alexandros IV Sōtēr in 280 B.C.), and Persepolis (by King Philippos III Euergetēs in 261 B.C.). These massive collections of literary and philosophical works has ensured the spread of literacy and learning. Greek has thus become the language of intellectual class, with most works in the Great Libraries having been translated, or at least providing commentaries in that language. With widespread literacy and education amongst the upper classes, many new works of literature, both academic and for purposes of entertainment, abound.
The influence of the Vedic schools of thought has left its mark upon Greek philosophy; the same is also true in the reverse respect, although Hellenic influence on Academic thought can be seen to decrease the farther one travels east in India. The primary Greek philosophers still remain the respected classics, being studied in all schools as the foundation of learning; these include Aristotelēs, Epikouros, Platōn, Pythagoras, Sōkratēs, and Zēnōn. However, while these respective thinkers and their schools of thought still have their place amongst the learned elite (especially the Platonists and the Pythagoreans), they are now in competition with classical Vedic philosophy, particularly the Ajivika, Mimamsa, Nyaya, Vaisheshika, and Vedanta schools.
The teachings of the Persian sage Zarathustra compose much of the native philosophical tradition of Persis. These writings and wisdom, largely composed in the Avesta, a collection of texts and hymns dating from after 600 B.C., contain a great deal of compiled early Persian and Mede philosophy. The teachings of Zarathustra view the world in dualistic terms, and names Ahuramazda as the venerable god of light (and sometimes the supreme god of the universe, depending on the source), in opposition to the personification of evil, Angra Mainyu--though in other schools they are viewed as twin sons to the supreme deity Zurvan. While the teachings of Zarathustra, known collectively as Mazdaism, were popular with the early Achaemenid kings and their court, their popularity has been in decline since the fifth century B.C. Indeed, the arrival of foreign schools of thought from both India and Hellas has destroyed much of the remaining interest in Mazdaism, with only a few obscure sects still adhering to its beliefs by the mid third century B.C. Nevertheless, Mazdaism will continue to influence various schools of philosophy throughout the history of the empire.
Jainism, though introduced into the Argead Empire by the mid third century B.C., has not enjoyed much popularity, even in the eastern provinces. Nevertheless, it has managed to influence some of the philosophers of the Stoic school. A particular instance of note occurred in 248 B.C., when Pyrros of Sardeis, a student of the great Zēnōn of Kitieus, and his followers broke from the other Stoics at the academy in Xanthos in a schism, forming their own Pyrrhic school at Soloi. The new Pyrrhic thought current adopted a great deal of Jainist and Orphic teachings, with the students there living as peaceful ascetics. The school continues to this day.
The teachings of Siddhartha Gautama, known as Buddhism, have also enjoyed mixed success. While at one point they were studied by some of the court elite, especially after the marriage of King Alexandros IV Sōtēr to a Mauryan princess, and the events of the Mauryan embassy in the reign of King Philippos III Euergetēs, most of the interest remained intellectual and philosophical, with much of the teachings being mistaken for a widespread eastern school of thought by the ruling elite. A great deal of interest ceased, however, after the Fourth Mauryan War, mostly due to the faith’s association with the east. Further, the collapse of the Mauryan Empire in 187 B.C. has seen a general decline of Buddhism in India, with the closing of most of the monasteries by the Sunga Kingdom and the invasion of the Scythians. Though there remains a significant Buddhist population in Gandaria, Indikē, and Sattagydia, the conquest of these provinces by King Alexandros Basileus before the spread of Buddhism by the Mauryans, and thus the early integration of the Vedic caste system into the administration there, has prevented the faith from gaining popularity, especially in Indikē. Nevertheless, the Scythian invasions have seen the arrival of many Buddhist refugees in Sattagydia, who have made their mark by constructing a series of stupas in the eastern Indos Valley. Despite its lack of popularity, Buddhism has nevertheless managed to make its mark on Argead philosophy. Several Epicurean philosophers, primarily the students of Alexios of Abydos, have received its teachings with interest after the Great Mauryan Embassy; Alexios, an former student of Epikouros and an initiate in the Orphean mystery cult, is known to have adopted many of its tenants in his works (such as the worldview it purports), fusing them with similar Orphic beliefs on daily living, leading to the foundation of the so-called Dharmic-Orphean school (or Alexians) at Persepolis in 248 B.C.
From the influences of the east there have arisen the so-called Syncretic Schools of philosophy, notable for their Vedic and Persian leanings. Erasmos of Tarsos (fl. 220 B.C.), for example, retained the cosmology of Platonism, though also adopted the egalitarian elements of Persian philosophy (such as the teachings of Zarathustra) and the teachings on transcendence emphasized by the Vedic school of Vedanta. His students, the Erasmeans, founded an academy at Emesa in 190 B.C. that has become famed throughout the empire. There, they taught that all men were equal and worthy, abhorring slavery. Viewing man’s place as unique within the cosmos, they advocated transcendence of one’s existence and unity with the Demiurge of Platonism through contemplation and truth. Phraatēs of Sousa (fl. 180 B.C.), a student of the school of Aristotelēs in Sousa, adopted a great deal of the teachings of the Vedic Nyaya school on logic, adding the atomical worldview of Vaisheshika teachings, and fusing them with the wisdom of Aristotelēs and its own emphasis on logic and classification. The result was a highly efficient system of logic, with a basis in empiricist reasoning. He later founded an academy at Ephesos in 171 B.C. Finally, the innovative Artabanos of Ōpis (fl. 240 B.C.), who lived during the climatic Punic War, is known for founding the famed academy at Ekbatana. Well versed in the teachings of Zarathustra on dualism, Artabanos, himself a student of Stoicism, founded a new philosophical model based heavily upon the teachings of the ancient Vedic Samkhya school. Fusing the two views on dualism together, he postulated that consciousness and the spirit were naturally both greater and opposed to matter and the body, and thus were positive, while the physical realm was negative. To overcome the conflicting dualism of existence and illusion (and thus good and evil), Artabanos believed man must accept his fate with dignity and resignation, mostly in accordance with proper Stoicism.
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Deleted member 5909
Map of the Argead Empire, 150 B.C.
Provinces and Major Cities
A map of the Argead Empire in 150 B.C., showing its provinces, client kingdoms, and major cities. The Royal Road--the primary highway of the empire--is also shown in dark grey.
Provinces (bordered in dark red), and the estimated annual tribute received from each, calculated in Babylonian talents.
I. Thrakē, governed by a satrapēs. 120 silver talents.
II. Paphlagonia, governed by a satrapēs. 120 silver talents.
III. Phrygia, governed by a satrapēs. 120 silver talents.
IV. Iōnia, governed by a satrapēs. 200 silver talents.
V. Lydia, governed by a satrapēs. 500 silver talents.
VI. Karia, governed by a satrapēs. 150 silver talents.
VII. Lykia, governed by a satrapēs. 150 silver talents.
VIII. Kilikia, governed by a satrapēs. 500 silver talents and 360 white horses.
IX. Kypros, a client kingdom governed by a basileus. 100 silver talents.
X. Kappadokia, governed by a satrapēs. 200 silver talents.
XI. Pontos, governed by a satrapēs. 300 silver talents.
XII. Syria, governed by a satrapēs. 350 silver talents.
XIII. Nabatēnē, governed by satrapēs. 200 silver talents.
XIV. Aigyptos, governed by satrapēs. 600 silver talents and 150,000 bushels of grain.
XV. Libya, governed by a satrapēs. 250 silver talents.
XVI. Assyria, governed by a satrapēs. 500 silver talents and 500 eunuch boys.
XVII. Armenia, governed by a satrapēs. 400 silver talents.
XVIII. Mēdia, under direct royal control. 450 silver talents.
XIX. Kolkhis, a client kingdom governed by a basileus. 300 silver talents, 500 youths, and 500 maidens.
XX. Bosporos, a client kingdom governed by a basileus. 300 silver talents.
XXI. Babylōnia, under direct royal control. 500 silver talents.
XXII. Sousianē, under direct royal control. 300 silver talents.
XXIII. Maketa, governed by a satrapēs. 400 silver talents.
XXIV. Persis, governed by a satrapēs. 300 silver talents.
XXV. Parthyaia, governed by a satrapēs. 100 silver talents.
XXVI. Gedrōsia, governed by a satrapēs. 200 silver talents.
XXVII. Karmania, governed by a satrapēs. 100 silver talents.
XXVIII. Hyrkania, governed by a satrapēs. 100 silver talents.
XXIX. Sagartia, governed by a satrapēs. 150 silver talents.
XXX. Drangianē, governed by a satrapēs. 150 silver talents.
XXXI. Areia, governed by a satrapēs. 100 silver talents.
XXXII. Margianē, governed by a satrapēs. 100 silver talents.
XXXIII. Arakhōsia, governed by a satrapēs. 150 silver talents.
XXXIV. Baktrianē, governed by a satrapēs. 360 silver talents.
XXXV. Sattagydia, governed by a satrapēs. 200 gold talents.
XXXVI. Indikē, governed by a satrapēs. 450 gold talents.
XXXVII. Gandaria, governed by a satrapēs. 350 silver talents.
XXXVIII. Sogdianē, governed by a satrapēs. 100 silver talents.
(Not on the map) Saba, a client kingdom governed by a basileus. 200 gold talents, 25 tons of frankincense, and 500 white horses.
Major cities , with additional notations when necessary.
- Halikarnassos , the provincial seat of Karia.
- Ephesos , the provincial seat of Iōnia.
- Sardeis , the provincial seat of Lydia.
- Salamis , the royal capital of Kypros.
- Kyrēnē , the provincial seat of Libya.
- Barkē
- Euesperides
- Gordion , the provincial seat of Phrygia.
- Ankyra
- Mazaka
- Komana , the provincial seat of Kappadokia.
- Melitēnē
- Arbēla
- Ōpis
- Babylōn , the official capital of the empire and site of the royal mints.
- Sousa , a royal seat and the spring capital of the empire.
- Ammōneion , site of the holy oracle at Siwah.
- Alexandreia Aigyptos, the provincial seat of Aigyptos.
- Memphis
- Thēbai
- Elat
- Alexandreia Petra, rebuilt by King Alexandros Basileus and the provincial seat of Nabatēnē.
- Gaza
- Tripolis
- Byblos, one of the sites of the royal navy.
- Sidōn , one of the sites of the royal navy.
- Tyros , rebuilt by King Alexandros Basileus and the provincial seat of Syria; also one of the sites of the royal navy.
- Hierosolyma
- Damaskos
- Emesa
- Orkhoē
- Alexandreia Mesopotamia
- Ekbatana , a royal seat and the summer capital of the empire.
- Tarsos , the provincial seat of Kilikia.
- Gerra
- Alexandreia Arabia , the provincial seat of Maketa.
- Persepolis , rebuilt by King Alexandros Basileus, a royal residence and the provincial seat of Persis.
- Pasargadai , the site of the royal coronation rites.
- Mesambriē
- Hieratis
- Gōgana
- Apostana
- Artakana , the provincial seat of Parthyaia.
- Harmozeia , the provincial seat of Gedrōsia.
- Alexandreia Karmania , the provincial seat of Karmania.
- Tabai , the provincial seat of Sagartia.
- Patala , the provincial seat of Sattagydia.
- Alexandreia Opiana
- Alexandreia Arakhōsia, the provincial seat of Arakhōsia.
- Alexandreia Areia
- Artakoana
- Sangala , the provincial seat of Indikē.
- Boukephala
- Alexandreia Nikaia
- Taxila , the provincial seat of Gandaria.
- Marakanda , the provincial seat of Sogdianē.
- Kyroupolis.
- Alexandreia Eskhatē
- Zadrakarta , the provincial seat of Hyrkania.
- Sindomana
- Alexandreia Margos , the provincial seat of Margianē.
- Sousia , the provincial seat of Areia.
- Rodos
- Thōspia , the provincial seat of Armenia.
- Ninevē , rebuilt by King Alexandros IV Sōtēr and the provincial seat of Assyria.
- Ilion
- Abydos
- Byzantion , the provincial seat of Thrakē.
- Hērakleia , rebuilt by King Philippos III Euergetēs and the provincial seat of Paphlagonia.
- Sinopē
- Trapezous , the provincial seat of Pontos.
- Philippoi
- Beroē
- Odēssos
- Istros
- Pantikapaion , the royal capital of Bosporos.
- Phasēlis , the provincial seat of Lykia.
- Phasis , the royal capital of Kolkhis.
- Poura
- Zranka , the provincial seat of Drangianē.
- Baktra , the provincial seat of Baktrianē.
- Drapsaka
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Very detailed. Very nice.
Have you considered writing short stories or novels set in TTL? The amount of detail you've got in these updates indicates you've done a lot of research, so a fair bit of the work is already done.
Have you considered writing short stories or novels set in TTL? The amount of detail you've got in these updates indicates you've done a lot of research, so a fair bit of the work is already done.
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