Remanent or Supremacy? - A Pontos AAR

[Korlon]

Introduction: The Pontic Empire Begins.

In a way, our Kingdom of Pontos can be seen as one of the weakest and the smallest, but does not every kingdom start off small? History has shown again and again; the strong will eventually fall and the next empire will take its place. Well, this is the time of Pontos; this is the time where Pontos will rule.

Our mighty kingdom came about through the death of Megas Alexandros. Our people consist of generations of Hellenes and Anatolians. Our rulers are inherently Persian. They claim to be descendents of Darius, the ruler of the grand empire of Persia decades past, though they are cultured in the ways of the Hellenes. The area is surrounded by mountains, providing a great natural defense. The grounds of our great kingdom are also very fertile, providing our troops with the necessary supplies to go long into a campaign. Another leader would simply believe our fate to be simple farmers, but not our leaders, they dream of greater things. However, even with our fertile lands, our lands are still small and our treasury empty. This will be the greatest hurdle we will have to face before our empire may expand.



To the East lies the Kingdom of Hayasdan. We are friends, for the moment. They are great horsemen and their strength is not to be trifled with; if we are to meet in battle, it would be difficult to say who would win. Our borders do not touch, but no doubt we may one day fight as it would surely be our destiny.

Further east lay the Parthians. They are great horsemen of the steppes. Their horses are large and strong, able to hold a fully armored rider upon its back as well as armaments for itself and yet still able to move faster and longer than any other horse in the region. Their skills for the bow are honed from birth and any target within 150 meters would surely be hit by these masters of archery and their composite bows. My leaders have great qualms about meeting their kind in battle though I would surely honor their help in any battle.

Just three short years ago, we were “friends” of Seleukeia, but our leaders knew that wasn’t about to last. They seized their chance when they had it and took the city of Mazaka on the outskirts of the Seleukid Empire. Seleukeia is mighty; no doubt can be placed upon this fact. However, might leads to corruption and such a large empire also means difficulty in protection. Their armies are spread thin as was the case of the Battle of Mazaka, where we lost only a few men compared to the entire garrison, which wasn’t many, stationed there.

The Ptolemaioi have an empire that rivals that of Seleukeia and we are also at war. I once instructed our leaders to try to arrange for a cease-fire with them. I was not surprised when they told me a diplomatic party was already sent a fortnight ago. At the very moment, word came back from the southeast. Our offer for a cease-fire was simply spat upon. I was hanging on the belief that they might be too busy securing their borders next to Seleukeia to be concerned with us, but I suppose I underestimated their treasury and man-power. After all, the fertile lands of Ptolemaioi rival that of our own; theirs perhaps even more fertile. Their ports and trade, compared to us, we who do not even hold a port next to the Mediterranean or the Aegean, are monstrous in scale.

In recent years, we have contacted the men of Makedonia, Koinon Hellenon, and the Getai. The town of Sinope was allied with the Koinon Hellenon when we attacked them a few months after our siege of Mazaka. As a result, we are currently at war with them. At the moment, our relations with the Getai are friendly, though as a result the Makedonians do not wish to further our relations except for a right of trade.


Current territories of Pontos as of 269 B.C.E.

These are the nations that surround us, these are the nations we must conquer. In recent years, we have traveled west and have subdued the men of Galatia as well as a few other provinces in the area. Moving southeastward would prove harsh as our current treasury and abled men cannot handle an all out attack by or on the Ptolemaioi or the Seleukidai. Thus our current goal is to subdue the independent cities of the west before we tempt our fate with the bigger powers, and at the moment, it is just as so.

- Dionysios Herakleotes, minor advisor to the Basileus Ariobarzanes Kianos