Military Colonies

**Zarax** · 06-21-2009, 20:47

Hi, I was wondering if you guys could point me at some good sources about klerukoi/katiotai/liby-phoenician settlement and how the systems worked.

I'm trying to find a good way to implement it in RTW/BI but I'm not 100% satisfied by any of my attempts yet...

**Prussian to the Iron** · 06-21-2009, 21:22

isnt this already reflected in EB?

**Zarax** · 06-21-2009, 21:24

If you're referring to EB's government system yes, but not completely imho.

What EB does is more or less letting us follow the path of where historically this settlements were and not the mechanics of creating new ones which is actually my question.

**Prussian to the Iron** · 06-21-2009, 21:38

you mean............making new cities with different systems?

or do you mean expanding on the already-present system?

I myself wouldn't mind a sub-mod for EB, allowing the choice between military towns or economic towns. of course, i msure this will be present in EBII ince it is in M2

**Zarax** · 06-21-2009, 21:42

Well, my current implementation of this is a tech tree that starts with military colony (no units and penalty in farming) and develops into higher levels giving gradual access to a certain AOR roster.

To make it more accurate I would need to know how historically this kind of settlements were created and managed...

**Krusader** · 06-21-2009, 23:55

Originally Posted by Zarax

Well, my current implementation of this is a tech tree that starts with military colony (no units and penalty in farming) and develops into higher levels giving gradual access to a certain AOR roster.

To make it more accurate I would need to know how historically this kind of settlements were created and managed...

Was going to write it as a cooking recipe style, but couldn't make it funny.

The Successors created military colonies to have a source of manpower to raise troops from, but they were also meant as means to control communications routes, at least in the Seleukid kingdom. The colonies although prosperous in many areas were still islands in an Iranian sea though. Seleukid control over their lands was based on two things. 1) Keeping the Hellenistic military settlements loyal and 2) Gaining the loyalty of the native, usually Iranian, nobility.

Military settlements were usually settled along trade routes or right nearby major population centres, like a Thracian colony near Susa, numerous Greek settlements in Arachosia and in the Indus valley. This was to have troops locally available in case revolt or invasions nearby, but also to have strongholds along vital routes where trade, news and armies can go through.

They were given a plot to till land and were usually left to their own devices. Unfortunately I don't have the exact details, but it seemed to be a policy NOT to give any katoikiai polis status as that included citizenship rights and whatnot. And it seems the kleruchoi/katoikiai troops were only called up for emergencies or large-scale campaigns (which were few after 272 BC). Bar-Kochva implies this and that any fortresses, forts and towers were garrisoned by mercenaries (does not mention cities though). There is also an inscription from the days of Eumenes I of Pergamon attesting to him using mercenaries to garrison his border forts and perhaps one from Antigonid Makedonia, so there is some evidence that it was normal to do so. It does make some sense as if kleruchoi troops were constantly called upon to fight there would be fewer people to till their land allotments and if they tilled their lands the money from taxation (if they were taxed) could pay for mercenaries.

Also, another important caveat. Most military settlers were usually not native or culturally linked to the native population they settled in. The Ptolemies did not use Nubians from what I recall, as they shared cultural ties with the native Egyptians.

**johnhughthom** · 06-22-2009, 13:21

Originally Posted by Prussian Iron

I myself wouldn't mind a sub-mod for EB, allowing the choice between military towns or economic towns. of course, i msure this will be present in EBII ince it is in M2

They have already revealed what the Castle/City system will be used for, check the latest EBII preview.