Manifest Destiny: A Massalian AAR
Prologue
Pyrrhos' death at Argos was, both for his family and the Epirote people as a whole, unfortunate. The subsequent civil strife was disastrous as the Molossian royal family was hunted down like dogs by the Chaonian aristocracy in a violent bid for power. Pyrrhos' last surviving son, Ptolemaios, was the only royal left, fleeing to Syracuse with the last remnants of the family. The Chaonian dominion was short-lived, however; with the newly-formed republican Epirote League brought to its knees by the Aetolian League and the Makedonians, Epirus as a sovoreign state ceased to exist. By that point, though, the fate of Epirus was severed from the old Molossian royal family.
For Ptolemaios knew that his beautiful home was forever barred from him. With the Hellenistic world locked in conflict from Syracuse to Baktria, Ptolemaios became merely another war refugee and, like the Phocians before him during the time of the Persian Wars, he elected to flee to the very edge of the Hellenistic world: Massalia. His wife was horrified at the decision, as was his daughter, sister-in-law, and niece. They had already escaped from Epirus with enough wealth to live rather comfortably in Syracuse, after all. But Ptolemaios knew this polis was far too much under the sway of the tyrant Hiero to allow him the satisfaction in achieving his ambitions. No, Syracuse was not enough.
But at the frontier-lands in Massalia, where life was rough and short, land sold cheaply and soldiers were in high demand. As a wealthy strategos, Ptolemaios rose quickly within the Massalian hierarchy; a true son of Pyrrhus, Ptolemaios' adventuring spirit showed no hesitation in leading a coup to overthrow the Massalian Senate and Directory of Fifteen. By the time he was 40 years old, Ptolemaios was firmly entrenced on the throne of Massalia. He was a prince happily accepted by the common Massalian citizens as a military victor and Hellenic hero, having brought back the island of Corsica and its ancient Hellenic colonies to liberty and an "alliance" with Massalia. His victories against the Carthaginians on land and sea were celebrated amongst the citizens throughout the city, and served to attract the remaining Molossos aristocrats seeking refuge from the disasters in Epirus. One of the most significant of them was a noble Molossian named Galaithos, who had served under Ptolemaios in the navy battles against Carthage. His loyalty during the coup's upheaval was instrumental in its success.
As Basileus of Massalia, Ptolemaios was concerned with the state's security. To ensure the loyalty of the newly-liberated Greek poleis, rather than annex them as Massalian possessions, he accepted the city-states into the so-called Massalian League. Although it kept the Hellenes content, it was a clever ruse; this "federation" of Hellenic colonies and poleis was strongly dominated by Massalia itself. Like the Delian League of past years, this was no league of equality, but something close to an empire.
Theoretically, Ptolemaios' position as basileus was supported by the Senate and the Directory of Fifteen, but in practice, everything depended on the military and his popularity amongst the people. Ptolemaios knew this, and he was not blind, for he could see the embittered glances of the senators and directors. For his family's survival in the long-term, he arranged his daughter's marriage to the son of one of Massalia's three executive directors. A young boy at the time of the marriage, Dorieus was a loyal, intelligent, and popular Massalian Hellen. He would one day inherit his father's position in the senate, and was the key to Ptolemaios' plan in further cementing the monarchy in Massalia's aristocratic republican politics. This political marriage, meant to tie the Senate to its new overlords, would serve as the base for Ptolemaios future plans: the acceptance of aristocratic Hellenes into the highest ruling class.
With Massalia and its sister-colonies firmly held within Ptolemaios' fist, the Hellenistic world may begin seeing some change. What Megas Alexandros had done with the east, Ptolemaios Aiakides may well do with the west. This is his dream, after all. But together with the many Hellenistic monarchs of his age, be it his blood relative Ptolemy Philadelphos, Kassandros, Pharnakes, or even Hiero, one must not forget that Ptolemaios is getting old. People will always dream, but they will not always live.
Nevertheless, the Aiakide name refuses to die. In spite of the suffering and casualties, Ptolemaios did indeed escape from Epirus, and his wife gave birth to a fine son. One day, perhaps he will outshadow his father as Alexandros outshadowed Phillip.
NOTE: Well, here's the new prologue. Too bad I lost my first savegame, but this one is good enough. Be on the watch for the first chapter!
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Re: Manifest Destiny: A Massalian AAR
from Megas Methuselah, for some information on Greek colonies in Iberia.
Originally Posted by V.T. Marvin
- Horseman of the 
RESPECT
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