Well, the Saints lost again yesterday making our record for the season an impressive 0-2. This calls for an official sob session and all faithful Who Dats are invited to join.
On a brighter note, I'm officially starting my very first multi-chapter story. I'm excited for this one because it will be a (somewhat) historical alternate universe. For as bad a band as Cold Play is, I'm actually quite fond of their song Viva la Vida which I'm guessing is based on the French Revolution. After listening to it, I figured that I was inspired enough to write this piece of work. In this world, the Age of Colonization is in full swing and monarchs are determined at tightening the reigns on their largely autonomous vassals. The story details the same attempts at centralization in the Kingdom of Atlantis and the many events that transpire because of these policies.
I have a good idea of where I want this story to go, so now it just depends on how I fill it. I plan to update as regularly as possible, but don't hold me to it. I don't want to make promises that I can't keep.
Disclaimer: I do not own the Percy Jackson series or its characters. They are the creations of Rick Riordan.
"For it is related in our records how once upon a time your State stayed the course of a mighty host, which, starting from a distant point in the Atlantic ocean, was insolently advancing to attack the whole of Europe, and Asia to boot. For the ocean there was at that time navigable; for in front of the mouth which you Greeks call, as you say, 'the pillars of Heracles', there lay an island which was larger than Libya and Asia together; and it was possible for the travelers of that time to cross from it to the other islands, and from the islands to the whole of the continent over against them which encompasses that veritable ocean. For all that we have here, lying within the mouth of which we speak, is evidently a haven having a narrow entrance; but that yonder is a real ocean, and the land surrounding it may most rightly be called, in the fullest and truest sense, a continent. Now in this island of Atlantis there existed a confederation of kings, of great and marvelous power, which held sway over all the island, and over many other islands also and parts of the continent."
- Plato, 360 BC
Chapter 5: The Kingdom of Atlantis
The Kingdom of Atlantis, the northern Italic monarchical state and not the presumptive ancient empire from before the First Era, was founded approximately twelve centuries ago and can trace its roots back to the middle of the Second Era. Many understand this time period as the "Golden Age" of the Aegean region, when the many seafaring city-states of the Graeci dominated the trade routes of the Mediterraneo. While popular study often refers to this rich piece of the historical timeline, it is just that – a piece. While the Graeci expanded their overseas empires and celebrated their victories over the Orientals of Persia in a period marked by extensive advancements in science and the arts, interesting developments along the Italic peninsula laid the foundations for what would become the greatest empire known this side of the Fertile Crescent. Yes, even before the rise of the Hellenistic kingdoms that marked the end of the Second Era, important events were transpiring among the Italic peoples that would eventually lead them to prominence in the known world.
Most know the legend explaining the origins of the Latins; after all, who can forget the epic journey of Aeneas and the grand exodus of his followers from Troy? What story can be more fantastic than that of his supposed descendants Romulus and Remus, two orphans taken in by a she-wolf to suckle at her teat and be raised as part of her own litter? While the exact events pertaining to the trials of the Trojans are a subject of scholarly debate among experts on the First Era, it is generally accepted knowledge that the tales of Romulus' triumph over his brother Remus are that of fiction. No historian is sure about the exact establishment of the city of Rome, but theories abound. Regardless of how it was founded, scholars understand that Rome in its earliest existence was a small farming community ruled over by very wealthy, influential families.
In the midst of all the incredible eccentricities concerning the roots of the Latins, many often overlook a much more mysterious story of inception; it is sad that even with their preeminent status in the modern world, few know the stories concerning the Latins' cousins to the north. The myths and tales that define the beginnings of the Atlanteans are truly the stuff of legend. Some theorize that before the First Era, with its ancient kingdoms and their palace economies, there existed a super continent in the "mare magnum" that envelopes the west of the continent of Europa far beyond the Pillars of Heracles. This supercontinent, known as Atlantis, was believed to stretch the length of the Oceano Atlantico. Many proponents of this theory point to two curious island chains off the coast of Hispania as evidence, what the western Iberians dub as Madeira and the Açores.
It is claimed through local legend that they were once part of a great island that was suddenly swallowed by the sea. This coincides with the writings on Atlantis from the Greek philosopher Plato, as proponents of the theory so love to point out. Most believe that these stories are just the remnants of the oral traditions left over from when the Graeci established their colonies along the coast of Hispania. If true however, the magnitude of such a catastrophe would surely contest with, if not supersede, the events that brought about the abrupt end of the great civilizations of the First Era; Mycenae and Aegyptus being two examples. Unfortunately, this is where the sad story of the Atlanteans begins.
According to legend, long before the sinking of their continent and longer still before the hunter-gatherers of Europa were able to establish civilizations of their own, the Atlanteans created a grand empire spanning over the entirety of the continent. The few who survived the events that ended their civilization fled to their colonies in Libya, but if Plato's accounts are to be believed, the ancient Atheniens had already driven the Atlanteans from the continent of Africa. With no holdings left and too few in number to retake the lands they had lost, the Atlantean refugees migrated north to Hispania and settled among the native Iberians.
In the songs shared by those claiming to be their descendants, the Atlanteans were eventually banished by every people with whom they tried to find refuge and they slowly made their way east with every passing century. It is difficult to believe that the Atlanteans would be able to keep a strong sense of ethnic identity after so long a time and after living amongst so many different peoples, but their trials surely spurred them into grooming a tight-knit clan and this may be the precursor of the well-known Atlantean pride that we see today.
Whether this story of Atlantean doom is generally accepted or not, we do know for a fact that around the middle of the Second Era, the Atlanteans made their way to the Italic coast where they started to settle among the local Liguri. After tense land disputes spilled over into open violence, the Atlanteans were expelled once again; however, this time they would be welcomed with open arms by their new hosts, the Etrusci.
The Etrusci were an advanced people who were greatly influenced by the classical Graeci. By exploiting the higher knowledge of the Hellenic kingdoms, they held numerous advantages over the surrounding communities and subsequently ruled over the center of the Italic peninsula with absolute authority. The reader may remember from their history lessons that the Latins, another influential Italic tribe, had once paid fealty to the Etrusci.
The development of the Latins and Atlanteans differed greatly; while the Latins abhorred Etruscan rule and viewed them as tyrants, the Atlanteans viewed them as saviors and were delighted to be a subject people under the Etrusci, who even granted them the fertile plains surrounding the River Po. It is possible that the Atlanteans enjoyed preferential treatment from the Etrusci, as evidenced by the fact that any known Etruscan texts commenting on the matter normally recount the Atlanteans in a positive light. The Etruscans seemed to value the Atlanteans for their distinguishing physical traits. The Atlanteans are a tall and handsome people; their distinct fair hair, high cheekbones, and light eyes being the admiration of many a courter.
The Atlanteans seem to think highly of their characteristics as well; it is commonly known that among the aristocracy, there are efforts to keep the blood "pure". This is ironic because while one will find the purest blood among the Atlantean elite, their customs are distinctly non-Atlantean. With the nobility adopting any number of changing styles that are viewed as the most "modern" of the time, one must observe the lives of the more mixed-blooded lower class in order find a rich and vibrant Atlantean culture. It is interesting that the pride of the nobility comes in the purity of their lineage, while the knaves concern themselves with carrying on the traditions of their forefathers; but if one looks at societies across Europa, the same conclusions can be made of all men.
It is a fact that both societies were highly influenced by the Etrusci in one way or another, whether the Latins liked to acknowledge it or not, and we can see this through their knowledge of engineering sturdy roads and building complex systems of aqueducts. But, the Latins rejected all forms of Etruscan government and after rebelling against their overlords, established a representative system known as a republic. By contrast, the Atlanteans enthusiastically embraced Etruscan culture and created a strong, centralized oligarchical government presided over by the royal family. The animosities left over from this division can still be seen today in the form of intense rivalry between the Italic peoples of the north and south. It is important to note that the swift naturalization of the Atlanteans into Etruscan society along with the relative resistance to Germanic cultural influences after the Lombard invasion, accounts for their society's peculiar dialect and traditional customs when compared to other cultures dotting the north of the peninsula.
By constructing port cities along the mouth of the Po, the Atlanteans were able to quickly establish themselves as competent merchants and amassed significant wealth through trade. They were a middleman for the goods traveling between Hellenistic Graecia and the Italic Peninsula and as a result, were exposed to the many different cultures of the various traders docking their ships at port. With the later construction of the Via Flaminia, merchants could easily cross the Apennines on their way to Rome without having to board a trading vessel. This constant influx of new ideas led to a very open-minded and cosmopolitan culture as opposed to the stoic, conservative society of the mainly agrarian Latins.
When the Latins began their conquest of the Italic Peninsula, the Atlanteans came to the aid of their Etruscan allies. After many years of bloody fighting, Rome and her Latin allies completed the destruction of Etruscan society and claimed the lands of Toscana. The Atlanteans, finding themselves without their longtime friends and growing increasingly politically isolated, formed an alliance with their neighbors to the north, the Veneti. This alliance was able to hold off Latin advances for some time and the Latins were only able to take the fortified port cities of the north once the Atlanteans were assured the full rights of citizenship in the growing Repubblica Romana. This initially uneasy cooperation between the militaristic Latins and entrepreneurial Atlanteans, laid the groundwork for the rise of an empire that would dominate the region for centuries to come.
After the collapse of the Western Roman Empire brought about the end of the Third Era and the onset of the Age of Darkness, it is known that the Atlanteans were able to survive the ruin of the West by staying connected to the East. The newly formed Kingdom of Atlantis retreated behind its cities' walls, intent on insulating itself from the degradation of society.
The old alliance between the Atlanteans and the Veneti remained relatively intact and even strengthened with the establishment of the coastal city of Venezia. The local population and migrating Roman refugees that founded Venezia looked to Atlantean prosperity as a model for their city, thus leading to the current Venetian oligarchy of powerful merchant families. The commonality between these two governments allowed for a powerful and mutually beneficial Atlanto-Venetian monopoly over the Oriental spice trade. Combined Atlantean and Venetian fleets can still be observed patrolling the trade routes of the eastern Mediterraneo.
This combination of wealth, security, and a link to civilization meant that the Atlanteans would become a powerful force among the weak and divided Italic city-states that were left in the wake of the empire's collapse. To this day, the Kingdom of Atlantis has played a major role in the region's politics and has kept the peninsula's city-states relatively independent of the larger nations surrounding them. In many ways, the Rebirth of Greco-Roman culture started within their cities as they never lost their cultural ties to the thriving Greek Byzantines and were well suited to lead the revitalization of the classical arts.
Aside from the Black Death that plagued the Continent only three centuries ago, it seems that the Fourth Era has indeed been kind to the Kingdom of Atlantis.
As a people, the Atlanteans viewed themselves as the protectors of the fallen empire and everything it represented. In an increasingly chaotic world, they were the last remnants of order and stability brought about by civilization. As such, they took pride in recovering and revitalizing the grandeur that was the former empire. This sense of purpose, the introduction of civilization to uncivilized peoples, would eventually drive their interest in the colonization of the New World leading to one of the largest and wealthiest of overseas empires among the modern states. And now we find ourselves in the light of the Fourth Era with the proud and optimistic Atlanteans leading the way. The Gods only know what the future will bring, but through the careful study of history, modern communities can avoid repeating the mistakes of the past that led to the downfall of civilizations far greater than our own.
Chapter 6: The Kingdom of Castilla
The Kingdom of Castilla is an Iberian state that was founded –
Annabeth closed her book. She knew that if she read another line she would throw up; her eyes felt as if they would pop out of her head at any moment and she seemed to have lost her bearings from the worsening bout of dizziness. She looked to the cover of the large tome: An Inquisitive Account of the Histories of the Various Peoples and States of the Western World by Lorenzo Ludovici.
It made for an interesting read, but Annabeth could not find herself to carry on, so instead she looked around to take in her surroundings. She was traveling by carriage to the Atlantean city of Ferrara, the current seat of the Atlantean court. She had been to the capital city many times as a small girl and it was beautiful to say the least.
Annabeth was born of an influential Atlantean merchant family and her father owned many homes, so she was able to travel to all the great cities of Italia in her youth. She spent her childhood studying among the best tutors the region had to offer, her favorite subjects being that of architecture and history. And as far as she was concerned, Ferrara had the best of both. The buildings in the city were extravagant, yet somehow retained a sort of elegance. She had been to such cities as Roma, Milano, and Venezia, but nothing they had to offer even compared to the cityscape of Ferrara. She couldn't wait to get there!
She had been excited beyond all belief when her father had told her that she would be attending the court of King Luke and all she could do to make the time fly by was read the texts her tutors had given her to study. Thankfully, her week long journey was coming close to its end. Annabeth drew the curtains apart and stared out the square looking hole to see rolling fields of wheat and other grains. It was near the harvest season, so she was sure that in each of the little cottages dotting the countryside, the farmers were preparing their horses and plows for the upcoming labor. The gentle rocking of the carriage traversing the cobblestone road made Annabeth's eyes heavy, and before she knew it darkness had overcome her vision as she slowly drifted off to sleep.
A/N: I apologize for the dry historical accounts presented at the beginning of the story. I wanted to give a detailed introduction to the setting of the story and this is all I could come up with. I was forced to depict the history of the world in the form of a school book. I know, boring right? Unfortunately, it had to be done, or else I'd feel that you guys would become confused with the setting and what's going on.
Obviously, Italian is the spoken language of the people in this setting, but Latin still is the official language of the established church of the time. In this universe, the original Greco-Roman pantheon of gods is still worshipped as Constantine never converted to Christianity. This religion eventually spreads throughout the continent just like Christianity in our universe. Also, since Christianity was never fully accepted by the majority of Europa, I had to refrain from using BC (before Christ) and AD (Anno Domini) in my dating. I instead settled for "Eras", time periods that coincide with the rise and fall of major civilizations.
One major deviation from history is, of course, that of the Atlanteans. While the Lombards were the major Germanic tribe to settle in northern Italy, they could not drive out the Atlanteans thus leading to a different north Italian culture all together. However, this doesn't mean that many northern Italians don't have Lombard blood. The German influence in Italy is still strong, as it is in the rest of Europa.
It must be noted that the book Annabeth was reading is an older book and DOES NOT take into account the results of the Thirty Years' War which the Kingdom of Atlantis will have been affected by. These effects will be the driving points of the story and will be explained in later chapters.
I know this must be confusing to some of you and again I apologize, so I will be happy to take any PM's concerning the history or various themes of the story. Ask me anything and I will send a reply to your various questions and concerns as soon as humanly possible.
I hope you guys liked the first chapter. Reviews are appreciated. Have a good week!