Corinthea

About

Other Names

Corinthea - Cities United

Corinthea is a confederation of distinct city states which allied in 64 BG.

Dominant Culture

Corinthean

Qulani and Treahni live in harmony within the culture and several of Corinthea’s customs can be traced back to Qulani cultural origins.

Geographic Area

Corinthea claims the South-Western corner of Annexea between the Darlom Mountains in the East, and the Merelean Sea to the West.

Population

The populace of Corinthia is mostly persons of Corinthean ethnicity, however the nation has the largest percentage of Qulani citizens among all the surface-dwelling nations of Entorais. Several cities will have enclaves of foreign immigrants as well.

Government

Corinthea has a long established culture and political system of independent city-states. They formed an alliance and mutual defence pact against foreign nations, which does little to prevent internal conflicts amongst the member states.

Oqio

Corinthea has no singular head of state, instead the Oqio of each city-state acts independently of each other and only form alliances or pacts of mutual benefit as required. While some have tried to rule multiple Cities, it usually ends badly, as the other city states will work together to block such power-mongers. The longest lasting attempt at multiple-rule was Oqio Veaxas, who took the thrones of three cities between 101 -- 103 YG. He held the triad for about three years, before an assassin's blade ended his reign in the winter of 103 YG.

The position of Oqio is hereditary, but not exactly royalty; great merchants or military commanders can aspire to rule the cities of Corinthea, and may pass on the title to their children after them. As is the case with most hereditary titles, should the deceased have no direct heirs, there is a complex method of determining which distant cousin is more close to the person who died than another. If absolutely no heir could be reasonably determined there would be an election for the position from among the strongest contenders.

The City States

Corinthea is comprised of fifteen distinct city states, each is a separate polity, although they share many customs and a common form of government.

• Miacaeci - City of the Lion
• Miaceaneniah - City of the Sea Wall
• Miacaglae - City of Summer
• Miac'Briedio - City of Tides
• Miac'Cafai - City of the Sword
• Miac'Dreuzex - City of the Cat
• Miac'Geoki - City of the Whale
• Miaciece - City of Spring
• Miacina - City of Winter
• Miaciafloa - City of the Snake
• Miac'Modria - City of the Rabbuc
• Miac'Niespi - City of Autumn
• Miac'Tetei - City of the Olost
• Miac'Tieha - City of the Hill
• Miac'Qospi - City of the Shelf

Levels

National

There is no government at a national level in Corinthea. Beyond cultural similarities and mutual interests there is little co-operation between all Corinthean cities as a whole.

City

Each city is governed independently by the ruling Oqio, who may appoint advisors or governors as they see fit. Typically this is means a group of five to seven advisors who manage various government institutions and affairs within their domain on behalf of the City's head of state. The exact division of duties depends on the city's location, resources, and circumstances.

Fief

Corinthean villages are typically operated as large multi-family communal farms with a few guild trades people and crafters. The village will work as a trade co-operative, sharing wealth and success amongst the member families based on land shares. In some villages a hierarchy based on family wealth and reputation emerges. Important decisions are made based on general consensus, or through a representative council elected by popular vote. These village councils usually consist of a half-dozen individuals, and may designate specific roles amongst the membership, but lack a consistent pattern to such distribution of duties. Villages are usually affiliated with the nearest town or city, but may favour a more distant one for political or geographic reasons.

Town

Smaller towns of Corinthea are governed in a similar fashion to the great cities, one of which they are al associated with and owe tribute to. An elected town leader, appoints a small council who help run the town and look out for its interests.

Law Making

Corinthean laws are a complex collection of edicts passed down from the Oqio.

Common Law

Some long established laws have become so established that they are protected by tradition and an Oqio would need to have a very convincing argument before the people would accept a repealing of them.

Examples of such traditional laws are:

• laws regarding inheritance of titles and property
• laws regarding military recruitment or conscription for defense of the city and its surrounding territory
• laws regarding the ownership and trading of slaves
• laws regarding the crimes of murder, theft, and destruction of property.

Enforcement

Each city state will have a established police force taken from the city's standing army. These soldiers wear identifiable uniforms and are charged with keeping the peace, and arresting suspected criminals to be brought to trial.

Courts

Formal and informal courts exist for adjudicating breaches of the law. Such courts may also oversee contract disputes if the guilds themselves are unable to resolve such matters amongst themselves. The difference in formality is largely a matter of an established local building, or a impromptu court established to deal with a specific criminal incident. Informal courts are more common in the villages and smaller towns which lack a requirement for regular legal proceedings.

Judges

Every town and city will have one or more appointed officials who act as judges in the courts. Individuals in such positions are considered experts in the laws, and generally hail from the litigants guild, although such is not a requirement of the office, it certainly helps when presiding over cases with established legal precedence.

Juries

In villages where a judge cannot be obtained within a reasonable amount of time one might face a trial by jury, wherein the village council, or a randomly selected jury presides as judge.

Litigants

Persons accused of a crime may hire a lawyer to argue their case before the courts. Those who cannot afford a lawyer will self-represent in court, but are generally at a disadvantage, as ignorance of the law is not considered a valid defense.

Punishments

In general, the punishment fits the crime for Corinthean law. Restitution is a significant part of a trials outcome, and for those who cannot pay the injured party, an appropriate corporal punishment will usually suffice. Additional fines paid to help with the upkeep of the courts are levied in an amount proportionate to the crime. Appeals for retrial or leniency are seldom granted once a judge has given a final verdict; another reason a good litigant is recommended during the trail itself.

Taxation

Taxes in Corinthea are collected on a as needed basis for specific public works projects, or levies for raising an army in times of need. Public officer earn salaries from the income of collected fees for services.

Sales

Anyone selling goods or services in a city or town market will be required to pay fees and taxes on the gross value of their product brought to market. For established non-transient businesses a monthly rate may be levied in lieu of daily fees.

Import and Export

Duties collected on goods being imported and exported from each city state.

Land

Free persons who do not own their land will pay a rent to their landlord, who may also pay tribute their town or the city state at some annual rate.

Tolls

Imposed on anyone passing through gates, across certain bridges or along established roads these taxes are collected for the local government, and help offset the public costs in maintenance and construction of such.

Public Works

Each city state builds and maintains public works for the benefit of their populace. Each polity or town government is responsible for its own areas, but generally the more urban and wealthy regions have better funded projects.

Roads

Streets, and major roads connecting cities with their associated tribute towns, are paved with cobble or flat stones. This improves travel time along these roads, due to the surface material, relatively straight lines, bridges, tunnels, retaining walls, and levelling of hills and gullies. Improved roads will have regularly placed toll houses to collect taxes and duties used for the maintenance.

Secondary roads will see some improvements to the road beds, bridges, ferry crossings, and the like as needed.

Tertiary roads are more likely just commonly used track ways that wind and twist their way through the local terrain avoiding steep slopes and other hazards. Often crossing watercourses at fords, rather than having bridges or ferries.

Irrigation

In agricultural regions systems of dikes, flooded patties, and aqueducts help spread water sources to more distant fields.

In urban centres pressurized water systems utilizing aqueducts are possible depending on local terrain. Usually there will be public fountains or wells from which water is collected and carried by household members or servants or slaves.

Slave or livestock powered pumps are used to lift water when a natural source at sufficient elevation is not available.

Most homes will have a cistern for collection of rain water, in dry seasons these may need to be filled from public water sources.

Where pressurized water systems are not practical wells will be dug into underground aquifers to provide public or private water sources.

Sanitation

Only a few areas of the major urban centres have effective sewer systems, which provide an outflow to the nearest flowing water.

Most villas and larger houses will have a latrine pit built into their basement, which needs to be shovelled out periodically by dung haulers.

Poorer homes will use simple chamber pots, and either dump their wastes into the gutter, or give it to the dung haulers when they make their rounds.

Public Baths

Bathhouses, both public and private, are available for the citizenry of Corinthea. They are regulated by the Bathers Guild, and provide a social meeting place as well as serving hygienic purposes.

Commerce

Industry

The engineers of Corinthea have long been trained by Qulani engineers living within the nation.

Trade

Each city is the hub of a small trade network, which runs resources from the furthest reaches of the territory, into the center, and manufactured goods out to the periphery. Towns and villages owe tribute and taxes to their larger protectors, and in turn receive the benefit of a centralized government, public works, and a state sponsored defensive army.

Imports / Exports

Each city state has its own unique set local resources and specialized products made from such resources. These form the majority of the import and exports both between cities, and with foreign markets.

Transportation

Primary means of transport for trade goods is in carts and wagons which traverse the maintained roads linking the major cities. Where navigable rivers are available, transport up and down river using barges or other boats is also common. along the coast boats and ships will be the primary means of transport, due to the volume of goods moveable, and speed of transit using such means.

Trade Routes

Land

There are three land trade routes connecting Corinthea to foreign nations, one runs north into Kythus, and two use passes through the Darlom Mountains to reach Waejir.

Sea

Corinthean coastal cities are both a mid point and end point for many sea based trade routes, connecting to ports in Kythus and with the Layor to the North. Longer trade routes, which circumnavigate the southern cape and enter the Torcastan Sea, will link to ports of the many nations along the interior coast.

Currency

Each of the Corinthean city state's mint their own currency, and there is variance in the relative valuation of such coins despite them being a consistent weight and purity of metal. Coins are identified by the city totem on the obverse, and denomination and common good stylized on the reverse. Several pairings are ubiquitous across the confederation. Such as a sheaf of day-grain, or a bunch of grapes - one penny; a fish, or bird - two pennies; and a rabbuc's head, or amphora - 5 pennies.

Banks / Money Lenders

The network of banks and moneylenders in Cornthean cities is nearly as robust as their Aralian counterparts. Such institutions are operated by the guild of moneylenders who hold a strict monopoly on the practice of usury. These institution also regulate the exchange rates of domestic inter-city currencies and foreign coins.

Military

Through centuries of inter-city conflict the Corinthean legions have become tested and refined into what is commonly believed to be the most effective military forces on the continent. Many foreign powers feel that it is a good thing that Corinthea as a whole has no ambitions towards expansion.

Controlling Body

Each city-state is limited to a single legion of soldiers by common treaty amongst their neighbour city states. Any effort to expand their military beyond what should be reasonable for the city's own protection would draw censure and possibly reprisal from their peers.

Size

The ideal legion numbers 5000 soldiers, many have much less than this amount, and the composition of each city's defense force is a matter of local resources, specific needs, and geographic territorial concerns.

Religion

Dominant Religion

The most popular religion in Corinthea is belief in the Twinned Goddess. Churches to Ryla and Peolu are present in every major settlement, and in smaller villages a chapel shared between the two sects is common.

City Totems

Each city-state of Corinthea has a totemic relationship with a patron figure, typically depicted as a chimera of treahni and animal. These take the role of minor deities, and while no longer considered gods outright are certainly treated with similar respect. These totems pre-date Goddess worship by several centuries, and arose from earlier clan or tribal totems of each region.

Minor Religions

Minority cultural groups within Corinthea may follow religions of their culture. There are no laws demanding or constraining who or what someone worships.

Integration with Civil

The church holds some power in Corinthea civil life and politics, but is not strongly tied to rulership or law. Within any city this association of church and state fluctuates with the whims or desires of the Oqio ruling that city.

Education

Most Corintheans only undergo formal education related to their family or adopted professions as apprentices.

Levels

Schools

Few schools exist, but those that do provide additional education for those who can afford them. Typical instruction in history, philosophy, and natural sciences.

Tutors / Teachers

Private tutors may be hired to educate students in specific topics. Typically these are the arts, singing, music, and dance.

Sages / Scholars

Experts on specific subject matter are life-long students and teachers who dedicate themselves to understanding the world. Many such individuals are associated with the church as archivists, and historians.

Literacy

Most Corintheans are only as literate as required to go about their daily lives. Depending on the guild they belong to they may have greater literacy as required.

Languages

The official language of Corinthea is Corinthean. Each city state has a regional dialect, but for the most part they can understand others from neighbouring cities.

Numeracy

Most Corintheans can count up to 100 and do simple arithmetic, but higher mathematics is reserved for scholars who have desire to understand the topic. Professions which require mathematics, such as engineers, architects, or merchantylers, will educate apprentices accordingly.

Timekeeping

Calendar

Corinthean's have devised their own Corinthean calendar composed of fifteen months, one for each city state, each with a length of forty-eight days. These are further subdivided into six weeks, each being eight days in length. The new year begins on the vernal equinox, rather than the new moon like the Saynoh calendar used most everywhere else. They count years in years of the goddess (YG).

Geography

Population Centres

The fifteen city-states ranked by population:

1. Miacaglae - pop. 99,700
2. Miac'Tieha - pop. 99,600
3. Miac'Qospi - pop. 92,700
4. Miac'Tetei - pop. 86,900
5. Miac'Geoki - pop. 83,800
6. Miacaeci - pop. 83,500
7. Miac'Dreuzex - pop. 76,300
8. Miacina - pop. 73,700
9. Miac'Cafai - pop. 67,600
10. Miaciafloa - pop. 66,400
11. Miac'Niespi - pop. 61,100
12. Miaceaneniah - pop. 59,000
13. Miaciece - pop. 57,400
14. Miac'Modria - pop. 55,800
15. Miac'Briedio - pop. 48,300

People

List of Corinthean Persons

See Also

Corinthean Culture

Corinthean Language

Corinthean People

Qulani Culture

Qulani People