The Walls of Diomedes

Emperor Diomedes led a staggering twelve legions into Karthack to try and subjugate the ancient kingdom. To that end, he conquered what is now Kurtiye, and established a network of fortresses that allowed him to funnel an enormous amount of men and supplies into Karthack from the South.
The war went very well for Emperor Diomedes at first. He burned a significant amount of the southern country and destroyed several great armies sent against him, but eventually the war reached a standstill at Kar-Karthack itself, where the Emperor's host successfully plundered the city, but were unable to take the Black Fortress at the heart of the city.
The Karthacks continued assembling armies and flinging them at the Ruvians, and eventually it became apparent that even if they successfully conquered Kar-Karthack, the Sorcerer-Princes of the other regions would fight just as bitterly — perhaps moreso — in defense of their own territory. Diomedes accepted very generous terms for his withdrawal from the country, and returned to Ruvia.
There, Diomedes used the money to construct "The Walls of Diomedes," a colossal defensive works/beautification program that still stands to this day. Massive walls covered in marble statues and reliefs that span from one sea to another, towers almost a hundred feet tall decorated with magnificent bronze beasts, and forts as beautiful as cathedrals dotting the landscape.
The idea was that in peacetime, the forts and towers could serve as temples. Today, many of the forts have been converted into churches, but the walls have become all too relevant in Ruvian politics, as any civil war would revolve around them and the provinces they divide.
Category:Fortresses