AoE Historical Information (Campaigns)

+ The Battle of Megiddo (around 1450 BC) was the first battle that was at least decently recorded
	+ Was a battle in which Egypt, under Thutmose III, son of Hatshepsut, besieged the Canaanite city of Meggido following his defeat of a united army of the city states of Meggido and Khadesh
	+ Thutmose III handled military duties while he co-ruled with Hatshepsut, who handled domestic affairs

### Glory of Greece

* The Holy Man
	+ Player (Blue) - Greeks
	+ Palasgians (Red) - Greeks
	+ Daanans (Yellow) - Greeks
	+ Achaeans (Burgundy) - Greeks
		- Peloponnese Peninsula - area the Myceneans originated from, specifically Argolis
		- Mask of Agamemnon - golden burial mask that dates back to the 16th century BCE
		- Palasgians - term applied to the inhabitants of Greece and the greater Aegean region prior to the emergence of the Greeks
		- Dannans and Achaeans were both terms used by Homer to refer to the Greeks
		- Anax or Wanax - term used to refer to very early Greek rulers or kings
		- Greek was such a violent and fractured region because despite the favorable climate and fertile soil, it was limited due to the rugged terrain.
	+ Acropolis
		- Player (Blue) - Greeks
		- Tirnys (Red) - Greeks
			* Tirnys - Ancient fort and town in ancient Peloponnese
			* Lion Gate - ancient gate located in Mycanae
			* Acropolises most of the time served as government and military centers, with citizens fleeing to them in the vent of a siege or attack.
	+ The Conquest of Crete
		- Player (Blue) - Greeks
		- Palasgians (Red) - Greeks
		- Minoans (Yellow) - Minoans
		- Minoan Scouts (Burgundy) - Minoans
			* Minoan Crete lasted roughly from 3600 BCE to 1420 BCE
			* An eruption on Thera, an island north of Crete, likely helped lead to the decline of Crete
			* The economy of the Minoans was centered around trade and fishing
			* The Minoans are known for their vibrant frescos that depict sea life, ships, and fishermen
			* As Minoan Crete declined the Myceneans began invading and raiding in the 15th and 14th centuries BC, further accelerating Crete's decline
	+ The Trojan War
		- Player (Blue) - Greeks
		- Troy (Red) - Hittites
		- Trojan Defenders (Yellow) - Hittites
	+ Colonization of Ionia
		- Player (Blue) - Greeks
		- Athens (Burgundy) - Greeks (Ally)
		- Luwians (Red) - Hittites
		- Aegean Pirates (Yellows) - Greeks
			* Luwians - people who inhabited Anatolia. Their language, the Luwian language, went on to replace the Hittite language as the main language of the Hittite empire.
			* Starting around 1200 BCE Mycenean society swiftly entered a period of decline, possibly due to repeated invasions of Dorians, a Greek subgroup likely from the mountainous Pindus region, with Mycenae ending around 1000 BCE
			* Mycenae's decline coincided with the Greek Dark Ages, which lasted from 1200 to 800 BCE
			* Thalassocracy - maritime empire
			* Athens quickly filled the power vacuum left by the Greek Dark Ages, establishing Magna Graecia via colonization and bringing Greece into a golden age, even developing a "democratic" form of government in the late 8th century BCE
			* Ostracism - Athenian form of exile, where exile was determined by the casting of votes, via etched-on pieces of pottery. If a person received more than 6000 votes they were exiled from the city for 10 years.
	+ The Siege of Athens
		- Player (Blue) - Greeks
		- Spartan Army (Red) - Greeks
		- Spartan Navy (Yellow) - Greeks
		- Theban Army (Burgundy) - Greeks
			* Helles - Greek name for Greece
			* In the 4th century BCE the major city states were Athens, Sparta (duel monarchy), Thebes, and Corinth
			* The city states often fought and quarreled but invasions by the Achaemenid Empire could temporarily unite them in common defense.
			* Thermopylae - 480 BCE battle in which King Leonidas I of Sparta held a heroic last stand against encroaching Achaemenid forces. Occurred during a period known as the Persian Wars (500 - 450 BCE)
			* Delian League - named for the island of Delos, where the league's members held congresses initially until the meeting place as moved to Athens. Athens was quite oppressive and heavy-handed in its dealings with the league's other members, leading to it being rather ineffective and falling to the Spartan-led Peloponnesian League. Trade and naval power were its strengths.
			* Peloponnesian League - led by Sparta and included city states such as Corinth and Thebes. Its power was in its powerful land armies and slave economy. The league quickly fell apart due to conflict between its members following the Peloponnesians War and its was dissolved afterwards.
			* Peloponnesian War - 431 to 404 BCE. Began with a Spartan attack on Plataea. The Delian league was fairly successful in the beginning due to its naval power but a crippling plague in Attica as well as the disasters Sicilian Expedition severely weakened Athens and allowed Sparta to win, though Athens quickly regained independence following the war's end.
		- Xenophon's March
			* Player (Blue) - Greeks
			* Persia (Red) - Persians
			* Persia (Yellow) - Persians
			* Persia (Burgundy) - Persians
			* Persia (Orange) - Persians
				+ Xenophon was Athenian, though he mainly became associated with Sparta as he served under many Spartan generals as a mercenary and at one point was exiled from Sparta.
				+ Many Greek Hoplites went East to find mercenary work after the Peloponnesian War
				+ At age 30 he was put in command of the "Ten Thousand" who fought in the Achaemenid Empire
				+ Fought in the service of the Cyrus the Younger against Artaxerxes II
				+ Fought and won the Battle of Cunaxa in 401 BC about 7o km North of Babylon.
				+ Though Cunaxa was a victory, Cyrus the Younger fell in battle, the Ten Thousand was forced to return home.
				+ Xenophon was among the first to describe feints and flanks in battle
				+ Anabasis - book written by Xenophon detailing experiences of the Ten Thousand
				+ Anabasis is remarkably humble and self-reflective. Means going inland in Greek
				+ Cyropaedia - Book written by Xenophon detailing Cyrus the Great's rise to power
				+ Xenophon was a student and friend of Socrates
				+ Helped provide much of the information we now know about the Spartans
				+ Following Cunaxa the Persians summoned Greek commanders to a parlay and slayed them, so new commanders had to rise up to lead the Ten Thousand, Xenophon among them
				+ The Greeks had to march through Mesopotamia to reach the Black Sea to get passage back to Greece.
				+ The vast majority of Greek casualties came from the elements, though there was a bit of Persian harrassement.
				+ Eventually 6,000 of the 10,000 reach the Black Sea
				+ The march and mercenary work allowed the Greeks to gain critical intelligence on the Achaemenid Empire, assisting future Greek wars and conquest in the region.
		- Alexander the Great
			* Player (Blue) - Greeks
			* Satrapy of Lydia (Red) - Greeks
			* Satrapy of Eber-Nari (Yellow) - Babylonians
			* Persian Army (Burgundy) - Persians
				+ Battle of Leuctra - Occurred in 371 and was a Theban/Boeotian League victory over the Spartans, which ended Spartan domination following the Peloponnesian War. Around a decade later a Spartan/Athenian army was able to defeat the Boeotian League and Greece reverted back to a state where no one power dominated.
				+ Satrap - Persian governor
				+ Satrapy - Province of a Satrap
				+ Lydia - Region roughly encompassing the Western half of Asia Minor
				+ King Philip of Macedon made huge advances in warfare, greatly improving battle tactics
				+ Macedonian Phalanx - differed from the traditional Phalanx through the use of Sarissas, 6-meter long pikes
				+ Aspis - Heavy wooden shield used by Hoplites
				+ The Phalanx was supported by:
					- Peltasts - Javalin-wielding skirmishers
					- Hypaspists - lighter spearmen who protected the flanks of the heavy Phalanges
					- Sligners
					- Prodromoi - light skirmishing and scouting cavalry
					- Companion Cavalry - Heavy cavalry, usually directly led by Philip II or later his son Alexander
				+ Philip II was assassinated in 336 BC by a bodyguard
				+ In addition to restructuring battlefield tactics Philip II made extensive use of siege engines
				+ Philip defeated Thebes and Athens and afterwards formed the Corinth League which he intended to lead against the Achaemenid Empire
				+ Strait of Dardanelles/Gallipoli/Hellespont - Strait between Europe and Asia where Alexander crossed into the Achaemenid Empire
				+ Shortly after crossing Alexander stunned the Persians with a decisive victory at the Battle of Granicus (334 BC)
				+ King Darius III - King of Persia during Alexander's conquest
				+ Siege of Tyre (332 BC) - Intense siege in which Alexander attempted to build a causeway to allow his troops and siege engines to march on the city. The causeway could not extend completely because of a steep drop in water levels so siege engines were placed at the end and fired on the city's fortifications until they fell. Alexander lost a good number of soldiers during the siege and it is said this infuriated him and led to him allowing nearly half the city to be destroyed and thousands of civilians be massacred. Tens of thousands of women and children were sold into slavery as well.
				+ Battle of Gaugamela (331 BC) - Decisive victory for the Corinth League over the Persians and Darius III, was essentially the nail in the coffin for the Persians.

### Voices of Babylon

* The Holy Man
	+ Player (Blue) - Babylonians
	+ Sumerians (Red) - Sumerians
	+ Akkadians (Yellow) - Babylonians
		- The Sumer civilization lasted from 5500 to 2500 BC and is home to the earliest instances of writing, in particular the city of Uruk.
		- The Sumer civilization was centered in southern Mesopotamia, and the exact extent of its borders, influence, and actual authority is not exactly known.
		- The Sumer political system was primary one in which city-states had large degrees of autonomy
		- Akkadians - Successors of the Sumerians and hailed further north in Mesopotamia. Named for its capital, Akkad, which has not yet been found by archaeologists.
		- Around 2500 BC a man named Sargon (of Akkad) conquered the city-states of Sumer and united the Akkadians and Sumerians and in turn Mesopotamia. He is often recorded as the first recorded ruler in human history.
		- The Akkadian empire fell apart with in 200 years, around 2300 BC, due to rebellions and Gutian invaders.
		- The Guti hailed from Gutium, in the Zagros mountains.
		- The Amorites also contributed to the fall of the Akkadian empire, and eventually took control of most of Mesopotamia and even parts of Egypt from around 2100 BC to 1800 BC.
		- The city-state of Ur remained a strong force throughout this time and some of its rulers were among the rulers of the Amorite empire, a period sometimes called the Ur Dynasty.
		- Eventually the Ur Dynasty declined in power and the Amorite empire splintered into many smaller states largely centered around powerful city-states
		- Hammurabi inherited the Amorite city-state of Babylon around 1800 BC, and would eventually unite Mesopotamia again.
		- The Sumer and Akkadians had different languages, and the Sumerian writing form is called Cuneiform.
		- The Amorites were likely migrants into the region, possibly hailing from Canan, they founded many cities, notably Babylon.
		- Basic timeline:
			* Sumerian
			* Akkadian
			* Amorites and Gutians
			* Amorites
			* Third Dynasty of Ur
			* Babylonian
* The Tigris Valley
	+ Player (Blue) - Babylonians
	+ Ebla Raiders (Red) - Persians
	+ Elam Raiders (Burgundy) - Assyrians
	+ Mari Raiders (Yellow) - Sumerians
		- Hammurabi's first conquests involved the subjugation of the Sumerian, Amorite, and Akkadian city-states and kingdoms in lower Mesopotamia.
		- Following these conquests, he secured the Eastern borders by conquering Elam, located in modern day southern Itan, and the northern borders in what would later be known as Assyria by conquering the Mari and much of the Ebla kingdom
		- Following these conquests the Babylonian empire controlled the entire Tigris-Euphrates river valley. The empire quickly declined following Hammurabi's death in 1750 BC however
		- Hammurabi is best know for his Code of Laws, known as Hammurabi's Code, which was inscribed onto a stele that still exists to this day.
		- The phrase "An eye for an eye, and tooth for a tooth" comes from this code of laws, and effectively summarizes the basis for most laws and practices contained in the code
* Venegance
	+ Player (Blue) - Babylonians
	+ Babylon (Red) - Babylonians (Ally)
	+ Hittite Army (Burgundy) - Hittite
	+ Hittite Looters (Yellow) - Hittite
		- Hammurabi's empire was effectively destroyed around 1600 BC following a Hittite sack of Babylon
		- The Hittites were a Anatolian people who spoke an Indo-European language.
		- Following this a semi-nomadic people known as the Kassites, as well as other groups moved into the borders of the greatly weakened Babylon and eventually the Kassites were able to establish a dynasty centered in Babylon that controlled the river valley. This dynasty lasted from around 1450 BC to 1150 BC.
* I Shall Return
	+ Player (Blue) - Babylonians
	+ Elam (Red) - Babylonians
		- The Kassites were fairly ambitious and established diplomatic and trade ambitions as far as Egypt.
		- Eventually they came into conflict with the Assyrians and Elamites, and joined with their Hittite allies to fight this two front war.
		- The Assyrians and Elamites ultimately crushed the Kassites and Hittites, with the Hittites losing much of their territory outside of Anatolia.
		- The Kassites were able to recover and had a period of prosperity for a time until a final Elamite invasion around 1150 BC finally took down the dynasty., which was succeeded by the Second Dynasty of Isin.
* The Great Hunt
	+ Player (Blue) - Babylonians
	+ Elamites (Red) -Persians
	+ Elamites (Yellow) - Assyrians
	+ Susa (Burgundy) - Persian
		- During the Second Dynasty of Isin hostilities between the Babylonians, Elamites, and Assyrians continued, with the borders constantly subjected to raids.
		- Eventually one ruler, Nebuchadnezzar I, went on the offensive against Elam, with his first invasion failing to to a epidemic among his troops.
		- His second invasion succeeded greatly, and his army was able to defeat the Elamites and their capital of Susa was sacked. An important idol of the god Marduk, the patron god of Babylon, that was taken in a previous raid, was also recovered in this invasion.
		- Marduk was associated with the planet Jupitar.
* The Caravan
	+ Player (Blue) - Babylonians
	+ Babylonians (Green) - Babylonians (Ally)
	+ Elamites (Red) - Assyrians
	+ Elamites (Yellow) - Assyrians
	+ Elamites (Burgundians) - Persians
	+ Elamites (Orange) - Persians
		- Nebuchadnezzar I was assassinated shortly after he secured the idol. and his employee broke up into smaller states for a time, but despite this the states of Babylon flourished for a time again, until the king's successor fought and lost a costly war with the Assyrians
		- The weakened empire then came under continuous raids by Aramaean and other Semitic tribes for a time
		- Marduk was once an equal among the many other gods of the Babylonian pantheon, but following his defeat of the forces of chaos he ascended and became ruler of the gods.
		- Marduk was later accepted by the Kassites as well to better improve integration
* Lord of the Euphrates
	+ Player (Blue) - Babylonians
	+ Northern Aramaeans (Red) - Babylonian
	+ Western Aramaeans (Yellow) - Assyrians
		- Aramaeans were a group of Semitic nomads from modern day Syria
		- Between 1000 and 750 BC Babylon was in a dark age. It had made peace with Assyria so the both could focus on defense against Aramaean raids.
		- The Babylonians fared poorly and lost a lot of land to the Aramaeans, land that was eventually incorporated into the Assyrian empire which had better withstood the raids.
		- In the late 8th century BC the Assyrian empire declined and entered a period known as the Neo-Assyrian Empire.
		- During this period of Assyrian decline, Babylon was able to recover from its own period of decline
		- An Assyrian general, known as Tiglath-Pileser III, disposed of the Assyrian king in 745 BC and entered a peace agreement with the Babylonians, allowing the two powers to unite and effectively drive off the Aramaeans
		- The two powers then enjoyed amicable relations, and Tiglath-Pileser III went on the expand Assyria to its greatest territorial extant, conquering Syria, Israel, and Armenia.
		- When the Babylonian king died Tiglath-Pileser III went on the conquer Babylon, as well as Elam, parts of Egypt, and parts of Asia minor, becoming likely the largest empire in the world at that time.
		- Tiglath-Pileser IIII was likely the father of Sargon II, who has then father to Sennacherib.
		- Sennacherib would go on to raze Babylon in the late 7th century BC after a period of Babylonian rebellion. He was also know for his conquests in the Levant, which is detailed in the Bible, as well as his building projects in Nineveh, the last great Assyrian capital.
* The Conquest of Nineveh
	+ Player (Blue) - Babylonians
	+ Nineveh (Red) - Assyrians
	+ Nimrud (Yellow) - Assyrians
	+ Nineveh Defenders (Burgundy) - Assyrianns
		- Nimrud - important ancient Assyrian city with many archeological sites that were destroyed by ISIS during its occupation in 2015.
		- Medes - ancient Iranian people based out of Media, which is in modern north-west Iran. Their territory spanned all of modern day Iran, Armenia, and much of Asia minor at its greatest expansion. The empire lasted from the 700s to about 550 BC when they were conquered by Cyrus II.
		- The Arabs were an important player in the region during this era.
		- Ashurbanipal (mid 6th century BC) - ancient Neo-Assyrian king who is largely regarded as the last great king of Assyria. His brother ruled over Babylon and attempted to instigate a rebellion with other subjects of the Assyrians, but was brutally defeated by Ashurbanipal, who went on to sack Babylon and burn it's palace, killing his brother. Ashurbanipal later went on to destroy the Elamite capital, Susa, and subjugate the Elamites.
		- Ashurbanipal was a patron of the arts, building a great library in what is now modern day Mosul, known as the Library of Ashurbanipal, which contained thousands of works upon clay tablets, including the Epic of Gilgamesh.
		- Ashurbanipal's destruction of Susa and brutal subjugation of the Elamites is considered by many scholars to have been genocide, and one of the first instances of it in human history.
		- Though Ashurbanipal brought Assyria to its greatest territorial extant, his wars were very costly and he, along with his predecessors, failed to hold onto many territorial gains, notably Egypt, so many scholars credit him with the final decline of Assyria. It was during his reign that Assyria became the dominant military and cultural power of the region, surpassing Babylon.
		- In 612 BC, following years of Assyrian decline, including Scythian invasions and raids in Palestine and Asia Minor and the creation of the Neo-Babylonion empire by the Chaldeans following their capture of Babylon and Uruk, Nineveh was destroyed by a combined force of Chaldeans and Medians. Assyria effectively ceased to exist and was succeeded by the New Egyptian Kingdom, Median Empire, and Neo-Babylon/Chaldean Empire.
		- Neo-Babylonian/Chaldean Empire - 626 - 539 BCE
		- Nebuchadnezzar II was the most successful ruler during this era, successfully capturing Judah in 597 BCE and following a revolt decades later he carried off many of its inhabitants.
		- The Ishtar Gate and Hanging Gardens were built by Nebuchadnezzar II and the city of Babylon was likely the greatest city in the world at this time.
		- In 539 BCE the Babylonian empire ended by the city of Babylon surrendered without conflict to Cyrus II of Persia.

### Yamato Empire of the Rising Sun

* The Assassins
	+ Player (Blue) - Yamoto
	+ Jomon Tribes (Red) - Yamoto
	+ Jomon Tribes (Yellow) - Yamoto
		- Xu Fu - Chinese alchimest sent by Qin Shi Huang to find the elixir of life. His 2 journeys, occurred in the early 3rd century BCE.
		- It is suggested that he brought Chinese agricultural and medicinal techniques to Japan, though this is not archeologically confirmed. Chinese knowledge and culture did diffuse to Japan around 300 BC, most importantly metal working and agriculture. This period is known as the **Yayoi Period,** which lasted around 600 years.
		- Xu Fu is believed to have been an inspiration or one of the individuals who served as a composite for the legendary first emperor of Japan, **Emperor Jimmu**
		- Jomon means "cord-marked" is Japanese, which refers to the interesting pottery the culture created, some of the oldest in the world, that had designs imprinted upon the by pressing cords of rope into the still wet surface. The Jomon people were primarily hunter-gatherers and fishermen.
		- Modern Japanese are a mix of Jomon and ancient Chinese descent, with the Jomon being indigenous Japanese and the Chinese being farmers who migrated and settled in the islands, bringing about the **Yayoi Period**.
		- Prior to the **Yayoi Period**, Japan is described by the Chinese as a land of hundreds of tribes that constantly warred with one another
		- **Jomon Period** - 14,000 - 300 BCE
		- Kii Peninsula - Largest peninsula on Honshu island, located on the southern coast
* Island Hopping
	+ Player (Blue) - Yamoto
	+ Shikoku (Red) - Shang
		- Shikoku - smallest of the Japan's 4 main islands
		- Dotaku bells - bronze bells created during the Yayoi period. Were sued as warning bells for communities as well as in agricultural periods, where they were buried in the ground.
		- Yayoi people - mix of Jomon and mainland East Asian peoples
		- Chinese records indicate a civil war in Japan during the late **Yayoi Period** which led to land becoming more concentrated in the hands a a few warlords, which would lead to the establishment of the feudal Japanese socio-political structure of Daimyos and Samurai.
		- **Yayoi Period** - 300 BC to 300 CE
		- It is believed during the yayoi period that Japonic languages really started to diffuse through Japan.
		- Japonic language groupings include Eastern, Western, and Kyushu dialects
* Capture
	+ Player (Blue) - Yamoto
	+ Villages (Red) - Shang (Ally)
	+ Izumo (Brown) - Shang
	+ Izumo (Yellow) Shang
		- The introduction of rice during the earlier Yayoi and late Jomon periods really accelerated the evolution of Japan from a land of hunter-gatherer tribes into one of villages and communities. Rice caused this because it was so labor intensive, requiring large groups of people to work together to successfully produce it.
		- Izumo - Region of Japan that was one of the earlier conquests of the Yamoto
		- Himiko - shamaness-queen of Japan during the late Yayoi period. Scholars debate if she really existed, with the Chinese mentioning her in some of their records from the time while the Japanese records make no mention of her at all.
* The Mountain Temple
	+ Player (Blue) - Yamoto
	+ Kibi (Brown) - Shang
	+ Kibi (Yellow) Shang
	+ Izumo (Red) - Shang
		- Kibi was an ancient Japanese kingdom, of which little is known.
		- The period that followed the Jomon and Yayoi periods of Japanese history was the **Kofun Period**, which was named for the large, often keyhole-shaped, earthen burial mounds created for rulers and other elites during this period. The construction of these large monuments demonstrates Japan's increasing cultural and societal complexity and coincides with similar advances elsewhere in the world during that time.
		- **Kofun Period** - 300 - 600 CE
		- Some of the most remarkable Kofun tombs found today can be found in Osaka Japan, known as the Mozu Tombs.
		- During the Kofun period, Shintoism was first introduced into Japan, adopted from Chinese Shendao beliefs mingled with local traditions.
		- Shintoism is centered around attempting to connect with Kami, or spirits, associated with forces of nature.
		- The Itsukushima Shrine, which was built around the late Kofun period, is a Shinto shrine
		- The Itsukushima Shrine is in the form of a **Torii** gate
* The Canyon of Death
	+ Player (Blue) - Yamoto
	+ Mononobe (Red) - Yamoto
		- **Asuka Period:** 540 - 710 CE, named for the capital of Japan during this period, Asuka.
		- **Yamoto Period:** 300 - 710 CE
		- In the late 6th century CE conflict arose between the Mononobe and Soga clans over control within the imperial court during the Yamoto period following the death of the emperor at the time. The Soga clan promoted Buddhism and the Mononobe clan promoted traditional Shintoism. The Soga victory led to the spread and dominance of Buddhism in the following centuries
* Coup
	+ Player (Blue) - Yamoto
	+ Soga (Red) - Yamoto
	+ Fujiwara (Yellow) - Yamoto (Ally)
		- Isshi Incident and Taika Reform: Occurred and began in the year 645 CE. Involved the assassination of the reigning Soga leader by a prince who would becomes emperor Kotoku afterwards. The Taika Reforms involved many socio-political aspects of Tang China being incorporated in Japan, such as an increased authority resting with the emperor, the centralization of political power, and the spread of Confucianism.
		- During the Taika Reforms many scholars were dispatched to China to learn more about Chinese writing, agriculture, literature, religion, and architecture among other things and bring this knowledge back to Japan.
		- Ultimately the reforms entrenched Chinese civilization culture, rather than its system of governance, into Japan. Local Japanese clan leaders continued to exercise control in their respective regions but overall centralized authority did increase and their expense.
		- The role of women in Japanese public life diminished greatly with the reforms.
* Jinshin War
	+ Player (Blue) - Yamoto
	+ Emperor Kobun (Red) - Choson
	+ Asuka (Yellow) - Choson (Ally)
		- The Jinshin War (672 CE) arose in the late Asuka-Yamoto period from a succession crisis when the emperor named his son, rather than his brother, as the heir of the throne. This led to a war between the two, with the brother of the previous emperor eventually winning.
		- Not much is known about the conflict.
		- Seppuku was committed by the defeated son.
* Fujiwara Revolts
	+ Player (Blue) - Yamoto
	+ Fujiwara (Red) - Shang
		- **Nara Period**, 710 - 800 CE named so because the capital of Japan was located there.
		- The Fujiwara Revolts occurred in the early Nara period as a result of the Fujiwara clan being pushed out of valuable government positions after years of hardships.
		- The Fujiwara clan found allies in Kyushu and attempted to break away from the Yamoto dynasty, but it quicky fell apart when troops were dispatched to put down the rebellion.

### Rise of Rome

* The Birth of Rome
	+ Player (Blue) - Romans
	+ Campanians (Burgundy) - Romans
	+ Samnites (Yellow) - Romans
	+ Etruscans (Orange) - Romans
	+ Umbrians (Red) - Romans
	+ Veiians (Green) - Romans
	+ Gauls (Purple) - Romans
		- Campanians - Osci tribe that hailed from the Apennines and eventually did control cities along the cost of modern day Campania, the region of Italy in which Naples is located. The tribes fought off the Romans and Greek colonists for a time but eventually lost sovereignty during the Second Samnite War as the Romans were securing their borders.
		- Samnites - Also an Oscan speaking tribe though they remained distinct from other Osci tribes. Were subjugated by the Romans in 290 BC following the three Samnite Wars. They sided with invaders afterwards, such as Pyrrhus and Hannibal, leading to their complete loss of sovereignty and final assimilation. Livy states that the wars occurred because of the Romans seeking to defend local Osci tribes being harassed by the Samnites. Were located in the area between Rome and the southern Greek colonies.
		- Etruscans - Historically inhabited the regions directly North and North-West from Rome. Was the dominant power in the Italian Peninsula until the late 4th century Roman-Etruscan Wars. The Etruscans were offered Roman citizenship in the early 1st century BC and eventually during the reign of Caesar they were fully integrated into the Empire. Trade was very important to the Etruscans,
		- Umbrians - Italic tribe that inhabited the areas directly East of Rome.
		- Veii - Important and very wealthy Etruscan city that was located within close proximity to Rome.
		- Gauls - Celtic people that originated from modern-day France and Belgium. They spoke Gaulish and were renowned warriors.

* Pyrrhus of Epirus
	+ Player (Blue) - Romans
	+ Army of Pyrrhus (Red) - Macedonians
		- Pyrrhus utilized war elephants during his campaign in southern Italy, which marked the first time Romans fought individuals outside of the Apennine Peninsula
		- "If we are victorious in one more battle with the Romans, we shall be utterly ruined." - Plutarch wrote of Pyrrhus
		- The Greek colonists of Tarentum (modern day Taranto) requested Pyrrhus' aid
		- Pyrrhic War (280-275 BC) - Pyrrhus was of course initially successful but heavy losses led to him eventually turning his attention towards Sicily. where he was able to capture and hold Syracuse for some time before eventually being driven from there too
		- Epirus - Formed the northern portion of Greece's western coast
		- Following the Pyrrhic Wars Pyrrhus seized the throne of Macedonia and launched on invasion of the Peloponnese peninsula in 272 BC, during which his forces were repelled and he was killed during fighting in Argos.
		- During his invasion he fought Macedonian as well as Spartan forces, and his death as well as his army's defeat led to an era of Macedonian dominance of the region.

* The Siege of Syracuse
	+ Player (Blue) - Romans
	+ Syracuse (Red) - Carthaginians
	+ Syracuse (Yellow) - Macedonians
	+ Olympieum (Burgundy) - Greek
		- Archimedes - Born in the 3rd century BC in Syracuse. He was a great inventor, mathematician, and engineer. His achievements include the following:
			* The approximation of Pi, the measurement of 22/7 was used following his discoveries
			* Archimedes Screw
			* Archimedean Spiral
			* Laws regarding volume, buoyancy, and gravity
			* The volume of a sphere is 2/3 that of a cylinder encompassing it
		- The Siege of Syracuse occurred between 213 - 212 BC, during the Second Punic War, and the Romans suffered heavy casualties due to Archimedes' defences he had designed for the city. Prior to the siege all of Sicily was under Roman control save Syracuse, which was an allied independent kingdom.
		- Unlike the scenario Archimedes died during the siege, allegedly he told a Roman soldier "don't disturb my circles" right before he was killed. Like the scenario, however, the besieging Romans were commanded to capture him alive.
		- Marcus Claudius Marcellus, who was at the time consul and held that position 5 times, led the Roman assault

* The Battle of Metaurus
	+ Player (Blue) - Romans
	+ Hasdrubal (Yellow) - Carthaginians
	+ Hannibal (Red) - Carthaginians
		- Occurred in 207 BC along the Metaurus River in central Italy
		- The Carthaginians were led my Hasdrubal Barca, brother of Hannibal who has en route to bring reinforcements to strengthen Hannibal's forces.
		- Marcus Livius Salinator, along with Gaius Claudius Nero, led Roman forces during the battle
		- Gaius Claudius Nero was key to Rome achieving victory as he had been fighting Hannibal several hundred kilometers south. He left the majority of his army down near Hannibal to hold him at bay while him and a small portion of his army engaged in a forced march that went unnoticed to aid Marcus Livius Salinator. Allowing the Romans to have numerical superiority and completely destroy Hasdrubal's army and kill Hasdrubal himself. This forced march was carried out after Carthaginian messengers between the Barca brothers were captured.
		- This battle was a turning point in the war at Hasdrubal's soldiers and more importantly siege equipment were sorely needed by Hannibal, who was forced to retreat into southern Italy .
		- Hasdrubal had battle elephants among his army during the battle.
		- Nero had Hasdrubal's severed head taken south and tossed into Hannibal's camp

* Battle of Zama
	+ Player (Blue) - Romans
	+ Numidians (Burgundy) - Assyrians (Ally)
	+ Carthage (Yellow) - Carthaginians
	+ Carthage (Red) - Carthaginians
		- Occurred in 202 BC near Zama, which is in modern Tunisia
		- Scipio Africanus led the Romans while the Carthaginians were led by Hannibal
		- Though the Roman's were outnumbered, they completely routed Hannibal's army, leading to the capitulation of Carthage
		- Throughout his military career Scipio Africanus achieved great victories and feats while outnumbered
			* Battle of Ticinus (218 BC, Sicily) - The Romans were led by his father, Publius Scipio, and defeated handedly by the Carthaginians led by Hannibal. Publius Scipio was surrounded by Carthaginian forces but a daring charge by the then 16 year-old Scipio Africanus was able to rescue him.
			* In 211 BC Publius Scipio and his brother, Scipio Africanus' uncle, were killed fighting Hasdrubal in Iberia. At the age of 23 Scipio volunteered to take control of the new army headed over to Iberia. Scipio was the only volunteer, as the mission was viewed as a suicidal one.
			* In 209 BC Scipio was able to launch a surprise attack on Cartago Nova (modern day Cartagena), in southern Spain and capture the city, which was the capital of Carthaginian Iberia.
			* Scipio humanely treated prisoners or war and conquered peoples, in one instance even refusing a woman brought to him by his soldiers as a prize after learning she was the wife of a chieftain in Hispania. He instead gave her back to the chieftain, who then pledged allegiance to Rome. His efforts helped Hispania's smooth transition from Carthage to Roman control.
			* King Massinissa - Nubian/Berber king who formed an alliance with Scipio against Carthage.
			* The senate grew wary of Scipio's power and following his victories in Hispania they posted him in Sicily with only a small force under his command.
			* With this small army he sailed to Carthage. forcing Hannibal to leave Italy to mount a defense
			* Scipio's victory at Zama largely stemmed from his ability to effectively neutralize the threat of Hannibal's war elephants, which he did by causing them to panic with trumpets and opening up lanes between his infantry where the panicked war elephants could easily be cut down with minimal Roman casualties.
			* Following his victory Scipio's agreed to peace terms that were not overly oppressive to the Carthaginians, angering some senators in Rome, but he won the favor of the people and was honored with the title Africanus.

* Mithridates
	+ Player (Blue) - Romans
	+ Romans (Orange) - Minoans (Ally)
	+ Macedonia (Red) - Macedonians
	+ Pontus (Yellow) - Palmyrans
	+ Artaxiad Armenia (Burgundy) - Persians
		- Pontus - Hellenistic kingdom centered around Pontus, a region of the north-east shores of Anatolia's Black Sea coast.
		- Pontus was founded by Mithridates I in 281 BC
		- Mithridatic Wars (89 - 63 BC) - fought between Mithridates VI the Great and Rome, who during his reign was able to secure essentially the entire Black Sea coastline and most of Anatolia.
			* 1st - Sulla's forces and the allied kingdom of Bithynia against Mithridates VI and a number of rebelling Greek city states and Macedonia. The peace terms were fairly moderate, allowing Mithridates VI to re-mobilize and rearm his forces rather quickly.
			* 2nd - The leaders Sulla left in charge of the areas surrounding Pontus launched an unauthorized invasion of Pontus which was repelled. Sulla then ordered Roman forces to withdraw once he became aware of the situation.
			* 3rd - Lasted 10 years and resulted in many different powers and kingdoms getting pulled into the conflict. Began when Rome attempted to annex Bithynia, which had been promised to Rome in the will of its ruler before he died, prompting a Pontian invasion. Pontus was joined by the Armenians (under the Artaxiad dynast) and other Caucasian powers, as well as the Seleucid kingdom (in modern day Syria). **Lucius Licinius Lucullus** and **Pompey** led Roman forces in the first and second half of the war respectively, and the war ended with Pontian defeat and eventually Mithridates VI's death following his retreat to Crimea, where he killed his insubordinate son in a coup and was then subsequently killed in a coup by another son of his.
			* Lucius Licinius Lucullus was a celebrated Roman general and notable for bringing back vast sums of wealth from his Earn conquests and investing heavily into infrastructure, agriculture/husbandry. and the arts and sciences.

### Ave Caesar

Caesar's Revenge

* Rhodian Pirates (Red) - Minoans
* Cretan Pirates (Yellow) - Greek
* Cilician Pirates (Burgundy) - Romans
	+ Cilicia - Southeastern coast of Anatolia
	+ Julii Family - Caesar's
	+ Sulla
	+ Gaius Marius - credited with the Marian reforms. which occurred around 100 BC, which changed the structure and organization of the Roman and very importantly allowed non-land holding Romans to become soldiers and the practice of granting land to soldiers who served for a long enough time.
	+ Optimates - supporters of the upper class and senate
	+ Populares - supporters of the lower/working classes and popular assemblies
	+ Sulla was fearful of Caesar, seeing much of Marius in him, and so he stripped him of much of his wealth, power, and priesthood, forcing him into hiding. Eventually the ties of his wife's family allowed Sulla to give him back his possessions and positions.
	+ His fear of Sulla changing his mind caused him to join the Roman army for a time, until Sulla gave up his dictatorship in 79 BC. Caesar then began attending rhetoric school in Greece.
	+ It was on one of his journeys between Italy and Greece that he was captured by Cilician pirates. He was insulted at their initials ransom of 20 talents and demanded they raise it to 50.
	+ He surprised the pirates with his boldness and feeling of superiority and regularly told the pirates he would have them crucified as soon as his ransom was paid, which he did after raising a fleet and defeating the pirates.
	+ Caesar became a military tribune following his return and in 59 BC he became consul for the first time following his successful conquests and governorship of Hispania.

The Invasion of Britain

* Player (Blue) - Romans
* Veneti (Red) - Carthaginians
* Cassivellaunus (Yellow) - Phoenicians
* Brigantes (Burgundy) - Phoenecians
* Picts (Orange) - Greeks
	+ Veneti - Maritime Gaulic tribe that resided in modern day Brittany
	+ Cassivellaunus - Chief commander of Briton resistance during Caesar's second invasion
	+ Brigantes - Briton tribe that inhabited much of northern modern-day England, chiefly the region of Yorkshire
	+ Picts - essentially ancient tribal Scots
	+ After his initial consulship in 59 BC Caesar's political enemies attempted to halt his political growth by allotting him the governorship of Italian provinces with useless land, rather than those typically allotted to proconsuls. However, he and his allies were able to secure the governorship of 3 provinces, most importantly transalpine and cisapline gaul. This gave him a good excuse to raise up armies and gain battle prestige as Roman allies in the bordering Celtic Gaul were constantly under the threat of migrating Germanic peoples such as the Suebi, a force that Caesar was able to defeat after several battles.
	+ Caesar used the unrest in the region as a an excuse for further intervention, defeating the Belgae and Veneti in 57 BC.
	+ In **55** **BC** Caesar invaded Britain, justifying his actions with the belief the Veneti received support from the Celtic tribes located there.
	+ The amphibious assault was heavily resisted, and ships laden with catapults were used to soften up Briton defensive positions.
	+ Caesar's forces consisted of 2 legions, about 10,000 men.
	+ His initials invasion consisted of 3 weeks of intense fighting, ending after Caesar signed a truce and left the island.
	+ In **54 BC** another invasion was launched with 5 legions. This invasion lacked any major engagements as the Britons utilized guerilla tactics and harassed the large Roman force. Eventually another truce was signed with the Britons technically swearing fealty to Rome and Caesar left Britain.
	+ Later on Britain was eventually invaded in 43 CE by Claudius and the whole island south of modern day Scotland fell under Roman control by 60 CE.

The Siege of Alesia

* Player (Blue) - Romans
* Gallic Army (Red) - Assyrians
* Gallic Army (Yellow) - Assyrians
* Vercingetorix (Burgundy) - Greeks
* Gallic Army (Orange) - Assyrians
	+ Arverni tribe - Gaulic tribe to which Vercingetorix belonged
	+ Vercingetorix's father dried attempting to unite the Gauls, a feat which Vercingetorix was able to accomplish under the threat of Roman power
	+ Vercingetorix revolved in **52 BC** and adopted a scorched earth strategy and guerilla tactics to prevent Roman replenishment
	+ Vercingetorix defeated Caesar at Gerogiva but following the battle Roman cavalry were able to inflict heavy losses on Vercingetorix's forces, causing him to retreat to Alesia, a walled settlement in modern day central France.
	+ Caesar surrounded the city and built 2 layers of walls, one to keep Vercingetorix in and another to keep Gallic reinforcements out.
	+ Gallic forces attempted to stop the Roman construction of ramps up into the city but failed and eventually Vercingetorix's forces surrendered upon seeing arriving Roman forces and the retreat of their own reinforcements.
	+ Vercingetorix was executed following the siege via garroting.
	+ The impressive Roman fortifications were built in around 6 weeks.

The Siege of Pharsalus

* Player (Blue) - Romans
* Metellus Scipio (Red) - Romans
* Pompey (Yellow) - Romans
	+ The battle occurred in **48 BC**
	+ Metallus Scipio - Roman senator and general that supported Pompey in the Roman civil war. Following his defeat alongside Pompey at Pharsalus and subsequent battles he committed suicide.
	+ *adulescentulus carnifex -* childhood nickname of Pompey
	+ Ptolemy XIII's courtiers assassinated Pompey after he fled to Egypt following his defeat at Pharsalus
	+ Pompey was part of the first triumvirate alongside Crassus and Caesar
	+ Pompey married Caesar's daughter, Julia
	+ Pompey was an *optimates* party member
	+ Crassus died at the battle of Carrhae against the Parthians. He always kept the other two in check and with his death they were allowed to openly oppose one another
	+ Caesar was killed 4 years after the battle in **44 BC**
	+ iacta alea est "the die is cast" - what Caesar supposedly said after crossing the Rubicon
	+ Though Caesar had a small force when Pompey gained the support of the majority of the senate and was sole consul, his soldiers were fiercely loyal and he moved very aggressively preventing the unsuspecting Republicans from raising an army in time and allowing Caesar to march virtually unopposed into Rome, forcing Pompey and his allied to flee, with Pompey fleeing to Greece where support for him was greater.
	+ Caesar consolidated power in Italy and the Iberian peninsula before engaging with Pompey's forces in Greece. Though he suffered early defeats eventually it Pharsalus he was able to defeat the much larger army of Pompey, largely due to the battle experience and discipline of Caesar's army, as opposed to Pompey's army, which largely consisted of less experienced Roman soldiers and Greek levies

### Imperium Romanum (Pax Romana)

The Battle of Actium

* Player (Blue) - Romans
* Marc Antony (Red) - Romans
* Cleopatra (Yellow) - Egyptians
* Egyptian Forces (Burgundy) - Egyptians
	+ Occurred in 31 BC off the coast of Greece
	+ Ptolemy I Soter - Companion of Alexander the Great who founded the Ptolemaic Dynasty of Egypt in 305 BC
	+ Cleopatra VII was the last queen of Egypt, and her son Caesarion the last king and ruler
	+ Second Triumvirate - Octavian, Marcy Antony, Lepidus
	+ Lepidus died a natural death, but was effectively removed from power by Octavian during a dispute over who's sphere of influence Sicily fell under, ending with Lepidus' own legions defecting and joining Octavian
	+ Lepidus was the last pontifex maximus, or high priest of Rome, before the role became one with emperor
	+ Lex Titia - document/legislation that gave the Second Triumvirate near-absolute power
	+ Battle of Philippi (42 BC) - battle at which the Triumvirate defeated Brutus and Cassius, essentially the last hope of the Roman Republic
	+ Marc Antony married Octvanian's sister, Octavia, to further solidify the alliance
	+ Antony had control of the East, Octavian of Italy and the West, and Lepidus of essentially the coast of modern day Tunisia and a bit of Algeria and Libya
	+ Marcus Agrippa - Octavian's main general/admiral
	+ Antony's shunning of Octavia in favor of Cleopatra lost him a lot of support among Romans and senators and allowed gave Octavian an excuse to remove his from the picture, with the senate eventually declaring war of Cleopatra and in turn Antony
	+ Princeps Civitas - First citizen, title Augustus and subsequent emperors took on
	+ In Egypt Antony and Cleopatra's troops defected, leading to their suicide, which Antony did by falling on his sword and Cleopatra by an asp.

The Year of the Four Emperors

* Player (Blue) - Palmyrans
* Rome (Red) - Romans (Ally)
* Galba (Orange) - Romans
* Vitellius (Yellow) - Romans
* Otho (Burgundy) - Romans
	+ The "Year of the 4 Emperors" was 69 AD, and occurred due to Nero's suicide in 68 AD
	+ Galba - Legate of Hispania Tarraconensis (northeastern Iberia), was unpopular and did not give the Praetorian Guard their customary "donation" allowing Otho to bribe them to assassinate him
	+ Marcus Salvius Otho - governor of Lusiatania (southwetern Iberia) who initially allied himself with Galba and marched with him to Rome before getting him assasinated. Otho later died by suicide.
	+ Aulus Vitellius - commander of the Gaul and Rhine legions who challenged Otho's claims to the throne. He defeated Otho at the 1st Battle of Bedriacum in Northern Italy, causing Otho to commit suicide and Vitellius to march onto Rome and claim the throne unopposed.
	+ Vespasian - general in Rome's eastern provinces who was very successful and had recently put down a rebellion in Judea. Marched on Rome and defeated Vitellius at the 2nd Battle of Bedriacum, eventually moving on to Rome and slaying Vitellius and his family.
	+ Vitellius had attempted to abdicate but the senate would not allow him, as doing so could lead to a future civil war, one of the claimants had to die. It is this same reason many believe that led to Otho to kill himself.

Ransome at Ctesiphon

* Player (Blue) - Romans
* Sasanian Empire (Orange) - Persians (Ally)
* Parthian Brigands (Red) - Persians
* Palmyran Bandits (Yellow) - Palmyrans
* Persian Raiders (Burgundy) - Persians
	+ Sasanian Empire = Sassanid Empire - last Iranian/ Persian empire before Muslim conquests, which destroyed the empire around 650 AD
	+ The Sassanid Empire succeeded the Parthian Empire, which had been weakened over centuries by Trajan and other Roman Emperors, in 224 AD, and proved a much more effective dynasty is domestic and military affairs.
	+ Shapur I defeated many Roman Emperors, notably Valerian, who he took as a slave for the rest of his life.
	+ Palmyra was located in what is now central Syria
	+ The Sassanid Empire's rise coincided with Rome's Third Century Crisis, which was a period of economic and military turmoil, and other powers rose such as the short lived Palmyran and Gallic Empires. Barbarian incursions were especially disruptive during this time.

Zenobia, Queen of Palmyra

* Player (Blue) - Romans
* Queen Zenobia (Red) - Palmyrans
* Gatae (Yellow) - Palmyrans
* Alemanni (Burgundy) - Palmyrans
	+ Alemanni - confederacy of Germanic tribes that was active in what is now southern Germany
	+ Gatae/Gets - Thracian tribesman that originated in the area around the mouth of the Danube River
	+ Zenobia was wife of Odaenathus, and rose to power in 266 AD following his assassination and her acting as regent for her young son Vaballathus. Likely died around 273 or 274 CE following the defeat of Palmyra by Aurelian.
	+ Aurelian - Roman Emperor who effectively ended the Third Century Crisis. Was assassinated in 275 CE by the pretorian guard. Likely could have completely restored the glory of Rome had he not been assassinated.
	+ tetrarchy - when Rome was split into 4 regions, each with a different ruler
	+ Barracks Emperors - group of emperors, including Aurelian, who were able generals in addition to administrators

The Coming of the Huns

* Player (Blue) - Romans
* Visigoths (Yellow) - Greeks (Ally)
* Alans (Burgundy) - Hittites (Ally)
* Huns (Red) - Yamato
* Ostrogoths (Orange) - Greeks
	+ In the 4th century CE, Emperor Valens attempted to incorporate barbarian tribes fleeing the Huns into Rome's military and they were allowed to settle in Roman territory's. Eventually disagreements between tribal leaders and Roman officials led to hostilities, and this cumulated in the Battle of Adrianople in 378 CE, in which Valen and the majority of the East's military strength was wiped out, leading to a chain of events ending with the sack of Rome in 410 CE
	+ Atilla of course was the greatest Hunnic leader, and led the Huns from 434 to 353 CE
	+ Battle of the Catalaunian Fields (451 CE) - huge clash between the Huns and Rome that was largely inconclusive. Atilla and his own barbarian confederation battled Flavius Aetius, the last great Roman general who had lived among the Huns. The Romans had their own barbarian allies as well, namely Theodoric of the Vandals, who fell in battle himself.
	+ Later Flavius Aetius would be killed on the orders by the jealous Emperor Valentinian III, who was later killed himself by Aetius' allies
	+ Flavius Aetius is commonly referred to as the "Last of the Romans"

### Enemies of Rome

Crossing the Alps

* Player (Blue) - Carthaginians
* Tribesmen (Red) - Choson
* Romans (Yellow) - Romans
* Roman Army (Burgundy) - Romans
* Tribesmen (Orange) - Choson
	+ The First Punic War (264 BC - 241 BC) led to Carthage loosing naval supremacy, forcing the march across the Alps in 218 BC by the 29-year old Hannibal Barca
	+ Hannibal marched across the Alps with about 40,000 infantry, 12,000 horsemen, and dozens of elephants
	+ Many Carthaginian soldiers died in the crossing as many were from more temperate regions and Celtic raids were frequent.
	+ Second Punic War (218 BC - 201 BC)
	+ The Carthaginians in reality did not really engage with the Romans during the crossing as depicted in the scenario, Hannibal was able to largely evade Roman forces.

Third Macedonian War

* Player (Blue) - Macedonians
* Greeks (Orange) - Greeks (Ally)
* Larissa (Red) - Greeks
* Roman Army (Yellow) - Romans
* Roman Army (Burgundy) - Romans
* Larissa Garrison (Green) - Greeks
	+ Third Macedonian War (171–168 BC) - fought between Perseus of Macedon, who's father Philip V had been defeated in the 2nd War, and the Roman Republic and it's client state in Pergamon
	+ Philip V and Greek politics were heavily influenced by Roman interference, likely leading to Philip V to name his son Demetrius, who had much more pro-Roman views, successor over his eldest son Perseus, leading to a power struggle and Demetrius' eventual execution.
	+ The Third War erupted when Perseus became king and attempted to undermine Roman influence in the region via alliances. Eventually Eumenes of Pergamon became alarmed at this and traveled to Rome to raise support for Roman intervention. This led to an assassination attempt on Eumenes' life by anti-Roman Greeks, leading to a full blown Roman invasion of Greece, which despite some early victories ended in Macedonian defeat and the enslavement of tens of thousands of Macedonians and Greeks.
	+ Battle of Pydna (168 BC) - effectively ended the war, and demonstrated the legion's superiority over the phalanx, and ended Macedon's existence as an independent political power
	+ Larissa - Capital and largest city in Thessaly. Is currently the 5th largest city in Greece.

The Revolt of Spartacus

* Player (Blue) - Romans
* Freed Slaves (Yellow) - Romans (Ally)
* Crassus (Red) - Romans
	+ Towards the end of the Roman Republic 35-40% of Rome's population was comprised of slaves
	+ It is generally believed Spartacus was Thracian, and may have been put into bondage due to desertion
	+ Third Servile War (73 - 71 BC) - War in which Spartacus led slaves in a violent uprising, beginning with him and several dozen slaves escaping a gladiator school in Capua, Italy.
	+ The rebellion reached a peak of 70,000 slaves, with Spartacus establishing an HQ of sorts at Mount Vesuvius
	+ Spartacus ultimately doomed his rebellion by turning south and plundering throughout Italy, rather than going north to escape Roman territory
	+ Marcus Licinius Crassus eventually defeated the rebellion, largely due to his own very strict command style, especially demonstrated by him enacting decimation on a legion that had been defeated by the slaves
	+ Battle of Silarus River (61 BC) - Decisive slave defeat by Crassus, ending with the deaths of thousands of slaves on the battlefield, the crucification of 6000 along the roads leading to Rome, and the death of Spartacus. Thousands of slaves who escaped the battle were hunted down and killed by Pompey and other Romans throughout the Republic.

Odaenathus, Lord of Palmyra

* Player (Blue) - Palmyrans
* Persians (Red) - Persians
	+ Odaenathus was a Romanized Arab, and his wife was Queen Zenobia
	+ Ctesiphon - capital of the Sasanian Empire, which was twice attacked by Odaenathus
	+ Odaenathus gained great power and influence by assisting the Romans in stabilizing the region during the tumultuous period and along with him Palmyra prospered greatly. He was eventually assassinated and his young son and wife took over rule.

### Reign of the Hittites

Opening Moves

* Player (Blue) - Hittites
* Hurrians (Red) - Assyrians
* Hattians (Yellow) - Assyrians
	+ Hattusa - Capital of the Hattians
	+ The Hattians appeared around 2,500 BC and were based in central Anatolia, while the Hittites appeared around 2000 BC
	+ The Hurrians inhabited the eastern edges of Anatolia and were fully assimilated and ceased to be a distinct ethnic group by the early iron age

Raid on Babylon

* Player (Blue) - Hittites
* Babylon (Red) - Babylonians
* Babylon (Yellow) - Babylonians
* Yamhad (Burgundy) - Assyrians
* Gutians (Orange) - Persians
	+ Hattusili I is credited with the creation of the Hittite empire and establishing its capital at Hattusili, which was formerly Hattusa in central Anatolia
	+ Mursili, the son of Hattusili, raided Babylon around 1600 BC, sacking the city and disposing its king, Samsuditana, the last of the Amorite dynasty
	+ This sack of Babylon opened the way for the Kassites to take the city
	+ Following the raid Mursili was assassinated as the capital was in political turmoil and resources strained as a result of the raid.
	+ The next century continued to be a period of political disarray full of assassinations

The Battle of Kadesh

* Player (Blue) - Hittites
* Re Division (Red) - Egyptians
* Ramesses (Yellow) - Egyptians
	+ Re Division, one of several divisions in Ramesses' army, with each being named for a different god
	+ The 13th century BC was a bitter power struggle between the Hittites, Assyrians, and Egyptians over the small states in the area occupied by modern day Syria, Jordan, and Israel, and these small states frequently changed hands and alliances.
	+ Amarru, in modern day Syria, was a kingdom that switched alliances from Egypt to the Hittites, leading to Ramses II taking the city in 1274 BC
	+ As a result, the Hittite King Muwatalli II mustered his forces to face Ramses near Kadesh, near the borders of modern day Lebanon and Syria
	+ The battle occurred in 1274 and was inconclusive, with neither army gaining a large strategic advantage as a result of the battle, though Egypt's expansion was stalled.
	+ The Hittites utilized heavier chariots that often had a crew of three men, as opposed to the lighter Egyptian 2-man chariots
	+ 16 years later the "Eternal Peace" was signed, the oldest peace treaty of which both sides' copies survive

### First Punic War

Battle of Agrigentum

* Player (Blue) - Carthaginians
* Roman Army (Red) - Romans
	+ Carthage was founded in 814 BC by Phoenicians from Tyre
	+ Punic = Roman word for Phoenician
	+ Mamertines - Sons of Mars, Italian mercenaries who captured Messana in Sicily and pillaged the countryside
	+ This led to the Punic War, as they appealed to both Rome and Carthage for assistance after being defeated by the Sicilians
	+ This led to Carthage taking Messana, and Rome marching and Syracuse and entering into an alliance with them. This then led to a power struggle between Rome and Carthage for control over Sicily
	+ First Punic War (264 - 241 BC)
	+ Battle of Agrigentum (262 BC) - First major battle between Rome and Carthage over the city of Agrigentum, which was taken by the Romans but the Carthaginians were able to escape

Battle of Mylae

* Player (Blue) - Carthaginians
* Romans (Red) - Romans
* Syracusans (Yellow) - Greeks
	+ Quinquereme - Heavy Carthaginian warship, a wreck was supposedly found by the Romans and copied, leading to Rome becoming a military power
	+ Corvus - Latin for crow and the name of a hooked boarding tool that the Roman's used to lock onto ships and better utilize their superior infantry at sea
	+ Battle of Mylae (260 BC) - First major naval engagement between Rome and Carthage. off the north-eastern coast of Sicily
	+ The Romans were able to capture around 50 Carthaginian ships during the battle with the aid of the corvus, but the Carthaginian navy was able to escape after the Roman commander broke chase to relieve a siege in Sicily

Battle of Tunis

* Player (Blue) - Carthaginians
* Regulus (Red) - Romans
* Roman Navy (Yellow) - Romans
* Consul's Guard (Pink) - Romans
	+ Battle of Cape Ecnomus (260 BC) - one of the largest ancient naval battles, with over 600 ships participating. Opened the way for a Roman invasion of North Africa, as the Romans believed this could force a quick surrender of the Carthaginians and end the bloody stalemate in Sicily
	+ Rome's forces were led by Marcus Atilius Regulus in North Africa
	+ Battle of Tunis (255 BC) - Romans were defeated, largely due to Carthage's use of war elephants the the Spartan mercenary Xanthippus' soldiers and strategic advise.
	+ The Carthaginians utilized the phalanx formation during the Battle of Tunis
	+ Marcus Atilius Regulus was supposedly released on parole to negotiate a peace proposal. He returned to Rome, urged the senate not to accept peace, and then returned to Carthage, honoring his parole and eventually was tortured to death.
	+ The First Punic War ended with the Roman annexation of Sicily, the establishment of Syracuse as a client state of Rome, and heavy Carthaginian reparations.