History of the Adorian Republic (11th November 2020 - Present)

The history of Adoria stretches back to the first arrival of humans to the Synaro Peninsula around 1-0,9 million years ago until the present day. Humans first arrived in Ador Island around 400-500 thousand years ago, and around 600 thousand years ago in the Lavandi Islands. The Neolithic Revolution spread to Adoria from Greece around 7.000 BCE. Various different peoples and cultures inhabited the lands of modern day Adoria, with the Siceli and peoples inhabiting parts of Ador Island and the Greeks, specifically a peoples related to the Cynurians, inhabiting the Synaro Peninsula. The peoples of the Lavandi islands were known as the Ilavs (ee-lahvs).

The beginning of the usage of Bronze in Adoria was in the Synaro Peninsula around 2.650 BCE, as part of the Korakou culture. The usage of bronze would spread to the Lavanda and Ador Islands around 1.800-1.700 BCE from Minoan trade. During this time, several cities would expand and new ones were founded. The Synaro Peninsula would become part of the Myceneans around 1.750 BCE, resulting in much of its growth, although this would be halted and reversed during the Greek Dark Ages. Synaro would later be carved up into several city-states. Greek colonisation would lead to the foundation of cities and towns and the spread of Greek culture and language to the Lavanda and Ador Islands during the 8th to 6th centuries BCE, which would eventually lead to the powerful Kingdom of Lavanda (at the time known as Ilavia) conquering Ador Island and parts of the Synaro Peninsula. However, they would eventually be conquered by the Roman Empire and later the Byzantines.

(^ that and here will be a large summary of history)

## Prehistoric and Ancient Adoria

### Bronze Age

The first use of bronze in Adoria has been recorded to have occurred in 2650 BCE in the Korakou culture, located in the Synaro Peninsula. Bronze would spread from there out to other parts the other islands of Adoria around 1800-1700 BCE due to trade between them and the Minoans of Crete. Several different Minoan artifacts can be seen in these parts of Adoria as well as the Korakou culture, and vice versa. Around 1500 to 1400 BCE, the Mycenean culture would spread to encompass the Synaro Peninsula. (i'll go into much more detail later i'm trying to skip up to classical antiquity, this is not done)

## Classical Antiquity (8th century BCE–476 CE)

Adoria in classical antiquity was an important region and was the home to several powerful kingdoms. Coming out of the Greek Dark Ages were many different cities, both Greek and non-Greek. Furthermore, many of these states began switching to the use of iron over bronze and began interacting amongst each other and various other powers outside of their region much more often.

### Archaic Synaro

Following a several century long Dark Age, several different cities and civilisations emerged into the beginning of the 8th century BCE in the Synaro Peninsula. Several Greek cities were established in the eastern and southern parts of the peninsula, however in the northern and western regions, a culture independent of the Greeks was present. Many similarities have been drawn between this culture, the Sicens (not to be confused with the Sicanis), leading them to be believed that they were either related to or were members of the Siceli people. They most likely were related to the Siceli people, which had migrated to Sicily and Ador most likely around the beginning of the 1st millennium BCE. The Siceli which had migrated to Ador later spread to cover the entire island and are believed to have, some time during the Greek Dark Ages, migrated to the Synaro Peninsula and spread up to the Askobniki Mountains. However, the separation between the Siceli in Sicily and Ador and their interactions with the previous natives of Ador already made the Siceli in Ador notably different from those in Sicily. Further interactions and intermingling between the Doric people of Synaro and the Siceli migrating from Ador to Synaro led to the Sicen people.

Several notable cities were founded in the Synaro Peninsula by both the Greeks and Sicens. The two most notable cities established by the Sicens were the cities of Menaica, located around 16 kilometres west of the modern city of Vastos, and Avrika, located by the first curve (from the coast) of the Avrik River. While there were many more than just these several cities, the most notable and influential Greek cities in the Synaro peninsula were the cities of Synaro, Epipothamo, Ohtha, Dipothamo, Forekrato, Zelos, Hephapolis, and Attis. Many of these cities would frequently interact with each other in various ways, whether it be via trade, war, or other. The Sicens also adopted the Greek script, which itself was an adaptation and changing of the Phoencian alphabet. This unity in writing made interaction between the two cultures much more simple and hence more frequent.

During the Messenian Wars, several refugees escaping the Spartans from the First Messenian War made their way to Synaro, along with a handful to Zelos and Hephapolis. However, after being demanded by the Spartans to send the refugees back, not in a state to wage war due to the recent economic downturn, most likely due to a mild drought or famine, the Synarissians sent them back. However, several decades later the Second Messenian War began, with the Messenians seeking to liberate themselves from the Spartans. Once again the Messenians lost, however, and once again refugees fled to Synaro and other cities. This time, Synaro refused to submit to the Spartans, less for the purpose of protecting the refugees but more for the purpose of opposing Spartan domination, and formed the League of Synaro with Zelos and Hephapolis. The three cities hastily organised a force of around 3.000 infantry and 1.500 cavalry. This force was put under the joint command of the Synarissian King Leomidos II and the Zelosian general Ferikos. After organising itself in Synaro, the army assembled on the hills by the city. However, the force was no match to the well disciplined and organised Spartan army. After being crushed in what is now known as the Battle of Red Hills, all forces captured by the Spartans, including King Leomidos II, were executed after their refusal to surrender, hence the name of the battle. The city of Synaro was then sacked and burnt to the ground by the Spartans, however not subjugated by the Spartans out of fear of overextension.

In the western part of the Synarissian Peninsula, the cities of Menaica, Dipothamo, and Epipothamo fought each other at sea for control over profitable trade routes. In a conflict between an alliance of Dipothamo and Epipothamo and the city of Menaica, known as the First Nokrozerian War (Nikrozero was the name of the region known as Maritania today at the time), near the island of Ikariza, the Menaican fleet saw itself cornered at the island and completely crushed by the allied fleet in the Battle of Ikariza in 536 BCE (the beginning of the war was that year as well). However, with the superior Menaican army and sufficient defences by them, the alliance was unable to press its naval advantage after a failed assault on Menaica in the beginning of 535 BCE. After signing an alliance with the other Sicen city of Avrika, the two armies under the command of the Menaican king Thucetius III marched over to the city of Dipothamo after crushing several of their minor allies in battle, including the Battle of the Argeis River where the Sicen army infamously executed all the captives of the opposing army and dumped all the corpses in the river and supposedly made the river blood red, although whether this is exaggerated or if this even happened is disputed by historians. Upon arriving at the city of Dipothamo after a several month long march in the middle of 534 BCE and going between the Nokrozero Lake and Askobniki Mountains then down south to the city, the army was exhausted however morale boosted upon seeing the city. Furthermore, Dipothamo and its allies did not expect the Menaican army to go through the north and down south to the city and were heavily unprepared for a defence from the north, especially will all their focus on defending the western parts of the city. However, due to their naval superiority, they were more than capable of importing supplies quickly from their allies. After several months the Sicens were about to retreat back to their cities when a large breach in the walls of the city was made by their weaponry, with a large portion of the northern wall collapsing. After launching a bloody assault on the city, Thucetius III decided to pull a feigned retreat out of the city to lure the enemy forces out of it. The bait worked and his cavalry, which had not participated in the assault, swiftly swept aside the enemy. After launching another assault with much more ease and less casualties, Thucetius took the city and managed to capture the Dipothamosian King before he managed to flee and executed him publicly in the begining of 533 BCE.

After the capture of the city, peace was made between the Sicens and the rest of the alliance. The terms gave Menaica the city of Dipothamo, two thirds of its fleet, and control over the lands west of the river under Greek control. However, the lack of gains for Avrika would later lead to conflict between the two. Despite the best attempts of the Avriakans, however, they were decisively defeated in battle in the Menaican conquest of Avrika, lasting a mere two years from 522-520 BCE. Here, the city of Avrika was sacked and looted, although it was rebuilt even grander than it was before. (will continue later)