Job: Historical province descriptions (no modding experience needed!)

[Descartes]

Working with province modifiers, I realised I might just as well squeeze in a little passage on the history of the cities included. It does take quite a lot of time to write 70 passages, however, so I'm asking you for help.

Your job is to write a summary of the history of one or several cities included as provinces in Imperium before 245 AUC (509 BC). Keep the style fairly formal and use AUC instead of BC (subtract years in BC with 754 and you get the inverted value of the year in AUC). When it comes to sources, I'd say Wikipedia is alright. It's great if you use historical literature, though.

It sounds like something my English teacher would have made up, but in my opinion, this job is actually quite fun. I'd do it myself if I had the time - I promise! As usual, I can only offer you a post in the credit list and, of course, my everlasting friendship. You can post your texts in this thread if you like.

Finally, I'll show you a picture of how it shows up ingame. You view the description by hovering the mouse over the stone.

At Sarayakat's request, I've made a list of all provinces included in Imperium. Note that the names aren't set in stone - with the new starting scenario, I consider giving some of the cities non-latin names.


1: Selinus
2: Panormus
3: Acragas
4: Henna
5: Gela
6: Melita
7: Syracusae
8: Catana
9: Zancle
10: Rhegium
11: Locri
12: Crotona
13: Consentia
14: Sybaris
15: Siris
16: Tarentum
17: Brundusium
18: Butuntum
19: Potentia
20: Poseidonia
21: Canusium
22: Maleventum
23: Cumae
24: Capua
25: Bovianum
26: Luceria
27: Larinum
28: Corfinium
29: Privernum
30: Roma
31: Veii
32: Reate
33: Interamnia
34: Firmum
35: Spoletium
36: Volsinii
37: Tarquinii
38: Populonium
39: Arretium
40: Sena
41: Ariminum
42: Faesulae
43: Volaterrae
44: Pisae
45: Genua
46: Clastidium
47: Parma
48: Mutina
49: Bononia
50: Patavium
51: Altinum
52: Aquileia
53: Pola
54: Taurisci
55: Helvetii
56: Verona
57: Brixia
58: Mediolanum
59: Hasta
60: Taurasia
61: Allobroges
62: Albingaunum
63: Mariana
64: Aleria
65: Tibula
66: Olbia
67: Macopsissa
68: Tharros
69: Sulcis
70: Caralis

(Finished provinces in gray.)

 

[Sarayakat]

Starting from the bottom. I'll do more later after I spend some quality time beta testing the HOI3 rc2.

History of Caralis (Karalis)
This old colony of the Phoenicians out of Tyre was founded around 100 AUC as trading post and watering stop. Ideal harbourage and a central position between Africa and Europe encouraged rapid growth and Caralis' development as the leading Sardinian settlement. Caralis has since become a busy port town swearing allegiance to Carthage.

History of Sulcis (Solkis)
Sulcis may be older even than the city of Rome having been long inhabited by local fishermen and farmers. Civilized by a Phoenician trader named Solki it continued as little more than an outpost until given colonial status by Carthage around 150 AUC. These days Solcis is mostly known for it's rich deposits of lead.

History of Tharros (Tarrae)
Founded around 50 AUC by Phoenician traders Tharros is known for it's mild climate, fresh offshore breezes, and the sweetness of it's wells. Now a Carthaginian colony, Tharros boasts a fine port and marketplace.

 

[Descartes]

Absolutely.
I have updated the first post.

 

[vanin]

Tarentum; an easy one:

Taras was founded in 48 AUC by Dorian Greeks from Sparta, and would be the only Spartan colony to ever be founded. The city was named after the son of the sea god Poseidon, and the city's symbol depicts Taras being saved from a shipwreck by a dolphin. Through the years Taras, called Tarentum by the Romans, became an important commercial city and the most important city of the Magna Graecia, rivalled only by Syracusae on Sicily.

Tarquinii:

Tarchnal is an Etruscan city situated in the hills overlooking the Tyrrhenian Sea, not far from Rome. In 99 AUC a Greek named Demaratus arrived to the city in his flight from Greece, and it already a flourishing city at the time. It was the most dominant of the twelve cities of Etruria, and it is believed to have had extensive influence on early Rome and its religious rites and other ceremonies.

Gela:

Gela was founded by Cretan and Rhodian colonists in 66 AUC, being named after a nearby river. The city extended its influence over Sicily and in 173 AUC the Gelans founded Akragas (Agrigento).

 

[Descartes]

Sarayakat, I have updated the list above. Good descriptions!
Vanin, your descriptions are also good. I'm not going to include the parts about what happened after 245, though.

EDIT: Just wanted to say you've done the same editing as I have, Vanin.

 

[Emp_Palpatine]

Might try to do one or two if I get some times at work in the coming days.

 

[Sarayakat]

I'm trying to write these as they might be told to you if you asked a (somewhat verbose) local. These tribal lands are going to be tricky and mostly based on legend, so a somewhat mythic form of narrative seemed appropriate for some of them. If you would have more prose and less poetry just let me know.

History of Helvetia
These lands were taken by the tribes of the Helvetii in the early 600's AUC. Drawn by tales of the wonders of Italia by one Helicos of Rome the mighty Helvetii have come from the far forests of Germania and founded their city. - this may be problematic with your timeline unless you put them in germany (somewhere between the Rhine and the Main rivers)

History of Taurisci (Norisci)
Land rich in metals and salt but with but thin soil for farming, here dwell the Taurisi tribe who make their capitol at Noreia. Herders of cattle and raiders have their homes here as well as miners in the dark hills.

History of Pola (Pula)
This is the land of refuge where the Colchis settled after failing to capture Jason of Lolcos when he stole from them their golden fleece. Settled by both Greeks and Illyrians it is now a prosperous town of farmers, herders, and potters.

 

[Sarayakat]

some more...



History of Parma (Parma)
During the 1st century AUC Etruscan settlers founded the city of Parma so-named for it's high circular palisade. Laying at the northern end of the Apenine range, easy river access makes Parma a natural hub of both trade and carriage.

History of Mutina (Muoina)
Etruscans first settled here during the 450s AUC, they share these lands with Boii and Liguri tribesmen, but the Citadel from which the area takes it's name was founded by them. Sited between the rivers Gabellus and Scultenna, Mutina enjoys brisk trade and abundant farmlands.

 

[Sarayakat]

History of Rhegium (Rhegion "it breaks away)
This port was first a colony of Messennia before growing to become the grandest city of Magna Grecia. From the rich farmland of the countryside to the spreading fame of the school of Pythagoras, Rhegium has prospered since 33 AUC.

History of Locri (Epizephyrian Locris or "under the west wind")
Late in the 1st century AUC Locrian Greeks from the city of Opus founded Locri as an independant farming and trading community. It is their Locrian constitution which famously states that anyone who proposes to change the law must do so with a rope around their neck, and if rejected be hung by it.

History of Crotona
Crotona, birthplace of philosophers, athletes, and physicians was orginally settled by Achaean Greeks from the city of Croton in 41 AUC. It's people are renowned for their physical strength and for the simple sobriety of their lives. Milo of Croton, it's most famous citizen, was born here in 211 AUC.

 

[vanin]

A frew more, hope Malevento isn't too long.

Malevento:
Malevento is a very old city, apparently first inhabited by the Ausones, a people that occupied much of Italy before both Samnites and Latins. It was captured by the Samnites at some point before 245 AUC, and now serves as one of the chief cities of Samnium, being located not far from Capua, an Etruscan rival city. The new inhabitants called it Maloeis or Malieis, from wich the Romans later adopted Maleventum - bad event.

Catana:
Despite the volcano of Etna looming in the distance, the native Sicels saw fit to found a settlement on this site wich they called Katana. In 25 AUC Chalcidian Greeks from Euboea founded a colony here and the Sicels were rather quickly Hellenized. Now it is one of several important Greek cities in Sicily, lying directly between Zancle to the north and Syracusae to the south.

Capua:
The Etruscan city of Capue was founded around 600 AUC in Campania, when Etruscan power was at its zenith. The surroundings are dominated by very fertile plains supplied with water from rivers that come down from the hills in the north. The hills contain several hostile Oscan tribes however, so despite this rich location Capue could experience problems in the future.

Arretium:
Arretium was one of the 12 chief cities of Etruria, strategically placed on a hill overlooking the Arnus river. This location allowed it to extend its power into the Po basin to the north, an important agricultural region. Arretium itself however was located in the hills of Etruria, but still greatly boosted its riches by trade with the Greeks.

Corfinium:
The Paeligni, a Samnite tribe, founded Corfinium in by Aternus river wich ended in the Adriatic to the east. It is the capital of the Paeligni, and is one of the larger cities in central Italy.

 

[Descartes]

Thank you, Vanin and Sarayakat. I've updated the list above, including a few name changes.

 

[Sarayakat]

History of Selinus (Selinunte)
Proud Selinus whose first stones were laid in 117 AUC was originally a colony of Megara. Having gained a measure of independance, the Selinites now trade and war for themselves, taking advantage of their position as westernmost of the Greek cities in Sicily. Many great temples and places of wealth are found here.

History of Acragas (Agrigentum)
Home of a thriving Greek Democracy, Acragas was founded by colonists from Gela in the year 173 AUC. Skilled glassmakers, trade with Africa, and a carefully preserved neutrality has made Acragas one of the richest and most beautiful cities of Sicily.

History of Henna (Enna)
A days ride inland from any coast of Sicily brings one to a great, flat-topped mountain, around whose summit the walls of Enna tower like a great crown. None now remember it's founding, but Demeter has here a sacred temple grove known throughout the world, and she has blessed this place with good soil and stout defences.

History of Zancle (Messina)
With a commanding position on the straits which bear it's name, and possessing one of the best natural harbours in Sicily, Zancle is a port city with immediate strategic importance both for control of that island as well as passage into the eastern half of the great Mediterranean sea.

 

[Woody Man]

Hope this is ok

History of Rome - Roma

The foundation of the city of Rome is the starting point for the Roman urban calendar. Romulus, the legendary descendant of Aeneas the Trojan and the divine Mars, established the city upon what is now the Palantine Hill near the River Tiber in the plain of Latium. Romulus was the first King of the proud and warlike Romans, who, in outrage over the excesses of the King Tarquinius Superbus, and his son Sextus Tarquinius, have ejected their Etruscan Kings, and so ushered in the Roman Republic, led by the Consuls, Brutus and Collatinus. However, the Romans are not the only city to inhabit the plain of Latium, and the other cities watch the growth of Rome with wary eyes. Though the Romans are a mainly agricultural people, they place even greater emphasis on the acquisition of military glory. A concept which is certain to cause discontent amongst their neighbours.

 

[Descartes]

Thank you, Sarayakat. I took the liberty of rewriting the description of Selinus, just to give you some inspiration.
Very good description, Patriot. You could make it longer if you like, it seems the engine doesn't mind descriptions over 150 words.

 

[Sarayakat]

I can definitely do longer descriptions. To tell you the truth, keeping every description brief while making each one different was becoming exhausting in itself! With this in mind I'll go back and perhaps edit some of my previous submissions as well I think.

I can't play anything right now anyway as I am currently downloading 3 seasons of Torchwood so it's a good time for some research....

 

[Descartes]

There's no need to exhaust yourself by doing short descriptions, hehe.

 

[Hardradi]

Panormus:
A Phoenician trading settlement founded in 19AUC and known by its greek name Panormus, meaning "all-port". Panormus was renouned for its fine natural harbour. As greek colonisation of Sicily increased the Pheonicians abandoned a series of lesser colonies and concentrated into three main cities Motya, Soluntum and Panormus.

 

[Descartes]

Added. (Corrected a few errors btw. )

 

[Hardradi]

Yes, I see one at least.

I will see if can do a few more this weekend.

 

[RHKINC]

This is all the info I could find online in English:

Macopsissa
A town in Sardinia which has origins possibly coming from the Pheonician meanings for "Town Jewel". It was known to Ptolemy.