SHARK
First Post
Greetings!
Well, EBEN, excellent stuff indeed! I was going to write my own extensive discussion of ancient Greek and Roman city-states, but you have done me the favor already!
Which leaves me to simply discuss the existence of two different types of city-states.
(1) The Religious City-State of Biblical times: Babylonian, Assyrian, Sumerian, as well as Hittite, Israelite, and the Canaanites all started out initially as city-states, most of whom were primarily united by a common religion. Religion was central to nearly all of these city states, where armies, priesthoods, and the constant struggles with the neighbors who worshipped other gods was a constant condition. They ranged from huge and powerful, like the Assyrians and Babylonians, to smaller ones, relatively, like the Hittites, Israelites, and Canaanites. The struggles that they pursued would make excellent background inspiration for a scenario, or campaign.
(2) The Hanseatic League:
This was a group of incredibly powerful City-States in the coastal regions of Northern Germany, Denmark, Poland, the Baltic States, Russia, and Scandinavia. This league of city-states ruled by powerful councils of merchant-princes destroyed the armies of kings with the mass employment of professional, lavishly equipped armies of mercenaries that, being so well-supplied and equipped, devastated the armies of the kings and nobility. Gradually, the aristocracy was forced to bow down before the overwhelming might of the League. It is said that whole cities that disobeyed the edicts of the league, were absolutely impoverished and broken in months due to the strangulation of food, and trade goods both mundane and luxurious.
It is recorded that one rebel city state's council walked naked through the league's capital city--naked, and begging on their knees to be reinstated into the league! These men, brought down so low because their city was strangled from trade--were heretofor the elite of that city, the mighty merchant princes. Their whole city had become so poor, shabby, and destitute from being banned from the league, that the whole people rose up and demand that they go forth to the league's capital and beg, and agree to all such prohibitions, treaties, and punishments that the League should decree. The city elders did as their community demanded.
Such was the example of the League's power--which demanded absolute free trade rights in all cities that were member to it, and with all non-members they did business with. The Hanseatic League arose in absolute wealth and power in the north of Europe, and ruled such over a vast league of city states for some 250 years. If I recall correctly, they began in about 1350-1600 AD.
Thus, I think there can be a rich tapestry from which to draw inspiration for one's city-states!
Semper Fidelis,
SHARK
Well, EBEN, excellent stuff indeed! I was going to write my own extensive discussion of ancient Greek and Roman city-states, but you have done me the favor already!
Which leaves me to simply discuss the existence of two different types of city-states.
(1) The Religious City-State of Biblical times: Babylonian, Assyrian, Sumerian, as well as Hittite, Israelite, and the Canaanites all started out initially as city-states, most of whom were primarily united by a common religion. Religion was central to nearly all of these city states, where armies, priesthoods, and the constant struggles with the neighbors who worshipped other gods was a constant condition. They ranged from huge and powerful, like the Assyrians and Babylonians, to smaller ones, relatively, like the Hittites, Israelites, and Canaanites. The struggles that they pursued would make excellent background inspiration for a scenario, or campaign.
(2) The Hanseatic League:
This was a group of incredibly powerful City-States in the coastal regions of Northern Germany, Denmark, Poland, the Baltic States, Russia, and Scandinavia. This league of city-states ruled by powerful councils of merchant-princes destroyed the armies of kings with the mass employment of professional, lavishly equipped armies of mercenaries that, being so well-supplied and equipped, devastated the armies of the kings and nobility. Gradually, the aristocracy was forced to bow down before the overwhelming might of the League. It is said that whole cities that disobeyed the edicts of the league, were absolutely impoverished and broken in months due to the strangulation of food, and trade goods both mundane and luxurious.
It is recorded that one rebel city state's council walked naked through the league's capital city--naked, and begging on their knees to be reinstated into the league! These men, brought down so low because their city was strangled from trade--were heretofor the elite of that city, the mighty merchant princes. Their whole city had become so poor, shabby, and destitute from being banned from the league, that the whole people rose up and demand that they go forth to the league's capital and beg, and agree to all such prohibitions, treaties, and punishments that the League should decree. The city elders did as their community demanded.
Such was the example of the League's power--which demanded absolute free trade rights in all cities that were member to it, and with all non-members they did business with. The Hanseatic League arose in absolute wealth and power in the north of Europe, and ruled such over a vast league of city states for some 250 years. If I recall correctly, they began in about 1350-1600 AD.
Thus, I think there can be a rich tapestry from which to draw inspiration for one's city-states!
Semper Fidelis,
SHARK
