Throughout Agon lie the scattered ruins
of old Chaldea . At its peak, this empire's reach encompassed everything
from Sanguine in the east to the westernmost wastes of the Mahirim Tribelands.
All that remains today are moss-grown monuments and the ruins of once-mighty
cities.
The Chaldean civilization originated in present-day Mercia , along the
fertile banks of the river Eanna. The humans of this area developed agriculture,
and fed Agon's first cities with food from irrigated fields. They also
invented the science of mathematics, the first calendar, and the art
of writing.
Towards a golden age
The foremost city of the Chaldeans was Ashur, which lay near the present-day
location of Sanguine. It was founded by the legendary Ashur-Sin I, who
conquered the numerous city-states of the Eannic delta, and was crowned
the first king of all Chaldeans.
The Chaldean civilization came into being during a period of relative
regional peace. However, their wealth soon proved tempting to neighboring
human tribes, who took to raiding and plundering outlying villages and
towns. In response to this, the Chaldeans launched a series of successful
military campaigns against the belligerent nomads who roamed the peripheries
of their land.
When faced with the problem of becalming the conquered barbarians, emperor
Ashur-Awan II formulated policies which would shape the future of Chaldea
. He decreed that cities be built in barbarian lands, and that the conquered
tribes be invited to live in them. Furthermore, the citizens of these
new cities would be taught how to farm and make tools. Upon swearing
allegiance to Ashur, they would be given full rights as citizens of the
empire.
The Benevolent Empire
The Chaldeans were not a warlike people, and they rarely launched wars
of conquest. However, they had a tradition of responding decisively to
outside aggression, and of permanently pacifying defeated enemies by
integrating them into their culture.
As the wealth and fame of Chaldea grew, many tribes and settlements
joined the empire voluntarily, in order to partake of its wealth and
technology. Ashur became the centre of a vast empire, and the Chaldeans
became the traders, thinkers and administrators of the greatest empire
Agon has seen.
In addition to all human territories, the empire's borders eventually
encompassed the homelands of the orks and the mahirim. Before their subjugation,
these races launched countless raids into Chaldea , proving themselves
to be dangerous neighbors, and provoking the wrath of the empire.
The alfar were also warlike and fond of staging bloody raids, and eventually
Ashur decided to move against the children of the rebel god. Though victorious
on the plains of Moldar, not even the emperor's armies could defeat the
alfar in the subterranean fastnesses of Nagast. In the end, the Chaldeans
had to settle for securing and fortifying the surface parts of the alfar
homeland, while Melek's armies retreated underground.
The Chaldeans established friendly relations with the mirdain, the ithwen
and the dwarves, and traded extensively with these races.
Continue to the Fall of Chaldea |