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View Full Version : [Historical/Sandbox?] What's going on in Massalia?



Kiero
2013-06-21, 01:28 PM
My historical ACKS game, Tyche's Favourites (http://wiki.rpg.net/index.php/Tyche%27s_Favourites) is underway. It is set in 300BC in the western Mediterranean, with no magic or other supernatural elements. At the players' request, the game has started off plotted so they can get into their characters and arrive at the base location with things already in motion. That's taken the form of one PC acting as agent for a rich aristocrat to procure the services of the other PCs. They've been travelling from Asia Minor, by land, to get to Massalia.

The game began in late summer moving across the valley of the Padus river in northern Italy, with the PCs and their retinues (over thirty people, all told) negotiating the various Celtic/Ligurian tribes. They are currently in Antipolis (modern Antibes) about to set off on the last leg of the journey. Negotiations have just taken place to establish their contracts, which bind them into training the city militia for the next six months, though much of that activity will be supported by their henchmen. I intend that once they get to Massalia, they'll find a place with things going on, into which they can throw themselves. In other words, something like sandbox style, as I understand these things.

So let's quickly outline the place that will be their home base for the foreseeable future. Massalia (http://wiki.rpg.net/index.php/Tyche%27s_Favourites/Massalia) was founded 300 years earlier by Ionian Greeks from Phocaea. It has a population of around 6,000 people, and is run as an "aristocratic republic". In other words it's an oligarchy, there's a council of 600 free males of sufficient property, which has an elected executive (timoukoi) of 15 from that number, which in turn elects three of its number as "presidents". That is also the same body from which juries for courts, magistrates appointed to perform civic duties and so on are drawn. Those 600 are also theoretically the militia, split into 60 cavalry, 240 heavy infantry and 300 skirmishers. The reality is that most of those men would rather buy off a threat or hire Celts to fight for them (or in extremis run crying to Rome), and the city has stone walls which secure them against all but the greatest gatherings of tribes. Besides that, though, there is no garrison, Greek city-states will generally not tolerate that sort of imposition, unless they're the thugs of a tyrant who needs them to keep himself in power.

Trade, not land, is the source of Massalia's wealth. It was the gateway to France. They exported their own products; local wine, salted pork and fish, aromatic and medicinal plants, coral and cork, salt, olive oil, cups, mixing bowls, to inland markets in Gallia. They were a destination for re-export primarily of grain, amber, tin and slaves into the Mediterranean world. Massalia founded colonies of its own, largely to secure its trade routes and ensure safe places for ships to take on food and water, and shelter against bad weather. They covered a sweep of villages and towns along the southern coast of France, including Tauroeis, Olbia, Antipolis, Nikaia and Monoikos. They traded across the Gulf of Lion with Emporion (Empuries) which was their window onto Spanish trade.

This being a Greek polis, it is of course riven with factionalism and a dizzying array of personal and public agendas. While everyone wants to keep the trade that is Massalia's lifeblood flowing and wants to get rich, you won't find two influential men who can agree on just how to do that. Some of the broad political factions are thus:

Populists who want to expand the franchise to include poorer men and the large mixed Celto-Hellenic population of the region v conservatives who think maybe it's not restrictive enough and the property requirements should be raised and the rolls purged of paupers.
Men who support/are in the pocket of the Carthaginians v boosters of the Romans v boosters of the Etruscans v boosters of the Greek city-states of Sicily and southern Italy
Pro-Celtic and relaxed about the cultures mingling v Pro-Greek and obsessed with cultural purity and preservation of Greek ways
Those who are want a greater military presence v those who want less so there's more money to create profit
Build up the navy v build up the army
Found new colonies v invest in the colonies already in existence
More involvement in the affairs of the Celtic interior v hands off and leave them to it
Take a more aggressive stance with Carthage v take a more conciliatory line
Involvement in the affairs of Hellas ("free Greece/Ionia from the Macedonians" etc) v focus on issues at home


And of course men belong to several, and change their membership as whim or bribes from wealthier men (or foreign backers) take them. Here's the present list of the timoukoi:

Menesthios leader of the populist faction, the PCs employer
Pelopidas - oldest member and senior of the three presidents; indecisive
Cleonymos - bitter opponent of Menesthios, youngest and junior of the three presidents; leader of the aristocratic faction
Laodamas - second president and a moderate aristocrat, open to reasoned argument, reputation for fairness
Menelaos - a populist
Oenemaus - a populist
Parmenides - an aristocrat (in the pay of the Carthaginians)
Satyros - an aristocrat (in the pocket of the Romans)
Elasus - an aristocrat
Diomedes - a populist
Diodoros - an aristocrat (but moderate)
Eurybates - a populist
Hieronymos - an aristocrat (but moderate)
Kallinos - an aristocrat
Kritias - a populist (Galliaphile)

Don't read that list as the only people who matter, of course, there are men who are merely members of the council who might nontheless command respect or have wealth beyond those who currently serve who are pulling strings. If you've got more ideas for what both the timoukoi and indeed anyone else is up to, please share.

Obviously by taking the contract they've enmeshed themselves in the schemes of their employer, an ambitious man called Menesthios (a timoukos, but not a president) who has visions of his city rising to greater things than being the Gallic shopfront of the world.

They've also already annoyed the Carthaginians by rejecting an offer to be bought out of their contract with Menesthios and basically bugger off. One PC has vowed he's going to root out all Carthaginian influence in Massalia in response to their meddling (and he has both the brains and the assassins/agents to do it).

It's not just about the native politicians, either, there are plenty of powerful foreigners and states with an interest in what goes on in the major trade hub of southern Gaul. There are four major foreign powers who have their oars in Massalia; Carthage, the Etruscan city-states, the Roman republic and Syracuse. More detail on the foreign powers:

Kart-Hadast - descendants of Phoenician colonists, the Carthaginians are the pre-eminent commercial and maritime power in the western Mediterranean. From their base in north Africa (modern Tunis), they control an empire of markets, ports and naval bases spanning coastal southern and eastern Iberia, the Balearic islands, southern Kurtyn (Corsica), Sardin (Sardinia) and western Sikelia (Sicily). Their naval squadron out of Gader (Cadiz) blockades the Pillars of Herakles, preventing anyone from sailing into the seas beyond and trading directly with Alba (Britain), the source of most tin. Their warships prowl the seas, keeping the sea-lanes safe for their trade vessels and harassing the fleets of other nations should the whim take them. They prefer to employ mercenaries to do their fighting, and leverage their huge wealth (especially in Iberian silver) to achieve their goals. Massalia has clashed with Carthage in the past, though relations are peaceful at present (but will never be cordial as long as the two vie for control of trade in the region).

They are presently on friendly terms with the Roman Republic, various Tyrrhenoi city-states and have long-standing and well-funded alliances with some of the Keltoi, Ligures and Iberian tribes. Their control of western Sikelia puts them in regular opposition with Syrakousai and the other Greek cities on the island.


Roman Republic - a city-state in central Italia that is growing in power and influence in the region, the Romans are nontheless still very much a Latin power, locked in incessant conflict with their Samnite neighbours. While their interests happily coincide with those of Massalia, they are largely consumed with events inside Italia. From time to time, they have responded to requests for aid from Massalia in the form of troops, of whom they have a large pool of citizen-soldier manpower to draw upon. They see themselves very much as the senior partner in relations with Massalia, and can be high-handed and arrogant in their handling of Massalian affairs.

While friendly with the Carthaginians, they are often in conflict with all of their neighbours; Tyrhennoi, Samnites and other Sabellian tribes, Keltoi, the city-states of Megale Hellas.


Tyrhennoi - the Etruscans are not one people, but a loose confederation of city-states in northern Italia. They were the amongst the first foreigners to trade into Gallia, though they never established any permanent trading posts. They resent Massalia's growing projection into their natural sphere of influence, and drove Massalian colonists out of Alalia, on Kurtyn almost two centuries ago. Their power is waning, they were once the dominant power in Italia, an Etruscan monarch ruling in Rome and with control over the island of Kurtyn. Under threat from the Keltoi, southern Greeks and Romans in Italia, and Carthaginians in the wider region, they are a shadow of their former glory. In the last century the city-state of Felsina passed under the influence of the Keltoi as the Boii conquered the region, renaming the city Bononia.

Their league commonly works together with the Carthaginians to contain Massalian influence, but is often in conflict with the Roman Republic and their Keltoi neighbours.


Syrakousai and Megale Hellas - southern Italia and coastal Sikelia were heavily colonised by the city-states of Greece, raising many settlements there which had a shared identity of common "Greek-ness" in the Hellenistic era. They are, however, just as disunited as Greeks from the homelands, each man owing allegiance only to his polis. Syrakousai is the mightiest of them, the biggest city in the western Mediterranean, home to some 200,000 souls and a major power in its own right. Ruled by the tyrannos Agathokles and his mercenaries, it has seen the rise and fall of many of his ilk, though political turmoil hasn't reduced the city's economic or military muscle.

Syrakousai is in almost constant conflict with the Carthaginians, who often meddle in the city's affairs, which has frequently led to open warfare on land and at sea. The Greek city-states of Sikelia are often drawn into these conflicts on one side or the other. The city-states of southern Italia have tense relations with the Roman Republic and the Tyrhennoi.

The last piece of the jigsaw is the PCs themselves (and their retinues - again each of them is a leader and has a lot of useful people).

Rhyanidd - a princess of the Lugii, from the most northerly fringes of Keltoi influence bordering with Germania, she is an experienced warrior and warleader. Like many aristocrats amongst her people, she is an excellent horsewoman and has served in the role of mercenary cavalry since her mid-teens in the wars of the Greeks. She was on the winning side at Ipsus, seizing much plunder. Her bodyguard are devoted to her, they have earned wealth, status and renown following her (and in some cases, freedom).

Rhyanidd has been hired as the captain of Menesthios' new Celtic bodyguard (who are only to be seen with him outside the city) - one of several private contracts besides the one he was voted the liturgy (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Liturgy_%28ancient_Greece%29) to provide for refurbishing/training the city militia. Her second-in-command will be training the city cavalry (an unenviable job given they'll be the most difficult of all of them to train).

Meshullum - an Alexandrian Jew originally from Tyre (evacuated as a child from the siege that resulted in its destruction at the hands of Alexander), perhaps it was that early dislocation that led him to his wandering lifestyle. He is a mercenary captain of archers, having been involved in all the major conflicts, since the Gaza campaign, and changed sides more than once. His retinue is comprised of his most loyal archers, and his nephew, a doctor from the Alexandrian school.

Meshullum will be training the artisan class in the arts of skirmishing, and he has notions of separately raising a force of archers amongst Menesthios' Celtic tenants outside Massalia.

Septimus - a Latin from central Italia, he is an enterprising man who considers himself the foremost merchant of war in the Hellenistic world. He provided Demetrios with siege equipment during his famous siege of Rhodes. But he is no idealist allied to the Antigonid cause, he goes where the profit is. His retinue comprises agents, savants and a trio of Cilician pirates. Has sworn to root out the Carthaginians in Massalia.

Septimus will be doing all sorts of underhand stuff, but also wants to captain a ship for Menesthios. I think he also harbours desires of capturing a Carthaginian vessel as a prize and to found his own personal fleet one day. He has a couple of brilliant savants in his entourage who might be able to make some money consulting on various things.

Philipos - a giant of a man from Macedon, he was a hypaspist like his father before him, wearing a fortune in heirloom armour purchased with Persian plunder. On the battlefield he is bronze god of war, almost impervious to harm. He was on the losing side at Ipsus, but came away with his honour intact. His retinue comprises his closest companions; Greek officers, a dubious Ionian, his valet and his nephew.

Philipos will be training the city hoplites and is the most likely (well only one) of the PCs to be made a citizen by the council at some later stage.


So if you're still with me, what sorts of ideas might that be stirring? What agendas could already be in motion in this pit of vipers? Is anything jumping out at anyone as something that must be used?

Dargaron
2013-06-22, 02:13 PM
Hi there,

For starters, how much do your players know about the history of Massalia and the Western Med in general? Are they as much a history buff as you? They clearly have lots of reading material to work through, based on what's on the Wiki you linked.

I know that the first thing Massalia is famous for is the voyage of Pytheas to Northern Europe. That was about 25 years ago, according to Wikipedia, so Pytheas would be too old to make a return journey, but maybe someone else in Massalia would be interested in retreading his journey?

Most of the PCs (except for Rhyanidd) would be used to Mediterranean city-states, so it might be an interesting first "quest" to send them on a mission into the interior. Since their employer is the de facto leader of the populist party and wants to extend franchise among the mixed Helleno-Celtic population, he would probably be very interested in keeping up alliances (both on behalf of Massalia as well as personal understandings with leading men) with the tribes of the interior. If my understanding is correct, any Celtic (or even non Indo-European) leader would understand the benefits of having a good relationship with a powerful ally in Massalia, since that city would be the access point for all kinds of manufactured goodies and a fine market for exported goods. If nothing else, as a populist and a political figure opposed to the power of Qarthadast, Menesthios would probably be interested in acquiring timber for Massalia's navy.

Maybe the PCs could be sent up the Rhone to safeguard an important shipment of heavy arms to the Allobroges/Salluvi, (or, if Menesthios is particularly devious, to the followers of one of his allies among said tribes, who may or may not be opposed to the current chief magistrate of the tribe).

It seems that your PCs have managed to wedge themselves quite firmly in the anti-Qarthadast camp, and if the Qarthadastim wanted to detach the PCs from Menesthios, it seems that he isn't on good terms with them either. Maybe Menesthios would want to use the PCs(particularly since Septimius has on hand three presumably experienced Cillician pirates) to cut away at Qarthadastim trade. If you want to give your PCs a taste of action, he could commission them to make a quiet raid on a small, recently-established Phoenician colony on Corsica. Maybe the Greeks living nearby had been either dispossessed in favor of Phoenicians/Liby-Phoenicians, or the favoritism of a local magistrate in favor of the Phoenician settlement is slowly strangling the prosperity of the Greek settlements.

Alternatively, perhaps as a concession to the Pro-Greek faction, (who would probably want to encourage Greek immigration to Massalia) he wants the PCs to offer Metic or full citizen status in Massalia to certain Greek settlements on Corsica now under Qarthadastim rule. The catch being that the Qarthadastim aren't too pleased that Menesthios is trying to poach their subjects right under their collective nose, and any of Qarthadast's allies in the region would certainly try to undermine the PCs efforts

If, instead, the PCs spend some time in the interior, Menesthios could commission the PCs to repeat the voyage of Pytheas to the Island of Tin, to try and negotiate favorable deals so that the tin follows the river routes through Gallia rather than the Atlantic route, which is under the control of Qarthadast. He could appeal to Septimius by pointing out that it is best to start diminishing Qarthadastim trade by nibbling at the edges e.g. by disrupting the Atlantic tin routes and redirecting them towards Massalia (to his and their personal profit, no doubt).

From reading your description, it seems like Septimius is the most protaganistic (is that a word?) of the group. Since he is bent on opposing the Qarthadastim, it is likely that the PCs will end up spending a great deal of time in the Mediterranean. However, I get the feeling that his patron is pulled in two directions: towards the interior and stronger alliances/control of the Celtic zones, and towards expansion of the naval power of Massalia (he is a populist, after all, so the fleet is probably his base of support, in addition to the mixed populations in the countryside). Depending on how charismatic and judicious he is, he might be able to convince Septimius that it is worth his time to spend a certain amount of time drawing strength from the interior regions (Gallic warriors would certainly be a great help when the party comes to blows with Iberians or Celtiberians in the employ of Qarthadast).

This post mutated into something much larger than I had originally intended, but these three-and-a-half adventures seem like they would be the kinds of things that the PCs could start out doing. They are certainly not starting as nameless nobodies, so it would be reasonable for them to start off doing important, cool (and really dangerous!) things for their employer.

Kiero
2013-06-23, 10:59 AM
What an awesome response! :smallsmile:


Hi there,

For starters, how much do your players know about the history of Massalia and the Western Med in general? Are they as much a history buff as you? They clearly have lots of reading material to work through, based on what's on the Wiki you linked.

They know what trickles down to them in-session, and what we've discussed around the game. I try to set out the materials without giving them "homework" to go away and read everything. Some of them have a basic grounding in antiquity (one did an archaeology degree), and there is a general interest in history, if not necessarily this period, so that helps.

That page on Massalia was intended as my all-in-one summary of pretty much everything they need to know about the place, as well as collecting my thoughts.


I know that the first thing Massalia is famous for is the voyage of Pytheas to Northern Europe. That was about 25 years ago, according to Wikipedia, so Pytheas would be too old to make a return journey, but maybe someone else in Massalia would be interested in retreading his journey?

Yes, I've already decided Pytheas is a "backbench" member of the council, though an older, more bitter man than the one who made that famous voyage. Problem is the overland trade route makes it far too easy to just use that, or else use the Carthaginian-sanctioned outlets. But we'll see what the PCs do on meeting him.


Most of the PCs (except for Rhyanidd) would be used to Mediterranean city-states, so it might be an interesting first "quest" to send them on a mission into the interior. Since their employer is the de facto leader of the populist party and wants to extend franchise among the mixed Helleno-Celtic population, he would probably be very interested in keeping up alliances (both on behalf of Massalia as well as personal understandings with leading men) with the tribes of the interior. If my understanding is correct, any Celtic (or even non Indo-European) leader would understand the benefits of having a good relationship with a powerful ally in Massalia, since that city would be the access point for all kinds of manufactured goodies and a fine market for exported goods. If nothing else, as a populist and a political figure opposed to the power of Qarthadast, Menesthios would probably be interested in acquiring timber for Massalia's navy.

Indeed, Menesthios has lots of ties to the Celtic interior. He has both tenant farmers and a horse-breeding estate in the Rhodanos valley which bring him a fair bit of money. The latter he also trades for grain further inland for export into the Mediterranean. I'm thinking he might even have married off one of his mixed-blooded daughters to a local chief/chief's son to help cement his alliances. As you say, it's a good reciprocal relationship which is profitable for both sides.

Isn't Baltic timber the best in this corner of the world? Were people cutting it this early? It would be something else making its way down the Amber Road (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Amber_Road)?

One of his fellow timoukoi (Kritias) is a Galliaphile, officially married to a Celtic woman (where widower Menesthios has been living with the same mistress for two decades) and with even better links than Menesthios. Though his focus is entirely on the franchise question, because he wants his sons to be able to take up prominent positions when they come of age.


Maybe the PCs could be sent up the Rhone to safeguard an important shipment of heavy arms to the Allobroges/Salluvi, (or, if Menesthios is particularly devious, to the followers of one of his allies among said tribes, who may or may not be opposed to the current chief magistrate of the tribe).

Absolutely, a caravan guard with some possibly political tinge to it is a good idea. I think armour (maybe lighter stuff like leather or quilted linen thorakes) might be a neat one in this instance; the Celts didn't seem to struggle for weapons or metalwork. Though the implication of the latter might be more about getting weapons to people who wouldn't normally have access to them in Celtic society.


It seems that your PCs have managed to wedge themselves quite firmly in the anti-Qarthadast camp, and if the Qarthadastim wanted to detach the PCs from Menesthios, it seems that he isn't on good terms with them either. Maybe Menesthios would want to use the PCs(particularly since Septimius has on hand three presumably experienced Cillician pirates) to cut away at Qarthadastim trade. If you want to give your PCs a taste of action, he could commission them to make a quiet raid on a small, recently-established Phoenician colony on Corsica. Maybe the Greeks living nearby had been either dispossessed in favor of Phoenicians/Liby-Phoenicians, or the favoritism of a local magistrate in favor of the Phoenician settlement is slowly strangling the prosperity of the Greek settlements.

It's funny, because this (the PCs so rapidly aligning against Qarthadast) wasn't entirely intentional, but the Qarthadastim definitely see Menesthios as the biggest threat to the status quo in Massalia, and the PCs yet another counterweight tipping the scales just a little further.

Septimus hates being yanked around and threatened, so they managed to rub him up the wrong way. Being a typically blunt Latin, he also doesn't like insinuations and hints, so I'm not sure things could ever have taken off there.

Making raids on Corsica is a nice way of harnessing both his burgeoning dislike and his skills as a captain, as well as those of his trio of ne'er-do-wells. I'm thinking Menesthios might lend them one of his trihemiolias for the task.

It could easily be painted along the lines of some quiet revenge for the expulsion after the Battle of Alalia a couple of centuries ago, where the Qarthadastim and Tyrhennoi worked together to eject Phokaian colonists. In fact some sort of envoy from the Greek settlements there begging for aid might be a nice pretext to legitimate the thing.


Alternatively, perhaps as a concession to the Pro-Greek faction, (who would probably want to encourage Greek immigration to Massalia) he wants the PCs to offer Metic or full citizen status in Massalia to certain Greek settlements on Corsica now under Qarthadastim rule. The catch being that the Qarthadastim aren't too pleased that Menesthios is trying to poach their subjects right under their collective nose, and any of Qarthadast's allies in the region would certainly try to undermine the PCs efforts

That could always be a supplementary part of the same mission, or a follow-up. I like it, continually ratcheting up the tension until something gives.


If, instead, the PCs spend some time in the interior, Menesthios could commission the PCs to repeat the voyage of Pytheas to the Island of Tin, to try and negotiate favorable deals so that the tin follows the river routes through Gallia rather than the Atlantic route, which is under the control of Qarthadast. He could appeal to Septimius by pointing out that it is best to start diminishing Qarthadastim trade by nibbling at the edges e.g. by disrupting the Atlantic tin routes and redirecting them towards Massalia (to his and their personal profit, no doubt).

This would of course necessitate another trip inland to start diverting the pre-existing land routes in their favour. Diverting tin that might normally go by Qarthadastim ship overland via Gallia instead would certainly get their attention.


From reading your description, it seems like Septimius is the most protaganistic (is that a word?) of the group. Since he is bent on opposing the Qarthadastim, it is likely that the PCs will end up spending a great deal of time in the Mediterranean. However, I get the feeling that his patron is pulled in two directions: towards the interior and stronger alliances/control of the Celtic zones, and towards expansion of the naval power of Massalia (he is a populist, after all, so the fleet is probably his base of support, in addition to the mixed populations in the countryside). Depending on how charismatic and judicious he is, he might be able to convince Septimius that it is worth his time to spend a certain amount of time drawing strength from the interior regions (Gallic warriors would certainly be a great help when the party comes to blows with Iberians or Celtiberians in the employ of Qarthadast).

Absolutely, their patron is very much a man with a foot each in the Mediterranean and the Gallic interior. I like the flexibility that offers for the game, if things start getting a bit too hot (or wind down) in either arena, we can just switch to the other for a time. He needs both in order to achieve his eventual goals, and Massalia is the lynchpin that links the two together.

I think war is an inevitable eventuality given almost everything they do to improve Massalia's position will be at the expense of Qarthadast, who won't take it lying down. There's already a powerful senator, one Himilco, who tried to divert them and is moving against Massalia in the background. He's a governor in southern Iberia and a canny operator.

I'm hoping we'll get both some good land battles and the odd siege, as well as naval battles too.


This post mutated into something much larger than I had originally intended, but these three-and-a-half adventures seem like they would be the kinds of things that the PCs could start out doing. They are certainly not starting as nameless nobodies, so it would be reasonable for them to start off doing important, cool (and really dangerous!) things for their employer.

I really appreciate you taking the time to put those down, it's helped a lot. I'm thinking about writing up a rumours-style list of different prods in different directions.

I like that starting them out the way I did, I can pitch them right into tussling with the big players in the region.