Byzantium

The campaign brief

Our blessed city of Byzantion has the most advantageous location of all cities. How could it not be? The Oracle of Delphi itself told our great founder Byzas to found it next to the city of the blind – Chalkedon. And when Byzas crossed the strait of Bosporos, he was awestruck by its wealth: its fertile lands allow for the growth of plentiful grain and high-quality olive oil. It offers a strategic location, allowing us to control the Propontis and its trade routes while easily defending the city. A location like this was not spotted by the Chalkedonians, who built their city on the other side, instead! That is why we call them blind. That is why they submitted to our wisdom and care. The gods favored us.

Byzantion's wealth has been envied by many other Greeks, as well as by the Persians. All sought to conquer our land. We have been part of various empires for centuries – Byzantion was not blessed with leadership as strong as its location. But let us not forget that the Athenian "empire" was only possible because we allowed them to use our ports, and protected their trade with our mighty fleet! Now, both the Athenians and the Persians are long gone. We do not need the Antigonids or the Seleucids to replace them. We are not an ordinary city, it makes no sense to be part of an empire that is not ours.

We should make an empire of our own, controlling the maritime trade routes and the grain imports from the Black Sea. To achieve this feat, we need a fleet as strong as the one we once had. Few would be able to match us at sea, as most of them are busy ravaging the lands once ruled by Alexander. We need to build strong, stone walls to keep our enemies outside. For all of these necessary actions, we will need to increase the tolls on the trade that flows through our sea routes. We were generous people, allowing everyone to use our ports for a small fee. As a result, we were seen as weak, and many turned against us… This action will likely annoy our neighbors, the Odrysians, the Astai, the Tylians, Kabyle, and probably the Ionian cities of the Pentapolis. However, I am sure our walls can halt the Thracians, and the Ionians would not dare challenge our Dorian might. I am confident our Dorian friends in Herakleia Pontike will assist us against them. Together, we have formed a League, which also includes Kios and the Bithynians. It protects us against the Seleucids, and it gives us the power to throw down our Ionian rivals!

Once we definitively establish our power and control over maritime trade, the Diadochi will think twice before crossing us. They will respect us and prefer us as an ally rather than an enemy. The Galatians we helped bring to Asia will keep them busy, but we must deal with Tylis. Together with the Thracians, they pester us and steal our crops. We must form an army and free ourselves of this burden! The Greeks will forever thank us if we defeat those Barbarians. Expanding to the Black Sea will also provoke the Kingdom of Pontos, which is a partner of our League, but there is little they can do to harm us as long as we plan our moves carefully… The trade routes of the Bosporos have been there for thousands of years, and thus the city that controls them will have eternal wealth, power, and prosperity!