-- The Founding of the Empire, The Year 0 --

Akaeian history measures from the Year 0, the founding of the Empire. The actual birthday of the Empire is August 22, 251 C.E., or 2 Preakuros in the Year 0. The whole of that year, from December 24th, 250 C.E. to December 18, 251 C.E., is therefore referred to as the Year 0, and Akaeians measure all dates in terms of years before or after the year 0.

In May of 251 C.E., the Union of the Akaeium was attacked by the neighboring Kingdom of Novitreia. At first the Union met with success, particularly at the Battle of Aculopis. however, almost immediately after that the war began to turn against the Union. The Prime of the Union of the Akaeium, Phraros Urexis, betrayed the Union after the Battle of Kovenandros and that city fell to the forces of Novitreia. The other cities in the Union began pushing for peace in the Council of Seven, the Union's governing comittee, but without Kovenandros the Council was at a tie, 3 for and 3 against, and without the Prime to break the tie, the months had gone past with no decision.

However, by August the Akaeian People could not afford to wait any longer. The Novitreian Royal Navy had moved to blockade the Sea of Menaros, and after a Novitreian victory at the Battle of Fort Nakantus in early August, the Union could do nothing to stop the Novitreian advance. Because of this, the city council of Akaeia called an emergency assembly for the 22nd of August, at that time the 2nd of Ureston.

The assembly began in early morning and continued late into the night. Heat arguements raged about what to do. Some said that the city should be evacuated to Xenar, which had held against two attacks by overwhelmingly superior Parsid armies and three different attacks in the Unification War. Others thought the city should surrender and hope for gracious terms. But a third faction, under Arkastos Solaneios, argued that the Novitreians could and must be defeated in a show of arms. Support for Arkastos Solaneios and his faction grew steadily during the course of the day. News that a large Novitreian force was less than five stads (approximately 5 miles) forced a decision in the early evening, with each faction permitted to make a final statement. Although the words of the other factions have been lost, Arkastos Solaneios's words have gone down in Akaeia history in almost mythological proportions.

"Citizens of Akaeia, I will not tell you not to fear. I will not tell you that death is sweet, or that surrender is not tempting. I will only tell you what is truth. We cannot leave our fate, nay, the fate of Union, in the hands of fate. When the Union was overrun by the Parsids, who lead the troops to victory? Akaeians. And we must do so now. For Akaeia is doomed to forever be a light unto the darkness, a spring in the desert; by our birth we have chosen the hard path, and we cannot turn back."

Little is known of Arkastos Solaneios. His birth and death are well recorded, but the man is surrounded by a shroud of myth nearly impenetrable. That day, in an unprecedented move, the Assembly voted to give emergency powers to Arkastos, to lead the Akaeian forces into battle. The 25th of August battl e was joing between the Akaeians under Arkastos Solaneios and the Novitreians, under Royal General Phaelos Komeinos, in the Battle of Aurlex Plain, within 1 stad of the city of Akaeia.

Over the next 7 years, Arkastos Solaneios would lead the Akaeians in 12 different battle, first against the Novitreians and then against the Kovenandros Monarchate and the Union of the Akaeium. In the seventh year from Year 0, the Intentions of Akaeia formalized what had already been fact for seven years: the beginning of the Crownship. Although his reign only last 16 years after Year 0, Arkastos Solaneios began a dynasty which is among the most cherished in Akaeia's history. The institution of the Empire has survived 1477 years since the Year 0. Historians cite the 22nd of August as the turning point of Akaeian history, the moment when the city takes up the path of Empire.

In recognition of the Empire's birthday, the month of Ureston was renamed Preakuros, from the Akaeian word Preakuroke, meaning Beginning.