History of Athan
(May be subject to revisions, currently incomplete)
The Grand Empire of Athan's history span over 1600 years. From ruling over tribes to starting wars over practically nothing. Emperors of Athan are known make questionably decsions. They have come to hearing advice from Druids to only listening to themselves. Below is the history of Athan, everything from its founding to the current Emperor, Kratos, and his own questionable actions.
First Dynasty
Athan was found by those keepers of the little Princess Crispa (born 324 C.E.), the only surviving daughter (had an older brother, but he died in less than a year) of the late Caesar Crispus and Helena the Younger (also known as Lena). Crispus was the eldest son of Constantine the Great and who was executed after been falsely accused by Fausta (Crispus's step-mother) for trying to have an affair with her and conspiring to over throw Constantine. For fear that Cripus' daughter would be used politically her paternal grandmother (Constantine's mother) Helena the Elder (who faked her death in 329 C.E.) secreted Crispa and her mother to Britain, specifically to the Isle of Avalon. There Lena would get help to raise Crispa (for Helena die shortly after arriving on the Isle) by Helena's kin, priest and priestess of Avalon.
When Crispa became eighteen (year 342) her mother and those holy people on Avalon sought out a husband for her. Her spouse came in the form of a Roman young man (adopted by a Roman nobleman) by the name of Marius Julius Ascanius (born 319 C.E.). He was the second eldest of his father's children and his birth mother was the concubine of his adoptive uncle (who was his father). She was of British decent. The two were married only after three months to get to know each other. .
Word came to Constans II that a child of Crispus' survived and he made a prompt visit during the winter months too see if was a threat to him and his brother Constantius II of Rome. Thankfully those on Avalon still feared that Crispa would be used as a pawn or killed if her origins became public knowledge so a type of court was assembled and sent with the young couple to find their own land in which to prosper in. Constans missed them by three weeks. The court settled in a little in land which they called , far from Rome and it's prying eyes. Where the name of this new country came from is unknown and lost in history.
Over a thousand people came with Crispa and Marius to settle this new land where no one seemed to be, save a few small tribes that when a government was set up in 347 C.E. The government was modeled somewhat after Rome. When a capital was founded they called it Ascanius in honor of Marius decent from Aeneas, a prince of Troy. There they set themselves up as Emperess and Emperor, making them joint rulers. Though it was known they were not the warmest couple they did produce three sons: Gauis Flavius Valerius Julius Canus (b. 349) , Marcus Flavius Valerius Julius Corvinus (b. 351), and Titus Flavius Valerius Julius Volusus (b. 354). Their names where not inherited the traditional way. They took the too gens (or clan names) from Crispa's grandfather (Flavius and Valarius) and added Marius' gens: Julius. They had one other son who only survived four days and was called Phaelon (b.355). Both parents loved him deeply and in honor they renamed their capital with his name.
In 373 Marius passed away. Crispa mourned two years for her husband. Together they made a powerful team. What had started off as a tiny nation grew and prospered under their rule. In 375 Canus was made Caesar and entered a joint ruler ship with his mother. Eleven years after the death of her husband Crispa died in 384 leaving Athan to her eldest son, Canus and making him Emperor. Canus promptly made his younger brothers Caesars, one of north Athan, the other of the southern part of the empire, respectively.
Volusus died just a year after becoming a Caesar while he was defending off his boarder from in an invading horde. Thus making Corvinus sole Caesar. Corvinus and Canus worked well together. They defended Athan's boarders from invading armies and continuing to improve their people's standard of living. Religion was prominently pagan - a mixture of Roman and Britannic gods. The two did their best to resist the ever rising popularity of Christianity. They saw the religion as that of their great-grandfather's, Constantine. They resented his for killing their grandfather, Crispus and thus dislike many things he did.
By the age of 37 Canus had yet to marry and he finally felt the political weight of to take a wife. So he choose a young woman by the name of Luka whom was only seventeen. Luka was a daughter of the leader of the Kaur tribe and a priestess of Avalon who had come over. The Kaur were starting to get restless and Canus saw this as an opportunity to settle the situation. Luka was only seventeen years old. As Canus predicted the Kaur settled down when Canus and Luka were wedded. Upon marrying Canus she became Luka Flavia Valeria Kauria and was made Empress. Following his brother' s example Corvinus, at age 35, married another daughter of a powerful tribe, she of local Athan and Roman origin, by the name of Kesia of the Niam tribe. She became, upon marrying Corvinus, Kesia Flavia Valeria Niamia. Kesia was only 15 when she was married. Canus and Luka had a very loveless marriage which only produced one son, Gauis Flavius Valerius Julius Constantius (named after his great-great-grandfather Constantius I Chlorus, b. 387). Corvinus and Kesia had a more loving relationship and produced several children, sadly only one survived to adulthood, their daughter Helena Flavia Valeria Julia Coelia (b. 390), name so in remembrance of their great-great grandmother, Helena the Elder, and their grandmother Helena the Younger.
The rest of the reign of Canus was rather uneventful, as he and Corvinus restored peace once again to their land. In 407 a marriage was arranged between Constantius and Helena so that there would less chance of a splitting of the empire. He was twenty and she was seventeen. At the age of 68 (417) Canus passed away in his sleep. Corvinus had died some years earlier at the age of 54. Constantius them inherited the empire and became Emperor Constantius II of Athan and Helena became empress though her role was secondary compared to what Crispa had shared with Marius. Constantius was now 30 and Helena twenty seven and they only had one child, Flavius Valerius Julian Marius (b. 409). Constantius would only rule a decade before he would die and Marius would take the throne in 427. He became Marius II and would rule with the help of his mother, Helena. At the age of twenty-three he married Justa Grata Honora, the fifteen-year-old daughter of Constantinus III and elder sister of Valentinian III, both of the Western Empire. It was a political move created Helena so as to have an alliance between the two empires. Marius did not meet his wife until the day of their wedding and found her very displeasing upon seeing her the first time. It took Honora ten years to conceive a child, due to the fact that her husband could barely stand copulating with her. She bore one son, Flavius Valerius Julius Marius Constantius (b.442). Honora begged to go back to visit her family after his birth and Marius gladly let her. To keep him company he took a mistress by the name of Ralia, a young woman of a local tribe. Ralia unofficially adopted Constantius as her own son and raised him as such, he even reciving a honorary membership in her clan. In 449 Honora was caught in a scandal that involved her in a love affair with an over seer of her estates. Marius quickly called for a divorce and it was granted, Valentinian sending her into exile. She was banned from ever seeing her son or entering Athan's borders. Shortly after wards Marius married Ralia and made her Empress. She became one of the most beloved women in Athan's history.
456 was a sad year in Athan, Marius II died as well as his beloved Ralia. Constantinus was declared Emperor Constantinus III of Athan but was found too young to rule. His grandmother Helena was declared regent for him until he came of age or he passed away. Two years later Helena passed away and thus gave Constantinus III full reign over Athan. His first act of duty was to find a suitable wife. Tradition says that Constantinus had always favored aristocratic young woman by the name Charito. She was the same age as Constantinus and they married in 459. They had a wonderful relationship producing three sons and five daughters. During this time outside forces were trying to make their way in so Constantinus was away at altering intervals. It was a long reign and Constantinus out lived four of his children. At the age of 70 he passed on. His eldest surviving son Flavius Valerius Julius Coelius Julian (b. 466) then took the throne.
