Nation applying for: Ionia History: Ionia, originally, was an Athenian colony, having been founded a thousand years BCE. Even if the state has evolved over time, it still remained an important center of trade, likely along with Athens, and a link between all nations in western Europe, and those north of Ionia.
Once, Miletus, a city in the State of Ionia, due to the many colonies it had, was famed to be one of the richest in the Greek world. This city, later in history, would also be praised for an intellectual revolution. A man named Thales, also from Miletus, would also suggest that natural phenomena would have causes, not supernatural, but natural, as he believed in the world having its own set of laws. He would be one of the first, if not the first, to deviate from the traditional way of thinking, which heavily relied on religion and religious stories.
Miletus would go on to eventually influence the other Ionian cities. This means that, while the traditional Greek belief system was still the main one , many, though not by majority, slowly deviated from many of the concepts taught by Greek mythology.
In the later periods of history, when Christianity became relevant and presumably was introduced to Ionia, it was first incorporated into the Ionian religion, but later instead dominated the region with only a small percentage of the population worshipping the traditional gods. Even though the population was still somewhat divided, no important conflicts have occurred due to religion.
Its government is a monarchy, though somewhat influenced by Athenian democracy, in which, while the King holds many powers(Notably religious and military), an elected council still exists. The monarchy was introduced soon after Christianity was, meaning some five hundred years before current times. A King, claiming to have had the right of God and the gods to ascend to supreme power. After a struggle for power between him and the old Government, he emerged victorious and his heirs have ruled the State ever since.
The Monarchs, while having accorded some importance to the military, still encouraged intellectuals to develop theories and technology, believing in its potential.
Leader(s): King Aetius of Ionia
Discord: zXKing#8240
