Latin Heroic Age

The Latin Heroic Age, sometimes referred to as the Adonerii Colonial Age, refers to both a historical period and a series of myths regarding the settlement of Latinic peoples on mainland Sarpedon and Levantia. The period, which spans from approximately 1500 BC to 500 BC, deals specifically with colonization efforts of Adonerum which would found cities forming the later nucleus of both Great Levantia and Caphiria and related societies. To historians of Antiquity, the myths which emerged regarding this time period were considered to be material history, and these considerations continued throughout much of the Medieval period. Critical historians of the 18th and 19th century rejected many of the foundational myths of Latinic societies and established modern historiographies about the age of settlement and colonization, though 21st century historians are presently reevaluating the mythic stories and a majority of scholars believe that the myths have at least some basis in historical fact, albeit with greatly exaggerated narrative events. The Latin Heroic Age is considered to be one of the foundational events of the Occidental world.

History

As reflected in the myths, the Latin Heroic Age was a historical period in which the Adonerii League based in Urlazio established Latinic colonies across Sarpedon and Levantia. The motivations for expansion are varied, but most historians believe that Latinic peoples sought less equatorial climates which would allow increased agricultural output which, in turn, would allow for increased population in the core regions of Urlazio. Many scholars also believe the related theory that Urlazio's agricultural output could not keep up with the growing population of Latins, who were overpopulating the island.

The first Adonerii colonies outside of Urlazio were erected in around 1500 BC in northern Sarpedon (modern Caphiria) across the Urlazian Sea, whose relatively gentle waters allowed easy seafaring to the continent. The earliest Adonerii settlers lived among other Italic peoples on the extreme coastal littoral of northern Sarpedon, and most scholars believe these people were eventually integrated into the Adonerii colonial society. Archaeology suggests that colonization increased in pace around 1200 BC, with new cities being established all along the shores opposite Urlazio as far west as what is today northeastern Cartadania and as far east as northeastern Thessia. During this time, the Adonerii came into more heavy contact with the Ancient Istroyan civilization, adopting many of its cultural and social mores. Many of these Latinic colonies coexisted with Istroyan ones in Thessia and Halfway. As the Adonerii were organized as a league of city-states rather than a centralized political entity, the furthest flung city-states often acted with complete autonomy of the league and formed agreements and treaties with other non-Latinic local cities. During this later portion of this period, Crotona and Tromarine were also site of Adonerii colonization.

Evidence suggests that the first Adonerii forays into Levantia came just after 1000 BC, with it being widely believed that centuries of interaction with the ancient Istroyans had improved the seafaring abilities of the Adonerii, making regular traversals of the Sea of Canete possible. Early settlement was largely isolated to small colonies being established opposite Crotona on what is today Urcea's western shore. Unlike the establishment of their cities in Sarpedon and adjoining the Istroyan world, however, the colonization of Levantia was a very violent process actively opposed by indigenous Gaelic peoples, which slowed the pace of inward expansion. The mostly navigable Urce River became the primary corridor of the Adonerii into the Levantine interior and also became the center of Latinic peoples in Levantia, with Gaels having significant presence in the interior away from the river even throughout Antiquity. The city of Urceopolis was established relatively far inland at a favorable location and quickly grew as it was one of the few safe and reliable trading hubs in the Levantine interior. The equilibrium of power seems to have shifted to the Latinic settlers around 700 BC, as new colonies were established in rapid succession between 700 BC and 500 BC in Levantia while several new ones were also built during that time in Sarpedon.

The age of settlement largely came to an end around 570 BC. Historians believe that climatological shifts in Urlazio (including overfarming) had drastically reduced its ability to support population, and most historians suspect the majority of Latins lived outside of Urlazio by this time and little population base on the island to support further colonization. The changes in climate destabilized the economic and political situation on the island and abroad, as colonies began to resent obligations for grain levied upon them from Urlazio. Many cities overseas left the league in the 500s BC, and the league itself was eventually conquered as Marius Tempestas Natus subjugated the entire island and formed a single Kingdom.

The settlement of these areas by the Adonerii was heavily mythicized by the societies which sprung from their colonies in the succeeding centuries, giving rise to the name "Heroic Age". The colonists were either remembered as driven by the gods and overcoming many natural and supernatural obstacles, or themselves were transformed into demigods and gods in later tellings.

Founding myths

Journey of the Fifty

The Journey of the Fifty was the foundational myth of Latin civilization in Levantia according to the ancient religion of Great Levantia. In it, a demigod named Levas - the son of a mortal man and a goddess whom was deceived by the man - is cast out of Istroya along with forty nine other demigods by order of the gods, who believe the group to be a threat to their own power. The fifty demigods travel to Adonerum where they reside for a time, learning the traditions of the Latins there, including their seafaring and frontier prowess. The fifty then decide to travel east to the rising sun until they hit land along with an army given by the Adonerii. The Journey includes many details of feats of heroic strength, including animal wrestling and major climatological events, until the group travels far enough inland from the Urce River to reach a place of calm waters and a useful bay in what would later become Urceopolis. There, the Istroyan pantheon appears to Levas and the fifty, having reconsidered their earlier fears and having found Levas worthy. Levas is granted godhood, and in exchange for his bond to respect the powers of the other gods he is given all of the new land he finds. The traditional stories diverge here, with Levas's fate being uncertain. Most stories include him either directly ascending or melting into the soil, having become one with the land he now owned. Another story indicates that he ruled over the land as a god before his physical body died. Some modern archaeologists believe the latter story was more widely believed given the presence of what they believe to be a "tomb of Levas", though this discovery is contested within academic circles. According to the myth, the forty nine remaining demigods would later be joined by old friends from Adonerum, forming the basis of Latinic society in Levantia. 19th and 20th century religious critics believed that the ascension of Levas was the direct inspiration for Christian writers who they argued copied the event with the ascension of Christ, though modern theologians and religious scholars have rejected this thesis.

The story of the Journey of the Fifty was solidified within Great Levantine canon by the work of several authors around the time of 150 BC. Though the story is imbued with religious elements, modern scholars believe that the Journey of the Fifty is a heavily mythologized version of an actual series of events passed on by oral tradition. Scholars have uncovered earlier indirect references to an expedition of a small group of Latinic explorers both in Levantine and Urlazian sources who traveled deep into the Levantine interior via the Urce River. Scholars also believe that the original Istroyan-language name of Urceopolis indicates that the area may have been originally discovered by Istroyan explorers rather than Latinic ones.