Salmis (/ salmɪs /)
Ψαλγισ
The fortified city of Salemesia sits high upon the hill. More fortress than a proper town, the conditions are somewhat rough and tumble. Simple buildings and unpaved roads in most of the city. The city feels much safer than many other places here, as the people here quietly go out to work, and quietly maintain the well-being of Salmis.The city of Salmis, located at the base of the southern Spure of the Odric Mountains can be said to be the only proper city in the region of Salemesia, serving as its capital, and the headquarters for the Salemesian Stratelogi.
Wards of Salmis
Inner Salmis: Inner Salmis consists of the oldest neighborhoods in the city, the old military barracks, repair shops, and the city's citadel. Most of Salmis' military infrastructure can be found here.Outer Salmis: The second oldest of Salmis' Wards, Outer Salmis consists of early expansions made by the inclusion of the akritae's families. Larger more comfortable homes are found here, in comparison to the cramped barracks of the old city.
Eastgate: Established in the old drill yards, and outside the east gate of Salmis, the district of East Gate is also largely housing for the city's population, though a few small markets were established that form the base of commerce for the city.
Westgate: Established outside the wall, Westgate serves as the mustering point for the city's Stratelogi when they go out for exercises. Aside from this and a few homes, there is little of note.
Fieldgate: In the southern end of Salmis, the Fieldgate is where the city's citizenry is mustered for agricultural work. Here what little of the state bureaucracy is established to handle work orders, and distribute supplies.
Important Buildings
The Citadel: The city's capital building, military headquarters, and civil service building, the Citadel is the oldest structure in Salmis, and its most heavily fortified, being the fallback point in the event the main city is stormed.Eastgate Market: Established in the city streets of the Eastgate neighborhood, the Eastgate Market is a modest marketplace for a settlement of Salmis' size here traveling merchants can find some locally made products in exchange for foreign luxuries.
Muster Hall: Established in the city's western reaches, after Eastgate had swallowed the old muster and drill fields, the muster hall is where the city's army is called up for service for routine drills and exercises and long-range campaigns.
The Pantheon: A small Pandroi temple dedicated to the pantheon as a whole, with limited services provided by the priesthood.
Demographics
The city of Salmis maintains a permanent population of 8,115. The entire city is considered full citizens of the Cantons, with no slaves allowed in the territory. It is almost exclusively human with the majority of the population consisting of Spartharoi Aeillans. There are small minorities of other Aeillan ethnic groups, and smaller minorities of Grecci, and Cyrenic peoples as well.
Government
The city of Salmis is governed by the Eldership council of Salmis, a body generally comprised of the eldest and most respected members of the community. The Eldership Council serves as one of the largest and most influential political forces in the the Greater Cantons of Salemesia. In real terms, the Eldership council manages most of the legislative and judicial duties as well as appointing the military officers for Salmis' contribution to Salemesian wars. The Elders rely heavily on a strong sense of civic duty and compliance from the city to maintain order.
Defences
Salmis' permanent line of defense exists in the born of the Bandon of Aerial Cavalry that is stationed in the city as its elite guard. Aside from these troops, the entire city can be mobilized with reasonable efficacy into the militia if necessary. Salmis is also protected by a single city wall, as well as an internal citadel that guard's the central edifice of state.
Industry & Trade
Salmis is primarily a subsistence based economy, with much of the city's energy dedicated to producing food, tools, and military equipment for use by the people of Salmis. Given how productive its citizens are, Salmis can manage a slight surplus of production, which primarily goes toward supporting the other Cantons in Salemesia, though some Salmisian goods do wind up on the market for trade. The city's citadel, and military headquarters is located at the hills summit.
Infrastructure
Salmis has well maintained, but relatively spartan infrastructure. Water is supplied to the city via wells tapping into an aquifer underneath it. There are a number of well paved roads leading into and out of Salmis. The most advanced infrastructure to exist in Salmis is the city's sewer system which is fairly efficient at removing liquid and solid waste from the city and away from the aquifer.
Guilds and Factions
The city of Salemis has very tight control over political factionalism, with public institutions, procedure, and law fostering a unified environment, one free from political squabbles present in many of the other, more developed Aeillan cities. Politics are dominated by the interests of the military, which is embodied by its small cadre of professional officers. This martial faction is, nominally, dedicated to protecting the Canton of Salmis, and the wider Salemesian State from foreign incursion.
History
The City of Salemesia was established as a fortress shortly after the Aeillan Empire's conquest of the southern Odric Mountains. Initially established as a large centralized fortification to be used as headquarters for the Tourmae stationed in the areas bordering Nimeara and the states that would form Gallaca. For this reason the fortress of Salmis was significantly larger than any other fortification in Aeilla at the time.
During the later Imperial Period, as the military was reorganized into the Akritae and the Penandroi, civilians slowly began to move into Salmis, usually families of the Akritae serving in the armies of the Salemesian frontier. These civilians were generally expected to pull their weight by supplying the soldiers of the Fortress with food, ammunition, armor, and weapons. It was this civilian population however, that allowed Salmis to remain occupied as the Aeillan Empire collapsed.
Salmis joined with the Exarchate of Halion in the early period after the collapse of the Empire. War with the Exarchate of Spathos, and the loss of territory to the same, alongside the mass deaths among mountain peoples eventually saw Salmis, along with other mountain forts breaking away with Halion. Salmis would become the most important Canton, and capital of the new Salemesian state. In the years since Salmis' independence, it would continue to grow to be the only settlement in Salemesia that could truly be called a city.
Geography
Salmis is situated on a hill overlooking farm fields to its south, and near the southern Odric Mountains proper. Within the hill is a fairly siginficant underground aquifer that has become Salmis' chief source of water. Most of the approaches to Salmis are fairly steep, with only a few roads being sure means of travel into the city.
Map of Salmis by Javak
Founding Date
EA 216
Type
City
Population
8,115
Inhabitant Demonym
Salmisans
Location under
Owning Organization
