The Importance and Role of the Military

The Azeryani military is a key element in understanding Azeryani society. The military made the empire through conquest, and has preserved the empire from both external and internal threats. When the empire was sorely pressed in the 6th and through the 7th centuries the military held the empire together. The reincarnation of Azer Urvaen who saved the empire during this period, Hazura Desmarius, was a military man who rose up through the ranks. Azeryani value their military highly and military rank conveys substantial status. In addition, many of the Freeborn see the military as the best route to escape poverty. The military exhibits more social mobility, over the course of its members' lifetimes, than any other profession. Unlike in many other segments of society, skill, hard work and natural talent pretty universally pay off in advancement in rank and prestige.

While traditionally mostly a hereditary occupation, the military has always accepted recruits from other backgrounds in its search for good soldiers. With the loosening of social restrictions brought on by the Hazuran reforms, the military has become open to members of all classes and backgrounds. Technically any Freeborn citizen can sign up for a term in the military without the permission of his patron. Realistically it is a good idea to have the patron's permission to avoid repercussions on the recruit's family. The class of Freed can also join the military, their only choice other than the profession they followed as a slave. Even slaves may join, with the permission of their masters, which effectively is an emancipation. The Equites are expected to serve in the cavalry, indeed they traditionally made up the entire force of the cavalry. The nobility may serve as officers, if they choose, but most do not. Before the Hazuran reforms many of the Nobles assumed positions as high-ranking officers based on the strength of their social positions. As they usually had little or no military experience this sometimes proved catastrophic. Given that their station would not permit them to be normal soldiers, Nobles are now given high ranks but their commands are rarely of any real significance. If they prove themselves then they may actually move sideways, or even upwards, into positions of responsibility. Popular romance and hero-stories often concern young noblemen who disguise their origins, join the military as common soldiers, and eventually rise to high rank where they reveal their origins and assume positions of leadership in the government.

The military serves as protector from both external and internal threats. While the majority are involved in policing borders or actively campaigning against the empire's enemies, a large portion serve as police in and around the cities. These troops are drawn from the ranks of the normal army and are rotated through this duty regularly. This regular rotation is thought to help reduce corruption since the local law-enforcement is rarely in place long enough to develop strong connections to the local criminal element. Further, a substantial portion of the army serves as engineers and construction crew, maintaining public works and roads. A subset of this group provides transport service for military goods around the empire and also acts as the official postal system. A common rotation is 4 years of regular duty, 1 year of police work, and 1 year of engineering/transport/postal work. In times of crisis these two other divisions of the military will be stripped down to bolster the regular army. In times of peace the regular army may be reduced to provide more manpower for the other two.

The regular army forces are broken into several groups by type of troop and function. These are: 1. Infantry, both light and heavy, 2. Cavalry, again both light and heavy, 3. Scouts, 4. Marines, 5. Navy, 6. Artillery, 7. Engineers. Each of these serves a specific function and are trained accordingly. In warfare, units of each of these may be combined with others to form a legion or fleet. Once established a given legion exists until it is either destroyed in battle, honorably retired from service, or is disbanded for political reasons. The last happens only rarely. In the history of the empire there are several legions whose history's are well known and whose exploits are the subject of much popular semi-fiction. Most soldiers and seamen take great pride in the colors and name of their legion and will gladly fight to avenge an insult to either. When soldiers brawl it is most often members of rival legions.

Legions are often named after the district where they were formed and presumably the home of most of their members. Over time the membership of course becomes more diverse but new recruits are assigned to a legion appropriate to their backgrounds whenever possible. In addition legions are sometimes known by nicknames given in honour of famous exploits. Each legion maintains an unofficial historian who keeps a detailed history. These histories provide valuable sources for scholars, when they can get access, and record most of the military history of the empire. Many of these histories have been lost but the majority still survive. Surviving histories of legions which are no longer extant are kept in a special library in Meokolis, maintained by a special honour guard.

The 8th Meokolan Guard is the official bodyguard of the emperor. When a Meokolan Guard legion is destroyed in battle, whether it be against a usurper or an external enemy, a new Meokolan Guard is formed. This legion is smaller than most and consists almost entirely of heavy cavalry with small contingents of light cavalry, heavy infantry, and scouts. Their sole function is to protect the emperor and the imperial palaces. Their membership is drawn from other legions and being selected for the Meokolan Guard is considered a supreme honour.

Despite most membership in a particular legion usually being drawn from a particular area, legions almost never serve in their homelands. This is intended to help prevent local military units from attempting to secede from the empire. If the troops are not related to the local people then they are less likely to qualm at putting down local rebellions or to join in.

For the common soldier, joining the legions means signing on for a 6 year term as a minimum. Recruits go through a rigorous basic training and are evaluated for talents and skills. Each is then assigned to the type of unit which best suits his capabilities, and branded on the left forearm with an identification. Once assigned to a type of unit the individual soldier rarely changes to another, though officers often rotate through short terms in units of a different type to broaden their perspective and knowledge. At the end of a 6 year term the soldier may re-enlist, with substantial monetary inducements to do so, or leave service honorably. Most elect to stay on. After serving 4 terms each soldier is given a plot of land and the necessary funds to start a farm. This retirement plan is part of what attracts many of the very poor and also serves as an ongoing process of land reclamation.

The military technology of the empire is mostly similar to its more northern neighbors but there are differences in its application. The most common unit is the heavy infantry. These fight with a large shield, shortsword, and carry two pila. They are armored with ringmail hauberks, very similar to their northern neighbors, open-faced helms which cover the cheeks and rear of the neck, and wear heavy boots. In addition they wear plate vambraces and greaves giving them overall excellent protection. Light infantry are armed with sling, the shortsword, a smaller shield, and typically wear a leather tunic with cuirboilli breastplate. The heavy cavalry wear armor essentially identical to the heavy infantry but the helm usually has a chainmail aventail which covers the entire neck. They carry a large shield, lance, and a longer sword, called the spatha, which is very similar to the northern broadsword though unlike the northern sword it is better balanced for thrusting than slashing attacks. A few elite Heavy cavalry units also armor their horses. Light cavalry are armored like the light infantry, carry large shields, the spatha, and a simple bow. Scouts are armored and weaponed similarly to the light cavalry but are also trained in a wide variety of foraging and survival skills. Marines are essentially light infantry who serve exclusively on shipboard. Seaman are not expected to fight and receive little training for it, but are nevertheless outfitted similarly to light infantry. Engineers and Artillerists are armored and outfitted as light infantry, minus the pilum, but are not usually expected to be involved in any close-range fighting. Currently there is a new group being formed which may eventually constitute another type of soldier. These are groups of artillerists who specialize in smaller weapons, ie crossbows. Currently they use crossbows ranging from the heavy crossbow through the small ballista but some legions are using groups who only use the heavy crossbow.

In the past two generations the use of infantry has started to decline and the use of cavalry is on the upswing. This trend is due at least in part to the improving economy which allows funding the more expensive cavalry units. It is also in response to the Trierzi development of and heavy reliance on feudal-levy heavy cavalry.

Use of military armor and weaponry is severely restricted by the Azeryani government. With certain exceptions, it is illegal to own swords, lances, shields, or pila outside of the military. Bows and crossbows are permitted if they are relevant to the individual's profession; slings are unregulated. These laws do not apply to the Nobles or the Equites, and many of the Curiales have been given exemptions. Soldiers who have served 1 or more terms are allowed to keep their weaponry when they retire and those who have served 4 terms may also keep their armor. Retired soldiers often serve as an emergency militia in the area they have settled.

It is illegal in most of the empire to carry weapons unless one's profession requires it, though all Freeborn may carry a knife and Curiales are allowed a dagger. The Equites may always carry military weaponry if they desire, given the military nature of the class, and Nobles can do as they please. Legally owned weapons may be transported within the empire with a permit which may be obtained at most cities. This permit must be stamped and updated at each city visited and failure to do so results in stiff penalties. Even the military units which are serving as police are lightly armed. They normally wear the armor of the light infantry or cavalry and are armed with batons balanced like the shortsword. In times of crisis and severe civil unrest troopers acting as police may be allowed to wear their normal armor and carry their normal weapons, but this is rare.

Nobles, Equites, Curiales, and some of the wealthier Freeborn are entitled to have bodyguards who are armed. The number of the bodyguards is strictly regulated and is a powerful sign of status. Each bodyguard must be registered and noted with the appropriate office and his/her whereabouts while armed are monitored. Such bodyguards are allowed to wear the armor of heavy infantry or cavalry and may carry a sword and shield in the city, and may also use a pilum outside of the city. Most are actually veterans who have served one or more 6 year terms of duty though they do come from other backgrounds as well, such as retired athletes or gladiators. When off duty they are restricted to the same weaponry as any other citizen.

  July 16, 2001

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