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How would a Society Develop if it were Constantly Raided

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Roseface Since: Oct, 2016
#1: Dec 7th 2017 at 7:19:16 PM

So this society is based in a valley located at the foot of a mountain range. The valley is extremely fertile, allowing the people there to develop a large agricultural base. They would become wealthy by selling their surplus food. However, this attracted the attention of raiders, who began attacking the valley and looting settlements. These raids would become a regular occurrence, happening yearly. So, what would happen to a society like this? One that grew wealthy and powerful, but is now being attacked and looted every year. How would their culture develop as a result of this?

iowaforever (4 Score & 7 Years Ago)
#2: Dec 7th 2017 at 8:59:56 PM

Might want to read some history books about this; many civilizations got their roots from banding together because of raiders, and it's been a constant problem for such kingdoms since man started farming. China had its wall built as a road block for steppe nomads while the main army mobilized to fight back. Alfred the Great built castles and forts around Saxon England to prepare for inevitable Viking raids. The Crusader Kingdoms and their Muslim counterparts all had good sized standing armies that could react quickly and decisively to attack incursions launched by their opponents during times of war. A society that had to deal with yearly raids would have a decently sized, well funded standing army around its major centers, ready to sally forth whenever raiders came along.

Either that or they'd just offer a nice pile of gold and food stuffs to make the raiders go somewhere else. Appeasement has also been around for a long time as well.

Roseface Since: Oct, 2016
#3: Dec 7th 2017 at 10:07:02 PM

I should point out that this isn't an independent society. They are a vassal state of a larger Empire. However, the Empire's army isn't able to act quickly enough to prevent the raids.

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#4: Dec 7th 2017 at 10:26:01 PM

All the more reason they would have their own militia force at the very least. If they know that their sovereign state can't be relied upon for basic civil protection they would be far more inclined to rely on their own forces. They perhaps could have their own police/militia/secret police force to deal with matters their own way.

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KnightofLsama Since: Sep, 2010
#5: Dec 7th 2017 at 11:23:50 PM

[up][up] Fortification. Lots of fortification. Militia will depend on how much autonomy they have. But if they're that wealthy and prosperous, that means that the central authority will want to protect their tax revenue and the local authorities would have a valid arguement for stationing the main army their.

If the central authority consistently cannot or will not protect them... independence movements have been born from less.

SharkToast Since: Mar, 2013
#6: Dec 8th 2017 at 5:56:52 PM

Their military is probably also used to escort trade caravans, given how important selling surplus foodstuff is to their economy. Also, what kind of agriculture do they engage in? If they primarily herd animals like cattle or sheep, they might just migrate to a safer location. However, if they develop the land, it would be harder for them to just leave and they'd be forced to defend themselves.

Belisaurius Since: Feb, 2010
#7: Dec 8th 2017 at 6:06:37 PM

War wagons? Always loved the idea of war wagons but they didn't show up often in history.

SharkToast Since: Mar, 2013
#8: Dec 8th 2017 at 6:41:11 PM

Another thing to consider is what their government was like before being absorbed into the Empire. If the Imperial army can't stop the raids, you'll probably see people who want to breakaway from the Empire and restore the previous government.

DeMarquis (4 Score & 7 Years Ago)
#9: Dec 9th 2017 at 11:03:49 AM

Im pretty sure they would scrape just enough money to hire a rag tag bunch of misfit mercenaries who will band together and defeat the raiders in a dramatic final clash.

I'm done trying to sound smart. "Clear" is the new smart.
Roseface Since: Oct, 2016
#10: Dec 9th 2017 at 1:09:34 PM

@Shark Toast They do engage in some herding, but mostly they farm the land. Before being incorporated into the Empire, they're government was very simple. Most settlements were governed by village elders or priests.

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#11: Jan 15th 2018 at 6:04:28 PM

This is rather late, but that premise is how SW Asia developed in the very early days. See ancient Sumer and Akkad and Assyria for how they adapted. It even works into the Roman and Persian periods as that area was the most frequently raided when those two empires were at odds.

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#12: Jan 16th 2018 at 7:14:24 AM

@De Marquis is that a seven samurai reference?

It took until the sequels for Star Wars to have a zero gravity scene.
AmbarSonofDeshar Since: Jan, 2010
#13: Jan 16th 2018 at 12:01:36 PM

To answer the question you'd have to define the scale of the raids too. There's a difference between the occasional town getting hit and Tamerlane.

Roseface Since: Oct, 2016
#14: Jan 19th 2018 at 11:03:58 AM

I would say that the attacks are somewhat large in scale. There is a large horde that regularly attacks. Sometimes they'll spare the region if they get a payment of tribute. There are also smaller raids that occur through out the year, usually carried out by bandits or pirates.

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