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The Hellenic Age, or Hellenic Period, is the period of time between the Conquests of Alexander the Great and the Domination of Rome over the fallen Greek Empires, which is between Alexander's Death in 323 B.C. and the foundation of the Roman Empire in 150 B.C.
The Hellenistic Age is a time period when Greek art, thought, science, and customs were spread through most of Asia after Alexander destroyed and conquered the Persian Empire. Progress was made in the arts, exploration, literature, theatre, architecture, music, mathematics, philosophy and science. Historians consider it to be a period of transition, after the brilliance of the Classical Greek era (the era of the Polis or City State).
A. Really, Medieval Europe has been done to death. Any sufficient research in the era will reveal that it isn't really an era that needs to be replicated over and over again. The Dark Ages was the lowest point of knowledge on Earth (save, perhaps, China's Golden Age). Ignorance was at an all time high. Nobody knew what year it was.
You've got three castes. Those who toiled are the serfs. They were little more than slaves. You have those who pray, which were the clergy of the Roman Catholic Church; and finally those who made war. And warfare was incessant in Feudal Europe. David Chart's Heirs to Merlin for the game, Ars Magica, is a well researched book on the topic.
On the other hand, after Alexander the Great, there was much education in the land. The common slave would be educated, and some would have the task of educating the young. The typical middle class freeman would know a great deal of Philosophy and would patronize the theatre, the gymnasium, and use his education to make something of himself.
OH YES! Polytheism is alive and well during Hellenistic times. Besides that, there are a number of Greek Philosophies a player character can adopt.
[spoiler=Cynicism]
Cynics, real Cynics, sought to live a virtuous life in harmony with nature. A great philosophy for a druid.
Epicureans believed in the existence of the atom and believed in gods, but also say they were unwilling or unable to prevent Evil. They too, believed in living a virtuous life but held pleasure to be the greatest good (A hedonistic philosophy). They sought to avoid pain, as pain was held as the antithesis of pleasure (there are a lot of people who are Epicureans in today's society).
Academic skeptics sought peace of mind. However, they also pitted one school of Philosophy against another to undermine belief in the whole philosophic enterprise. The idea was to produce in the student a state of aversion towards what the Pyrrhonists considered arbitrary and inconsequential babble. Skeptics believed that causation could not be experienced, and also the soul, life purpose, justice, and the divine could also not be experienced.
Stoics taught naturalistic ethics and did not believe in non-dualistic physics. They also stressed logic. They believed in self control and fortitude to control destructive emotions. A primary aspect of Stoicism involves improving the individual's ethical and moral well-being: "Virtue consists in a will that is in agreement with Nature."
Neoplatonism is often regarded as the philosophy that led to the Dark Ages. Hypatia of Alexandria was killed by neoplatonistic Christians led by Saint Cyril (Saint Cyril was not a saint, folks). These "Christians" also destroyed the Lyceum, which was a remnant of the Great Library of Alexandria.
Neoplatonists believed in a metaphysical and epistemological philosophy. Unlike true Christianity, which has strong parallels with Neo Pythagoreanism, Neoplatonists believed in an Afterlife, a Demiurge, Hypercosmic Gods, and the Cosmic gods. They also held belief in the One God, making Neoplatonists nearly henotheistic. Neoplatonists believed in salvation of their souls through perfection that was attainable in this life. Neoplatonists did not believe in an independent evil running rampant in the Universe, but they did compare it to darkness. To the neoplatonist, evil is simply the absence of good, as Darkness is the absence of all light.
A. Technology would be middle iron age. Bronze would still be used as an armoring agent, but swords made of iron would be the norm. Since Iron was considered to be too soft at that time, it wasn't made into armor by the Greeks. Although, the Levant had a tradition of making fine steel before the Persian and Greek Conquest. However, iron weapons can easily be mended and maintained.
A The silver dinar, which is based on the Persian daric, can make up the standard.
1 dinar is equal to 6 obols.
100 dinars is equal to 1 mina.
600 minds are equal to one talent, which is 57 pounds of silver.
If you still used to the monetary system in PF, you can adjust it to this.
1 silver dinar is equal to one gold piece.
100 dinars is equal to 1 mina.
100 minas is a talent of Silver.
100 talents of silver can purchase one talent of gold (50 lbs. of gold).
1 pound of mithril = 2 talents of silver.
1 pound of adamantine = 3 talents of silver.
10 copper decidinars is equal to a silver dinar.
10 pieces of iron can be traded for one decidinar.
I've ran both an ancient Greece game (so, before your period) and a homebrew setting that was equivalent to the age you are suggesting.
I enjoyed both, and think it has a lot to offer for both hack and slash types as well as those interested in the unique politics, art, ethics, etc., of the era.
Personally, I think I prefer a setting inspired by the era rather than the era itself. You can handwave things that serve only to complicate things (like currency or the interaction between obviously existing gods and syncretism). You also avoid arguments about historical accuracy which can occur if you have players with an interest in the era.
Will you be putting out new crunch for such a setting? I would certainly be interested in that.
I once ran a Glory of Rome campaign dealing with the persecution of the Church. It was a really good game. I liked those 2nd edition sourecebooks as well.
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I've ran both an ancient Greece game (so, before your period) and a homebrew setting that was equivalent to the age you are suggesting.
I enjoyed both, and think it has a lot to offer for both hack and slash types as well as those interested in the unique politics, art, ethics, etc., of the era.
Personally, I think I prefer a setting inspired by the era rather than the era itself. You can handwave things that serve only to complicate things (like currency or the interaction between obviously existing gods and syncretism). You also avoid arguments about historical accuracy which can occur if you have players with an interest in the era.
Will you be putting out new crunch for such a setting? I would certainly be interested in that.
My current setting, Phoenicia: the City of Psionics; is based on the era and is currently in it's second game. I'm writing what I could for crunch on it and it's getting involved. :)
It's themes are:
1. It's Hellenistic. Reading about Alexander the Great is great fun, by the way. I can't wait to get my hands on Plutarch's account and Arrian's account. There's a third account that comes recommended. It's too bad that the original sources are lost. :( Researching the era has come up with the most interesting intrigues.
2. It's East meets West, or West meets East. One part of the city is staunchly Indian in flavor. Another part is Ancient Persian, and it even has the equivalent of a Chinatown. There is a spread of Hellenic language, culture, and art and the common language is Western. The city was divided by a ethno-racist ruler (i.e. a racist who is not only racist against elves, dwarves, halflings, and the like, but was also ethno-racist.) The city is also the Western hub of the Silk Route (it's further than Samarkand is in the Real World).
3. The third theme is about human potential and achieving human potential, so Psionics plays a big part.
4. There's a struggle between those that want self determination in politics and being ruled. The government is a minarchal oligarchy in the person of a city council represented by all factions in the city. There is a faction called the King Men who want to either have the town recognize Imperial Rule or install bigger government.
5. Atmosphere for adventure is created by the tension in politics, the social fabric, and economics. You have people trying to set up guilds, people arguing over if imposition of Apartheid is the right thing to do, and different philosophic schools. Add with the discovery of a large amount of treasure under the city and you have a powder keg of stories.
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I've ran both an ancient Greece game (so, before your period) and a homebrew setting that was equivalent to the age you are suggesting.
I enjoyed both, and think it has a lot to offer for both hack and slash types as well as those interested in the unique politics, art, ethics, etc., of the era.
Personally, I think I prefer a setting inspired by the era rather than the era itself. You can handwave things that serve only to complicate things (like currency or the interaction between obviously existing gods and syncretism). You also avoid arguments about historical accuracy which can occur if you have players with an interest in the era.
Will you be putting out new crunch for such a setting? I would certainly be interested in that.
My current setting, Phoenicia: the City of Psionics; is based on the era and is currently in it's second game. I'm writing what I could for crunch on it and it's getting involved. :)
It's themes are:
1. It's Hellenistic. Reading about Alexander the Great is great fun, by the way. I can't wait to get my hands on Plutarch's account and Arrian's account. There's a third account that comes recommended. It's too bad that the original sources are lost. :( Researching the era has come up with the most interesting intrigues.2. It's East meets West, or West meets East. One part of the city is staunchly Indian in flavor. Another part is Ancient Persian, and it even has the equivalent of a Chinatown. There is a spread of Hellenic language, culture, and art and the common language is Western. The city was divided by a ethno-racist ruler (i.e. a racist who is not only racist against elves, dwarves, halflings, and the like, but was also ethno-racist.) The city is also the Western hub of the Silk Route (it's further than Samarkand is in the Real World).
3. The third theme is about human potential and achieving human potential, so Psionics plays a big part.
4. There's a struggle between those that want self determination in...
This sounds awesome, good luck running it! Sounds like you and your players will have a blast. Currently in a Second Crusades game using the PF rules and it's an awful lot of fun.
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This sounds awesome, good luck running it! Sounds like you and your players will have a blast. Currently in a Second Crusades game using the PF rules and it's an awful lot of fun.
We would have a blast if everyone's there. :)
I'm writing up the setting. Unlike Monte Cook, I don't have the luxury of playing through games and writing down notes and then writing the setting some time later. I'm writing down the setting now. :)
I'm using Ptolus as inspiration, so. :)
I once ran a Glory of Rome campaign dealing with the persecution of the Church. It was a really good game. I liked those 2nd edition sourecebooks as well.I have some copies of those, as well! :)
Great products!