Marinxa

Marinxa, from the Ikhyâshai Tah-Marinxê, approximately translated to "land of the strong", was a civilization and historical region on the Izcaran Gulf in the land of Ishlamu. In modern times these lands are now a part of the province of Maphtum, populated by the Nadin and other Exephan subcultures.

Marinxa was first settled by Ishlamans around 1200AE who did not speak the Marinxan language that later developed. These people were called Nephirans, or Musibetan, descending from the Semetan culture from the northern parts of Ishlamu. These Musibetans were the driving force behind a growing civilization in Marinxa, employing advanced agricultural mechanics to channel water and irrigate crops. Other industries that quickly formed included marketing, smithing and masonry, primitive upholstery and woodwork, and pottery. Trade with other settlements occured, leading Marinxa to quickly grow in size and population.

Marinxan civilization started to take shape during the Balmakan period, around 1900-2000AE, continuing into the Kingdom periods. In 3699AE, Marinxan was taken over by the Ikhyâshan Empire, who introduced the Antenan language to the Marinxans. For nearly half a century after the turn of the 41st century AE, the native Marinxans managed to re-emerge as rulers over their land, known as the Marinxan Revival.

The cities of Marinxa were the first to achieve agriculture and production on such a large scale, showing proficient use of farming and irrigation techniques by as early as 1500AE. Their skills in cultivating and fertilizing land, draining swamps and marshes, and a dedicated labour force caused a surplus of supplies, for the first time allowing them to establish themselves in one place, as opposed to the nomadic lifestyle previously required to maintain a steady food supply. This flourishing industry promoted higher populations and a more structured social heriarchy, forming the first structured governments and social classes. Marinxans were also the first to use writing extensively, after their invention of reed paper. Writing systems had existed before, but the Marinxans developed a system that would eventually influence and grow into all modern languages.

Origin of the name
Tah-Marinxê was the term given to the Marinxan people by the Ikhyâshan kings that conquered that land in the 37th century AE. The Marinxans, through their primitive language at the time, knew themselves collectively as ra naita naga, which meant "those who stay", referring to their ability to remain in one place. The Ikhyâshan tongue describes the land of the Marinxans as Mantaxum, but it is uncertain if the term Tah-Marinxê derives from the geographical word, or from some other influence.

Cities of Marinxa
Further Information: Cities of Ancient Ishlamu

Around 2000AE, Marinxa had developed into eight independent states that were marked out by a mixture of natural landmarks and boundary walls. Each state had a principle city, from which a king or governer ruled.

State Cities ruled by a king:

State Cities ruled by a governer: Other principle cities: All of these cities and their respective states were contained within the Nephir and Sargeti rivers, known as the Anaphtâ Plain (Anaphtâ-alai), west of modern-day Himmet, in what is now the western provinces of current Maphtum.
 * 1) Gûra
 * 2) Anuba Nâm
 * 3) Isareta
 * 4) Anaphora
 * 5) Norahi
 * Tum
 * 1) Miraad
 * 2) Tunyum
 * 1) Balmaku
 * 2) Sephtisi
 * 3) Elani
 * 4) Carpa
 * 5) Ayaz
 * 6) Kirus
 * 7) Surdumek
 * 8) Kula
 * 9) Ikhyôra
 * 10) Deyâl
 * 11) Pardaru
 * 12) Meriph
 * 13) Andelon
 * 14) Hashtal
 * 15) Garantû
 * 16) Kubanna
 * 17) Amberata
 * 18) Haphtura

History of Marinxa
Main Article: History of Marinxa

The Marinxan cities rose to power prominently during the Musibetan and Balmakan periods. Their written records allow historians to document their history from as early as 1800AE, whilst written records recall further stories and tales from history that are believed to be as early as 1300AE. The original Marinxan culture ended with the rise of the Ikhyâshan Empire near the turn of the the 38th century AE. Following the Enetan period, there is a time of Marinxan re-emergence, but that is ended also with the invasion of Antenan Zashti kings in 4049AE. The Zashtan realmdom of Nâsi is maintained until circa 4300AE, when Ishlamu was united under Palpatonan rule. The original Marinxan culture was eventually interbred and absorbed into the Ikhyâshan (Tashtai-Palpatonan) population.
 * Musibetan Period: 1200-1900AE
 * First Musan Realms: 1300-1800AE
 * Greater Musan Realms: 1800-1900AE
 * Balmakan Period: 1900-2970AE
 * Early Balmakan Realms: 1900-2600AE
 * Sephtisan States: 2600-2900AE
 * Balmakan Kingdoms: 2900-3050AE
 * Wider Marinxa Realmdom: 2840-3699AE
 * Ikhyâshan Empire: 3699-3862AE
 * Enetan Realmdom: 3862-4005AE
 * Elanan Realmdom: 4005-4049BE

Musibetan Period
Main Article: Musibetan period

1200-1900AE

The Musibetan period is a time known for its collection of pottery and early textiles which spread quickly throughout Ishlamu and the Terzhum Sea. The first settlement in recorded history was that of Gûra, around 1100BE, by laborers and gatheres who brought with them the Semetan culture, who first pioneered agricultural irrigation. These Semetan clans originated in eastern Ishlamu, but it isn't entirely clear whether these Musibetans were the actual Marinxans as identified with the later Balmakan culture. Gûra was an important religious center, even when other cities grew larger in size. The early Marinxans believed their progressive civilization was a gift from their goddess, E-zaghye-khyula. It is imagined that the culture of the Musibetans derived from three distinct cultural origins: peasant farmers, hunter-gatherers and nomadic pastoralists.

Balmakan Period
Main Article: Balmakan period

1900-2970AE

The shift from the Musibetan era to the Balmakan is noted by a shift from basic and undecorated pottery to more sophisticated and adorned artifacts, and also by the use of dyes in textiles. During this time, leather from livestock became a common material for heavier garments, such as those worn by warriors or combatants.

During this time, the Balmakan trade activity exploded as the development of ferries and rafts allowed goods to be carried in bulk across greater distances. The growing economical system encouraged other cities to improve and grow their own trade monopolies, and city populations grew enormously. It is recorded that this period saw the advent of slave labour rise, allowing city rulers cheaper construction projects and more impressive temples. Artifacts from this realmdom have been found spread far and wide from the former Balmakan lands, including Amaxta and Endorai.

Marinxan populations during the Balmakan period were founded on their faiths, and were usually lead by a king who followed religious doctrine, calling upon sooth-sayers and diviners to assist in the direction of a city's progress. Wars were rare during these early times, and the cities often remained unwalled and unpatrolled. Later in this period, Sephtisi became the most populated of the Marinxan cities, housing around 30,000 citizens.

Wider Marinxan Realmdom
2840-3699AE

With the decline of the Balmakan culture, the Marinxan cities that had formerly been kingdoms receded back into theocratic provinces, yet they continued to grow in size and influence. The center of Marinxan culture remained in western Ishtalu on the Izcaran Peninsula, although many Marinxan rulers expanded west and south, while neighbouring Antenan cultures often encountered and interbred with them.

The kings of this period are known for their progressive militarism, devoting more resources to training warriors and fighters, and beginning to construct walls around their cities. Rivalry in the trade industry saw the rise of small skirmishes and bandit groups, and Marinxan cities began to excercise military action against antagonists to their economy.

1st Realmdom of Carpa
Main Article: Carpa

The realmdom of Carpa was an important time during the Marinxan Realmdoms, and is highly documented, most probably due to the Sikhyushtan empire that arose. The 1st Realmdom of Carpa existed between 3480 and 3574AE.

The Sikhyushtan Empire was one of the first self-declared empires in history, though it fell with the death of its founder, Sikhyush. Using torture and suffering to strike fear into enemies, Sikhyush viciously assumed control over Sephtisi, Amaseph, Balmaku and Meriph. Beyond that, his empire also extended to parts of Auna and as far as the Terzhum Sea. However, his reign was short, and his empire fell shortly after his death, lasting from 3548-3574AE.

After the power of Carpa receded with Sikhyush's death, a short Realdmom of Nâsi lasted from 3574-3592BE. Following that, Sephtisi rose to power a second time, establishing the 2nd Realmdom of Sephtisi, from 3592-3627AE. The last native Marinxan power was the 3rd Realmdom of Balmaku, lasting from 3627-3699AE, and ending with the Ikhyâshan annexation of Marinxa.

Ikhyâshan Empire
Main Article: Ikhyâshan Empire

3699-3825AE

With the arrival of the Ikhyâshan Empire came a well-developed language that somewhat dominated and eventually became known as the Marinxan dialect. Noteably, however, is that prior to the Ikhyâshan control of Marinxa, the Ikhyâshan tongue had been an oral language only. The Ikhyâshan used and improved the Marinxan writing system and developed a more efficient alphabetic system. Speakers of both dialects existed together for around four hundred years, until circa 4200AE when the original Marinxan tongue disappeared altogether.

Enetan Realmdom
Main Article: Enetan Realmdom of Marinxa

3825-4005AE

The Enetan Realmdom rose to power by causing unrest within the Ikhyâshan Empire. It lasted for just over 150 years, after which it was succeeded by the Elanan Realmdom in 4005AE.

2nd Realmdom of Carpa
Main Article: Carpa

After the downfall of the Ikhyâshan Empire with the rise of the Enetan realms, a native Marinxan by the name of Tith ta-Hammarut rose to prominence and saw the rise of the Carpan realm once again. Similar to the previous Carpan rulership, Tith ta-Hammarut encouraged an increase in art and production. After the Ikhyâshan Empire collapsed, it dissembled into the two distinct regions of Palpatona and Tashtaira, to the east and south.

Elanan Realmdom
Main Article: Marinxan Revival

4005-4049AE

In the 2nd Realmdom of Elani, under Rhu an-Anna and other following kings, extended east and south throughout Ishtalu. It was the last great revival of the native Marinxan society, but at this point the culture had become more Antenan than Marinxan with the rise in power of Ikhyâshan speaking Antenans, and a steady migration of Zashti who were later to build the Palpatonan Empire.

Decline
Late in the 39th century AE, the agriculture of Marinxa began to fail due to a long season of droughts that caused the soil to become barren and unfruitful. Populations began to move east and south, and weakened regions still practiced native Marinxan methods of agriculture, and strengthening established urban centers to the east and south.

Following an Aunaian invasion and the sacking of Elani, Marinxa came under Zashtan rule. The independent Zashtan provinces are collectively known as the Realmdom of Isareta, ending with the rise of the Palpatonan Empire under Loman of an-Tahum around 4300AE. By the time the Palpatonan and Tashtairan empires had spread, all traces of the native Marinxan had been lost, absorbed into the Ikhyâshan culture.

Social & Family Life
Stories and tales from the Marinxan period describe a religious and artistic culture, especially in pottery and textiles. By the time of the Balmakan period, almost all textiles were dyed and most pottery adorned with painting or inscriptions. Their clothing became intricate early on, dressed with feathers and other animal parts, suggesting a primitive form of fashion. Their use of tools was wide, including borers, serated saws, and their knowledge of weights and simple mathematics to produce well made equipment. Their writing was done on reed paper, and ink usually made from mixing animal blood with other pigments and agents. They also measured time by counting the repeating seasons, and breaking their year up into the individual seasons.

Though women were held in high esteem in Marinxan culture, males were the dominant gender and were typically the only ones allowed to carry out the governmental functions of king or religious leader. There were strict laws for marriage; there was no such thing as a divorse, and unfaithfulness or disobedience to a husband could lead to the equivalent of a criminal punishment.

Language
Marinxans developed their own syllable based alphabet, containing several hundred symbols describing the possible combinations of sounds. Clay tablets were first used as a tool for writing, but such records are exceptionally primitive and hard to read. When reeds were processed and turned into rough paper, the Marinxans eventually developed a basic scroll. The Ashlan Empire managed to collect and preserve a vast volume of Marinxan texts in its libraries, and privileged readers can read transcripts of the oldest writings in history. The Marinxans wrote for many different purposes; poetry, tales, prayers, trade business, religious laws or rites, and letters to their friends or family.

With the arrival of the Ikhyâshan Empire, the spoken Marinxan language receded, although it remained spoken by people until circa 4300AE. However, it remained learned and used by teachers and instructors throughout the Palpatonan and Tashtairan empires, lasting even up until circa 6000AE.

Religion
Main Article: Marinxan Religion

Marinxan religion is thought to derive from the same origin as all faiths came. The Arcanum were the first to practice earth-worship, as they believed themselves to be children of an earth-goddess. Though while their faith was monotheistic, it spread to other cultures and in many cases other deities or gods were added to their theology. The Marinxans had an earth-goddess, who ruled above the other gods, along with an array of other heavenly beings that they paid homage to.

The early Marinxans are known to have worshipped an earth-goddess who they called Sus, and paid tribute to with offerings of their crop and livestock. Each city, however, had their own set of deities, and the importance of each deity often grew or decreased with the power that city held. Governing the farming communities with temple worship was a successful system that allowed the Marinxans to flourish for over three thousand years.

The Marinxan temples were simple square courts surrounded by a wall, with the shrine of their primary god or goddess in the center. Around the court, clay statues represented the other deities. Citizens were free to worship and tribute whatever deities they wished, but tribute and worship to the primary deity was compulsorary. Marinxans also carved small figurines out of stones which they kept in their houses.

Agriculture and Farming
Marinxans had pioneered the development of key agricultural techniques that allowed them to remain situated in one place, as opposed to moving around according to the seasons and weather. Their use of canals, levees, wells and channels allowed them to irrigate their fields and thus allow a far greater yield of crops. This lead to a surplus of food, allowing their settlements to grow in size and become permanent, and required a governing body to oversee each settlement. Within a few hundred years of this development, settlements had grown large in size, with some boasting a population of over a thousand. The first 'cities' were born.

Alongside the crop-farming, the Marinxans raised livestock, including primarily elgon and aurzon, though melaron and moraggon followed in centuries to come. They used ulphamon primarily as their beasts of burden, while axon was the typical transport animal.

Aside from the many farms, Marinxans grew their own vegetables in gardens at their homes. Typical crop varied between tazhelt (for making breads), norallo, annimelt, amano, corianel, tarato, delto and imtarashel.

Architecture
Main Articles: Marinxan Achitecture, Carpathut

The Izcaran Peninsula lacked a lot of vegetation and raw minerals, so Marinxan architecture was built predominantly with brick. The primitive Marinxan culture used mud-brick, a soft and deteriorative material. When buildings began to decay, they were broken down, crushed and the building would be rebuilt. Eventually, the Marinxan's bricks became harder and more sturdy, and no longer needed to broken down.

Marinxans built the first carpathuts, the temples within which they paid tributes to their deities. A carpathut was simply a walled court that contained a religious storehouse at each corner, and a sanctum at one end, within which lived the city's priest or religious leader. The distinct style of the carpathut was adopted by many cultures that followed and spread throughout the world.

Economy and Trade
Volcanic stones from Paralli and other precious stones from modern-day Aphazul, pearls from the sea of Rammet and scrolls describing dealings with the Faerum reveal a vast trade network covering thousands of kilometers centered around the Terzhum Sea.

Wood from the lands of the Arcanum were prized, as trees were rare in the lands of Ishlamu. Jewels found in the tomb of a notable king came from as far as Paxalai. Marinxan masons knew of and worked with alabaster, iron, gold, silver and amber.

Military
With the arrival of the Ikhyâshi Empire, military war between the Marinxan cities became frequent and constant. Cities were quickly surrounded with walls, and effort was made to develop new and better military technologies. Marinxan military consisted mostly of infantry that were well trained. Many cities enforced a military training on adolescents, and in the case of war would make it a public duty for men to fight for the city. Weapons used were mostly spears, but they also employed bows, clubs and lances, and would usually carry shields of leather or copper.

To transport heavier weapons, supplies or military captains, they harnessed carts to a specific breed of axon that was stronger than its other subspecies. However, such transports were slow and not very useful in actual battle.

Marinxan Legacy
The Marinxans were the first to develop written language, their syllable-based alphabet laying the foundation that the standard alphabet followed with. They were keen astronomers, cataloguing hundreds of star signs and using them in their religious philosophy. Such star signs survived and became foundational in other cultures.

Their development in understanding mathematics lead to exponential increase in architectural complexity and more sohisticated legal, educational and production systems. The Marinxans had pioneered the first legal justice system with jails, courts and government offices.

Most importantly, the Marinxans brought in the era of efficient and producive agriculture and farming, paving the way for future empires, cultures and civilizations.