Sparta

The home-world of the Spartiate Marines is a feudal planet with large sections still given over to feral tribes. When the Chapter established themselves they were accompanied by a large number of Laconian Colonists to maintain their recruitment pool. These occupy a score of cities located on the Hadrian Peninsula and the Great Peninsula in the planet's Western hemisphere in easy reach of feral nations to blood their spears on.

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The warlike Laconian colonists swiftly conquered the Danaan, the original inhabitants of the Great Peninsula. They were a primitive pre-Urban people with a bronze age level of technology and a palace economy involving the feudal domination of mini 'kingdoms' by a royal elite and their warbands. The Laconians easily eliminated both kings and warriors even using the same bronze melee weapons as their opponents to make it a genuine contest. By and large the subject population welcomed the change as the Spartiate realm explanded across the Great Peninsula over the course of several centuries. Under Grand Marshal Hadrianos the Spartiates expanded their domain onto the mainland peninsula that now bears his name.

Organization
The Spartiates constituted themselves a military-governing caste over the Danaans or Danaoi general population. However they differed from the former native rulers in making relatively modest pecuniary demands on their subjects which did wonders for their popularity. The Danaoi have no say in the government of the realm - but then they didn't under their native rulers either. On the other hand they are free to engage in any trade they please, to own property and buy and sell at will, to move freely between the cities and even travel to areas not under Spartiate rule for purposes of trade or mere curiousity. The Danaoi are treated by the Spatriates as necessary logistical support and permitted to govern their communities in Spartiate Poleis and their own cities according to their ancient customs.

As for the Spartiates themselves each Polis - city - is divided into between five and ten 'townships' of three to five thousand Spartiates. These townships are identical with a Spartiate regiment and governed by the Colonel of same and by the Colonel's Lady who is his wife or mother. They are assisted in their duties by an 'Ephor' or administrative officer elected for a term of one year by the Soldiers' Assembly which consists of all Spartiate men over the age of thirty and all Spartiate Matrons regardless of age. This assembly meets bi-monthly in the city amphitheater, chaired by the Ephors, to discuss issues and legislation. Balancing the Assembly is a smaller and more select body, the Senate, made up of men past the age of active duty and elder matrons elected fpr life by the Assembly and headed by the General and his Lady. Legislation can originate in either body but must be approved by the other to become law.

Spartiate Life
