[center][img=http://i1090.photobucket.com/albums/i374/bensundeitestutho/bennipolisbanner_zps73a54274.png][/center]
[center][b] The City-State of Bennipolis [/b][/center]
[center][b]Bennipolis[/b][/center]
[center][i]The 10th Eponymous Year of Lysander[/i][/center]

The Ekklesia of Bennipolis had assembled in order to discuss several matters of utmost importance to the state. Lysander, the head of the Ephydridae, presided above the assembly, since he was the Basileus Eponymous for that year. Recently, several explorers had discovered and explored a new continent that laid to the east. Since the territory controlled by Bennipolis was not extremely rich in resources, it would be crucial for the city-state to produce colonies in this “New World”, called Aventia, so that new materials might flow into the Bennipolitan state and so that the Bennipolitan landscape might be alleviated from any surplus population.

At once, a certain Creon, a wealthy aristocrat, although not a member of the three royal families, rose to his feet and began to address the Ekklesia in this way.

“Fellow Bennipolitans,” He began, “you have all heard of the reports given to our state by those Cartographers, who explored the “New World”, which has been called Auentia. It is of the greatest concern for both you and the city of Bennipolis as a whole to produce emporia in this new land. While the countryside of Bennipolis has supported the beautiful goddess’ city for hundreds of years, you all know that we are in need for new resources. Our shipwrights require new sources of wood, lest our children might have to resort to chopping down the woody groves that are sacred to our gods. Our workshops and smiths require new sources of metal so that our weapons might be strong and reliable. And our farmers require new plots of land to till greater yields of crops so that they might feed our nation. While we could get all of these from our neighbors, the costs of their acquisition outweigh the benefits of receiving them in the first place! Therefore, I request that we send a party of colonists to Auentia in order to establish an emporium there.”

A mass applause followed Creon’s speech, revealing the overwhelming support for his plan of action. Therefore, Lysander called out to the Ekklesia and asked all in favor of Creon’s motion to raise their hands, and after that, all in opposition to do likewise. Only a miniscule minority used their hands to oppose this decision.

“Therefore,” Lysander announced, “the state of Bennipolis will send out colonists to Auentia. Furthermore, let us provide them with enough resources form the sacred treasury in the blessed temple of Bennis so that they might have the resources to begin the emporium. Finally, these colonists must establish subsistence in Auentia before they start harvesting resources for the state. For the old poets have said that:

[i] one cannot feed their brothers with gold unless they first sow the fields and harvest the crops [/i].

Now, on to the next matter.”

Next, Athenakles arose to his feet, the Basileus Polemarchos.

“Fellow Bennipolitans,” He started, “We must be weary of the Kingdom of Tereridon, those backwards Barbarians that occupy the Isthmus. These barbarians have enslaved our fellow Hellenes, forcing them into what those barbarians call “serfdom”. Even if these Hellenic folk are able to elect their royalty every century, they still serve a master and therefore are slaves to them. This is an abomination to the people of Hellas, for we are one of the Hellenic peoples and we stand idly as our brother waste away as slaves. They might try to rebuttal this by claiming we are hypocrites for owning slaves ourselves. However, the truth is that while our slaves come from foreign lands, the Hellenic serfs in Tereridon are enslaved in their own lands, where their forefathers once lived and died proudly. It is a job for a slave to be subservient to another man and do his work, but for a free citizen to work for his own benefit is the best possible situation.”

“But this is not their only folly. They have already turned away our merchants from their borders and harbors, refusing to allow their precious gold slip from their hands. They are hoarding their gold into their coffers, just as the rapacious, serpentine drake encircles its golden mound with its coiled tail. But they would be lucky if this was the end of their folly. For, they have not only insulted our kin and our city, but they have also insulted me myself! In an attempt to open up their borders to our merchants and tradesmen, I even offered my own flesh and blood, my daughter Adraändreis, as a possible wife for their heir. However, when I tried to enter beyond their borders, they barred my entrance. Even though I pleaded with them to let my daughter and I enter, all the guards did were to bark “Bar, Bar, Bar” at us, as any barbarian would do. If it were up to me, I would summon the forces of Bennipolis and march into their land and ravage their land. But it is not up to me, but to you, fellow Bennipolitans.

“But rumor has all the sudden filled my ears. Apparently, a new royal family has taken the seat of Tereridon and has thrown open their borders to everyone. Something is array in the state of Tereridon! I trust these new regents as much as I had trusted the old rulers. Therefore, I will propose two things. First, while we shall allow our merchants to mingle amongst these new markets, I propose to ban any exchange of musketry between our states. We would be fools if we arm their men, who currently bring arrows and spears to a gunfight. Secondly, I propose that we send a delegation to the Kamalao Republi, to their temporary capital at Nuesma, where they worship Hephaistos, although they call him by a different name. Our merchants have been on friendly terms, sharing the bay which our lands surround with few instances of dispute. Therefore, we shall ask them to form a defensive alliance between our two states. For if Tereridon becomes daring enough to invade our lands, we shall have an ally to call to our aid. In return, we shall also provide aid in a time of need if the Kamalao requires it. This will only be a defensive alliance and there will be no strings attached about offensive maneuvers.”

And Athenakles spoke in this way. Once the voting began, his first proposition fared as well as Creon, garnering almost as many votes. However, the second proposition was so close that the Boule had to count the hands in order to discover the winner. In the end, the proposition barely passed, after much heated debate. The following is the letter given to the delegates to the Kamalao Republi:

[hider=Kamalao Republi]
To Kamm Kutuk, Basileus of the Kamalao, blessed by Hephaistos who dwells at Nuesma.

We, the Demos of Bennipolis, have decided to offer a treaty of defensive protection between our two fair nations. We fear lest the people of Tereridon will grow in strength since they have opened their doors and made a call for arms in exchange for their precious gold. In return for your promise to provide aid if the Tereridonoi (people of Tereridon) invade our lands, we shall promise the same aid to you whenever you have any crisis at hand.

May the Immortals be kind to you.

The Demos of Bennipolis, sacred to lovely-haired Bennis.
[/hider]

Immediately afterwards, the Ekklesia sent men to the Great Temple of Bennis on the Bennipolitan akropolis so that they might withdraw funds from their fair-haired goddess’ treasury. Once there they withdrew approximately [1.5 Billion GDP] worth of Bennipolitan Talents (1 Talent = 6000 Drachmae).

[hider=gm]-Colony (emporium) = Western Shore of the Southernmost peninsula
-Spies are sent to Terheridon so that Bennipolis can know who is/are providing weapons[/hider]