Mada (ROP Faction)

Mâda, or Media in English, is a faction in the Rise of Persia modification, situated in present day Iran.

History

The notion of a Median empire is often misconstrued as a centralised state along the lines of the succeding Persian kingdom as in the above picture. In reality the Medians were normally a vast confederacy of clans and tribes which only rarely united to form a single front. However during the dark times of the Assyrian empire the Median states were continually forced to endure raids from the warlike emperor's troops and often had to work as mercenaries for the Assyrians to make ends meet. It was during these periods of military service to the Assyrians that the Medians aquired the title "The Mighty Medes" due to their insurmountable skill in the saddle. Moreover some of the more westernmost Median states were subject to the status of a "secondary state" under the Assyrian empire. They operated and maintained the trade routes that flowed into Assyria from the east and took a percentage of the earnings for themselves. This influx of wealth forced the economic divide between the clans to grow. However the irregular economic advantages proved to be nowhere near enough compensation for the lack of independence and continual raids in Media. 

In 614 B.C. the Assyrian empire was facing an insurrection from the men of Babylon and their King Nabopolassar. Cyaxares saw his oppurtunity to strike for freedom and marched at the head of the united western median states to attack Assyria. After winning a magnificent victory at Assur, Cyaxares met Nabopolassar and formed a solid alliance with him. The united forces went on to finally extinguish the power of the Assyrians once and for all. After winning great distinction for the Medes in this war Cyaxares went home to Media and left Babylon to pick up the pieces of the broken Assyrian empire. The Medians returned to their original patterns of life and abandoned the fortresses that the Assyrians had built to watch over their trade routes. Life was peaceful in Media and the men were free again.

However this peace would not last long as the warlike Lydian empire set its sights on the worryingly powerful Median states. Moreover tensions were strained further when King Alyattes of Media refused to extradite several Scythians who had comitted crimes against The Median warlord. Cyaxares and his family still held a great deal of prestige amongst the Median states and he was able to unite them once again in war against a foreign enemy. However the Lydian war proved ultimately indecisive although Cyaxares was able to conquer a great deal of territory between Iran and Asia minor. With the war's end sealed by an eclipse and ensuing marriage alliances Cyaxares returned home once again but this time as a ruler of foreign peoples. This was where the Median state began to take form as a real kingdom.

These days the heroic Cyaxares has passed on and left what he had created to his son Astyages. However the Median states are not all as happy about Astyages hereditary gains as they could be. Astyages carries a great deal of prestige thanks to his father however he may have to assert his authority over some of the Median cities before he is seen as a true ruler. Astyages might find a convinient scapegoat further to the south to unite his people behind him and solidify his position as King of the Medes.

Astyages is fortunate enough to command some of the finest cavalry in the world. The Medians have also been influenced by the nearby presence and raids of the Scythians to the north. To this end they are abe to field nimble horsearchers in addition to their heavy cavalry. On the infantry front their main strength lies in their archers but in close combat they will fall prey to heavy infantry. The units are divided up and brigaded according to their clans to symbolise the fragmentary nature of the Median empire. As such each clan will have certain elements they bring to the field and some of them will only be recruitable in certain parts of the Median empire.