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Greco-Bactria:Plan: Difference between revisions

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{{Greco-Bactria}}
{{Greco-Bactria}}
Work-in-progress
Quick notes to organize later:


* Bring lots of Homing Pigeons with me from Greece. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Homing_pigeon
* Bring lots of Homing Pigeons with me from Greece. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Homing_pigeon
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** Dry out seeds (lay out in sun) before packing them in air-tight containers. Add some dry charcoal as well. Otherwise mold develops.
** Dry out seeds (lay out in sun) before packing them in air-tight containers. Add some dry charcoal as well. Otherwise mold develops.
*Acquire lots of Papyrus seeds as we pass through Egypt, so that we can plant them later for use in writing.
*Acquire lots of Papyrus seeds as we pass through Egypt, so that we can plant them later for use in writing.
**But see below about how this might be a lost cause.
*Pick up a hand drill with roller bearings as we pass through Egypt (for later technology advances).
*Pick up a hand drill with roller bearings as we pass through Egypt (for later technology advances).
*Pick up recipe for soap in either Egypt or Babylon, for practical medical purposes.
*Pick up recipe for soap in either Egypt or Babylon, for practical medical purposes.
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*I'm left behind, with 13k stationed troops, to manage day-to-day affairs.
*I'm left behind, with 13k stationed troops, to manage day-to-day affairs.


Personal
'''Personal'''
*Spend 1-3 hours every day training with the troops. Reason: Need to build rapport with the troops.
*Spend 1-3 hours every day training with the troops. Reason: Need to build rapport with the troops.
**Garrisoned troops, but potentially not mercenaries, would spend 3 hours every morning training in hard physical exertion. ''//TODO: Provide source//''
**Garrisoned troops, but potentially not mercenaries, would spend 3 hours every morning training in hard physical exertion. ''//TODO: Provide source//''


Economy
'''Economy'''
*Issue an order to expand on the mining of Lapis Lazuli in the mountains. Reason: Wealth to fund efforts
*Issue an order to expand on the mining of Lapis Lazuli in the mountains. Reason: Wealth to fund efforts
**Nationalize the mines, but keep the same people in charge.
**Nationalize the mines, but keep the same people in charge.
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*Build more (or better) [[wikipedia:Caravanserai|caravanserai]] as well, in anticipation of more traffic. Reason: Encourage traders to pass through Bactra
*Build more (or better) [[wikipedia:Caravanserai|caravanserai]] as well, in anticipation of more traffic. Reason: Encourage traders to pass through Bactra


Agriculture
'''Agriculture'''
*Experiment with planting Olive seeds and Papyrus seeds in different conditions. Bactria is dry, floods, and can reach extreme low temperatures of -20 C.
*Experiment with planting Olive seeds and Papyrus seeds in different conditions. Bactria is dry, floods, and can reach extreme low temperatures of -20 C.
**Need to confirm that they can grow in this climate.
**Need to confirm that they can grow in this climate.
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***Olive trees are drought-, disease-, and fire-tolerant. But they do die in temperatures below -10 C.
***Olive trees are drought-, disease-, and fire-tolerant. But they do die in temperatures below -10 C.
***They can regenerate from cold damage though.
***They can regenerate from cold damage though.
***They also don't take well to long-continued rains (could be a problem in Bactria's rainy season...).
***They also don't take well to long-continued rains (but even Bactria's "rainy" season isn't that rainy...).
**[[wikipedia:Cyperus_papyrus|Papyrus]]
**[[wikipedia:Cyperus_papyrus|Papyrus]]
***Not much hope for this. It's an aquatic plant, and doesn't tolerate frost.
***Not much hope for this. It's an aquatic plant, and doesn't tolerate frost.
*See about transplanting some deep-rooted, drought-tolerant, and flood-tolerant trees to some non-agricultural areas, for firewood and so on.
***But we can perhaps plant anew every year, collecting seeds from harvest for next year's re-planting.
**[[wikipedia:Pinus_brutia|Afghan Pine]], or [[wikipedia:Pinus_brutia|Eldar Pine]], is very drought-, heat-, and cold-resistant and is native to modern-day Afghanistan.
*See about transplanting some deep-rooted, drought-tolerant, and flood-tolerant trees to some non-agricultural areas, for firewood and so on. Recall that Bactria only gets about 176 mm of rain per year on average.
**[[wikipedia:Pinus_brutia|Afghan Pine]], or [[wikipedia:Pinus_brutia|Eldar Pine]], is very drought-, heat-, and cold-resistant and is native to modern-day Afghanistan. Used today for timber, firewood, and as part of creating honey.
**[[wikipedia:Cedrus_deodara|Deodar Cedar]], aka Himalayan cedar, grows East of Bactria and can survive cold winters.
**[[wikipedia:Cedrus_deodara|Deodar Cedar]], aka Himalayan cedar, grows East of Bactria and can survive cold winters.
**[[wikipedia:Betula_utilis|Himalayan birch]] is native to the Himalayas and can grow at quite high elevations. Its bark was used as paper, and its wood for many practical purposes. Might require warmer temperatures though.
**[[wikipedia:Betula_utilis|Himalayan birch]] is native to the Himalayas and can grow at quite high elevations. Its bark was used as paper, and its wood for many practical purposes. Might require warmer temperatures though.
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***[[wikipedia:Honey_locust|Gleditsia triocanthus | Honey locust]] (150 mm!) - maybe not: native to USA and lots of problems.
***[[wikipedia:Honey_locust|Gleditsia triocanthus | Honey locust]] (150 mm!) - maybe not: native to USA and lots of problems.


Military
'''Military'''
*Start a horse breeding program to create stronger warhorses. Reason: Needed for [[wikipedia:Cataphract|Cataphracts]] later.
*Start a horse breeding program to create stronger warhorses. Reason: Needed for [[wikipedia:Cataphract|Cataphracts]] later.
**We'll be fighting other Hellenistic armies later, and we'll need both heavier cavalry and longer phalanxes.
**We'll be fighting other Hellenistic armies later, and we'll need both heavier cavalry and longer phalanxes.
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**Equip these Macedonian Phalanxes with slightly longer spears, since they'll be fighting other phalanxes.
**Equip these Macedonian Phalanxes with slightly longer spears, since they'll be fighting other phalanxes.


Building
'''Building'''
*Establish the Ministry of Water Use
*Establish the Ministry of Water Use
**Start building hidden qanats (underground water supply tunnels) from the hills (or the southern river?) to the capital city of Bactra. Reason: Defense, better source of water, and keep Greeks happy
**Start building hidden qanats (underground water supply tunnels) from the hills (or the southern river?) to the capital city of Bactra. Reason: Defense, better source of water, and keep Greeks happy
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**All of these use a chimney or flue of some sort, and hence can serve as a way for the engineers/architects to develop and discover the principles of a chimney (narrow heated flue which pulls up smoke).
**All of these use a chimney or flue of some sort, and hence can serve as a way for the engineers/architects to develop and discover the principles of a chimney (narrow heated flue which pulls up smoke).


Political
'''Political'''
*Start learning the [[wikipedia:Bactrian_language|Bactrian language]]. Reason: Need to build empathy and community with the locals
*Start learning the [[wikipedia:Bactrian_language|Bactrian language]]. Reason: Need to build empathy and community with the locals
*Have my scribe also learn the Bactrian language, and have him use the Greek script to create a written version of it. Reason: We'll need a way to communicate with the locals
*Have my scribe also learn the Bactrian language, and have him use the Greek script to create a written version of it. Reason: We'll need a way to communicate with the locals
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**I also need to understand who the local movers and shakers are.
**I also need to understand who the local movers and shakers are.


Education
'''Education'''
*Make sure city kids go to school at age of 6, like in Greece, if that isn't already the case. Reason: Need an educated populace and keep Greeks happy
*Make sure city kids go to school at age of 6, like in Greece, if that isn't already the case. Reason: Need an educated populace and keep Greeks happy
*Promote the views of Aristotle (who was a mentor to Alexander) and in particular his thoughts on the [[wikipedia:Four_causes|four causes]]. Reason: Need the correct basis for scientific discovery.
*Promote the views of Aristotle (who was a mentor to Alexander) and in particular his thoughts on the [[wikipedia:Four_causes|four causes]]. Reason: Need the correct basis for scientific discovery.
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**His purpose is to teach the future medical professionals and also to advance the science of medicine.
**His purpose is to teach the future medical professionals and also to advance the science of medicine.


Miscellaneous
'''Miscellaneous'''
*Put in place a system similar to the [[wikipedia:Mail#Persia|Persian mail system]], or expand on it. Reason: Intelligence gathering and communication system
*Put in place a system similar to the [[wikipedia:Mail#Persia|Persian mail system]], or expand on it. Reason: Intelligence gathering and communication system
*Begin a census of all citizens in the towns, cities, and farmers. Reason: ???
*Begin a census of all citizens in the towns, cities, and farmers. Reason: ???
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By this point I should be fluent in the Bactrian language.
By this point I should be fluent in the Bactrian language.


Political
'''Political'''
* In addition to a tour of the cities and towns, do a tour of all the pacified pastoral nomad tribes. Reason: Need to forge alliances and loyalty, and help pacify the insurgents to the South in the Hindu Kush mountains
* In addition to a tour of the cities and towns, do a tour of all the pacified pastoral nomad tribes. Reason: Need to forge alliances and loyalty, and help pacify the insurgents to the South in the Hindu Kush mountains
**Bring gifts to them, especially things they cannot craft or easily trade for, and teach them different farming or other knowledge. Reason: Show benefits of alliance.
**Bring gifts to them, especially things they cannot craft or easily trade for, and teach them different farming or other knowledge. Reason: Show benefits of alliance.
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**Count tents (in order to establish a rough census). Reason: Need to know how many men can be called upon.
**Count tents (in order to establish a rough census). Reason: Need to know how many men can be called upon.


Education
'''Education'''
*Establish the Ministry of Dentistry. Reason: For myself (and citizens)
*Establish the Ministry of Dentistry. Reason: For myself (and citizens)
**In particular don't lose knowledge of teeth extraction (for wisdom teeth)
**In particular don't lose knowledge of teeth extraction (for wisdom teeth)
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** Question: Should it be a sub-ministry of the Ministry of Health?
** Question: Should it be a sub-ministry of the Ministry of Health?


Miscellaneous
'''Miscellaneous'''
*Sponsor horse archery competitions. Reason: Encourage horse archery and build community.
*Sponsor horse archery competitions. Reason: Encourage horse archery and build community.
*In the cliffside at Lat 36.546 Long 66.964 (see https://www.arcgis.com/) dig out a large opening that will hold ice (for me).
*In the cliffside at Lat 36.546 Long 66.964 (see https://www.arcgis.com/) dig out a large opening that will hold ice (for me).
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*Also create sports teams to get the Greeks to settle and not mutiny.
*Also create sports teams to get the Greeks to settle and not mutiny.
**Sports team are in per-city, which builds a sense of ownership.
**Sports team are in per-city, which builds a sense of ownership.
* After Seleucid has been repelled, consider a Great Wall and other massive defenses to protect against the nomads that will arrive later.
* After Seleucid has been repelled, consider a line of outposts and other defense projects to protect against the nomads that will arrive later.
*Likewise, at that time pivot to Learning and Technology.
*Likewise, at that time pivot to Learning and Technology.
** Teach writing and arithmetic, up to teaching how to calculate interest.
** Teach writing and arithmetic, up to teaching how to calculate interest.
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