I trust your studies are going well. I often reflect positively on my own youthful experience in great Alexandria, passionately debating the latest philosophical ideas into the wee hours of the night, fortified by considerable amounts of wine, and participating in exciting new discoveries. Do not neglect Archimedes's lectures on geometry and engineering. The man is a living legend. His innovative water snail has revolutionized agricultural practices.

You asked for some help with your studies in history and philosophy, so I am sending on a brief outline of of the peopling of our world in its early years as understood by the greatest minds of today. I am sure most of this material is familiar to you already, but much of what is commonly understood is so shrouded in myth and mystery that it becomes difficult to separate fact from fiction. Don't take with too much credence the stories that the Ben-Hekku learned their secret knowledge from some primordial race of serpent-men (who some say still live amongst us!) or these ridiculous myths that the Aegean sea itself was created out of a great cataclysm resulting from mankind's own arrogance. Nor were the Ashemites ever ruled by great demon-princes. Similarly, the Kelti did not wrest their land from a race of deformed giant-men who descended into the depths upon their defeat. A good scholar learns to "read between the lines" in these stories and see them for what they are: the inevitable warping of ancestral memory due to the passage of time. The giant-men the Kelti encountered, for example, were almost certainly none other than the hairy, savage primitives of the region that we know as the Pics. The Ben-Hekku used these myths to their advantage to rule over their ignorant subjects and to gain advantage with their superstitious neighbors. Certainly, the Khemi Nefar-Be-Set, or Book of Truths, is an example of this tactic. But that is not the role of the proper scholar. Knowledge should be spread, not hoarded. With the fall of the Ben-Hekku, a new enlightenment begins.

Recorded history begins with the Khemi, an ancient race of man, who were rearing great pyramids and reaping barley while the rest of mankind pursued game with the club and spear, dressed only in loincloths. The khemi came from the island of Thebes and slowly spread their knowledge among the other peoples of the world. They were masters of the chariot, making them the undisputed rulers of the battlefield, and their knowleddge of medicine, agriculture, and brewing was unequaled. But the Khemi are known first and foremost for their supposed mastery of magic and arcane lore. They were dominated by a sorcerous sect known as the Ben-Hekku, or "keepers of the secrets" (although some claim that in ancient Khemi, a more appropriate translation would be the "guardians of the secrets"). The Khemi people are divided into twelve tribes, and some scholars speak of a thirteenth vanished tribe which the Khemi will not name. The tribal distinctions have long since vanished amongst the common people, but amongst the Ben-Hekku themselves, these tribal distinctions led to twelve distinct orders, each with a different specialty.

The Khemi dominated the early peoples of the Aegean area. To the east, civilization sprang up among a nomadic people named the Ashemites, who reared great cities along the fertile shores of the Phrates and the Tirgal rivers. Emulating their Khemite peers, they learned the art of chariot warfare and worshipped strange gods. Within their cities, they practiced strange and sometimes horrifying rituals. Despite frequent internecine warfare between these city-states, they grew prosperous from trade and commerce. Outside of their city walls, their less-civilized brethren maintained a nomadic way of life. Elsewhere, savagery and barbarism ruled amongst the native peoples. To the northwest of the Aegean sea dwelt a group of swarthy, unintelligent, savages named the Pics, who resisted all attempts at civilization. To the southwest of the Aegean, beyond the great barrier desert, ebony-skinned tribes of men stalked the steamy jungles of Afrik.

It was to the northeast of the Aegean sea that the next great chapter in human history would be written. A new people emerged amongst the grassy plains and barren steppes who, due to the invention of the saddle and rapid population growth, expanded outward in all directions in a migratory explosion. These people, the forebearers of many of today's nations, are known collectively by our historians as the Hykos for their primitive worship of the sun god Hyk. To the south, these nomads rode amongst the Ashemites, causing them to cower behind their walls and consumate many a sacrifice to their dark gods. After many a year of pillaging and marauding, these nomads eventually began settle into the city-dwelling pattern of the Ashemites. Their descendants would ultimately found the Median empire which today controls much of the East.

The Hykos peoples also spread to the North and West, occupying the Hella penninsula and even striking across the Norimar channel to the to land on its far Western shores.. Adapting to their new natural environment, these groups gave up the nomad way of life, dwelling instead within ancient forests and on barrend tundra. From this point, two groups diverged. One group drifted further west, pushing back the Piccish savages. This group would come to be known collectively as the Kelti in a later era, although truthfully they are many different tribes bound together simply by a common tongue. Another group can be distinguished to the far, cold north. The harsh climate of the North bred a hearty group of men, strong and vigorous. They are known in Thuman as the "Manni" (which translates as Axeman) for their practice of carrying large axes into battle.

While these two groups remained barbaric, the Hykos people who inhabited the Hellas penninsula came into contact with the Khemi and began the long climb toward civilization. Indeed, it can perhaps be said that with the Hellenes, as they came to be called, true civilization begins. Rather than simply ape the ways of the Khemi, the Hellenes made their own contributions to philosophy, the arts, theology, and medicine. They abandoned the mysticism which shrouded the Khemite world, and embraced fully the virtue of logic and reaon. Most importantly, the Hellenes established the first early forms of democracy which our own Republic has perfected. Thuma owes them much. They also became great sea-farers, exploring the lands around the Aegean sea and establishing colonies far and wide. It is from these early explorers, that the legends say our own Thuman ancestry descends.

As they explored, the Hellenes discovered another group of seafaring people. These people originally inhabited the easter shores to the south of the Bosarian strait, but were forced out in mass by the incursions of the people who would become the Medians. They resettled on the tip of the Bosarian strait, where they founded the city of Dracos, and thus became known as Dracians. The Dracians were experienced sailors and founded many colonies of their own along the Southwestern shores of the Aegean. They also came to dominate a barbaric people come up from the southern jungles of Afrik, who founded the kingdom of Kush along the fertile banks of the Styx.

For the next few hundred years, this was largely the state of things. The city-states of the Hellenes grew in both wealth and knowledge, and the founding of new colonies across the Aegean sea brought the light of civilization to many a tribe. To the south, the Dracians grew rich and greedy, for they controlled all sea trade with the lands beyond the Aegean. Their command of the spice trade with the Indus people in particular served the Draicans well. To the east, the Median empire rose and subjugated all of the tribes in that region of the world. The Ashemite city-states bickered amongst one another, even as they gave tribute to the Median empire. Control of the overland silk trade from Qin and the spice trade from Indus helped enrich both the Medians and their Ashemite tributaries. As the young nations rose, the Khemi remained secure in their island dominions, concent with their arcane secrets but slipping into a state of decadence and decay. The Kelti remained in a state of barbarism and pushed the Piccish people to the far corners of the world (in fact, there are some who still doubt the existence of these people, but the accounts of Antonius clearly settle that question, in my mind). On the northeastern steppes, the nomadic ancestors of the Hyk, who we know as the Sammatians, remained. However, they were brought to heel by the incursions of a fierce nomadic tribe from the far East, named the Han who settled much of the northern Steppes. Numerous conflicts arose, none of which I can go into in this brief description.

The greatest calamity of this time was the southward migration of the Manni peoples. Years of pleasant weather and good crops, had led to vast overpopulation in the stark North, and the Manni peoples exploded upon the world like a plague of locusts. They pushed south, driving the Kelti from their ancestral home and pushing them further west and south. They also crossed the XXX channel and settled there. On the steppes, they learned to ride horses and use the lance. After some time, this expansion led to two new peoples, the Equimanni (literally "horse axeman") of the east and the Questimanni (literally "west axeman") of the west. To the north, he hearty Norimanni (literally "north axeman") still dwells in comfortable isolation, but occassionally they sweep south in great longships to harry the civilized people of the south.

The beginning of a new era can be marked by the great exploits of the Hellenite general, Alexandros. With the invention of the Sarissa and the organization of the Phalanx to support it, Alexandros brought most of the Hellan penninsula under his control. Considering the fierce independence of the Hellenite city-states, this alone would have been a great achievement. But Alexandros would not be content with this prize. He turned his eyes to the East and the powerful Median empire, which had long interfered in Hellenite affairs. After bringing the Dracians into tribute, he landed his armies on the shores of the Levant. Alexandros marched east and conquered everything in sight. In several fierce battles, he brought the Medians low and sat himself upon their ancient throne. But, he was not content with this victory. He marched even further East to the fabled lands of the Indus people where he saw many wondrous sights. However, the long journey brought the morale of his troops low and he was forced to abandon the Indus campaign. He returned to Khoralis to plan his next campaign. He turned his eye west again and prepared to bring down the arrogant sorcerors of Khemet. But what a sorrow for the world! On the very day he was set to lead his troops from the gates of Khoralis, he was laid low by some mysterious illness. He lingered many weeks before finally succumbing. There are many still who believe that his death was not natural. The Khemi knew his desire and through their devious ways felled the man whom steel could not touch. Alexandros's efforts were not in vain. Through his conquests, the enlightenment of the Hellenites was brought to the far ends of the world. Although his empire collapsed within years of his death, his civilizing influence remains.

Meanwhile, a new people are arising who would someday fulfill Alexandros's last wish. A hearty stock blended from the native Kelti and Hellenistic colonists, this group settled a small town named Thuma on the western coast of the Dalian penninsula. Over time, this population grew and Thuma begins to bring all of the other people of the Dalian penninsula under its own banner. From their conflict with the numerous native peoples of the region, they learn new military tactics, and organize their army around the now famous legion. Soon these legions are conquering all of the Hellenite colonies of the Dalian penninsula and Thuma has become a force in Aegean politics.

First, Thuma strikes to the North and West, driving back the Kelti and establishing colonies of its own throughout the Western Aegean. From these colonies and its increased control of trade, Thuma grows wealthy and powerful. Looking to the East and South, Thuma realizes that for cizilization to grow the peoples of the world must throw off the yoke of the Khemi who, having grown decadent and complacent, still wield enormous power in the region, if for no other reason than their convenient geography. Too late the sleeping serpent realizes its danger and rises to crush the upstart Thuman Republic. Terrible were the dire tricks and secret knowledge which the Ben-Hekku unleashed upon the Thuman legions. The legions were beset by plagues and locusts. Some whisper that dire beasts stalked the camps in the night and many a man who lay down to sleep with his Cohort, neve woke the next morning. But the Thuman prowess on the battlefield could not be denied. Relying too much on their antiquated chariot tactics, the Khemi were crushed and routed. The Ben-Hekku fled to the far corners of the earth, except for the few tribes who focused more on knowledge rather than sorcerous mystification. Unfortunately, the tribe of diviners also remained and offered to serve the Republic as councilors. These Thoth-Ankha cannot be trusted. They would fascinate and confuse our great Tribunes with incense and chanting. The great Khemite city of Luxor was spared and renamed Alexandria in honor of the great conqueror whose vision Thuma was fulfilling. Since that time, Alexandria, under the eye of the reformed Ben-Hekku, has become a beacon of knowledge and enlightenment for the whole world, as you well know.

With the power of the Khemi broken, we have truly entered a new age. Whatever secrets the Ben-Hekku kept (or perhaps, guarded) have fled with them and perhaps will never be re-discovered. The Thuman Republic is now in a position to finish the work that the Hellenites began. We will bring all the peoples under one banner in the name of the Republic. Of course, this will not be possible without some bloodshed. The Dracians, who still control the Bosarian strait and trade with the rich lands of Indus and beyond, vex us still and it appears that conflict is inevitable. As you know, both sides now prepare for a confrontation, by turns wooing and cajoling the various Hellenistic city-states to their cause. But only time will tell what the historians will write one hundred years from now....

Your loving uncle, Tacitus