30 June, 2017
Dubes is the ultimate civilization, lasting from 3100 BCE to 30 BC along the fertile bank of the Nile River in Egypt. It follows the phonetic system of Greek writing, religious doctrines of Buddhism, and art techniques of ancient China. Dubes’ government borrows the administrative structure of the Roman republic, and its law code shares similarities to Rome’s Twelve Tables. The Dubanese are categorized into three main groups: patricians, plebeians, and slaves, and social mobility is quite difficult, depending on one’s sub-class. Suleyman the Magnificent is one of the two consuls of the republic, but he is seen as the leader of Dubes because of his strong leadership qualities.
The Egyptian-based geographical foundation of Dubes is strategically positioned along the Nile River because it is the ideal location for agriculture. Although Dubes is not located at Giza, its layout includes a prominent site known as the Three Great Temples, which is inspired by the Great Pyramids of Giza. The civilization layout also consists of farms and fields at the bank of the Nile River, and a low wall separates the agricultural territory from the civilians’ homes to prevent floods from damaging properties. Between the Three Great Temples and the housing is Dubes’ government building, which is positioned at the center of the civilization and allows for equal distribution of control. Since Egypt is arid and has little rainfall, the Nile’s predictable flooding provides a source of moisture to sustain crops. The annual flooding leaves behind nutrient-rich silt that can be used for growing food, and it makes agriculture, fishing, and boating possible. The river also adds fish to the Dubanese’s diet and facilitates trade, in which goods flow up and down the Nile. The Nile Delta has its mouth at the Mediterranean, which allows them to connect with other civilizations, such as the Greeks and Romans. Basin irrigation is used to take advantage of the Nile by capturing a portion of the flood water, and it supports the growth of basic crops, such as barley and wheat.
Dubes embraces the Greek writing system, which was influenced by the Phoenician system. The Greeks adapted the Phoenician writing system to represent their own language and created a fully phonetic system made of individual symbols organized in a linear manner that could represent both vowels and consonants. In the past, the Dubanese interacted with the Greeks due to trade and gradually adopted their writing system, which allows them to communicate with their Greek neighbors. The Dubanese used writing to record trade transactions, government records, stories, and religious doctrines. Patrician/Noble males received an education in writing starting from the age of 8. At a young age, children tend to learn faster, and only nobles could afford to send their children to school.
Within Dubes, Buddhism from India serves as the main religion that influences its citizens. Buddhism provides the Dubanese with relief from problems as well as the end of suffering for all. The religion has made an important impact on the governing of the civilization as it helps eliminate any discrimination among the people, and although it does not completely erase the barriers of social classes, it contributes to the judicial practice of equal treatment under the law. The Dubanese follow the teachings of Buddha and his ways in order to eliminate suffering and reach nirvana in this life, and if not, reincarnate in the next life to reach this goal. The Four Noble Truths allow the Dubanese to follow its four statements of suffering and the end of suffering, and the Eightfold Paths are pointers on how to live life in a righteous manner.
Dubes utilizes the art and architecture influenced by China and its spiritual forces. Dubanese art mainly depicts the natural bodies of the world as well as its religious and supernatural aspects. Dubanese usually have drawings of tall sand dunes along with depictions of the Nile throughout the year. On some occasions, people will create drawings of Buddhism and the elements related to the religion. The Dubanese, like the Chinese, paint in a figurative view with only a few swift strokes of the artist's brush. Dubanese structures are similar to that of Chinese religious temples since Buddhism plays an important role in the creation of temple-like homes and buildings. These wooden structures have an advantage of withstanding earthquakes and are less demanding both in material and in the construction process. Roofs with upward-curved corners are ideal for channeling rainwater to fall at a distance from the walls, making it easier to collect water for cultivation as well as for usage.
Dubes’ government models on that of the Roman republic, an administration in which citizens elected representatives to rule on their behalf. Citizens of Dubes are native males of age 15 or older, and they distinguish themselves from slaves and other noncitizens by wearing a toga. Citizens can vote, marry freeborn people, and engage in commerce. Some citizens cannot vote or hold public office, but they maintain the other rights. Both men and women are citizens, but only men can vote. Aristocrats, known as patricians, dominate the early Dubanese republic, and the highest positions in the government are held by two consuls, who lead the government and are elected by the Senate, which is composed of patricians. Later on, the plebeians, or lower-class, elect their own representatives, called tribunes, who have the power to veto measures passed by the senate. Gradually, the plebeians obtain more power and can become a consul. Still, the patricians are able to buy control and influence the electing leaders due to their wealth. Occasionally, an emergency situation requires the decisive leadership of one individual, so the Senate and consuls can appoint a temporary dictator to rule for a limited time. The dictator has all the power, makes decisions without any approval, and has full control over the military. The government aids in the creation and managing of laws and judicial decisions. The Dubanese law code borrows ideas from the Roman Twelve Tables, and it includes 8 main laws, in which every citizen is guaranteed equal treatment under the law. The first law states that a person who is summoned to court must go, or else he will be forced to. This law reflects the Dubanese appeal to justice because they are determined to bring people to court, even through force, in order to reach fair conclusions. The second law, which forbids marriages between nobles and commoners emphasizes the social differences between patricians and plebeians. The third law, which claims that a person who lies in court will be killed, again demonstrates the Dubanese determination to bring justice to the courts since untruthfully statements can greatly affect the outcomes of a trial. The fourth law, which forbids burial inside the city, is borrowed from the Roman practice of burying the deceased outside the sacred boundary of its cities.
The Dubanese population of 100 million is separated into three main Roman-based social categories: 10% patricians, 60% plebeians, and 30% slaves. The family structure of Dubes features similarities to Rome’s paterfamilias, in which the father heads the families. The upper class is split into the senatorial class and the equestrian class. The basis of the senator class is political, including all men who serve in the Senate, and by extension their families. This class is dominated by nobles, families whose ancestors included at least one consul. Senators do not have salaries and are prohibited from engaging personally in nonagricultural business, trade or public contracts. Males of the senatorial class wear tunics with broad stripes. The basis for the equestrian class is economic. A man can be formally categorized into the equestrian order if he can prove that he possesses a stable minimum amount of wealth. However, if an equestrian is elected to enter the Senate, he
moves up to the senatorial class, but this is not frequent occurrence. Equestrians are typically involved in the types of business prohibited to senators, and they wear tunics with narrow stripes. The upper-classes themselves are defined according to male activities rather than birth. Women belong to the social class of their fathers or husbands, but they have no special dress to distinguish their status. The lower class is split into the commons, freedpeople, and slaves. The commoners are all other freeborn Dubanese citizens, and the special mark of dress for citizen males is the toga. All Dubanese citizens have the right to contract a legal marriage with another Dubanese citizen and bear legitimate children who are themselves Dubanese citizens. Freedpeople are men and women who have been slaves but have bought their freedom or have been released. They are not fully free since they have various restrictions on their rights and owe some duties to their former masters, who are now their patrons, but they can become citizens if their former masters are citizens. They are also not eligible for public office. This is the only class in which it is not possible to leave, although the class encompasses only one generation. The next generation, their freeborn children, become full citizens or commons. Freedpeople have low social status, and most are fairly poor, but it is possible for some to achieve success in trade. They have no special distinction of dress. Slaves are part of a system of chattel slavery, in which humans are born or sold into slavery through war or piracy. Slaves are the property of their owners by law, but some may be allowed their own savings, with which they might later use to buy their freedom. Their masters can also manumit them, so social mobility into a higher class is possible. Slavery is not racially based, and slaves have no special distinction of dress though runaways may be forced to wear metal collars. The lower classes are not defined by male activities, so both female and male children are automatically members of their parents social class, except for freedpeople. If the parents are Dubanese citizens and have a legal marriage, their children follow the social status of the father. However, in the case of foreigners and slaves, children take on the social status of the mother even if the father is a freeborn citizen. Although Dubes embraces Buddhism and it's disdain for caste systems, it still applies Roman social classes to organize society and determine government officials. Social class determines one's prestige, economic and political opportunities, legal rights, and benefits. The gap between the upper and lower classes is great, and social mobility is possible yet uncommon. However, to appeal to Buddhist beliefs, all citizens are treated fairly under the law.