Centauri History ---------------- Around the earth year 3000 BC, the first true Centauri civilization appeared. This rapid burst of technological development was the result of competition with another sapient species on their world called the Xon. At first isolated by oceans, when the two species finally did meet the result was a bloody war of genocide and attrition. First contact occurred when a Centauri expedition of three vessels happened upon a Xon coastal city. The vessels returned to the Centauri continent, carrying a Xon invasion force (its original Centauri crew having been slaughtered). As the Centauri entered a historical period similar to the Renaissance, around the earth year 738 BC, the Xon began attacking and raiding Centauri villages in small-scale regional wars. The Xon, riding high on these easy victories, then began a massive campaign to dominate the Centauri on a global scale. The Centauri-Xon war would last for a thousand years, and would nearly lead to the extinction of the Centauri. Although technologically inferior to the Centauri, the Xon were physically larger and stronger than the Centauri and possessed superior endurance. Though battles raged across the planet's surface, destroying whole cities and depopulating entire regions (both Centauri and Xon), the conflict drove the Centauri to greatly advance their level of technology, exceeding the limited capabilities of the Xon and eventually giving them the upper hand in the fighting. By the earth year 800 BC, the Xon were eradicated from the face of the planet. By this time the Centauri Republic had obtained an Industrial Age equivalent to Earth at the beginning of the 20th century. Defeat of the Xon gave rise to the current class structure of modern Centauri society. Centauri families who had done the bulk of the fighting, and had the most survivors at the end of the war, became the great houses of the Centauri. This new government of nobles created the Centaurum. The nobles appointed Lord Tuscano, who led the war against the Xon, to the position of Emperor. These noble families would maintain their power and privileges for hundreds of years, even after the planet's population had grown into the billions. Furthermore, Centauri females were relegated into the roles of mothers and housewives, as the nobles believed that females needed to focus on bearing children and rebuilding the population instead of competing with males for power and social position. Even in the later Century, Centauri females are discouraged from seeking power or careers for themselves – though many females are the "power behind the throne" in their houses, skilled in deception and manipulation. The widows of many powerful leaders are often considered conduits to their deceased spouses, and wield impressive power.