Thread:Talk:Velia/Why a federation?

Why have a confederation if there's no reason?

Let me explain. There are a couple reasons for a confederation of free cities. (I think the best examples of this kind of arrangement are the Greek city-states of the ancient world or the Italian cities/communes of the late medieval/renaissance period.)

One, a trade agreement. All the cities involved are trading partners that guarantee each other good terms. That means they have lots of other trading partners. If Velia isn't getting lots of external trade, why have a trade confederation?

Two, a military alliance. All the cities help each other defend one another from an external threat. For example, the Delian League and the Peloponnesian League. (In this case the Delian League was created to fight Persia, but then by being assholes produced the Peloponnesian League that they then had to fight.) Who's the external threat to Velia?

Or, put another way, why have Free Cities, if there's nothing to be free from?

Not nitpicking, just trying to ask interesting questions. In short, I don't know why the Free Cities of Velia have a confederation. I don't see the reason for it. If they don't have much external trade, and their only significant enemy is this one elven city, they probably should spend more time fighting each other than confederating, right?