Dirdam (City)

Dirdam (dir dam - Atlan / Kanesi ; dir am lha - Proto Peroatlan) is a major city in southern Zanatal, and the regional seat of Diramak, the second most populous state in Counethoi.

Origins
The origins of Dirdam (originally Diramlha) are unclear, but very ancient. Some scholars claim it is the oldest permanent settlement on the island, with evidence of Peroatlan settlement as early as -4500. Others claim the city sits on the site of an even older settlement, perhaps inhabited by the mysterious precursors to the Peroatlans on Zanatal, the proposed Zanatalin Culture somewhere between -5000 and -6500.

It is believed that the settlement formed as a confluence of pastoral markets in the southern hill country of Zanatal, where east west movement of shepherds met southbound traders from the northern farmers, looking to trade goods like grains and pottery for wool, skins and meat. By -4000, Diramlha was a sizable independent city of about 20,000 Peroatlans, ruled by an Elek. The city was surrounded by a wood wall reinforced with earthen ramparts.

Ushanghal and Zanatal
By -3475, Diramlha was one of the five major city states on the island, holding influence over a number of smaller towns in the southwestern corner of Zanatal. When Ushanghal arrived in Zanatal in -3462, Diramlha joined the four other major Eleks in a campaign to oust the Zanelek. After months of positioning and maneuvering armies, Ushanghal held a secret meeting with the elekan of Diramlha and Corelha, convincing them that the northern cities were planning on betraying them for control of the island. He offered to join them in battle against the other three elekan at a particular location, but when Diramlha and Corelha began their surprise assault on their allies, Ushanghal and his forces were nowhere to be found, causing the two armies to inflict heavy casualties on each other before the two southern cities retreated. The following week, Ushanghal marched his forces against the battered remains of the northern army in a crushing victory.

After his conquest of Zanatal, Ushanghal founded Atalha in the north, to serve as a neutral capital for the region. Imishalha, devastated by the war had much of the population move to the new city, quickly making it the largest and most prominent on the island, though Diramlha remained the largest city in the south, and the second most important in Zanatal.

When Zanatal became independent in the following centuries, Diramlha remained united with Atalha throughout the splintering of Peroatlan states. Through dialects, the city became known as Diraham in old Atlan.

Peroth and the Elikaya of Dirdam
in -2735, Peroth declared war on Zanatal, invading the island the next year and taking Atalla (Ataya in old Atlan) after 6 years of conflict. Between -2728 and -2726, Perothan forces were bogged down in the central mountains north of Diraham, where local forces under the kalek Nokeshi fought several successful hit and run campaigns. By late -2726, Peroth had taken the northern half of the island as well as the eastern coastline, but gave up in their attempt to conquer Dirdam in the southwest.

Nokeshi agreed to peace with Peroth in -2720, naming himself Elek and forming the Elikaya of Diraham. The city swelled with refugees from the north and the kingdom quickly became a trade power in the southern Atlan Sea. After about 75 years, the border in Zanatal was left lax by Perothan emperors who didn't want the sustained cost of manning the hill forts there, choosing rather to treat the free Atlans with respect in order to avoid war. Atlan culture remained mostly unaffected because of this, and people flowed freely between Peroth and Diraham.

During this period, Atlans became more cultutrally unique from their Perothan cousins, and Diraham became known as Dirdam.