Leonis

Battlestar Galactica 2004 Continuity
Battlestar Galactica 2004, Caprica and Blood & Chrome

Leonis
Stellar Information
Star System:	Cyrannus
Star:	Helios Beta
Type:	Kobolstrial
Diameter:	~10,080 km (6,260 mi)
Cultural Information
Ancient Name:	Leo
Population:	2.6 billion
Patron God:	Artemis
Official Language:	Leonese
Capital:	Luminere
Major Cities:	Luminere, Hedon
Attractions:	Royal Palace of Leonis, Hedon Grand Casino

"Heart of the Colonies" Leonis is a highly temperate and physically largest world in the Cyrannus star system, and one of the Twelve Colonies of Kobol, orbiting Helios Beta. It is named after the Leo tribe who resided on Kobol, though its citizens may not have been affiliated with that tribe. The patron god of Leonis was Artemis, the daughter of Zeus and sister of Apollo. Unlike other colonies which had evolved Caprican as their standard language, even in the 19th century Leonis' official language was Leonese. Leonis is noted for its wine, ski slopes, and its centers of education and learning. Leonis was rendered uninhabitable due to the effects of a nuclear winter around YR00 (0 BCH).

History

In the centuries following Gemenese dark age and the colonisation of other worlds, Leonis and Virgon emerged as two powerful empires which controlled several other planets. Many other planets were colonised by the two, spreading their culture across the four star systems. A number of conflicts took place over control of these planets, including Libran, Picon, Sagittaron, Scorpia, Tauron and Troy. Fighting on Tauron took place around the late 11th century, and resulted in an independent Tauron run by Tauronised settlers. Both empires would finally collapse in the 18th century, with Leonis becoming a republic, and while in the 19th century Leonis' relations with Virgon had warmed, its relations with the formerly Virgon-aligned Picon were still problematic.

By 52 BCH(YR48), a sentient robotic slave race known as the Cylons became ubiquitous in human society and, brought on by Monotheist radicalization, ushered in a Cyrannus-wide slave revolt which developed into a mutually genocidal conflict. Facing the serious threat of extinction, Leonis and the other eleven sovereign worlds united their militaries and resources to form the United Colonies of Kobol. After twelve years, the Cylon War was concluded, and Leonis continued, run as part of a federal interplanetary state. Around the year YR00, the Cylons returned and, using advanced hacking abilities, disabled the Colonial Fleet and destroyed Leonis' cities in a nuclear bombardment. While some of its people escaped into a refugee fleet, those left behind were exterminated by Centurions or captured and experimented on in the Farms. Following the abandonment of Cylon's colonization efforts almost a year later, Leonis is believed to have had no human survivors.

Geography

As Leonis has almost no axial tilt, its climate before the nuclear winter was mild and predictable. Beaches towards the equator remained warm, while mountains to the poles remained cold, allowing it to have year-round tourist destinations. Because of the warm weather around the tropics, Leonan wine was also grown well and was considered to be of fine taste.

Landmarks

In the 19th Century (100s BCH), Leonis had two major cities - Luminere and Hedon - of which the former served as its capital. Hedon itself became a popular tourist destination across the Twelve Worlds because of the Grand Casino, while the Royal Palace of Leonis was an important cultural attraction.

Further notes

• In the star system map created for Season 1, Leonis; Scorpia; Picon and Aerelon are moons of Zeus.

Gallery

Recreation by Cae Lumis.

The Cyrannus map made for Caprica.