A historian’s breakdown of the lovely historical details in Honkai: Star Rail 3.0

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Originally published on January 13, 2025.

A long time ago, this modest author harbored dreams of becoming a historian. Fascinated by ancient history since childhood, he pursued his passion further at university, earning a degree in the process. Despite finding himself in a different place than expected – certainly not an unfortunate outcome – he remains thrilled whenever he can delve into his enduring and ongoing interest. Therefore, I’m thankful to HoYoverse for offering me the ideal opportunity to indulge my scholarly passion.

In the world of Honkai: Star Rail 3.0, the majority of the action unfolds on Amphoreus, a planet that draws inspiration from ancient Greek and Roman civilization, history, culture, and mythology. This planet is brimming with fascinating sights, hidden references, and jokes – there’s something for everyone to enjoy! From spotting a beetle dragging a boulder up a massive staircase and thinking of poor Sisyphus’ eternal punishment, to noticing the Steed of Janus, a crooked wooden horse being used as a makeshift market stall, which brings to mind the Trojan Horse, there are countless opportunities to appreciate the rich history and mythology embedded in this planet. This is all designed to bring a smile to your face!

As a point of reference, consider the lively marketplace of Okhema – it radiates an atmosphere reminiscent of ancient Roman forums or Greek agoras. These bustling hubs were at the heart of cities, where residents would gather for commerce, exchange news, and listen to political debates. They formed the social pulse of a town, undoubtedly bustling and energetic centers of activity.

As I stroll through Okhema’s bustling marketplace, it’s got this incredible energy that makes you feel right at home. There are merchants peddling their wares from every corner, food vendors tempting your taste buds with delectable treats, and groups of folks chatting or debating deep philosophical questions. And let me tell you, one fellow in particular knows how to grab an audience’s attention – his name is Cicero, a nod to one of Rome’s greatest orators, if not the greatest!

Generally speaking, a city’s appearance and its inhabitants tend to have a stronger Greek influence compared to Roman, but there are exceptions. For instance, the helmets worn by Okhema’s soldiers can be easily linked to either Sparta or Rome. The first type is often connected with Sparta due to films like 300, while the second is almost universally associated with Roman gladiators.

The helmet resembling the one from the movie “300” is known as a Corinthian Helmet, which, surprisingly, was not commonly used during the Battle of Thermopylae. This type of helmet significantly limited both vision and hearing, leading to its decline in popularity. However, despite this, it remains iconic. You might wonder why? Because the Greeks associated it with their past victories romantically, so many works of art continued to portray Corinthian Helmets even after they had reached their peak. The Romans, who admired the Greeks greatly, followed suit by reproducing such statues, thus continuing the tradition.

Instead of the Boeotian Helmet, another Greek original, other cavalry from Greece and Rome commonly used this helmet design. However, its enduring popularity is largely due to a different user – a Roman gladiator known as a murmillo. The Romans added the distinctive face plate to the helmet, likely driven by both style and a desire for balance in combat. Any true StarCraft enthusiast would agree that Terran versus Zerg is the most exciting match-up. Similarly, in ancient Rome, the pairing of murmillo against retiarius was considered the best gladiator contest. The retiarius, with his net and trident, had a tendency to try and stab his opponent in the face, which would have ended fights too quickly for the audience’s liking. To prevent this, the murmillo’s helmet was essential.

In a surprising twist, despite the military never employing this specific helmet design during combat, it remains remarkably popular, even amusingly so. The unique helmet style that ancient Romans crafted for their sporting events is still considered one of the most impressive designs today. Consequently, we continue to depict and celebrate it in various forms of media and art.

As we journeyed through the bustling market, we stumbled upon a peculiar basket. Being the adventurous type, we felt compelled to explore its contents. To our surprise, we found Diogena, the town’s eccentric character (as her title suggests in the game), residing within! She requested us to respect her privacy. Strangely enough, this situation seems somewhat familiar, doesn’t it?

In Okhema, numerous walls are adorned with lion statues that appear to be sentient stone structures. They are part of a collective consciousness known as Verax Leo, which seems to function like a hive mind. Verax Leo is known for its love of chatter, spreading rumors, and posing riddles. In essence, it resembles the HoYoverse’s interpretation of a sphinx.

One amusing riddle touches upon the chaotic state of calendars used in most ancient Greek and Roman cities prior to Caesar’s reforms, which led to the Julian Calendar. Days were often considered impure or unlucky, leading to a halt in business activities and even allowing priests to arbitrarily declare such days for various purposes like sabotaging elections. Additionally, Rome’s high priest had to manually insert extra days into the calendar each year to keep it aligned with the seasons. Since Caesar, as the chief priest, was absent in Gaul for extended periods and failed to perform this task regularly, the calendar would advance by two or three months, with ‘October’ still marking the height of summer.

In reference to Julius Caesar, one notable aspect of his legacy is his assumption of Rome’s dictatorship. However, it’s important to note that the role of dictator in ancient Rome was not always synonymous with tyranny as it is today. Initially, the position was more of an emergency response, where the Senate would appoint one of its members as a dictator for a specified six-month period during times of grave danger, such as Hannibal’s invasion of Italy. This appointment granted the individual supreme authority to effectively manage the crisis. In some instances, a dictator was even chosen for just a couple of days to organize elections when the consuls were absent.

The Council of Okhema appears to have adopted a similar approach by temporarily delegating control of the city to the Chrysos Heirs, with Aglaea overseeing this transition. This may explain the hostility shown towards her by some council members. It’s hoped that Aglaea will not emulate Caesar’s actions on the Ides of March.

Without overstaying our time here in the marketplace, let’s transition to discussing the details at the baths. The Romans deeply appreciated their bathing culture, and it was often one of the first structures they constructed after conquering a new region, from Britain and Germany to North Africa. I had worried that HoYoverse might opt for an easier approach and draw inspiration from Japanese bathing customs, which are quite popular (and understandably so, given the charm of onsens). However, my apprehensions were alleviated upon seeing Okhema’s baths.

Without a doubt, this bath complex isn’t an exact copy of any Roman bath system, but its core design featuring a central pool surrounded by smaller pools in adjacent chambers, additional rooms, and outdoor spaces on the periphery truly captures the essence of authenticity. Moreover, what makes it particularly intriguing is that Okhema’s baths boast both warm and cold pools, resembling the Romans’ caldarium (hot bath) and frigidarium (cold bath), adding a fascinating touch to its design.

In these ancient cities, marketplaces served multiple functions, much like bathhouses did. Roman baths were not merely places for washing but also offered spaces for massage, sports, strolling under shade, appreciating art, and even engaging in intellectual pursuits. Libraries connected to baths were quite common, allowing one to read a scroll or listen to debates. Essentially, these bathhouses functioned as hubs for entertainment and culture. The baths of Okhema exemplify this concept; for instance, there’s a library located in the southern wing, and an upper grove dedicated to the sacred. There are also comfortable areas outside for leisure and relaxation.

In a simpler way, it seems that someone at HoYoverse thoroughly studied designs and conducted extensive research to create such an authentic and intricate city, which I really appreciate. Although I sense your focus wandering, I won’t delve into the Delphi-like religious complex, Janusopolis, or the numerous other captivating details found in Okhema for now. I hope this has provided you with a fun and informative exploration of the city!

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2025-04-19 18:17