| Tauron | |
|---|---|
 | |
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Known as |
The Old Colony |
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Ancient Name |
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Population |
2.5 billion |
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Patron God |
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Official Language |
Tauran |
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Capital |
Hypatia |
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Major Cities |
Hypatia, Tauron City, Minos |
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Attractions |
Minos, Olympia Hippodrome, Great Tauron Plains |
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Pyramid Teams |
Olympia Stallions, Tauron Bulls |
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Officials |
Andreas Phaulkon, President |
Two thousand years ago the Twelve Tribes left Kobol after a disaster - the nature of which is now unknown. They traveled two thousand light years to the Cyrannus Star System, a system with four stars. The Taurus Tribe colonized this world. People of Tauron ancestry are often referred to as Taurons.
Summary
Tauron from low orbit
One of the largest and wealthiest colonies, Tauron regained its independence from Virgon and Leonis eight-hundred and fifty years ago, and fought a bloody civil war three decades ago when Ha'la'tha resistance fighters attacked the governing Heraclitus regime. (1)
Tauron is a major center of industry and technology, as well as the home of the Ha'la'tha crime syndicate (formed by former resistance fighters), which has spread throughout the colonies. (2)
Location
Minos is Tauron's ringed moon
The Twelve Colonies are located in the Cyrannus Star System. Tauron is in the fourth orbit around the Helios Alpha star in that system. Tauron has one satellite, Minos, which is the only ringed moon in the system. (3)
Tauron's planetary neighbors are Picon, Gemenon and Caprica. (4)
Agriculture and Environment
Tauron Farmers
Known for its rocky, reddish soil, Tauron's chief industries are farming and livestock. Its oldest city, Minos, was once located on a cattle trail. (5)
Unusual for a planet with a rich agriculture, there are no flowers on Tauron. Meteorological conditions produce heavy rainstorms. Sam Adama misses this about his homeworld. ("Pilot") ("Retribution")
Government
Industry and Exports
The Vergis Corporation's headquarters is located in Tauron City. Tomas Vergis is the CEO. It is a high-tech firm which recently developed the meta-cognitive processor or MCP. ("Pilot") ("Know Thy Enemy")
Tauron cigars are a valued export. ("Know Thy Enemy")
Media
"The Tauron Globe Times" is an online news site. The Times publishes the article, "High Tech Theft Leaves Workers Slain," covering the theft of the MCP chip from the Vergis Corporation. ("End of Line") ("Know Thy Enemy")
Religion
Patron God
Mars is the patron god of Tauron, who is officially known by the name, Ares. He is worshipped in temples which bear his name. Mars Day is a Colonial holiday. ("Pilot") ("Reins of a Waterfall")
Death and the Afterlife
At funeral rites for the dead, priests symbolically assume the role of the Ferryman in the Underworld. His duty is to take the deceased souls into his boat and row them down the river in the Underworld to their final destination in the Afterlife. Before he can do this, their surviving loved ones must pay for their passage by handing him a coin for their safe journey. Next, the ferryman asks the loved ones to say their farewells. Then he assures them, "They will live in peace. They will live forever in your hearts." The priest then applies a tattoo to the bereaved survivors. ("There Is Another Sky")
Sometimes a loved one simply puts a coin in the pocket of the deceased for their safe journey to the afterlife. Fidelia Fazekas slips a coin into her father's pocket after he is murdered to avenge a death. ("Apotheosis")
When Taurons die at the hands of others, their souls are caught between life and death. They cannot rest in peace until their deaths are avenged. ("Gravedancing")
When Taurons are about to take the life of another, they wish them a "safe journey." For instance, Joseph Adama visits the Caprican Defense Minister Val Chambers on behalf of the Guatrau. Chambers does not like the implied threat and promises investigation of the Guatrau and his "low life lawyers." As Joseph leaves, he wishes the minister a safe journey. Chambers only realizes too late what Joseph meant, for on that night Sam Adama delivers the Guatrau's response and murders him. ("Pilot")
Culture
General
Native Taurons are a proud, passionate race - a loyal and storied culture in which family ties are secondary only to personal honor. ("The Dirteaters")
Family Traditions
If an older sibling dies, the next child to be born (of the same gender) is named after the deceased. Young Bill Adama is named after his older half-brother, William Adama. ("Apotheosis")
Youth and Coming of Age
Children play jacks with the bones of chicken feet. A Tauron becomes an adult at the age of thirteen. At that age a person makes their own decisions and decides their own course in life. They get ink to mark this rite of passage. ("Gravedancing") ("End of Line") ("The Dirteaters")
Cuisine
Organ meats are comfort food for the Tauron people. Ruth tells her grandson that if he would not think about what his dinner is, he would like it. ("Rebirth") ("End of Line")
Mourning
Taurons wear black gloves when there is a death in the family. It is symbolic of keeping them away from the world when they are in mourning. ("Pilot") ("Know Thy Enemy")
Debts
Its people are dedicated to family in all forms and crimes against one's family usually sparks a blood debt. These blood debts usually are settled through a discussion between the victim and the accused and are settled through tribute. [citation needed]
In the case of thefts, the offending party has to make amends. ("Know Thy Enemy")
In the case of murder, Taurons kill the murderer and/or those closest to them to avenge the death. This is known as "Blood for Blood." Sam and Joseph Adama kill the Guatrau in retribution for William Adama's murder. ("Pilot") ("Gravedancing") ("Apotheosis")
Tattoos
Sam Adama sports some elaborate Tauron tattoos
Tattooing is part of Tauron custom. A person's life story can be read from their tattoos. The Ha'la'tha crime syndicate makes extensive use of tattooing, which leads some on Caprica to associate the custom with gangsters. ("Rebirth") ("Gravedancing")
There are many reasons for getting ink including:
- Becoming a parent, acquiring a fancy pedigree, making a mistake or from a ritual. ("Gravedancing")
- From a Funeral Rite ("There Is Another Sky")
- For Children or Gods-Children ("Know Thy Enemy")
- Coming of Age ("End of Line") ("The Dirteaters")
- Induction to and Promotion in the Ha'la'tha ("The Dirteaters")
- Marriage and Death of a Spouse (6)
- A Made Man - serving time in prison (7)
Proverbs
Tauron Saying: "You lose something in the desert. Someone else finds it - it belongs to them. Permanent." ("There Is Another Sky")
Ha'la'tha Proverb: "When the tree surrenders all its fruit, it's time to trim from the top down." ("The Dirteaters")
Immigration
Little Tauron in Caprica City
Displaced by the Tauron Civil War, many Taurons immigrated to Caprica City. They moved into an older, inner-city neighborhood they call Little Tauron. The Ha'la'tha's primary hangout in Little Tauron is Goldie's Off Track Betting. ("Rebirth") ("The Dirteaters")
Discrimination
A common slur against Taurons is dirteaters, perhaps due to their heritage as peasant farmers. ("Pilot") ("There Is Another Sky")
After awarding Graystone Industries with a long-term military contract, Minister of Defense for Caprica, Joan Leyte, says they never seriously considered the Vergis Corporation for the contract because Tomas Vergis is Tauron and deceit is in the Tauron DNA. ("Pilot")
Crime
The Ha'la'tha began as a resistance movement which opposed the corrupt government. It later expanded into entrepreneural pursuits and became a crime syndicate, which spread throughout the Twelve Colonies. Ha'la'tha is a Tauron word which means "always faithful to the soil." ("The Dirteaters") ("False Labor")
Civil Unrest
Tauron Civil War
The Tauron uprising began in 12YR when poorly-armed native Rebel forces, known as the Ha'la'tha, attacked the presidential barracks, initiating a two-year Civil War. In the aftermath, the victorious Heraclides forces attempted a genocide by using murder squads, commonly referred to as Heracs. Facing extinction, the Ha'la'tha transformed to become an illegal underground organization throughout the Twelve Colonies. ("Pilot") ("The Dirteaters")
Second Tauron Uprising
Second Tauron Uprising
In 42YR, CAP News reports on the recent Tauron Uprising: Following the seizure of a massive shipment of Sagittaron arms bound for rebel forces on Tauron, Foreign Minister Kristoff used strong words today, saying that, "The successful Tauron army operation proves that we will soon be returning these insurgents to their homes."
Defense Minister Patel confirmed today that no Caprican troops will be sent to Tauron peace-keeping efforts, saying that, "We haven't been asked for our help yet." ("The Dirteaters")
Known Taurons
The Adama Family
William Adama Sr. and his wife, Isabelle
- Joseph Adama
- Shannon Adama
- Sam Adama
- William Adama Sr.
- Isabelle Adama
- Ruth
- Evelyn
- Young Joseph
- Young Sam
Ha'la'tha
Fidelia Fazekas and her father, the Guatrau, at Goldie's Off Track Betting
Atreus' Gang
Atreus' gang celebrates a victory
Heraclides
Others
Tomas Vergis
Additional Images
Behind the Scenes
Production Notes
- According to Tom Lieber, Homeric Greek stands in for the Tauron native language. A professor from The University of British Columbia was the production team's consultant for the language. They told him what they wanted the character to say and he translated it to Homeric Greek. There is a difference between Homeric Greek and Ancient Greek. (8)
- Taurons apparently have a reputation for being criminals, similar to the manner in which Italians are stereotyped as being members of the mafia. ("Pilot") ("Gravedancing")
Cultural References
References
1. Mandel, Geoffrey. "The Twelve Colonies of Kobol" map. Technical Advisors Jane Espenson and Kevin R. Grazier, special thanks to Bob Harris, author of "Beyond Caprica: A Visitors Guide to the Twelve Colonies," Quantum Mechanix, 2010.
2. Ibid, edited.
3. Ibid.
4. Ibid.
5. Ibid, edited.
6. Wagner, Curt. "Exclusive: Caprica Producer Jane Espenson Explains Sam Adama's Tattoos." Show Patrol, February 2010. Retrieved via a published note on the Facebook group, Caprica, 17 February 2010. Retrieved for this Fandom Wiki on January 29, 2018.
7. "Blowback." Caprica: Season 1.5 created by Ronald D. Moore and Remi Aubuchon, podcast by Director of Development at Universal Cable Productions, Tom Lieber, and series regular Magda Apanowicz, episode 114, Syfy, 2010, disc two.
8. Ibid, 15:10-15:42.