Sagittaron

Sagittaron, originally named Sagittarius, was a planet in the Cyrannus star system, orbiting the star Helios Gamma. It was one of the Twelve Colonies of Kobol, named after the Sagittarius tribe who had resided on Kobol, though its citizens may not have been affiliated with that tribe. (Twelve Colonies map, Caprica; Battlestar Galactica, "Home, Part 2") A barren, mountainous and deeply religious world, Sagittaron was settled by Gemenese fundamentalists and was known across the Twelve Worlds for its isolationism and for the grievances that drove Tom Zarek to insurgency. (Battlestar Galactica, "Bastille Day"; "The Woman King")

Settlement and history#

Sagittaron was colonized by Gemenese fundamentalists who felt their brothers and sisters on Gemenon were not truly devoted to the sacred texts. The Helios Gamma system, home also to Libran and Scorpia, was occupied by the imperial superpowers Virgon and Leonis, which exploited the system for centuries. Sagittaron gained its independence only following the mutual destruction of the two empires. This founding backstory comes from the official Cyrannus map made for Caprica; on screen, the series itself only establishes that Sagittarons endured centuries of exploitation at the hands of the other Colonies. (Twelve Colonies map, Caprica; Battlestar Galactica, "Bastille Day")

Resentment of how Sagittaron was treated under the United Colonies ran deep long after the Cylon War, and the Sagittaron Tom Zarek led a terrorist campaign against the government, including the bombing of a government building, gaining sympathy from idealists. (Battlestar Galactica, "Bastille Day")

Geography#

Sagittaron was considered by the other colonies to be a barren, mountainous world. Much of its population was spread out into isolated valleys, such as that of the Acheron River, which stood among its few notable attractions. Its only known major city was the capital, Tawa. (Beyond Caprica: A Visitor's Pocket Guide to the Twelve Colonies; Twelve Colonies map, Caprica)

Culture and beliefs#

Sagittaron culture, like that of the Gemenese polytheists, held to the literal authority of sacred scriptures, but enough disagreements arose to prompt the founders to abandon Gemenon entirely. (Twelve Colonies map, Caprica) Among the cultural beliefs was the conviction that relying on modern medicine was in some way sinful, and Sagittarons preferred herbal folk remedies. (Battlestar Galactica, "The Woman King")