Age

Ages are formally-defined periods of time in Covenant history. Each Age is characterized by what was deemed by the High Council to be the overarching socio-political theme of each time period.

Overview
The naming of Ages is based on broad trends, and they were predominantly initiated for political reasons. For example, not all member species (e.g. Jiralhanae) warranted an Age of Conversion, while at times species that do not even become full signatories are accorded one (e.g. the failed assimilation of the Ikjuttar). Also, sometimes even small unrest is enough to trigger an Age of Conflict, while in other cases it may take an empire-wide crisis (typically, especially toward the end, only conflicts that directly concern High Charity were deemed noteworthy enough). It is in the interests of aspiring Hierarchs to attempt to initiate a new Age, for this would secure their ascension. But for most of the time, this is unsuccessful, and if the incumbent Hierarchs are strong enough and they have the support of the High Council (or the Council is too weak and/or indecisive to come to an agreement over initiating a new Age), they can weather reasonably large crises.

The duration of Ages varied, though they rarely lasted longer than about half an Earth century, and could at a minimum last only a few years. Rapid turnover of ages has historically been associated with political instability and tumult. Since the duration of an Age was tied to the reign of the Hierarchs of any given Age, it was often in the interests of the incumbent Hierarchs to prolong an age for as long as possible. This might involve understating significant occurrences, such as conflicts, discoveries, or even the discovery of new species, events which typically sparked a flood of speculation and demands for a new Age. In many cases, Hierarchs would seek to end conflicts quickly, before the High Council would begin calling for a new Age.

The Covenant did have mechanisms in place to prevent an Age from going on too long, and most Hierarchs understood this. The election of new High Councils was decoupled from the tenure of the Hierarchs, and in the event both the Hierarchs and the High Council refused to let an Age end, a Grand Convocation could convene and challenge the Council. This was extremely rare, however, and typically Hierarchs either stepped down voluntarily or were ousted by political maneuvering (such as convenient scandals) long before they risked overstaying their welcome. Exceptions did occur, and at times it was seen as preferable to prolong an Age. As a general rule of thumb, Ages of Reclamation tended to go on longest, unless cut short by cataclysmic events such as wars. However, no one also wanted an Age of Reclamation to fizzle out or end with an anticlimax, so they might also be ended with a bang (e.g. the discovery of a major relic, or a technological breakthrough). The 6th Age of Reclamation, for example, was prematurely declared after the discovery of the Lesser Ring later known as the Ring of Humility and Patience. While the Hierarchs of that Age sought to end the Age on a hopeful note via a major discovery, the 6th Age of Reclamation would eventually be terminated by the onset of the Schism of Late Antiquity and the 20th Age of Conflict.

The first series of Ages, known as the First Progression, ran from the start of the War of Beginnings and the 1st Age of Conflict circa the 870s BCE to the end of the 1st Age of Reclamation, around the 590s BCE. The defining events of these first Ages formed the archetypes that each Age was based around. However, the Age system itself was only created centuries afterward by the scholar Dwod G'don, during what would be known as the 2nd Age of Reclamation in the 4th century BCE. The historical Ages up to that point were assigned retroactively, and due to various gaps in historiography, G'don would paint the prior eras with a relatively broad brush. The traditional order of the ages, as recounted in the Progression of the Ages rite, follows the order in which the first set of ages progressed. With the passing of time, the order became randomized by necessity as major events could no longer be fitted into the same pattern.

Following the onset of the Great Schism and the loss of the High Council, no universal authority exists to declare new Ages. Many groups have their own interpretations of the state of the Ages in this era. A common view in the Concord of Reconciliation, expressed in the Schism Councils, is that the new Age should be the 40th Age of Conflict, though no consensus exists on this. Others have posited that the time after High Charity's fall should be deemed a new Age of Abandonment, though this view may be dismissed as pessimistic. Others have discarded the Age system altogether.

Types of Ages

 * Age of Abandonment: Ignorance and fear. The only singular Age, the Age of Abandonment followed the passing of the Forerunners and ended with the War of Beginnings.


 * Ages of Conflict: Rivalry and bloodshed. While the Holy Ecumene experiences civil wars near-constantly, only conflicts with significant ramifications to the Covenant civilization as a whole usually warrant an Age of Conflict. Hierarchs appointed during Ages of Conflict are often called War Hierarchs, especially if they are particularly hawkish. Their reign is seen as temporary, lasting only as long as the war does, and Prophets who seek the office of Hierarch in such times generally know it is in their own best interests to seek a swift resolution to the conflict at hand. There have been recorded cases where War Hierarchs have managed to stay in power far longer than the duration of the crisis, though this was rare in the Covenant's later ages.


 * Ages of Reconciliation: Humility and brotherhood. Ages of Reconciliation typically occur in response to society-shaking events such as conflicts, the integration of new species (or peripheral splinter cultures), or discoveries of strategic importance. They are marked by political, social or religious reforms. If the preceding Age is particularly destabilizing and the zeitgeist is more worldly, an Age of Doubt is announced instead.


 * Ages of Discovery: Wonder and understanding. Marked by technological discoveries and breakthroughs, industrial or infrastructural expansion, as well as territorial expansion and great expeditions; in general, any events that increase the sum of the Covenant's collective knowledge.


 * Ages of Doubt: Faith and patience. Ages of Doubt deal with the effects of conflicts, but also social and political upheaval. They are characterized by a shift from religious to worldly affairs. Can also follow Ages of Discovery or Reclamation, if their effects are surprisingly destabilizing. Announcing an Age of Doubt is generally unpopular and, like Ages of Conflict, the faithful generally want out of them. But they can also be safe for those in power. While the crises that brought forth Ages of Doubt varied, Hierarchs elected to lead such ages were typically drawn from the ranks of reliable career ministers or High Councilors, known more for their administrative skills than religious zeal or ambition.


 * Ages of Conversion: Obedience and freedom. Ages of Conversion are declared to assimilate a new species, often by the sword. In rare cases, conversion may also be applied to major splinter cultures of the Covenant. Not all client species get an Age of Conversion. In general, toward the later ages of the Covenant, the Covenant's threshold for fully integrating new species was higher than before, in part due to failed Ages of Conversion with the Ikjuttar and the ambiguous experiences with the Yonhet and Cix-Tu, as well as the overall focus of the Consolidation Period. For example, the 23rd Age of Doubt did not end with the decision to conquer the Jiralhanae and fold them into the Covenant, though this has been attributed to the political acumen and relative popularity of the penultimate Hierarch triumvirate at the time.


 * Ages of Reclamation: Journey and Salvation. Ages of Reclamation were marked by major upwellings of religious zeal and renewed interest in the search for the Sacred Rings. This typically occurred only in response to the discovery of major Forerunner technology caches.

High Antiquity

 * 1st Age of Conflict (870 BCE-852 BCE): The War of Beginnings takes up the entirety of the 1st Age of Conflict.

Consolidation Period

 * 23rd Age of Doubt (2462-2525): The 23rd Age of Doubt centered mostly on the aftermath of the 14th Unggoy Rebellion as well as the Conversion of the Jiralhanae
 * 9th Age of Reclamation (2525-2552): This age encompasses the Human-Covenant War and the start of Great Schism.