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The Twelve Colonies of Man was the main human civilization in the science fiction television show Battlestar Galactica

The Twelve Colonies

The Twelve Colonies were founded by settlers from Kobol, the birthplace of all humans. Twelve tribes of humans settled twelve different planets, presumably in the same solar system (representing the Twelve Lost Tribes of Israel). The names of the planets are taken from the signs of the Zodiac:

• Tauron
• Geminon
• Virgon
• Sagittera
• Caprica
  • Homeworld of most of the characters on the Galactica. Appears to be the most important colony.
• Picon
• Unknown Names
  • Colony of Aries
  • Colony of Cancer
  • Colony of Leo
  • Colony of Libra
  • Colony of Scorpio
  • Colony of Aquarius

All Colonial planets were depopulated by the Cylons during The Destruction of the Twelve Colonies.

The Quorum of the Twelve

The Quorum of the Twelve is the main governing body of the Twelve Colonies. There are twelve members, one from each colony. There is a President of the Twelve Colonies, who act as the head of state. There is also a Commander in Chief of the armed forces. The President and civilian government leads the Colonies, unless martial law is declared. After the death of President Adar and the death of the Quorum of the Twelve, the Colonial remnants under the protection of the Battlestar Galactica were placed under martial law by Commander Adama, the last surviving member of the pre-Destruction Quorum. Count Balter, a member of the Quorum who survived due to his treachery, was presumably stripped of his rank by his gross betrayal of humanity. The Quorum has the power to repeal martial law itself, but after a disasterious attempt at reestablishing civilian rule in the "Rag-Tag Fleet," such matters were dropped for the present.

The Quorum has also been called the "Council of the Twelve."

Colonial Law

There is no death penalty, even for treason. The maximum punishment is life imprisonment. Officers of the court include 'Opposers' (prosecuting attorneys) and 'Advocates' (defense).

The Colonial Military

Rank Tables

In the original series, the rank structure of the Colonial military was never spelled out in detail. However, in the remake, the official website gives a detailed listing of Colonial military ranks (which can, absent any evidence to the contrary, certainly apply to the original series as well):

• Officer ranks
  • Ensign
  • Lieutenant j.g.
  • Lieutenant
  • Captain
  • Colonel
  • Commander
  • Admiral

The Colonial Navy

The Colonial Navy is the first line of defence against Cylon invasion. This force of battlestars and Vipers has held the Cylons at bay for at least a thousand yahren and can easily outfight superior Cylon numbers through human cleverness.

Colonial Warriors

Renouned for their bravery and prowess in warfare in the Colonies and beyond, Warriors are the Viper pilots and ground troops of the Colonies. They are similar to Earth-bound Marines in their versatility.

Colonial/Council Security

These officers clad in black form a catch-all police force, under the direct control of the Quorum of the Twelve. Their jurisdiction appears to cover both civilian and military police roles.

In the Remake

In the 2003 remake of Battlestar Galactica, the Colonial government (what is known) is somewhat different. There is a Presidency, and a "Political Cabinet" (which includes the ministries of Defense, Civil Defense, and Education), which each ministry headed by a secretary. The Secretary of Education is the 43rd and presumably last in the order of succession. There is a death penalty, and treason is punishable by it. Local government includes mayors, of whom President Adar was one before his first term as President of the Twelve Colonies. The Colonial Government appears to include some form of civil religion.

• Battlestar Galactica