The Honesta Deditionem is a philosophical current prevalent in the Ryccian Empire. The name literally means "Honourable Surrender" in Latin. The Honesta Deditionem essentially stipulates that surrender is the most honourable way to end a battle if all other options are exhausted. Prisoners of war are to be held under fair conditions, and thus killing them en masse is dishonourable. Fighting on until the bitter end if it does not serve a strategic purpose is seen as wasteful and barbaric, as it spills unnecessary blood.

As a result of this philosophy, Ryccians are prone to seek peace and/or surrender more frequently than other cultures. Some regions are the exception, such as the Mandalorians, who have an ultra-militaristic culture.

History

The Honesta Deditionem philosophy of war first arose in the later years of the Old Empire amongst a minority of the aristocracy as a way to avoid the spillage of blood. The aristocracy in general was turning away from the ultra-militaristic principles of the early Old Empire due to the long periods of peace and prosperity the later Old Empire brought to the human race.

When the New Empire, the one that arose after the Democratic Revolution more than a thousand years ago, came into being, this peaceful philosophy's adoption in the Empire only accelerated. Today, it is the prevailing method of thinking in the Imperial military, with only a minority having militaristic values.