Time of Awakening

The Time of Awakening was a time in Vulcan history which saw the end of the races war-like ways and saw the start of their peaceful ways. In the Earth calender, it was during the 4th century. (TOS episode: The Savage Curtain)

The architect of this change was the Vulcan philosopher known as Surak who preached a way of peace through logic and to keep their violent emotions under strict control. His teachings would gain wide scale acceptance among many people and would change the face of the world though there would still be heavy resistance to this change. (Last Unicorn RPG: The Way of Kolinahr: The Vulcans) One notable group who "marched under the raptor's wings" triggered a Nuclear war. Surak himself would die from radiation sickness during the last of the battles that devastated his homeworld which finally ended with the acceptance of logic. (ENT episode: Awakening & Kir'Shara)

Though a majority of the people of Vulcan accepted this change, a large group refused to accept the peaceful ways being accepted and decided to leave their homeworld. (TNG episode: Gambit, Part II) This group, some of which consisted of Surak's followers who believed that their homeworld might destroy itself in nuclear war, left their homeworld and would journey to the planet Romulus where they would become the Romulan people. (TOS novel: Vulcan's Soul Exodus)