Answer:
To Ward Off Evil Spirits
Explanation:
This would be by process of elimination.
To disguise them or make them look more life like for ancient times would not be realistic.
The immediate effects are easy. Miles of city would be leveled and all inhabitants of that area would be almost instantly killed. The long-term effects would be there would be so much radiation your body could go through nasty mutation and you'd need to be treated if you survived but if don't survive you'd have a long agonizing death. Also all neighboring cities would have radiation surging through them.
Aristocracy; aristocrats were the rich families often represented by the husbands and fathers
