Romaikos

Rhomaion Empire Βασιλεία Ῥωμαίων
Flag Imperial Ensign
Motto: "One God, One Empire, One Faith"
Anthem: Απολυτίκιο του Τιμίου Σταυρού
Capital and largest city	Constantinople
Official languages	Greek
Ethnic groups	Greek Macedonian Bulgarian Athenian Armenian Turkic Levantine Sunafrican Pacific Islander Other
Religion	Eastern Orthodox
Demonym(s)	Rhomaion
Government	Absolute Monarchy
• Emperor	Constantine XVIII Daskalatos
• Heir	Romanos V Daskalatos
Legislature	Imperial Council
Establishment
• East-West division of the Rhomaion Empire	1 January 300 A.D.
• Constantine's vision	13 October 323
• First Restoration of the (Eastern) Rhomaion Empire	8 June 1734
• Second Restoration of the (Eastern) Rhomaion Empire	17 June 1939
Population
• 2018 estimate	164,231,475
GDP (PPP)	2018 estimate
• Total	$4,326,186,250,072
• Per capita	$26,342
GDP (nominal)	2018 estimate
• Total	$4,132,941,006,820
• Per capita	$25,165
HDI (2018)	.819 very high
Currency	Bezant (☧) (BZT)
Time zone	UTC+3 (Rhomaion Imperial Time)
Date format	mm-dd-yyyy
Driving side	left
Calling code	+32

The Rhomaion Empire (Βασιλεία Ῥωμαίων), often incorrectly called Romaikos, is an independent nation in South-Eastern Ventismar in Sunalaya. Romaikos is an absolute monarchy. The nation's mainland is bordered by Shastara to the west, Dirkhizistan to the east, Ashukal to the south, and Ophioneus to the north.

The modern day Empire is a religious society, influenced by its imperial traditions and Eastern Christianity. It is part of the ACCIS and the NLTO. It is considerably multi-ethnic, though it is predominatly Greek.

Hellenic regions of the Rhomaion Empire have been considered to be the birthplace and cradle of western civilization, especially for its contributions to philosophy, literature, democracy, sciences, and mathematics. However, Rhomaions often differentiate themselves in their national identity as distinctly "eastern" from the "barbaric" western world as a separate civilization.

The Rhomaion Empire is one of the world's oldest nations. It claims its legacy as a continuation of the classical Rhomaion Empire (known as the Illyesian Empire in Latin) that began in 723 B.C. After the Hellenic Kingdoms were invaded from 175 BC to 231 BC, Hellenic culture became influential to the classical Rhomaion Empire. In 300 AD, the Empire was politically divided into a west and an east. The eastern Empire carried the legacy of the original Empire while adopting a more Greek and Christian identity.

Etymology

The term "Rhomaion Empire" is the English translation of "Βασιλεία Ῥωμαίων," which is named after the city Ρώμη (Greek translation) in Tyrenes. Ρώμη was the capital of the classical Rhomaion Empire in antiquity.

History

The History of Romaikos

Geography

The geography of the mainland is fairly diverse and often depends upon the region. In the western area, the geography of East Romaikos is largely flat, temperate, and mild. The heartland of East Romaikos is full of steppes and mild mountains. The southeastern edges of East Romaikos contain deserts. Towards the northwest consists of colder, dryer, and more mountainous terrain.

The western region and heartland of Romaikos are fertile and largely productive in agriculture. The eastern frontier areas are somewhat wealthy in natural resources.

The overseas territories of Romaikos include islands to the west of the mainland, a colony in northern Ziamban, and islands in the Divergian Ocean. The Ziamban territory is largely desert, and the the Divergian islands are tropical.

Themes

Themes of the Rhomaion Empire (Mainland)

Themes (Greek: θέματα, thémata, singular: θέμα, théma) are the administrative divisions of the Rhomaion Empire. They were established in the early 7th century, replacing the provincial system created by Constantine the Great. The system has undergone major reforms throughout the centuries, but are still known as themes to this day.

Largest Cities (Mainland)

Number	City	City Proper	Metropolitan Area	Theme	Predominant Ethnicity
1	Constantinople	10,721,493	16,170,607	Byzantium	Greek
2	Skopje	6,341,995	9,123,593	Skopje	Macedonian
3	Nicaea	5,619,814	7,198,178	Byzantium	Greek
4	Thessaloniki	3,593,449	5,083,413	Dyrrhachion	Greek
5	Mystras	2,615,266	4,467,516	Helas	Greek
6	Corum	2,375,774	3,607,698	Chappadocia	Turkic
7	Montana	1,919,098	4,350,642	South Boulgaria	Bulgarian
8	Vinica	1,784,095	3,294,104	Mygdonia	Macedonian
9	Port Constantine	1,595,385	2,381,416	Chalcedon	Greek
10	Pehcevo	712,195	1,813,179	Mygdonia	Macedonian

Politics and Government

The Rhomaion Empire is an absolute monarchy with theocratic aspects. The Emperor is considered to hold absolute power but is assisted by an Imperial Council and bureaucracy that often influence his decisions. All citizens of at least 18 years or older are granted the right to attend, meet, or petition the Emperor through a legal system.

The general politics of the Empire take place through the absolute monarchy and are ultraconservative and religious in nature. The government holds a tight grip on social control through censorship and imprisonment of political opponents. Meanwhile, the Church has a large influence on the government and many political decisions. The word of the clergy is often taken into account, while government officials tend to be devoutly religious. They are all required to rule "in accordance with Christian values" by Rhomaion Law.

The Emperor

The Emperor is the absolute ruler of the Rhomaion Empire with supreme imperial authority, ruling without restrictions by written laws or legislature. The Emperor claims the govern all creation as God's worldly representative. The concept of Rhomaion divine right considers the Emperor to be the "peer of the Apostles" and the "sole ruler of the world." Though in practice, the Emperor is required to be a benevolent ruler that rules in accordance with Christian virtues. A tyrannical Emperor can be considered to lose the divine mandate to rule with certain conditions such as unrest or civic revolt. Additionally, a charter of rights and liberties for citizens has been guaranteed during times of peace.

The throne of the Emperor alternates between being a hereditary dynasty and an elective position that can be filled by a high-ranking civil servant or military officer. Its status varies by the current political climate and prosperity of the Empire, usually with more prosperous eras having a more hereditary throne.

The Emperor resides in the Grand Palace of Constantinople, located near the Hagia Sophia. Its surface area exceeds 24,000 square miles and stands on top of a mild hill. The palace is where court life takes place. The throne room of the Emperor carries various ornate details and splendors such as mechanical lions, golden birds over golden trees, arrays of precious gems, and various mosaics. The throne itself can also be elevated through a simple switch. To the public, the palace is well known for the impressive ceremonies it holds for many prescribed occasions. Such includes the ceremonial rituals, parades, songs, and "dances" that are performed by various groups of high officials. Such traditions and customs have roots dating back several centuries and have been continuously expanded upon. State officials and diplomats from foreign nations are frequently impressed by these shows in their visits.

Imperial Council

The legislative powers of the empire fall in the hands of the Imperial Council, a legislative body made up of 250 seats. The Imperial Council has significant influence over the country's politics. Members of the Council may propose and vote on legislation, which pass or fail depending on the Emperor's decree. It traces its roots in the old Senate of the classical empire, though the tradition of democratic elections has long faded away since 1st Century A.D.

Logothetes

Logothete is a title applied to a senior official in the Rhomaion Empire, who commands their respective administrative department. Logothetes are said to be equivalent to what are known as "ministers" in foreign countries.

Current Logothetes

Sector	Logothete	Ethnicity
Defense	Georgios Palaiologos	Greek
Finance	David Velyov	Macedonian
Economy	Cedomir Andreev	Macedonian
Law	Basil Philoponus	Greek
Education	Gregorius Rhangabe	Greek
Justice	Faik Yildizoglu	Turkic
Foreign Affairs	Soukias Zakaryan	Armenian
Health	Manuel Glycas	Greek
Development	Michal Petrevski	Macedonian
Agriculture	Quintus Psellus	Greek
Culture	Vetranis Stratioticus	Greek

Foreign Relations

The Eastern Rhomaion Empire is a part of ACCIS and NLTO.

Economy

The economy of the Rhomaion Empire is valued at ☧153,786,734,863,772, which gives it a per capita GDP of around ☧936,402.32. There is a significant gap in wealth between the more developed western provinces in contrast with poorer eastern provinces and overseas territories. Regardless, income inequality by region is typically quite low.

Romaikos has a medium-sized sector in mining that constitutes around 19% of its GDP, which is fueled by its abundance in minerals and precious gems in Armenia and Ambrosia (Sunafrica). Around 27% of Armenia's export value is through copper. Reserves of gold and diamond also play a significant role. Larger deposits of minerals can be found in Ambrosia, which is wealthy in resources such as Iron, Titanium, Rauxite, Aluminum, Gold, and Diamonds. Almost all mining activities are through the National Mining Company, which is an Imperial-chartered monopoly that owns all mining activities in Romaikos. Competition exists through subsidiary companies that fall under the National Mining Company. Most profits of the company are collected as government revenue.

In the western heartland, cash crops are grown for export due to their fertile lands, while elsewhere agriculture focuses on serving domestic needs and self-sufficiency. The urban centers of the western provinces are based on manufacturing and technology.

Textiles are one of the largest industries within Romaikos. It is among one of the world's most important textile and apparel manufacturing countries, playing a large role in international trade. It constitutes 9% of Rhomaion's export value. It has remained competitive and experienced steady growth over the years. Textile manufacturing takes place in modern, industrial methods that co-exist with a smaller scale of traditionally-produced and handcrafted textiles.

The city of Nicaea, located in the same theme as Constantinople, is unofficially considered to be the technology capital of Romaikos.

Economic Structure

The economy of the Rhomaion Empire is based on ideas such as distributism and corporatism. Most industries and workers are under workers' guilds which manage their industry and protect the interests of workers. Workers' guilds are semi-private as they generally operate on their own, though they are often used as a medium of enforcing decrees by the imperial government. All workers' guilds have administrators sent from Constantinople to ensure imperial demands are met.

The power and wealth of the corporate elite is much smaller in Romaikos as compared to capitalist economies, while the government retains an impressive amount of control over the economy. The Emperor is considered to have absolute power over all industry within Romaikos.

Energy

Several coal deposits are found in Romaikos

Transport

Transportation throughout the Empire primarily takes place through an extensive railway system, and occasionally through air. The railways of Romaikos stretch 35,127km and are more densely packed into western provinces. Within most cities, trams provide sufficient transportation.

Automobiles are moderately used for long distance commute, especially in less densely populated areas. Though they are not often on a day to day basis.

Demographics

Language

The national language of the Rhomaion Empire is Greek. It is the most commonly spoken language of the Empire and is the most learned language for non-Greek ethnic minorities. Other languages in the Empire derive from ethnic minority groups. The Empire classifies Macedonian, Bulgarian, Armenian, and Turkic as primary regional languages. Smaller local dialects and Sunafrican tribal languages are classified as "protected regional languages."

The Greek language has a rich history. It is one of the world's oldest languages and has the longest documented history of any living Ventismaran language, spanning over 3000 years of written records. Its writing system has been the Greek Alphabet. Additionally, it holds an important place in the history of the Ventismaran world and Christianity. Ancient literature (such as the epic poems of the Iliad and Odysessy) and many of western civilization's foundational texts in sciences, mathematics, and philosophy originate from Greek texts. Additionally, it has played in important role in Christianity. Greek is the main liturgical language of Eastern Christianity. Additionalyl, the Biblical New Testament was written in Koiné Greek.

Education

The Rhomaion charters of liberties provides a guarantee of education. Primary and secondary education is free of charge in public schools. They coexist with private schools, which are typically inhabited by students from wealthier and noble backgrounds. Students from ages seven to fifteen are required to attend schools, though schools typically begin at around 4-6 for most children.

The Greeks have a long tradition and culture of valuing education, which has been upheld as one of the highest societal values in the Greek world. This culture of education has spread to other ethnicites under the Empire. The University of Constantinople was the world's first institution of higher education. With this tradition, the Empire's education and student performance rank relatively high by world standards.

The level of education begins separating after primary schools. Secondary schools are separated into two school types: unified upper secondary schools (Γενικό Λύκειο) and technical-vocational educational schools (Τεχνικά και Επαγγελματικά Εκπαιδευτήρια). Upper secondary schools further separate into three different class levels: standard, honors, and university, the latter of which is available to students after completion of freshman or sophomore year (depending on the region. It is not available in some poor areas of the Empire).

The Rhomaion educational system also provides accommodations to students of special needs or learning difficulties.

Religion

The Eastern Rhomaion Empire is an extremely Christian nation, characterized by Eastern Christianity that takes a more mystical approach to faith and theology than their western counterparts. The Empire is based on the idea that is the earthly copy of the Kingdom of Heaven. The Emperor, made in God's image, is required to rule on Earth and carry out his commandments. The Rhomaion Orthodox Catholic Church is the largest Church in Constantinople, which coexists with a minority of Armenian and Coptic Christians that it carries de-facto influence over.

The Empire is in communion with the Papacy of the Illyesian Catholic Church, though their relations have grown somewhat tense in recent years. A denial of communion to Illyesian Catholics in Rhomaion Orthodox Churches has been documented. Some suspect a potential schism to take place in the near future.

The Bishop of Constantinople is often appointed by the Emperor and unable to hold office without his approval. The Rhomaion emperors have exercised mild control over the ecclesiastical hierarchy and the eastern Church's administrative affairs. The idea of "Caesaropapism" has been attributed towards to the Rhomaion Empire as a result. Though given the influence that the Church has over the Emperor and political affairs, there is a great deal of interdependence between imperial and ecclesiastical structures. A few historical Rhomaion Emperors that attempted to submit the church to the state had failed and were excommunicated.

Main Romaikos

Religion	% of population
Rhomaion Orthodox	95.447%
Armenian Orthodox	2.295%
Coptic	1.968%
Illyesian Catholic	0.051%
Other	0.237%

Ierigi (The Holy Land)

Religion	% of population
Eastern Christian	63.905%
Western Christian	14.936%
Islam	20.786%
Judaism	0.975%
Other	1.398%

Religious Life

Religion is extremely important to the Rhomaions. No matter one's social standing or background, life is typically influenced by religion and its practices. Weekly (or more frequent) Church attendance is a habit among almost all Rhomaions. Praying is a habit to most subjects of the Empire. Prayer in schools, public places, and workplaces are common and sometimes organized by leaders. Prayer ropes are commonly held items.

Religion is not only a part of social life in Romaikos but is also deeply rooted in its institutions. One may find its presence in education, law, hospitals, academia, and etc. It also plays a large role in the government. Church-state separation is an unrecognizable content.

Romaikos's religion is a continuous inspiration to its arts and culture. The Empire has continuously constructed large cathedrals for centuries. Among the most famous and oldest ones is Hagia Sophia. Built in 574 AD, Hagia Sophia is often associated as the symbol of Constantinople.

Culture

Art

Despite being in an age of technology, classical art styles continue to remain commonplace in the Empire and co-exist with digital art and photography. Romaikos is well known for its mosaics, though fresco and illuminated manuscript are used more frequently in smaller artworks. Much of its classical art styles relate with religious expression. Their styles reflect images representing the divine, absolute, and imaginative, rather than realistic depictions. As such, they tend to be abstract and two-dimensional. A golden background, a common depiction of heaven in Eastern Christianity, is frequently in both religious and secular art. Brilliant and vibrant color palettes are used over realistic expression. Bright stones, gold, and precious metals can be found in larger artworks. However, a mild degree of realism is sometimes used in secular paintings.

Cuisine

The Cuisine of Romaikos often varies by region. Contemporary Greek and Macedonian cuisine makes wide use of vegetables, grains, olive oil, fish, wine, meat, and olives. Other common ingredients include pasta, cheese, lemon juice, herbs, bread, and yogurt. Wheat and barley are the most common graints. Desert ingredients mostly include fruits and occasionally pastries. Some influence comes from neighboring countries such as Tyrenes and Shastara.

Turkic cuisine carries a more oriental and middle eastern flavor than contemporary cuisine in the western provinces. A larger use of spices, curry, stews are found in Turkic cuisine. Turkic cuisine is also famous for its variety of mezes, kebabs, and dough-based desserts such as balklava, sobiyet, kunefe, and kayadif.

Sports

The National Sport of the Rhomaion Empire is football. The Empire champions its football team as among one of the best in the world. It is commonly watched by almost all subjects of the Empire. One may frequently find young Rhomaions playing football in parks and in streets.

Other popular sports in Romaikos include golf, rugby, shooting, and running.