Romaikos

Romalean Empire Βασιλεία Ῥωμαίων
Flag Coat of arms
Motto: "One God, One Empire, One Religion"
Anthem: Απολυτίκιο του Τιμίου Σταυρού
Capital and largest city	Constantinople
Official languages	Greek
Ethnic groups	54.5% Greek 15.2% Macedonian 6.7% Bulgarian 1.1% Athenian 2.3% Armenian 8.4% Turkic 7.4% Berber 2.0% Pacific Islander 2.5% Other
Demonym(s)	Romalean
Government	Absolute Monarchy
• Emperor	Constantine XV Daskalatos
• Heir	Undeclared
Legislature	Imperial Council
Establishment
• Independence of Romaleus from Rezua	718 B.C.
• East-West division of the Romalean Empire	1 January 300 A.D.
• First Restoration of the (Eastern) Romalean Empire	8 June 1734
• Second Restoration of the (Eastern) Romalean Empire	17 June 1939
Population
• 2018 estimate	164,231,475
GDP (nominal)	2018 estimate
• Total	☧240,078,460,311,399.6 (☧)
• Per capita	36,841 TDPC
HDI (2018)	.724 high
Currency	Bezant (☧)
Time zone	UTC+3 (Romalean Imperial Time)
Date format	mm-dd-yyyy
Driving side	left
Calling code	+32

The Romalean Empire (Βασιλεία Ῥωμαίων), or East Romaleus, is an independent nation in Eastern Ventismar in Sunalaya. East Romaleus 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 an ultraconservative and religious society, with a distinct identity from the rest of Ventismar over its political differences, cultural differences, and imperial legacy. It is part of the ACCIS and the NLTO.

The Romalean Empire is one of the world's oldest nations. It claims its legacy from the classical Romalean Empire 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 Romalean Empire. In 300 AD, it slowly accumulated a Greek and Christian identity after the Empire was politically divided into a western and eastern half.

Etymology

The term Βασιλεία Ῥωμαίων is directly translated to mean "Romalean Empire." In English, the country is sometimes referred to as the Mysenaean Empire. The name "Mysenaea" is after the old Greek archaeological site of Mysenae on which Constantinople was built on. The term "Mysenaea" or "Mysenaean" was coined by western scholars in order to distinguish between the classical, Latin-speaking, Pagan Romalean Empire from the medieval, Greek-speaking, Christian Romalean Empire.

History

Prehistoric Mysenaea (7000–1200 BC)

The ancient Mysenaean civilization arose during the Bronze Age as one of the world's first advanced civilizations. This was made evident through their states, urban areas, art, and writing systems. It was named after the site of Mysenae, the most prominent among all of the ancient sites in the region. Sophisticated hierarchical, political, social, and economic systems were developed.

Dark Ages (1200–800BC)

The collapse of the bronze age and beginning of the stone age helped mark the end for the ancient Mysenaean civilization into a "dark age." Fewer and smaller settlements suggest famine, excess warfare, and depopulation.

Archaic Era (800–231 BC)

Civilization rose again with increased populations and settlements among several islands north of modern day Shastara. Many city states known as the poleis emerged across these islands. Later, settlements among mainland Ventismar would occur.

The Classical era saw developments in politics, economics, international relations, culture, art, architecture, and warfare. As prosperity emerged, great advances were made in intellectual innovations. Philosophers such as Aristotle, Plato, and Socrates became prominent figures. Athens became the birthplace of democracy.

The Classical period reached a peak in power projection with the conquests of Alexander the Great, creating the Macedonian Empire that stretched from eastern Ventismar to the edges of Azarah and Ophioneus. The Empire was short lived, and its successor Kingdoms eventually dissolved or lost their hellenistic influence.

The Classical Era of Hellenic civilization ended with Romalean conquests.

Classical Romalean Era (175 BC – 323 AD)

Conquests

The Romaleans began conquering the Hellenic Kingdoms in 175 BC. The last Hellenic Kingdom of Odrysia was conquered in 231 BC. Many cities and areas were devastated from Romalean rule, though it recovered through Romalean investment and further integration with the Empire. Ancient wisdom of the Hellenic civilizations would mark a great influence on the Romalean Empire.

A Divided Empire

"Protecting the border regions had become a horrible drain on the Romalean economic and military. The northern reaches of the Empire were under constant attack from native barbarians and nomadic raiders. The prestige of the Imperial Army had suffered greatly for the past 300 years. Soldiers were no longer highly trained warriors sworn to the country, but soldiers of conquered lands, impressed into service. The military had become highly decentralized with hundreds of different non-Romalean generals and lords commanding the loyalty of their legions. By 200 AD, roughly 75% of the total Imperial military consisted of non-Romaleans. The problem only increased as they began to put pressure on Emperor's authority. Unfortunately the Emperor had little power to assert his power and his barbarian generals only listened if it were in their interest.

Many regions began to fall into chaos as generals refused to combat the barbarian threat, or in some cases joined their ranks. More than half of the border forts remained completely vacant due to lack of manpower. At the rate Romaleus was losing soldiers and land, it would not be long before barbarians arrived at the gates of Rumenus. In order to decelerate the rate of collaspe, Emperor Maximilian announced a royal decree that would change the geographical and economic borders of the country. He proclaimed that by the new year 299-300, the northern and eastern regions of Romaleus would be granted autonomy. As of immediately, all Romalean-born soldiers would be recalled to the new borders. While Romaleus continued its administrative and political duties in the north and east lands, all would either return to the peninsula at the start of the new year or remain in their positions in the new countries." (Quoted from the factbook of West Romaleus)

The reign of the First Emperor

Marcus Stadius Caelistis I, placed by Emperor Maximilian Caelistis III, would now reign as the emperor of the Eastern Romalean Empire. Upon his succession, he was faced with the challenge of restoring order to a chaotic empire. Germanic barbarians in the west, Asiatic nomads in the north, and _____ aggressors to the west had placed immense pressure on the Empire. Caelistis I began to repel the Germanic invaders with ease, though he made a mistake in underestimating the nomads as the city of Mysenaea was sacked on January 4th, 302. Caelistis moved the capital to Tarsus and made concessions in lost territory and monetary tributes. Amidst the threat of _____ in the west, Caelistis launched a full offensive and crushed the _____ army. King ______ of _____ surrendered and ceded land to the Eastern Romalean Empire. Meanwhile, an Assyrian noble named Beldaan Yohannan led a revolt in hopes of declaring independence for Assyria. After Caelistis defeated ______ he crushed the revolt in May 21st 305 with ease given their inferior numbers, lack of organization, and poor equipment.

After a decade of fighting, the Eastern Romalean Empire was now under a quasi-peace. Caelistis took advantage of this by heavily intensifying the Empire's fortifications up north to eventually deal with the nomads and cease tribute payments. Unfortunately, the nomads launched a further advancement and rampant pillaging into Eastern Romalean territory. The Eastern Romalean army had shrunk too much to fight so barbarian and other nomads were hired as mercenaries to supplement drafted Romaleans. They put up a successful defense but many mercenaries were upset by their payments and sacked several northern territories once again in March 4th, 308. By this point, the northern area of the Eastern Romalean Empire was heavily devastated. Facing no choice, Caelistis resorted to continue tribute payments to the nomads.

Caelistis I continued to build up northern defenses through his reign to prepare for an eventual revenge attack. Taxes were raised to further finance defense, though this led to riots and revolts across the Empire that put a heavy toll on the economy. Caelistis's harsh suppression against political opponents helped establish a dynasty where his heir, Caelistis II, would succeed to the throne.

Caelistis II the terrible

Caelistis II succeeded the throne after Caelistis I's death in May 9th 314. One of his first actions was repelling nomadic invaders to the north, retaking lost territory, and ceasing tribute payments. Unlike Caelistis I's relative religious tolerance, Caelistis II harshly cracked down upon Christianity. Many internal problems of the Empire at the time were blamed upon Christians by Caelistis II. He was notable for mass executing Christians, torturing them, and burning them alive in cases where they were scapegoated for arson. However, his cruelty was not limited to Christians and would extend upon various other groups. Within his own circle, he was known for brutally mutilating all political and military advisers who dared question him.

Succession crisis of the Fourth Century

Eventually, Caelistis II was assassinated on November 1st, 316. This led to a succession crisis that destabilized the empire. 12 different pretenders had risen to power, 3 of which were quickly assassinated. The remaining 9 emperors fought for control over the empire. Among the most successful included Constantine and Maximian, defeating all other rivals and facing a final showdown near the capitol of Tarsus.

Eastern Romalean Golden Ages (323-1024)

Constantine the Great

On October 13th, 323, a vision appeared to Constantine and his men at noon. Constantine looked up at the sky and saw the Greek letters Chi and Rho on the sun–the first two letters of "Christ" in Greek. Above the sign was the phrase "conquer by this." Constantine saw the sign again in a dream. Christ descended from the sky and instructed him to use the sign as a standard in battle. The next day, he instructed his men to mark the sign on their shields before heading to battle against Maximian's forces.

Constantine was outnumbered but with strategic planning and divine intervention, his forces were victorious. Maximian and his soldiers retreated while Constantine took the rest of the Empire for himself. With rebellions and other pretenders gone, the Empire was once again united.

Constantine founded the city of Constantinople, built on the ancient Greek colony of Byzantium, as the new capital of the Eastern Romalean Empire. He implemented several reforms to stabilize the Empire and slowly begin its Christianization. However, the wide presence of Romalean Paganism forced him into a level of cooperation. Both Christianity and the Romalean religion enjoyed the same status as "official religions of the empire." However, Christianity and Christians received notably better treatment in the administration and various Imperial institutions. Its influence was greatly enhanced with the construction of Churches, the re-transfer of stolen Christian property, and Christian integration with formerly pagan or secular institutions.

Other reforms by Constantine included the introduction of the Bezant as a currency, centralizing administrative reforms, and a clear separation between military and civilian power. Meanwhile, the military was strengthened and expanded. The construction of a great wall around the city of Constantinople was initiated in January 8th, 324. The return of stability after many long decades of unrest created an era of peace and prosperity that would mark the beginning of the "Eastern Romalean Golden Ages." The new prosperity, established urban culture, and greater financial resources allowed the Eastern Romalean Empire to spare itself of the difficulties faced by its western counterpart. While the western empire was overran by barbarian hordes in the 5th and 6th centuries and sacked in, the Eastern Romalean Empire continued to stand for another millennia. Besides the prosperity enjoyed under Constantine's reigns, the Empire was home to ancient civilizations and riches of the east in contrast with the more primitive western territories.

The Constantinian Dynasty

The great leadership of Constantine and prosperity of his reign created a model for many following emperors to follow. The creation of a Constantinian dynasty was widely accepted due to the vast popularity of Constantine the Great. Constantine's first son, Constantius, would now succeed the throne as the ruler of the Eastern Romalean Empire after his father's death in December 1st, 344. Constantine's faith would eventually mark his canonization as a saint by the Church.

Constantius continued much of Constantine's policies and led campaigns against Germanic tribes up north. Though war in the east had sprung up again with the not!Sassanids.

Constantine II marked an aggressive campaign against the not!Sassanid Empire and an expansion of the Empire's infrastructure and communications system.

Constantine III was notable for further entrenching religion within the Empire.

Valentinus and Theodosius

Amidst a succession crisis, Valentinus was hastily declared emperor by the military to deal with threats faced along the Empire's borders. Though his military incapability led to his overthrow by an army 41 days after his coronation in March 11th, 389. Theodosius, who was born under slavery but capable through his military command, took his place. He was notable for his military successes against foreign threats and his outlawing of Romalean Paganism in 395.

Fall of the Western Romalean Empire

While the Romalean Empire was de-facto split into two entities, most Romaleans recognized themselves as all a part of the same empire under two emperors of equal power. This changed in 517 as the city of not!Rome was sacked in 517 by barbarian hordes. The Romalean Empire was now one entity again under Constantinople.

Justinian dynasty

Justinian rose through the ranks of the military. After the assassination of Marcian, the military council elected him to reign as an Emperor in 589. He was notable for his conquests over former Western Romalean territory that considerably extended the size of the empire. In 597, he appointed a twelve-man commission to revise ancient Romalean law and create the Justinian Code in 601 that formalized the Eastern Romalean system of law. Largely stable and influential, it remains the basis of some law systems even to this day.

Islamic attacks

The conquests of Justinian were extremely costly but proved to pay off in long-term power and influence. This changed as Islamic attacks near the southern and western fronts that led to losses of land in the mid 8th century. Meanwhile, Slavic intrusions threatened the northern border. The state of the Eastern Romalean Empire was relatively poor at this time, with some scholars calling it a "void in the golden ages." However, the effects of the lost land did not significantly harm Constantinople and its great fortifications.

Philoponus dynasty (773-796)

The Philoponus dynasty successfully reconquered lands that were lost in the 7th century and continued to defend against Islamic and barbarian hordes. The Empire's defenses were greatly enhanced and Constantinople became almost untouchable.

Macedonian dynasty (840-1024)

The accession of Basil I marked the beginning the Macedonian dynasty. This dynasty produced some of the greatest empires in Eastern Romalean history, capable of dealing with external threats while strengthening empire internally.

Culture

Religion

The role of the Church was greatly strengthened after its establishment as an official religion by Emperor Constantine. The clergy grew extremely powerful in power and influence. Christianity would soon begin to influence every aspect of people's lives. It legitimized the emperor's divine mandate as a representative of the heavens. It provided a cultural identity to the Eastern Romaleans with the practices of religious life such as fasting, feasts, holy days, and rituals. Churches were constructed throughout the empire and were filled with icons of Christ, Mary, and numerous saints. It was a large influence on culture and manifested itself in many institutions. Eventually, it would supersede loyalty to the Empire. As it integrated itself within Romalean culture, several works of art, architecture, and literature were inspired by Christianity. There was a merge between the knowledge of the classical world with Christian ideas as a result.

The doctrinal nature of Christianity motivated religious leaders to spread and establish the Church to "heathen" lands. Eastern Christian culture widely spread to groups such as the Slavs up north and west, Turkic people to the east, and Semitic people to the south. The Romalean State Political power was tightly centralized in Constantinople where the Emperor reigned as the "sole ruler of the world" and "peer of the Apostles," which was justified under a divine mandate. His will was enforced through an impressive and extensive bureaucracy that borrowed from classical Romalean tradition. Holding a position in the government required education in Greek rhetoric and literature and was reflective of high social status, which mostly consisted of nobles. The prosperity and meritocracy of the government, however, allowed a level of mobility that several ambitious commoners sought to achieve.

Arts and Literature

Art flourished in the Eastern Romalean Empire during the golden ages. Most surviving art is religious in nature, translating church theology into artistic forms. Originally, mosaics were the primary forms of art in the early centuries of the golden ages. Later, fresco and illuminated manuscripts grew in prominence. Contrary to classical Romalean art, three-dimensional sculptures had largely died out by the middle of the 5th century. The religious nature of the Eastern Romalean Empire prioritized the "heavenly" and "divine" over earthly matters, hence the two-dimensional, colorful, and fantasy-themed art. To the contrary, elements of classical realism survived in some manuscripts. The discovery of large natural resource deposits in the east would integrate precious gems and gold into Church art. The influence of Eastern Romalean art would affect medieval western Ventismar.

Literature flourished in the Eastern Romalean Empire, merging elements from ancient Romaleus, ancient Greece, several Oriental civilizations, and Christian theology. Among the most famous secular pieces include Digenis Acritas. Most surviving literature is religiously focused.

Language

The language of the Eastern Romalean Empire saw a transition from Latin to Greek in the upper class. Greek was the primary civilian language, while Latin was used by the administration and military. Only an educated elite were capable of understanding Latin, casting it as a symbol of wealth and class. This changed during the reign of Gregorius III during the 450s where Greek gained preferential status and began to outphase Latin.

Economy

The Eastern Romalean economy was among the most advanced in the world for much of the golden ages, especially with the fall of the Western Romalean Empire. Constantinople grew as a prominent global center of trade and grew to be an extremely wealthy city–perhaps the wealthiest in the world. Many riches from the empire's possessions and outside found their way into Constantinople, with manufactured goods finding their way across Ventismar, Azarah, and Ophion. Public works and infrastructure, inheriting and innovating upon classical Romalean designs, were built across the Empire with their wealth and resources.

Ethnocentrism

The Eastern Romalean Empire carried a large superiority complex over its success. The Emperor was regarded as the "sole ruler of the world," Constantinople was regarded as the "center of the world," and the Empire's subjects were regarded as "the most civilized people in the world." Outsiders were regarded as barbarians, and their practices were outlawed in order to distinguish and preserve the civility of the Empire's people from barbarian tribes.

Politics and Government

The Mysenaean Empire is an absolute monarchy. The Emperor is considered to be the sole and absolute ruler, though in practice there are restrictions by the Church and a charter of liberties applicable during peacetime. The Emperor's power is justified under the Mysenaean concept of divine right where the emperor's rule is justified under a divine mandate, under the condition that his rule is benevolent and in accordance with the Church's doctrine.

The throne of the Emperor alternates between being a pseudo-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 Empire's decision making is influenced by the Imperial Council, a council of 250 members that serve the Emperor and assist in his governance. The Imperial Council has origins in the Romalean Senate, though there is not a tradition of republicanism or democratically held elections.

While the nature of the Mysenaean government is despotic, democratic elections exist in local levels to some extent. For instance, many communities along the frontier and in ethnic minority communities contain leaders chosen by elections. The city of Athens also contains a democratically elected governor, though the voting franchise is limited to literate, Athenian, Christian men (or widows) of 21 years or older.

The general politics of the Mysenaean Empire are very conservative. The government holds a tight grip on social control through censorship and imprisonment of political opponents. Socially liberal debates in other countries are non-issues in Myseanea, with crimes and penalties for the promotion of ideas such as abortion, homosexuality, blasphemy, feminism, liberalism, democracy, secularism, Protestantism, etc.

Economy

The economy of the Mysenaean Empire is valued at ☧240,078,460,311,399.6, which gives it a per capita GDP of around $30,712. This places it at the higher end of the world in terms of per capita income, though in terms of the Ventismar continent it's relatively low. However, the average would give a wrong picture of the entire country. In the more developed eastern regions, the wealth is roughly equal or higher than much of the Ventismar continent. The western regions are much less developed.

Mysenaea has a large sector in mining that constitutes around 11% of its GDP, which is fueled by its abundance in natural resources. Its oil exports constitute 9% of the GDP.

The economy of the Mysenaean Empire has grown immensely since 1990, with an average growth rate of around 5% for the 2010s.

Economic Structure

The economy of the Mysenaean 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 but 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.

Due to the nature of the Mysenaean economy, wages and incomes are generally higher than in capitalist countries of similar economic development. Meanwhile, the wealth gap is significantly better than in most other nations. The power of the corporate elite is much smaller in comparison while the government retains an impressive amount of control over the economy.