Thraysia

Thraysian Empire Βασιλεία Ῥωμαίων
Flag Imperial Ensign
Motto: "May the Lord guide us"
Anthem: Απολυτίκιο του Τιμίου Σταυρού_(Thraysia)
Capital and largest city	Konstantinopolis
Official languages	Koine Hellenic
Ethnic groups	Cilician Vardanan Gheiravin Ayrumi not!Slovakian Tsensurii not!Circassian not!Abkhaz Other
Religion	Eastern Orthodox
Demonym(s)	Thraysian
Government	Absolute Monarchy
• Emperor	Alexios VII Gregoras
• Heir	Alexios VIII Gregoras
Legislature	Imperial Council
Establishment
Population
• 2019 estimate	94,593,874
GDP (nominal)	2018 estimate
• Total	$1,774,202,700,744‬
• Per capita	$18,756
Currency	Bezant (฿) (BZT)
Time zone	Thraysian Imperial Time
Date format	mm-dd-yyyy
Driving side	left
Calling code	+32

Thraysia, officially the Thraysian Empire, is a sovereign country located in the far east of Belisaria, sharing borders with Vardana and Uluujol. It has coasts among the Periclean and Ozeros Seas. With over 94 million subjects, it is one of the more populated nations in the world.

Thraysia is a semi-federal absolute monarchy. The current Emperor is Alexios VIII, who has reigned since 2001. The Emperor remains the primary figure in politics and is the final authority in all political decisions. In theory, the Emperor is acclaimed to have absolute power. In practice, the Thraysian Charter of Liberties, the concept of "antiemperors," and semi-federal autonomy provide some protections against tyranny.

The heartland of the Thraysian Empire traces its roots to Hellenic settlements among its coasts, its indigenous peoples, and Cilician invaders. Some of the region was unified under the ancient Empire until its collapse and fall to Latin rule. The Thraysian Empire officially formed as a client King organized a large-scale rebellion among its eastern provinces. It grew into an Empire that would briefly become the most powerful economic, cultural, and military force in eastern Belisaria and Scipia. Later, it would be challenged by the rise of the Holy Audonian Empire and the Latin Empire. Barbarian invaders and Caliphate invasions would result in its reduction of size. Eventually, it fell to the Tuluran Caliphate in 1468.

The Thraysian Empire revived during the reconquest era in the 17th century. As it seemed to have fallen somewhat behind its western neighbors, David II began enacting reforms to forcibly westernize Thraysia in hopes of its modernization. It replaced many of its social structures, politics, and culture dating to the Middle Ages with ones that were based on western models and the Arthuristan Illumination. Westernization efforts applied much more to the upper class than the commoners. Original western ideals of popular sovereignty were distorted into oligarchism. The Imperial bureaucracy became corrupted and increasingly nepotic. As the wealth gap increased under the "pseudo-industrialization" era and caused social unrest, a violent uprising overthrew the Thraysian government with a new one under the reign of "populist Emperors." A cultural renaissance flourished and revived aspects of medieval Thraysian culture while forming an "anti-western" identity.

Thraysia is known for being a fervently religious and extremely conservative society, fueled by a long-lived nostalgia for the medieval Thraysian Empire and its success. Its religious life is characterized by the Eastern Orthodox Church, which plays a large influence in politics. Culturally, the Empire is multi-ethnic, with separatist sentiments among its not!Slavic and not!Armenian peoples.

The modern day Empire is a developed market economy, though it remains somewhat behind the most developed nations of Belisaria. Its economy is driven by industries such as manufacturing, textiles, and mining of gold and other natural resources in its plentiful deposits down south. It plays a major role in regional affairs. It is a member of the Forum of nations and the Joint Space Agency

History

Main article: History of Thraysia

Geography

Thraysia is located on the subcontinent of Chersonia. It has coastlines among the Periclean and Ozeros Seas. The country's terrain consists of coastal plains leading to more mountainous terrain in its northernmost regions and northeastern edges of Chersonia.

Climate

Thraysia features a diverse climate. Among its coastal areas are temperate to warm climates. Its northeastern region of Chersonia carries colder climates and more frequent snowfall from higher elevations.

Politics

The Thraysian Empire is an absolute monarchy. It is autocratic and hierarchal in nature. The Emperor rules as a dictator through a complex bureaucracy, though he is assisted and influenced by the Imperial Council. No political parties or national elections are permitted, though elections exist on more local levels.

The Thraysian government carries many religious aspects, with Christian values and ideals being the foundation and legitimization of the Empire's politics. The ideal of the Thraysian Empire is to provide an earthly copy of the Kingdom of Heaven, while it is to be ruled by God through the Emperor. The ideal of Thraysia is a universal empire that embraces all peoples of the Earth. All of whom should be members of the one true Orthodox Church.

The Emperor

The Thraysian Emperor is the sole and absolute ruler whose power is regarded as having divine origin. Legislative, executive, and judicial power is combined within the Emperor and he may finalize all political decisions. His official title is "Emperor of the Thraysians" but holds other titles such as "sole ruler of the world" and "peer of the apostles." He takes an active role in politics and leading the nation.

The Emperor resides in the Grand Palace of Konstantinopolis, located near the Hagia Vasiliki. 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 objects, 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.

In practice, the Emperor's power has some de-facto limitations. The Thraysian Charter of Liberties grants its citizens certain rights and privileges. The concept of anti-Emperors states that Emperors without benevolence or rule by divine will are illegitimate and to be disposed of. Many unpopular Emperors in the past have been removed through assassinations and uprisings. Regardless, the Emperor maintains a strong grip on power.

Imperial Council

The Emperor's rule over the domains of the Empire is assisted by the Imperial Council, a legislative body made up of 300 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. Half of the members of the Council are directly appointed by the Emperor, while the other half is elective. The proportions of elective seats are determined by a Constitution that may frequently undergo revision or changes.

Imperial Bureaucracy

The Emperor rules through a complex but extremely efficient system of bureaucracy, a notable feature of the Thraysian government. It traces its roots to late antiquity and has undergone constant revision and change. The Emperor may make constant appointments and dismissals of offices or restructure the bureaucracy according to his will.

Logothetes

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

Current Logothetes

Sector	Logothete
Defense	Georgios Palaiologos
Finance	Constantinianus Staurakius
Economy	Latinius Attaliates
Law	Muntassir Salama
Education	Gregorius Rhangabe
Justice	Faik Yildizoglu
Foreign Affairs	Justinianus Palaiologos
Health	Rahim Azad
Development	Clemens Gregoras
Agriculture	Vitalianus Stratioticus
Culture	Calixtus Ypsilanti

Foreign Relations

Thraysia maintains relations with all nations of the world. Near its borders, relations between Uluujol and Latium remain positive. There are hostile relations with other states in the Chersonian Peninsula such as Kocisupara, Tsensurii, and Vardanna, over border friction as Thraysia has claimed the entire Peninsula to be its rightful territory.

Military

Main article: Imperial Thraysian Forces

The Imperial Thraysian Forces are the armed forces of the Thraysian Empire. It is composed of three branches: the Imperial Army, Imperial Navy, and Imperial Air Force.

Economy

Thraysia operates under an economic structure known as Imperial Syndicalism, with aspects of Distributism. Many industries and workers are under guilds which manage their industry and protect workers' interests. 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 Konstantinopolis to ensure imperial demands are met. The government retains an impressive amount of control over the economy, especially compared to its more capitalistic neighbors. The Emperor is considered to have absolute power over all economic activities in Thraysia, though this is not exercised too frequently. Smaller businesses are usually outside of the Imperial economic structure and operate with a fair degree of economic freedom.

Thraysia is considered to be a developing country, though development varies by region. The northernwestern coastal regions of Thraysia are more industrialized with first-world living standards in some cities, while development in middle and southern Thraysia are not as well off.

While Thraysia was among the wealthiest civilizations throughout much of the Middle Ages, it significantly fell under Caliphate rule. By the age of industrialization, it became one of the poorest nations in Belisaria. Industrial development was based on the exploitation of resources and reliance on foreign imports. The turn of the 19th Century saw mild improvements in economic growth and living conditions. After a long period of turmoil in the 20th Century, Thraysia's economy began booming in the 1950s. Since then, the Thraysian economy grew at an immense rate relative to Belisaria and Scipia.

Energy

The Imperial Energy Company is the largest electricity generation company in Thraysia, which combined with its subsidies amounts for around 34% of Thraysia's energy prodcution. Around 34% of Thraysia's energy is produced through nuclear energy. Around 8% is produced through green energy sources. The other main sources include natural gas, coal, and oil. With large scale investments by the Thraysian government into nuclear energy, its reliance on nuclear is forecasted to rapidly grow.

Infrastructure

Thraysia contains one of the world's largest railroad systems. There is a total of 31,729km of tracks. 3,019km of high speed rails stretches across the nation, covering all of its major cities. Around 84% of Thraysia's railroads are publically owned, though mild amounts of privatization have occurred in recent years. The government is actively investing in expanding Thraysia's railroad system.

Demographics

Religion

Religion in the Thraysian Empire

  Eastern Orthodox (98.7%)

  Eastern Catholicism (0.3%)

  Other Christian (0.1%)

  Other (0.9%)

The Thraysian Empire is characterized by Eastern Christianity, with a much more mystical approach to theology than their western Fabrian counterparts. Initially united as one church church, theological differences and political factors separated the east and west. Eastern Christianity has a pervasive influence on every aspect of Thraysian life. Church and state are intertwined, legitimizing Imperial rule and influencing Imperial authority and laws to be in line with Orthodox principles. It also provides a cultural identity to Thraysians. Beyond ethnicity and association with the Empire, Thraysians are self-considered as Orthodox or "right-thinking." Relative to other nationalities, Thraysians are extremely religious with the Church playing a large role in their lives.

Thraysia is home to the Ecumenical Patriarch in Konstantinopolis, the Ecumenical Patriarch of whom is first among equals in the entire Orthodox Church.

A photo of Hagia Vasilika, the greatest Church in Thraysia

Thraysia's religion is a continuous inspiration to its culture, especially in arts and architecture. The Empire has continuously constructed large cathedrals for centuries. Among the most famous and oldest ones is Hagia Vasiliki. Built in 518 AD, Hagia Vasiliki is often associated as the symbol of Konstantinopolis.

Historically, the ancient Thraysian Kingdom followed a form of Hellenic Paganism that blended in with the traditional myths of indigenous Chersonians. Judaism had a prescence among the southern areas of Chersonia. Upon its arrival, Christianity was quick to spread in Chersonia. The peninsula would become one of the world's first centers of Christianity. Eventually, the Latin Empire would convert to Christianity. Chersonia was home to many Church fathers and had greatly contributed to the development of eastern Christianity. Orthodox Christianity was continually supported by imperial authority in the independent Thraysian Empire. However, heretic Emperors and Patriarchs occasionally arose. The loss of Thraysian territory to the caliphates promoted the spread of Iconoclasm and several Christian heresies. Romanos I and John VI were notable Docetic Iconoclasts, instating Iconoclasm in 1012 to 1015 until the reign of Empress Sophia. During the Reconquest Era in the 17th to 18th centuries, extensive efforts were made to re-Christianize the Thraysians after Caliphate rule. Religious minorities were required to convert or face expulsion. Under the reign of Theodosius V, the Orthodox Inquisition was initiated to identify heretics to be forcibly converted, primarily former Jews and Azdarins.

There has been a mild increase in irreligion during the early 2000s, though irreligious people are not extremely outspoken of their beliefs due to social pressure. A fair bit of irreligious or agnostic Thraysians identify as Eastern Orthodox because of cultural reasons.

Ethnic Groups

Ethnicity	Population
Mysian	63,256,019
Vardanan	4,671,049
Gheiravin	11,847,817
Ayrumi	3,225,369
not!Slovakian	8,810,532
Tsensurii	1,198,964
not!Circassian	1,017,438
Abkhaz	191,859
Other	374,827

Culture

Architecture

Thraysian architecture is generally conservative in nature as "modern and internationalist forms of architecture" are legally prohibited. Its contemporary architectural styles have been defined by arches, pillars arcades, thick tannish-colored walls made of bricks or clay, and columns. Larger buildings, especially Churches, have made extensive use of domes. Neo-gothic architecture has seen a recent revival.

Art

Thraysian art is extremely conservative and sometimes critiqued as stagnant. 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. Thraysia is well known for its mosaics, though frescos and paintings 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 Thraysian Christianity, is frequently used. Brilliant and vibrant color palettes are used over realistic expression. Bright stones, gold, and precious metals can be found in larger artworks.

The most common type of art in Thraysia is Iconography. Icons are held by Thraysian Orthodox Christians as sacred and having existed since the beginning of Christianity. They are considered to be windows into Heaven. It is quite rare to come across a Thraysian household without a corner of Icons.

Fashion

An upper-class Thraysian couple

Thraysians are well known for their exotic clothing that greatly differs from modern Belisarian attire. Upper class Thraysians and Imperial elites are known for their detailed and sophisticated dress. The men wear robes and dalmatica while women wear stola and long dresses. They are made of rich silks, jewels, and sometimes gold. Ornate patterns and designs cover their garments. The most expensive of dresses are worn by the Emperor and the highest-ranking Imperial officials. Of the upper class, men and women alike wear an extensive amount of jewelry.

Thraysian commoners wear much simpler clothing. Men's commoner clothing typically consists of foustanella skirts or tunics. In warmer times and climates, men sometimes wear baggy trousers known as vraka along with shirts known as poukamiso. Women's dresses include a poukamiso, sleeveless vest, apron, sash, and sometimes a scarf in colder climates. Jewelry is rare among commoners.

Western clothing has occasionally sprung up as temporary trends in some cities, though they are typically regarded as "barbarian attire" by more conservative Thraysians.

Cuisine

The Cuisine of Thraysia often varies by region. Contemporary Thraysian 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. Dessert ingredients mostly include fruits and occasionally pastries. Some influence comes from neighboring countries such as Tyrenes and Shastara.

Southern Thraysian cuisine carries a more Scipian and oriental flavor than contemporary cuisine in the western provinces. A larger use of spices, curry, stews are found in such cuisine. Southern Thraysia 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 Thraysian 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 Thraysians playing football in parks and in streets.

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