Emessa

Republic of Emessa Repubblika ta' Imisra
Flag Seal
Motto: Viribus Unitis "With United Forces"
Capital and largest city	Himera
Official languages	Emessan
Recognised national languages	Atudite
Recognised regional languages	Tethian Gaullican Piraean
Demonym(s)	Emessan
Government	Unitary presidential republic
• President	Placeholder McPresident
• Vice-President	Placeholder
• Upper house	Senate
• Lower house	Chamber of Deputies
Establishment
• Colonisation by Etruria	1843
• Independence Wars	1943-1946
• Emessan Independence	1949
Area
•	22,487 km2 (8,682 sq mi)
• Water (%)	3.1
Population
• Estimate	5,681,900
• 2015 census	4,973,326
• Density	247.8/km2 (641.8/sq mi)
GDP (PPP)	2020 estimate
• Total	$205 Billion
• Per capita	$36,103
GDP (nominal)	2020 estimate
• Total	$135 Billion
• Per capita	$23,808
Gini (2020)	35.4 medium
HDI (2020)	.864 very high
Currency	Emessan Lira
Date format	dd.mm.yyyy
Driving side	right
Internet TLD	.em

Emessa (/ˈɛməsə/ E-mə-sə, officially the Rebublic of Emessa (Emessan: Repubblika ta' Imisra [rɛˈpʊbːlɪkɐ tɐ ˈɑmɑsˤɾ]) is a transcontinental country in the Solarian Sea, halfway between Southeast Euclea and Northwest Coius. It lies 94 km (58 mi) southeast of Paretia, 100 km (62 mi) west of Tsabara and 179 km (111 mi) east of Etruria. Emessa's location at the crossroads of the Euclean and Coian continents has shaped its rich history and shaped a national identity of religious and ethnic diversity. The official language is Emessan, a language related to Rahelian and Atudite, yet distinct due to its heavily solaricized traits.

Emessa has been continuously inhabited since the Paleolithic age. Owing to their strategic location in the middle of the Solarian Sea, the islands have been contested and ruled by a succession of powers, from the Nimene Civilisation in the Late Bronze Age to foreign empires, such as the Atudites, Piraeans, Solarians, Arsanids, Crusaders, and, more recently, Etruria and Gaullica. As a result, Emessa is home to a diverse mix of cultures and influences, with many archaeological and historical sites of differing traditions. Historically, the region has been controlled by a mix of Tribunals and merchant city-states, with the regional power structure in the Middle Ages being largely derived from late Solarian administration, instead of feudal power dynamics more common in Euclea.

|Etrurian presence in the archipelago began in 1378, with the conquest of the port city of Nineve by the thalassocratic Republic of Accadia. This lead to increased influence of Etrurian maritime republics in the Bay of Povelia, with various other ports becoming afilliated to such republics, notably the Republic of Accadia, the Republic of Amelia and Povelia. With the War of the Amelian League in 1450, Povelia gained significant concessions in the island, with near-absolute hegemony in Emessa's trading ports. To secure this position, Povelia turned Himera into a large fortified trading hub directly under its control, while influencing the various Emessan Tribunals. This influence was disputed with various Rahelian sheikhdoms and, later, Crusading States predominantly of Gaullican sponsorship. Etrurian rule of Emessa formally began in 1814, with the conquest of Himera and the eventual complete control of the island in 1843. The islands saw fighting during the Battle of Emessa in the Great War and again in the Solarian War, also called War of Independence in the country. Emessa became a joint trust territory, and achieved independence in 1949.

Today, Emessa is a parliamentary democracy with confessionalist characteristics, with most parties representing either of the islands' religious communities: Sotirianity, Irfan, and Atudism. Despite periods of troubles, the country has remained fairly calm and prosperous, with a upper middle income economy driven by the tertiary sector, notably tourism and banking, and a high human development index. Emessa is a member of the Community of Nations, the Aurean Forum, the International Council for Democracy, the International Trade Organisation, and the Global Institute for Fiscal Affairs. Historically maintaining a policy of armed neutrality, the country has nonetheless moved closer to the Euclean Community since the Alban War, with accession negotiations being underway since 2012.

History

Pre-Historic and Ancient Emessa

Main Articles: Nimene Civilization

Azkart Site, the oldest archaeological site of a walled settlement in Emessa

Hunter-gatherer societies settled the island as early as 9000 BC, with ancient water wells being discovered in the vicinity of Beni Taghit, and multiple fossilized footprints towards the islands interior. The earliest Village Community was discovered as early as 7900 BC. By 2000 BC, Emessa was the birthplace of one of Euclea's oldest advanced civilizations, the Nimenes. Nimene civilization was mainly centered around walled settlements, the most preserved of which is the Azkart Site, where multiple ceramics and a yet to be deciphered written script were found.

Nimene alphabet, widespread in the Solarian Sea by 1000 BC.

Major tin deposits, as well as exotic textiles and dyes had turned Emessa into a major commerce hub, turning several Nimene city states such as Tanit and Nineve into large ports around 1100 BC. In the same period, a new written alphabet was popularized among Nimenes in Emessa and beyond to facilitate trade. Independently, these city states later established various trading enclaves abroad, with various Nimene temple ruins and settlements being found in Etruria, Tsabara, Paretia and Piraea. Circa 800 BC, the Nimenes began a period of decline, with several of these overseas settlements being conquered by Piraeans and settlements in Emessa itself being overran by Piraeans. This brought significant cultural exchange to the island, with Piraean and Nimene city states coexisting for multiple centuries.

Solarian Period

With the usage of new metals such as iron, Emessa's position as a key supplier of tin in the area was no longer of great relevance. While impoverished, the various Emessan city states remained strategically located in various trade routes, making them valuable targets for the rising Solarian Republic. A coalition of Emessan City States, led by Adat Elishat and Attalus of Myrtos, succesfully repelled a Solarian invasion following the Battle of Cape Castor in 308 BC. This coalition was later defeated in 303 BC by General Flavius the Younger after a a three year long campaign.

Theater of Flavjana, a Solarian era building

During the centuries of Solarian rule, Emessa was heavily sotirianized, with much of its cultural composition being altered. Piraeans were priviledged along with the newly arrived Sotirians, while the Nimenes were cast aside politically. Emessa prospered as a major trading hub under Solaria, being central for the commerce networks linking Euclea and Coius. The keystone to this network was the rapidly growing port city of Himera, the largest city in the island. With the expansion of the Arasanid Dynasty in Coius, Emessa's position shifted from a trade node to a bastion. In 60 BC, Emessa was organized under the Cretician Reforms as a Praefectus Praetorio, under direct military administration. The island was heavily fortified and was the battleground of multiple wars between Solaria and the Arasanids. This period of dispute saw the island being intermittently controlled by Irfanic rulers, though the Solarians eventually reestablished their control. During these wars, Solarian Emperor TBD authorized the migration of various Atudite communities into Southern Emessa, in order to help bolster various defensive positions against the Arsanids, with the Atudite Soldiers being renowned for their victory and resilience in the 8 year long Siege of Devara.

Monument in Zorasan depicting the capture of a Solarian General in the Second Emessan War.

Middle Ages

Main Articles: Emessan Tribunals

With the fall of the Solarian Empire in 426 AD, Emessa quickly fell under control of Irfanic Kingdoms to the south, following a series of wars of conquest. This led to the creation of the short lived Saramid Sheikhdom, which ruled Emessa in its entirety from 435 AD to 458 AD, with succession issues causing the splinter of the Sheikhdom into various smaller states, who managed to solidify their power primarily in southeastern Emessa. While these Irfanic rulers sought to convert those willing, they still ruled over a majority Sotirian population, with these petty sheikhdoms being notably tolerant, employing numerous Atudites and Sotirians in state duties. Despite this, Irfanic rule struggled primarily in the heavily populated, militarized and sotirian west. Emessa was fully reconquered by sotirians in 514, with the Verliquoian Empire establishing control that would endure until 914 AD.

Emessan Tribunals in the middle ages.

With the Collapse of the Verliquoians, Emessa was under control by a collection of Petty Kingdoms. These kingdoms, also known as Tribunals, inheriting tradition primarily from the Solarian Empire, differed significantly in organization compared to its continental Euclean feudal counterparts. Such tribunals were distinguished by a lack of land inheritance on behalf of the ruler, with it instead being appointed by a council of elders. The Tribune acted as a central ruler and arbiter of laws, under the approval of the council. Emessa was divided under 4 Tribunals, of which the most notable was Pretoriana (Emessan: Tribuna Pretorjana), centered around Himera. These Tribunals were backed militarily by various mercenaries and citizen militias, with several mercenaries having achieved significant political prevalence, as councillors or Tribunes.

- Irfanic Conquest of the southeast

- Etrurian Maritime Presence

- Wars of Reconquest

Early Modern Period

- Full Irfanic control of the island

- Colonization by Etruria

Modern Period

Emessa was fully incorporated as a state of the Etrurian Second Republic in the 26th of June 1888, following an extended period of civil unrest in the island both by the unrepresented irfanic and atudite demographics and also by the ruling etrurianized sotirian elite. This unrest was intensified with Prime Minister Girolamo Galba's policies, with the nationwide capital shortages and debt crisis having a significant toll on Emessa's economy. Emessa's ruling elite became increasingly radicalized, with both separatist and revolutionary tendencies. The San Sepulchro Revolution was accompanied by the Mars Coup in Himera, with the Povelia appointed colonial governor decapitated following mass riots in the city. The brief First Emessene Republic was proclaimed shortly after, with popular support primarily among lower class workers and non-sotirian emessans, both heavily alienated by the colonial administration. The drafting of the new constitution in Etruria and promised reforms caused the Emessan elite to backstep from the newly proclaimed republic, facilitating the landing of Etrurian forces back into the island weeks after the unilateral proclamation of independence and thus causing the island to revert back to Etrurian control. The newly formed Etrurian Second Republic's democratic and administrative reforms guaranteed Emessa full statehood, though this arrangement heavily favoured the urban sotirian elite, with atudites and especially irfanic groups in the east still being largely alienated from political representativity.

Painting depicting the Himeran uprising which lead to the Mars Coup.

While statehood thawed the separatist sentiment among the capitalist elite, the spirit of the short-lived Emessene Republic remained amongst the lower strata, while also gaining particular favour in the Emessan Intelligentsia. The Euclo-Coian_Transition_Zone concept published by Hugues Subercaseaux gained particular leverage amongst the intellectuals, redefining Emessan nationalist theory as a whole. This was particularly true with the publication of Euclea's Fulcrum: The Transition Zone in the Emessan Language in 1893. While the concept was initially a mainly Gaullican interpretation on the geostrategic importance of control of the Aurean Straits, the Alban Archipelago and predominantly Tsabara, Emessan publications ressignified the concept of the Transition Zone in more cultural terms, establishing a new Emessan identity primarily with the ressignification of the transition zone concept to cultural terms. The Transition Zone theory and its influenced publications were heavily censored by Etruria.

- Emessan participation in the Great War

- Solarian Wars and Independence

- Government of National Salvation

- Democracy

Geography

Emessa is considered a discontiguous transcontinental country, with the island of Emessa and the Alban Archipelago being part of the Euclean and Coian continents, respectively. Emessa is the largest island in the Solarian Sea, measuring 21826 square kilometers. The island is approximately 230km long from end to end and 120km at its widest. Emessa is located 100km from Paretia at its closest point, 124km away from Tsabara, and 179km away from Etruria. The physical relief of Emessa is defined by the Sannat Mountains, a mountain range whose highest point is Mount Qalb at 2980m. Emessa's geology is comprised primarily of limestone formations.

Emessa features a primarily mediterranean climate, with mild humid winters and dry warm summers. Snowfall occurs in the Sannat mountains during winter. The country is among the warmest countries of Euclea, with average temperatures of 26 °C during the day and 15 °C during the night. Sunshine hours average at 3440 hours of sunshine a year, being among the countries with the most sunshine in Euclea. The country has chronic water supply issues, with most of Emessa's water supply originating from rain water. As a result, the country has been investing heavily in dessalination plants.

Limestone Coast in Alba Mielaħ

Mount Qalb

Himeran Bay

Maġenb il-qala valley

Politics

Government

President Baruch Micallef

Vice President Pawlu Vella

Between 1959 and 1984, Emessa was governed by an authoritarian regime in the form of the Government of National Salvation, following a military coup. Since the collapse of the regime, Emessa is a Unitary presidential republic. Executive power is held by president, who is both Head of state and Head of government. Legislative power is conducted by a bicameral parliament, with the Chamber of Deputies as its lower house and the Senate as the upper house. While the lower house follows a more conventional proportinal representation system, the Senate's 63 seats are divided in thirds, with an equal number of Sotirian, Irfanic and Atudite seats. The Judiciary is enforced by the Supreme Court, responsible for reviewing and interpreting laws, as well as applying law in the name of the state.

Every Emessan citizen above the age of 16 is allowed to vote, being categorized into three communities, or recognized minority groups. While this system has been criticized by secularists and among the recently growing irreligious demographic, communities are defined as "demographic groups with common religious belief or traditional customs". This classification is done as part of the census, with citizens identifying with the group they affiliate with the closest. Since the 1984 constitution, all groups share the legal system in its entirety, with this classification being mostly held for the Senate's voting system.

Emessa's confessionalist characteristics have dwindled since the end of the dictatorship, with there being no enforced proportionality in the country's military, civil service and law enforcement. The two primary institutions where proportionality is still upheld are the Senate and the country's Supreme Court. Since the Senate must approve laws passed by the Chamber of Deputies, this means that laws must always reach at least a simple majority between the primary groups of Emessa, with no religious community being able to pass laws on its own self interest.

Foreign Relations

Emessa's foreign policy is based on non-alignment and armed neutrality. This is upheld by a strong national security policy, combined with close economic connections and open policy towards trade among multiple blocs. Emessa's last war was the 1982 Alban War, where the country was invaded by Tsabara, which remains Emessa's primary geopolitical concern, especially following the advent of the Tsabaran Civil War.

Economically, Emessa has close ties with the EC, with which it has several trade agreements. In 2014, Emessa started its application process towards joining the EC as a full member, though opting out of the ECDTO. Despite its close ties with the EC, Emessa also has cordial relations with Zorasan. Emessa has a notable presence in the CN's Peacekeeping missions, primarily in Bahia,with the country's plurality allowing it to be present in various areas of the world while still sharing some form of bond with the local populations.

Armed Forces

Main Articles: Emessan Defence Forces

Emessan G-7EM refueling a Mirage 2000

Despite the country's small size, Emessa has a comparably large military. The Emessan Defence Forces are primarily oriented towards detering attack to its territory and partaking in peacekeeping missions. The Armed Forces are divided into the Army, Navy and Air Force. Males reaching the age of 18 are conscripted, with military service being optional for females. Following a year of mandatory service, conscripts join reserve duty, doing up to three weeks of training yearly every year until the age of 40. Emessa is one of the countries with the largest percentages of citizen's with military training, owing to this large number of conscripted soldiers. The military is subject to the Ministry of Defence and the Defence General Staff, with the President being commander-in-chief of the armed forces.

Since the country's independence, Emessa adopted a policy of neutrality, with the country not participating in any alliance. The Emessan army was founded with the end of the CN Mandate in Emessa, supplied primarily by surplus equipment of the Grand Alliance and former Etrurian materiel. The 1959 coup and the subsequent Government of National Salvation resulted in an increased militarization of the country, both as means of guaranteeing internal stability and repressing political dissent, as well as dissuassion against external threats. Its primary security concern was the Socialist Republic of Tsabara, which disputed sovereignty of the Alban Archipelago. This dispute culminated in the 1982 Alban War, of which Emessa emerged as the victor with extensive foreign aid of materiel. The fall of the socialist regime in Tsabara in 1986 and the economic crisis in the 1980s have since resulted in a reduction of military expenditure.

Emessa spent 4 Billion Euclo in defence in 2021, corresponding to 3% of its GDP. Defence expenditure is surging upwards due to the Tsabaran Civil War. Despite this relatively low budget, Emessa fields a comparably large air force and navy, mostly due to foreign subsidies and aid. Emessa's military has undergone notable modernization efforts since the 2010s, particularly in the navy. A large majority of Emessa's military equipment is imported from ECDTO and Samorspi members, with Zorasan also being a supplier. Domestic production is limited to maintenance, upgrades and refits of imported vehicles and small arms, with Emessa's Shipbuilding industry being the only exception. Emessa locally builds many of its warships, with many of them also being local designs, which it also exports.

Culture

Cuisine

Lahmacun, Emessa's national dish.

Due to its multiple demographic groups and historical influence by different civilizations, Emessa's cuisine fuses several culinary forms. Emessan food is primarily developed from Rahelian, Etrurian and, to lesser extents, Gaullican and Piraean influences. Emessan cuisine is based on a large variety of vegetables and Seafood, as well as mutton and poultry. Following Emessan independence in 1949, cuisine was considered one of the primary forms of establishing a joint cultural folklore for Emessa, with there being a continuous state-sponsored effort to present, revive and value traditional and modern Emessan culinary practice.

Vineyards in the Tramuntana Region.

Emessa, like its other neighbors, largely follows a distinctly Mediterranean basis to its ingredients and forms of cuisine, generally with few core ingredients augmented by a large variety of spices. The discovery of the Asterias and Etrurian colonization of the islands revolutionized dietary habits and local agriculture, bringing with it many of Emessa's staple items, particularly tomatoes, of which Emessa is a major exporter of due to the excellent quality of its volcanic soil. Some frequenttly used ingredients are olives, tomatoes, carrots, cucumbers, lettuce, beans, asparagus, peas, lentils, lamb, poultry, octopus, sea bass, squid, cauliflower, beets, pistachio, lemon, orange, pears, figs and grapes. Emessan recipees are usually not elaborate, generally requiring few processes of preparation and focusing on fresh ingredients. Staple aspects of Emessan cuisine are the Saj, a typical reversible pan used to cook traditional dishes of various kinds, and Stone ovens, which have been resurfacing in popularity, especially in restaurants.

Emessan ingredients and products such as wine, olive oil, tomatoes, Cheese, citric fruits and artichokes are highly valued in the export market, not only due to the favourable climate and traditional cultivation, but also the Basalt-heavy volcanic soil, which not only results in high fertility for wines and tomatoes in the country's northeast, but also gives them a distinctly unique flavour.

Some of Emessa's staple foods are Lahmacun, the country's national dish, Chorba, Shakshouka, Gözleme and Fideuà. The Alban Archipelago also features distinct cuisine characteristics, both due to its heavy reliance on fish products and also its increased Gaullican influence. The main regional dishes of the alban islands are Baccala au Blaise, derived from codfish brought by Gaullican sailors that garrisoned the islands, and Tapenada, a spread done with olives and anchovies.