Great Epsilon
Great Empire of Great Epsilon Epsilon | |
|---|---|
 Flag | |
 | |
| Capital | Epsilonia |
| Largest city | Sybaris |
| Official languages | Epsilonian |
| Demonym(s) | Epsilonian |
| Government | |
| Ramses Sirus III | |
| Population | |
• 2020 estimate | 51,632,000 |
| Currency | Epsilonian dollar |
| Date format | mm-dd-yyyy |
The Great Empire of Great Epsilon, most commonly known as Great Epsilon or Epsilon, is a nation located in central Adula, bordered by Saldia and Silkolka to the west, with a coastline along the Nortua Sea. Epsilon has some of the world's largest untapped natural resource deposits, as well as one of the largest undeveloped wilderness zones in the world due to limited infrastructure capabilities. The terrain of Epsilon includes flatlands, steppe, taiga, rock canyons, hills, deltas, snow-capped mountains, and deserts. It is the 8th-most populous nation in Adula with around 51.6 million people. The capital is Epsilonia and the largest city is Sybaris, with other major cities including the port cities of Seguiso and Avennio, the riverside cities of Mancunium and Arrabona, and the southern Brali Liake metropolitan region cities of Artrebatum, Matode, and Verodunum.
Epsilon has been at the crossroads of civilizations for centuries. Arrabona being the oldest of oasis-cities in Central Adula was once the biggest city in the world, in medieval times one of the great cities of the ancient world and an important stop on the Bezdekia Road, a caravan route used for trade with Cadair and eastern Adula until the mid-15th century. The Kingdom of Epsilon was formed with the merger of several other states in 1481, an establishment that defined much of its present-day borders. Epsilonian trade routes were highly sought after by southern Nortuan states like Constantio and Zoygaria, and the development of trading posts throughout the Nortua and Kuskok Sea regions can be traced back to the extensive networks formed by the Epsilonian kingdoms. When the Barretoan Wars broke out in 1830, King Ariam IV sided with the Skithan Empire to maintain cross-continental control, but in the wake of Skith's collapse, the Epsilonian state became one of the last major empires on the Adulan continent. In 1848, a military coup by Awerki Sirus overthrew Ariam IV and established a socialist state, though the essence of a monarchy continued with the succession of Awerki Sirus II and the introduction of the Sirus dynasty. Epsilon's neutrality in the World War allowed it to both consolidate a considerable military and its territorial integrity, but also contributed to its isolation from the international community. In 2004, Epsilon became a declared nuclear weapons state and was sanctioned by most of the countries in the world.
Epsilon is described in its constitution as being an "independent socialist state", and it is a totalitarian dictatorship with a comprehensive cult of personality around the Sirus dynasty. The country's current ruler, Ramses Sirus III, has been notable for siding closely with Yuan and the Tasoulas regime in Syraranto, as well as expanding the country's nuclear weapons program. Epsilon is virtually closed to independent scrutiny, media and religious freedoms are subject to draconian restrictions, and human rights defenders and other activists face the constant threat of government reprisal. Public execution remains a constant for even the most minor of offenses. While Great Epsilon retains a seat in the Coalition of Crown Albatross, they have been widely criticized and sanctioned by the wider international community.