Imperium

 This page is under renovation. Read about the overall process here. Do you want to see the original content? Check out the sandbox. Imperium is a confederation of 90 first-level entities (52 republics, 32 kingdoms and 6 archipelagos) primarily located in Central Arhet. Imperium covers an area of 13,982,000 km² (5.4 million square miles), has an estimated total population of 978 million and shares borders with 29 countries. The Hegemonian institutions are seated in seven cities: Magium (largest city), Arx Consularis, Orei, Dicaearchus, Balisipo, Merkatos and Lichas.

Due to its strategic position in Arhet and large extension, Imperium has been home to myriad civilizations.

Etymology and terminology
The term Imperium comes from the Hegemonian language (the only official language prior to 1720), meaning "great power" and, by extension, "empire". By general convention, the version of early historian Fabius Musca is accepted as the term's etymology. Musca explains that the term is related to Magius Aeternus, as the "great power over Hegemonian peoples", the first wielder of magic and his divine origin (as he descended from the Ether).

The adjective Aetherium, from the Hegemonian (meaning "ethereal, celestial, heavenly"), initially reinforced the idea that Imperium was led by Magius Aeternus through his direct descendants, who were officially named as the Vicaries of Magius Aeternus and also Hegemonian deities. It fell into disuse following the accession to the throne of Titanius III in 221, the first emperor not directly related to Magius Aeternus and thus did not constitute a deity.

Following the proclamation of the First Electivate, the Icarian term ἡγεμονία (hēgemonía), meaning "authority, rule, political supremacy", emerged as synonym of Imperium and as the demonym for the Hegemonian peoples (as explained by the 5th century historian Erichthonius: "the name was adopted due to Imperium's undeniable political, economic and military predominance over other countries").

Ethereal Empire
The Ethereal Empire is the first era of Hegemonian history, extending from the proclamation of Magius Aeternus, the first wielder of magic, as the first emperor to the coronation of Titanius III Dumnonicus as successor of Levitatus II, the last emperor of the Magian Dynasty. Magius Aeternus was twin of the godZeus, son of Cronus and Rhea; Magius was protected for centuries by the goddess Aretia, until it was necessary for him to descend from the Ether to save humanity from self-destruction.

Imperium was ruled during this period as an absolute monarchy, where the emperor's authority came from divine origin (as descendants of Magius Aeternus) and their court consisted of members of his family and close or strategic allies. Due to the brief historical information (which generally focuses on the reign and achievements of the emperors) and the extensive artistic and philosophical development, it is considered as the most peaceful and relatively stable era of Imperium's history.

Reign of Magius Aeternus (512 BCE - 0)
Shortly after descending from Ether, Magius Aeternus (the first wielder of magic) was proclaimed as the first emperor of contemporary Imperium in 12 November 512 BCE, by the will of the goddess and Magius's protector, Aretia. He would reign for over 500 years, the longest reign of any sovereign; during his reign, Magium was built as the imperial capital and the most prominent cities near the capital started their growth. Magius advocated for the development of philosophy and arts throughout Imperium, and introduced series of rules concerning the types of magic in the country, which are still enforced by the Normatorium, which is the oldest institution of the Hegemonian Government, established by Magius himself around the late 5th century BCE.

By the end of his fifth century as emperor, Magius Aeternus decided to return the island of Gaia, current Pegasi (his birthplace) before ascending to the Ether alive as part of the will of his grandmother, goddess Gaia. Soon after his depart, the court discovered that his reign was about to end and pressured to decide a successor from his children with Pythonica. However, descendants (through agnatic primogeniture) from previous marriages also claimed to be rightful heirs to the throne, thus triggering the First Succession War. The war lasted almost 12 years, and all the pretenders were killed in combat, with no male heir to inherit the throne. Weeks after the end of the conflict, Magius returned to Magium and proclaimed Facticia, his 20-year-old daughter with Pythonica, and only surviving child, as his rightful heir to the throne.

Officially, it is believed that Magius did not learn of the conflict until his return to the capital, but there is historical debate as to whether Magius intentionally allowed the conflict so that Facticia and her line would become the only rightful heirs. Magius instructed his court to prepare Facticia for her reign, and eventually ascended to heaven over Domus Deorum; the date on which he ascended is considered the start of "Common Era" (1 January 0), of which there are more historical records.

Common Era of the Ethereal Empire (0 - 221)
As the aftermath of the First Succession War (fought prior to the ascension of Magius Aeternus to the Ether), there were no male child of Magius who could claim his throne. Facticia, the 20-year-old daughter of Magius Aeternus with his last wife Pythonica, was proclaimed as the reigning empress as the only surviving child of Magius. Facticia reigned for 14 years before unexpectedly dying under unclear circumstances, allegedly she was poisoned. But, it remains unclear to this day who was behind it or what exactly ocurred. Necrospicium was performed by the Magi of the court, to no effect, as a type of Ars Proscripta (forbidden magic) called Claustromantia was used. Claustromantia is a type of magic that locks up the soul at the moment of death, and restricts it from reconnecting to the Aether.

As Facticia did not proclaimed a rightful heir, both of her twins were claiming the throne; however, the royal court discovered through magic that Magius Nigrus actually was conceived through the wandering spirit of Facticia's half-brother (and Magius's child), Proscriptus, and decided to crown Magius Albus as the next emperor. This was disputed by Magius Nigrus (and his allies), and eventually triggered a Second Succession War, 15 years after the first one. The Second Succession War extended from 14 to 21, with Albus eventually winning over his brother. Magius II Albus died heirless after reigning for 32 years, as his remaining descendants died under strange circumstances just weeks before his death; Magius Nigrus is suspected of having cursed his lineage shortly before he died during the last battle of the Second Succession War. As a result of this, his younger brother Olympicus Magnus (who did not participate in the succession war) was proclaimed as his successor as emperor.

Dominate
The Dominate is the second era of Hegemonian history, established as the agnatic bloodline of Magius Aeternus ceased. Levitatus II was the last emperor of the Magian Dynasty and did not leave issue. Therefore, Levitatus adopted one of his generals, Titanius III Dumnonicus, who established the Dumnonican dynasty. The term, from the Hegemonian dominus (meaning lord or master), implies that the emperors from this era were autocratic and without agnatic kindship to Magius Aeternus, the first emperor of Imperium, but were still officially known as Vicars of Magius Aeternus.

Throughout the Dominate, there were various dynasties due to the major changes in consanguinity between the emperors. The Dominate was ultimately unstable during the Pinna-Tasian dynasty, which collapsed after only four emperors and triggered a civil war in order to seize the control of Imperium.

First Electivate
The First Electivate is the third era of Hegemonian history, extending from the accession of Decidius Nepos Restitutor Orbis to the issuance of the Promulgatio Popularis by Martius Democratus. Decidius Nepos acceded to the throne following his victory in the Civil War, creating stability based on his long reign and the pacification of former battle zones; throughout his reign, the High Council emerged as a prominent institution of Imperium, with the prime responsibility of electing the future emperors of Imperium.

The High Council consisted of dukes, princes and kings from the provinces, and representation of religion and magic. As of the election of Olympicus IV, the emperor would need the advise and consent of the High Council for the governance and military operations of Imperium, ending the autocracy of the Dominate and avoiding the centralization of power, in order to prevent prominent civil wars within Imperium.

Second Electivate
The Second Electivate is the fourth era of Hegemonian history, extending from the Promulgatio Popularis (issued by the emperor Democratus on 1 December 1072) to the Reformatio Rei Publici (issued by the emperor Iulius II on 12 November 1720). Due to the increasing uprisings and rebellions demanding democracy throughout Imperium, the High Council implemented reforms to the Electivate system, the government and the provinces.

The Promulgatio Popularis established the provincial legislatures (democratically elected by the people), who were responsible for appointing members of the Senate of Imperium, a federal legislative body responsible for formulating federal laws and ratifying the election of the emperor by High Council.

Constitutional monarchy
The constitutional monarchy is the fifth and current era of Hegemonian history, which was established by the Reformatio Rei Publici, issued on 12 November 1720. This proclamation concluded the transition of Imperium to a confederation, which is governed through a hybrid system of supranational and intergovernmental decision-making, and according to the principles of conferral (the Hegemonian government, consisting of 8 institutions, should act only within the limits of the competences conferred on it by the Hegemonian directives), and of subsidiarity (the government should act only where an objective cannot be sufficiently achieved by the first-level entities acting independently).

Through the Reformatio Rei Publici, the Senate and High Council reformed the Electivate system and established that the subsequent emperors would be selected from a list of official presumptives (defined by the Representation of the Emperor) from the Bassus-Cotta Family, starting with the emperor Iulius II (which was married with Alexandra Cotta, the eldest child of the late emperor Aurelius VI).

Location and borders


The 90 first-level entities of Imperium cover a combined area of 13,982,120 km² (5.4 million square miles). The vast majority of Imperium's territory and population is situated in Central Arhet and it consists of the mainland and various islands throughout the Merchant Sea and the Icarian Sea. The remaining territory consists of multiple exclaves throughout the world, which are incorporated within the first-level entities of Pharos and Arces Limites. Imperium is one of the largest countries in the world by total area and population, with about 975 million inhabitants as of 2022.

Imperium borders twenty nine sovereign states (including three maritime boundaries), from west to east: Cabo Negro, Escia, Tirandia, Amezcoas, Itano, Garbia, Hircania, Mandagora, Tizonia, Cazor, Bahia Oculta, Arpitania, Patrie (the longest border), Mhidhinis, Diwoduro, Tiudunhaim, Eborakon, Windomagos, Lemobriga, Briwadunon, Ardumagos, Genusia, Usnea, unnamed, Pachnamunis, Ptkheka, Sanace Sanitimi (an enclaved micronation in Iunia), Khem and Politeia Eupatoria.

Imperium's territory is also bordered by important bodies of water, including the Merchant Sea, the Icarian Sea, the Schismatic Sea and the Argentian Mass (a water mass of the Oceanus); as well as more important elements of the global topography, including the deserts of Vastia and Siccum, and several mountain ranges located throughout its non-desert boundaries.

Government and politics
Imperium is a confederation of 90 first-level entities, which is governed as a constitutional monarchy with a hybrid system of supranational and intergovernmental decision-making, and according to the principles of conferral (it should act only within the limits of the competences that are conferred on them by the Hegemonian laws) and subsidiarity (it should act only where an objective cannot be sufficiently achieved by the first-level entities acting independently). Laws made by the Hegemonian institutions are passed in a variety of forms. Generally speaking, the Hegemonian laws can be classified into two groups: regulations, which are enforced without internal implementation measures and directives, which specifically require internal implementation measures.

The emperor is the head of state of Imperium, who is the symbol of the Hegemonian state and the unity of the Hegemonian peoples, and his position derives from his legitimacy as successor of Magius Aeternus. The Consules Plebeii are the heads of government, responsible for advising the Hegemonian Council on the political direction and priorities of Imperium, chairing the Epistalma and acting as official representatives of the Hegemonian Government. The powers of government, as stated by Reformatio Rei Publici, are exercised through the eight Hegemonian institutions: Hegemonian Council, Epistalma, Senate of Imperium, High Council of Imperium, Hegemonian Court, Aerarium, Hegemonian Bank and the Hegemonian Military Council.



The Hegemonian Council gives political direction to Imperium and consists of Consules Plebeii, and one or two representatives from each first-level entity (either its head of state or head(s) of government). The Epistalma is the executive branch of the Hegemonian Government and is responsible for defining public policy concerning various issues, as well as cooperating with first-level governments. The Senate and the High Council are the legislative institutions of Imperium, responsible for formulating, approving and/or ammending Hegemonian laws, including amendments to the Reformatio Rei Publici when necessary. The Senate of Imperium consists of 952 elected senators, while the High Council has 360 members (four from each first-level entity, including 1 from each concilium: Principum, Sapientium, Theurgarum and Hierophantarum).

The Hegemonian Court is the judicial branch of the Government and is responsible for ensuring the uniform application and interpretation of the Hegemonian law, cooperating with the first-level judicial institutions. It also resolves legal disputes between first-level governments and any of the Hegemonian institutions. The Aerarium is the finance and audit institution, and is responsible for providing the budget, monitoring the use of public funds, reviewing the government financial reporting and contributing to anti-corruption efforts within the Hegemonian Government and the first-level entities.

The Hegemonian Bank is the central bank of Imperium and the prime component of the Hegemonian System of Banks, and is responsible for determining the monetary policy of Imperium, ensuring the price stability, and administering the foreign exchange reserves and gold reserves of the first-level entities of Imperium. The Hegemonian Military Council is responsible for operations concerning security, intelligence, conscription and defense of Imperium and its 90 first-level entities. It is an intergovernmental institution consisting of leaders of the Ministry of the Soldiers, the Hegemonian Forces, the Intelligence Force and components of Hegemonian Gendarmerie from every first-level entity.

Legal system and justice
Reformatio Rei Publici is the supreme law of the fifth and current era of Imperium, the constitutional monarchy. It was issued by Iulius II on 12 November 1720, embodies the first-level entities as sovereign political entities and the principles of conferral and subsidiarity; which required 8 Hegemonian institutions, exercising their duties through a hybrid system of supranational and intergovernmental decision-making. The act also embodies that the Hegemonian institutions, to exercise their duties, must adopt acts (regulations and directives), decisions and recommendations. Hegemonian legislation is the sole responsibility of the Senate and High Council, while decisions and recommendations can be issued by any of the six remaining Hegemonian institutions.

Hegemonian regulations require qualified majority voting in Senate and High Council to be enforceable in every first-level entity simultaneously, and may include amendments to the Reformatio Rei Publici. Therefore, Imperium is considered to have an uncodified constitution, as it can be amended by regulations and decisions issued by the Hegemonian Court or the Aerarium. These Hegemonian institutions, of judicial and finance-audit competence, consist of experts from the 90 first-level entities, who ensure the uniform application and interpretation of the Hegemonian law (by the remaining Hegemonian institutions and every first-level entity). They have no jurisdiction over ordinary civil or criminal cases, as those are the sole responsibility of the judiciary and/or audit institutions from every first-level entity.Therefore, every person within the territory of Imperium is accountable to the laws of the first-level entity they are and/or live, if they are prosecuted for a crime or legal wrong.

Military
The Hegemonian military consist of 3 service branches: the Hegemonian Forces, the Gendarmerie and the Intelligence Force. The Hegemonian Forces is the main service branch, responsible for defense of Imperium and military interventions, and is comprised of the Division of the Legions (Classis Legionaria), the  Division of Aeronautics (Classis Aëronautica) and the  Division of the Navy (Classis Navalis). The Gendarmerie is the collective of the forces responsible for the internal security of each first-level entity. The Intelligence Force is the collective of the intelligence agencies, domestic security agencies, and the military intelligence forces responsible for intelligence activities, supporting the foreign policy, internal security and defense of Imperium. These main service branches are supported by law enforcement agencies from the first-level entities and analysis offices from Hegemonian Government.

Every Hegemonian is drafted into the military at the age of 16, for a compulsory one-year service. After conscription ends, they are granted citizenship and decide whether to remain in or leave the military service, as stated by the principle of "freedom is based on service". Hegemonian law provide exceptions to conscription, including including any physical disability or psychological disorder that may affect military performance; as well as other temporary exemptions, that only delay the entrance to the military service. The unjustified evasion of conscription is penalized in every first-level entity with the ban of citizenship; and may imply exile, ban of the public services or death penalty, depending on the existing laws of each first-level entity.

Foreign relations


Imperium is widely considered a global superpower, as the largest and strongest military, economy and magical sovereign state in the world, as well as a solid and democratic political system. Therefore, Imperium has established foreign relations with almost every country in the world. It is founding member of the Arhetian Organization and permanent member of its Arhetian Council for Planetary Security and Peace. Through the Hegemonian Space Agency (for space exploration purposes) and the Division of Aeronautics (for defense purposes), Imperium is a board member of the Arhetian Council for Space Exploration and Defense. It has high commissioners for the Arhetian Organization and its councils, related organizations and other independent NGOs.

As a major geopolitical force, Imperium has diplomatic missions in nearly every country in the world, and hosts embassies and consulates (official representatives) from almost every country in its territory. The diplomatic service is headed by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, and is operated by career diplomats (excluding the minister, which is appointed by Senate). The Hegemonian law enables the appointment of commissioners, which are usually members of the Senate, to fulfill extraordinary powers for the formation of provisional governments and "more friendly regimes" in countries military-defeated by Imperium.

Magic
Magic is an ubiquitous form of energy, not visible to the human eye, that is considered to be related to the energy that was required for the cosmogony. The knowledge of magic goes back to the first wielder of this power, the first emperor and founder of Imperium, Magius Aeternus. Fabius Musca, the classical writer, describes that when Magius was sent to earth by his grandmother Gaia, she gifted him the abiility to access a type of energy that was previously unknown to mankind. Fabius writes "as Prometheus gave mankind fire, it was Gaia who gave mankind, through Magius, access to that part of the divine energy, emanating from the Aether, which is able to permeate the material world as perceived by the human senses". Divine energy is considered to be the remnant of the energy as used by the great architect to create the universe and is what the home of the gods, the Aether, consists of.

Few humans are born with an ability to tap into the divine energy and can be taught how to harness and use magic. The study of becoming a Theurgus (wizard) is difficult and not many manage to become proficient users. Wizards of higher proficiency, named Magi (sing: Magus), are extremely rare. Youngsters where the ability to use divine energy is detected are brought to Magium to study in the Academia Magna in the city center. The study of magic is subdivided is various categories wherein specialization is possible.

The usage of magic is bound by certain rules as set by Magius himself, these rules are controlled by the Normatorium in Magium.

Languages
Imperium does not formally have an official language at the Hegemonian level. However, the most commonly used language is Hegemonian, which is standardized by the Hegemonian law as lingua franca for the Hegemonian institutions and the first-level entities. As defined by Reformatio Rei Publici, first-level entities have the power to determine official languages through their constitutions, which are generally used by neighboring first-level entities. There are five main languages in Imperium, other than Hegemonian: Icarian, Olympian, Messapian, Cargiacan, Tirandian and Seirian.

Religion
Imperium is a predominantly polytheistic state, honouring a wide variety of deities. Although there is a standard Hegemonian Pantheon, it is not a standardised religion, as most Hegemonians worships a personalised set of gods or deities, which may or may not be part of the Hegemonian Pantheon. Most of the deities emerged as part of the religious syncretism between Icarians and Phocaeans, although domains may have changed slightly. A second group of deities were imported from other cultures, either inside or outside the first-level entities; while a third group are early deified emperors including the reign of Magius Aeternus.

Temples focused on worship of specific deities or a group of deities can be found throughout Imperium. Often worship depends on local traditions and geographic distribution (i.e. Sethus, the deity of deserts, would not be worshipped in the forest, while Neptunus would not be worshipped far away from the coast). Freedom of religion is endorsed by Hegemonian law, with limited exceptions related to radical atheism, religious intolerance and embracement of monotheism, which can be severely prosecuted by the laws of each first-level entity. According to the 2020 census, 98.9% of the Hegemonian citizens identified as polytheist, 0.1% deists (merely believing in the natural gods), and 1.0% as non-worshipping.

Education
The Hegemonian law ensures the right to education for all children (either biological or adopted) of the citizens of Imperium who have complied with conscription to the military. The public education system is operated by the first-level entities and local governments, and regulated by Epistalma—the Ministry of Education—through restrictions on Hegemonian grants. By convention, children are required to attend school from the age of four (beginning with preschool or first grade) until they turn 15 (generally bringing them through the ninth grade, the end of secondary school). Due to conscription to the military, students get a sabbatical until their birthday and usually enter tertiary education at the age of 17. The basic literacy rate is approximately 99%. Of Hegemonian citizens with 25 years and older, 88.7% graduated from secondary school and 53.3% attended some tertiary education institution.

From the early Ethereal Empire, Imperium provides an extraordinary system of education for youngsters who have the ability to use magic. Under Title #, Section #, of Reformatio Rei Publici, each first-level entity has a Theurgus Registration Commission, which identifies people with this ability and moves them to Academia Magna, in Magium. The Academia Magna is the oldest magic institution in the world, responsible for identifying the magic class of each theurgus, studying their abilities and identifying potential threats, to provide information for the Normatorium to define magic policy with advice and consent of the Senate and High Council. The academy also provides regular education, dormitories and other benefits to theurgus, so that they can remain in the institution until they are 17.

Health
The Hegemonian law ensures universal health care, in every first-level entity, for all citizens of Imperium (who have complied with conscription) and their immediate family. The Hegemonian Health Care Services are responsible for the publicly funded heathcare systems of the first-level entities of Imperium, headed by the Ministry of Health and is operated by the health departments of each first-level government. The system operates the world's largest hospital network, which includes medical research centers and hospital facilities directed by oustanding medical universities.

Imperium has an average life expectancy of 83.16 years, with 86.72 years for women, which is among the highest in the world. The healthcare system covers an intensive mental health program for veterans of the military and people with ability to use magic, intended to reduce cases of suicide, paranoia and other psychological disorders. The 2023 Hegemonian budget provides ₳5.6 trillion argentus for health services in Imperium, about 15% of GDP.