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The Imperium Romanum or Roman Empire, is a long-standing Empire that has existed on Terra in the Sol System for more than 2,000 years. It is ruled over by an imperial family, with the current Antonian Dynasty having been on the throne for nearly 500 years.
History
Early in Humanity's history, most nations and societies controlled reletively small amounts of land, with large empires being rare and most often short-lived. This would end with the rise of the Roman Republic, an iron-age civilization centered around the city of Rome. The Roman Republic's focus on military prowess and efficient administration allowed them to expand far beyond their homelands, and became a massive regional power.
The Roman Republic would end in civil war between the dictatorial Julius Caesar and the Roman senate. This civil war would briefly tear the republic apart, but from the ashes would rise the Roman Empire under Imperator Augustus Caesar, Julius' adoptive son. Under Imperial rule, Rome's borders would continue to expand rapidly through military action and shrewd diplomacy. What followed was known as the first Pax Romana, a long-standing period of growth and peace within the empire.
The first Pax Romana would end in the 300's CE, when a mix of several factors, such as a harshening climate resulting in famine and poor imperial leadership, caused a decline in Rome's influence. Nations and tribes surrounding the Roman Empire would attack or migrate into Roman territory, causing Rome to lose many territories on the periphery of the empire. After decades of instability and territorial losses, the competant Imperator Petras Justinian took the throne. Thanks to his and his generals' leadership, the empire's borders would stabilize and start to expand again. By his death, much of the territory lost in the 300's and 400's CE was back under Roman control or influence.
The emperors after Justinian understood that Rome's periphery territories were difficult to directly defend, and as such military campaigns to expand the empire's influence began again in earnest. While the majority of these campaigns did not see direct annexations into the empire, they expanded the empire's influence by creating protectorates and subjects of various tribes and peoples on the periphery of the empire. These emperors hoped that such groups would act as a buffer between Rome's enemies and its territories.
The Second Pax Romana would follow this expansion of Roman influence, and would last nearly 600 years. From the 600's to the 1200's CE, the empire mostly saw wars against small tribes, or border skirmishes with the neighboring Persian regimes. While this Pax Romana would have its highs and lows, the period largely saw growth and peace within the empire.
This Second Pax Romana would end in the 1200's CE, when the nomadic peoples of the Mongolian Empire would unify under a great Khan, and would invade much of the known world. The Romans were ill-equiped to deal with the Mongolian troops, and many territories in eastern Europe and the Levant were lost. During a pitched battle in the Roman territory of Asia Minor, the Khan himself was killed in battle. This turn of luck would cause a succession crisis within the Mongolian Empire, resulting in the empire splitting into several Khaganates under various military leaders. While this afforded the Roman Empire to retake some lost territories, this would not be the end of the crisis. Territories on the periphery of the empire would continue to be under constant threat by the various Mongolian warlords, and the Roman rival of Persia would reemerge under Mongolian leadership.
This new post-Mongolian era would come to ahead in the 1300's CE, when a massive epidemic would begin in the eastern Roman city of Theodosia. The epidemic, known as the Black Death, would rapidly spread on Roman trade routes, and the entire empire would be affected. The Black Death would end up killing nearly a fifth of the Roman Empire's population, affecting territories further from the Roman core more. This is largely attributed to large Roman settlements having excellent waterworks and sewage, while territories further out often did not.
Due to the rising power of the Mongolian-Persian Ilkhanate in the east, trade between the Roman Empire and civilizations further east would dwindle. This reduction in trade would lead to Roman expeditions to alternative trade routes to the far east in the 1400's CE, which would become known as the Age of Exploration. Roman explorers would circumnavigate Africa in the early 1400's CE, setting up trade bases from which to trade with locals and allow ships to restock on the way to and from Asia. There was also a rumor from northern peoples that there was a landmass in the northwest, across the Atlantic Ocean. One explorer, Christophorus Columbus, assumed this must be Asia, and would lead an expedition to the west. What he found was not Asia - but another continent entirely.
The Age of Exploration is often touted as the beginning of the Third Pax Romana, as Roman influence and wealth would grow massively. Roman trade routes stretched across the "Old World," and Roman colonies would be founded in the new. This would lead to an exponential increase in wealth and power for the empire, as raw resources and cash crops flooded the empire from its colonies and trade routes to be manufactured in the Roman homeland. As its wealth increased, so too did its borders. The Roman military once more became an unstoppable force with the mass adoption of gunpowder weapons, causing previous Roman rivals in Persia to join the fold.
The early 1700's CE would be the beginning of the Industrial Age of humanity, with the Roman Empire far ahead of the competition. Roman manufacturies ditched artisans and steam power became mainstream. Industrial capitalism had arrived, and Roman wealth and influence continued only to rise.
By the 1900's CE, all of Terra fell under Roman influence, either as a direct part of the empire or as a subject under its power. The wealth of the empire - and as such humanity - would continue to rise.
By 2200 CE, the Imperium Romanum has been at peace for nearly 300 years, with complete control and influence of its planet and species. It is around this time that Roman scientists discovered faster-than-light travel in the form of the ancient hyperlane network. The Imperium now looks to the stars, hoping to find new lands to conquer. For Jupiter! For the Imperator! For Rome!
Diplomacy
The Imperium Romanum is an aggressive empire, with its goals centered around subjugation and conquest. They will engage in diplomacy and trade - but in the end they would rather directly control resources than need to trade for them. Their warrior culture also means that they will tend to respect civilizations with a large military presence and who prove themselves in warfare.
See Also
Notes
Currently none.